wfn.org | Anniversary of Re-Opening of Shanghai Churches Celebrated

[PCUSA NEWS <pcusa.news@ecunet.org>]

20-January-2000 
00027 
 
    Anniversary of Re-Opening of Shanghai Churches Celebrated 
 
    130 congregations now worship openly 
 
    by Kim and John Strong 
    Presbyterian mission workers in China 
 
NANJING, China - On Sept. 11, 1999, we were honored and excited to join 
thousands of Chinese Christians gathered in the Huangpu sports arena for a 
service of celebration and worship commemorating the 20-year anniversary of 
the re-opening of the churches in Shanghai. 
 
    During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), Christians, like nearly 
everyone in China, suffered terrible persecution.  People often compare 
those years to walking "through the valley of the shadow of death."  Yet, 
even when the light of a new day began to dawn with the re-opening of the 
churches at the end of the 1970s, few would have dared to imagine the 
freedom and growth that Chinese churches enjoy only 20 years later. 
 
    Currently there are 86 churches in Shanghai and more than 43 "meeting 
points" - about 130 congregations.  More than 60 of these have been built 
since 1980.  The East China Theological Seminary is also located in 
Shanghai and serves not only the Shanghai municipality, but also the four 
provinces of Shandong, Zhejiang, Fujian and Jiangxi.  Choirs from 12 of the 
churches offered anthems of praise and thanksgiving and then joined their 
forces to create a single choir of 1000 voices for the premier of a new 
Chinese anthem of celebration written by Pastor Shi Qi Gui, a friend and 
former pastor of Kim's. 
 
    This was John's first real visit to Shanghai, and although Kim lived 
there for two years, from 1986-1988, it might as well have been a first 
visit.  The city of Shanghai has undergone dramatic changes in the last 10 
years, and many parts of it are practically unrecognizable now. 
 
    Pray for the Christians in Shanghai and for Christians throughout China 
as they seek ways to strengthen their churches and make the good news of 
Jesus Christ known and accepted. 

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