The Shanghai CC&TSPM shared a few stories between foreign Christian friends and China.
On August 27, Shanghai CC&TSPM held the fifth installment in the series of "I'll Tell Your Story” activities. The workgroup for foreign exchanges, as well as the city's foreign worship-related district co-workers, attended.
Pastor Zhuo Zhuyin from the Hongkou District told the touching story of Lu Xun's Japanese Christian friend Uchiyama Kanzo who helped rescue Chinese revolutionaries during the Anti-Japanese War. Pastor Guo Feng, deputy Secretary-General of the Municipal Christian CCC&TSPM, introduced the story of Canadian missionary James Gareth Endicott who participated in the publicity of the Communist Party of China in Shanghai and dedicated his life to the China-Canada friendship.
Pastor Chen Qin of Jiading District told the story of Talitha A. Gerlach, the first woman to get a permanent residence permit in Shanghai. As an American YWCA worker, Gerlach worked hard to change the fate of Chinese women. Elder Ou Enlin from the Jing'an District with his decades of foreign affairs work experience shared the story of Pastor Cao Shengjie, former president of CCC who used one sentence to uphold the "One China principle" on foreign affairs occasions.
Pastor Tian Feng of Pudong New Area shared the touching story of Djafar Widjaya, an Indonesian Chinese who did business with integrity and cared about China. Pastor Zhao Xin of Xuhui District introduced the moving story of Pastor Dale Cuckow, senior pastor of the English fellowship of Shanghai Community Church, who has adopted a Chinese girl and considered Shanghai to be his home. Pastor Cen Zhongpu from the Changning District introduced the love story of Pastor Daniel Ho who works in the International Church of Shanghai located in Changning District participating in a community charity. The touching story of Pastor Carlos who set up a special Spanish fellowship with the help of the Ethnic and Religious Chinese Affairs Office, the community, and the local church was told by Pastor Qin Xiaolin of Jing'an District.
Shanghai Christian CCC&TSPM said that these stories spanning one hundred years not only gained the sympathy and support of international friends for the Chinese people in the Anti-Japanese War and the Liberation War but also had the Chinese heart and religious sentiments of overseas Chinese Christians. Those stories that happened in Shanghai's Christian foreign exchanges after the reform and international opening-up deeply touched people.
Pastor Xu Yulan, chairman of the Municipal Christian Three-Self Patriotic Movement Committee, concluded in the final speech that foreign-related worship was the highlight of the Shanghai church's ministry. Since the first English worship in Shanghai was opened in 1996, there have been nine special services in different languages.
- Translated by Stephen Huang
