On May 30, the youth fellowship of Shanghai Huxi Church held a lecture on the history of the Chinese church, commemorating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Shanghai Christian Three-Self Patriotic Movement Committee.
According to the church, Rev. Guo Feng, deputy secretary-general of the Shanghai CC&TSPM, delivered a lecture titled "Christianity in China Before and After the Publication of the Three-Self Manifesto." Rev. Guo explored the political context before the manifesto's release and examined the image of Christianity in Chinese society at that time. He provided a detailed account of the development and publication of the "Three-Self Manifesto" and shared the faith journey of its key initiator, Mr. Wu Yao-tsung (Y. T. Wu).
The lecture aimed to help young believers gain a deeper understanding of a pivotal period in the history of Chinese Christianity during the early years of the People's Republic of China. It encouraged them to pursue a more comprehensive and informed perspective on historical events.
Held on the eve of the traditional Dragon Boat Festival which falls on May 31 this year, the event concluded with each attendee receiving a festive mugwort sachet and a zongzi-shaped pastry (zongzi refers to a traditional Chinese dish made of glutinous rice, commonly enjoyed during the Dragon Boat Festival).
Huxi Church was originally founded in 1919 in the Xinjing District. Its roots trace back to a preaching station established by two Swedish female missionaries, Ms. Christensen and Ms. K. Anderson. Notably, Ni Guizhen, the mother of Soong Ching Ling, also contributed to the church's early development.
The current church building was constructed in 1940 and became the designated joint worship venue for believers in Changning District in 1958. After years of closure, the church officially reopened in December 1982, and the present structure was completed in December 1989, featuring distinctive brown brick exterior walls.
In May 1998, Xinjing Church, now an affiliated branch of Huxi Church, was established in Changning District with joint funding from the Shanghai Municipal and Changning District CC&TSPMs. The branch holds weekly Korean-language services to serve the local Korean-speaking community.
