The Zhongzhou Church, located on Zhongzhou Island in Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, has begun its demolition and second relocation due to urban planning, said a local Christian woman.
Before the founding of the People's Republic of China, there was a place of assembly for Christians on Zhongzhou Island in Fuzhou City. During the revival of the Fuzhou churches, the number of believers surged significantly. Chinese church leader Watchman Nee donated his ancestral property and converted it into a meeting venue for the congregations, which was renamed Zhongzhou Church as the number of Christians had exceeded 2,000 in 1994. The Zhongzhou Church was rebuilt as a part of the development of Zhongzhou Island by foreign businessmen from 2000 to 2002.
In recent years, the Fuzhou government has planned to further upgrade Zhongzhou Island to speed up urban planning for the development of a modernized international city. It is learned that Zhongzhou Island adopts a collage design, combining the "arching" of the Jiefang Bridge and the "Continental-style" architecture on the east side as frameworks to construct a modern semicircular arch-shaped western architecture.
Zhongzhou Island will then become a cultural and recreational hotspot along the Minjiang River, functioning as a center for culture, commerce, and socializing. It is expected to emerge as a name card emblem and landmark for Fuzhou City.
A preacher said that the Zhongzhou Church will be reconstructed and relocated to Fanchuanpu by the Minjiang River, which makes it adjacent to the Fanchuanpu Catholic Church, the biggest Catholic church in Fujian. “It is the Lord’s grace that Zhongzhou Church can be rebuilt in such a good location as Fanchuanpu on Nantai Island by the Minjiang River,” another Christian woman added.
(The article was originally published by the Gospel Times and the author is a Christian in Fuzhou, Fujian.)
- Translated by Poppy Chan
一位姐妹介绍说，福建福州中州岛教堂已开始拆迁了，这也是这座教堂的第二次重建。
福州市中洲岛在解放前有一处基督徒聚会处的聚会场所，在福州教会大复兴时期，信徒人数大量增加，倪柝声将自已的祖产奉献出来，改建成教会聚会所。1994年，聚会所信徒达2000多人，该所后更名中洲教堂。2000年-2002年，外商开发了中洲岛，重建了中洲教堂。
近年来，福州市政府为加快建设现代化国际城市规划，计划将中洲岛进一步改造提升。建筑后的中洲岛采用拼贴设计策略，将东部“欧陆风”建筑和解放大桥的核心元素“拱形”作为原型，塑造了现代半圆拱形的西部创意建筑。
届时，中洲岛将成为可览闽江、可讲文化、可购所需、可供交流的市民文化休闲广场，更将成为福州城的新名片、新地标。
欧阳传道告诉我，中洲教堂计划迁到闽江边的泛（番）船浦重建，将与福建最大的天主教堂泛船浦天主堂相邻。主内李大姐高兴地说：“中洲基督教堂能在闽江边的南台泛船浦那么好段重建，是主的恩典……”
注：本文为特约/自由撰稿人文章，作者系福建福州一教会信徒。
福建中洲教堂将随城市规划异地重建
The Zhongzhou Church, located on Zhongzhou Island in Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, has begun its demolition and second relocation due to urban planning, said a local Christian woman.
Before the founding of the People's Republic of China, there was a place of assembly for Christians on Zhongzhou Island in Fuzhou City. During the revival of the Fuzhou churches, the number of believers surged significantly. Chinese church leader Watchman Nee donated his ancestral property and converted it into a meeting venue for the congregations, which was renamed Zhongzhou Church as the number of Christians had exceeded 2,000 in 1994. The Zhongzhou Church was rebuilt as a part of the development of Zhongzhou Island by foreign businessmen from 2000 to 2002.
In recent years, the Fuzhou government has planned to further upgrade Zhongzhou Island to speed up urban planning for the development of a modernized international city. It is learned that Zhongzhou Island adopts a collage design, combining the "arching" of the Jiefang Bridge and the "Continental-style" architecture on the east side as frameworks to construct a modern semicircular arch-shaped western architecture.
Zhongzhou Island will then become a cultural and recreational hotspot along the Minjiang River, functioning as a center for culture, commerce, and socializing. It is expected to emerge as a name card emblem and landmark for Fuzhou City.
A preacher said that the Zhongzhou Church will be reconstructed and relocated to Fanchuanpu by the Minjiang River, which makes it adjacent to the Fanchuanpu Catholic Church, the biggest Catholic church in Fujian. “It is the Lord’s grace that Zhongzhou Church can be rebuilt in such a good location as Fanchuanpu on Nantai Island by the Minjiang River,” another Christian woman added.
(The article was originally published by the Gospel Times and the author is a Christian in Fuzhou, Fujian.)
- Translated by Poppy Chan
Urban Planning Spurs Fujian Church to Be Relocated
