Rev. Rui Tingting was appointed associate senior pastor of Apostle's Church in Suzhou, in China's coastal Jiangsu province.
She accepted her appointment while standing behind a podium adorned with two red Chinese flags, according to the Suzhou Christian Council & Three-Self Patriotic Movement (CC&TSPM).
Rev. Rui' appointment makes her the most hopeful successor of the senior pastor of the most historic church in Suzhou.
The Apostle's Church, believed to be the very first Protestant Church in Suzhou, was established in 1879 by American Presbyterian missionaries. It was also the first church to be reopened in Jiangsu Province after the Cultural Revolution.
Proposed by top leaders of Suzhou CC&TSPM, two national flags were put in front of Rev. Rui to indicate her responsibility to society. She accepted her appointment with her hand on the Bible, promising to "endorse the leadership of the Communist Party of China, practice core socialist values and comply with 'three-self' principles" as well as fulfill her pastoral duties to the church.
Rev. He Jiemiao, President & Chairman of Suzhou CC&TSPM, addressed the participants. He stated that Christian organizations promote career development and growth for young workers in Suzhou by providing ministry and work opportunities. He also serves as the chairman of the Jiangsu CC, elected at the 10th Jiangsu Christianity Conference in May 2019.
On October 1, 2018, Suzhou CC&TSPM launched the first-ever raising ceremony of the national flag in Shishan Church, located at the west of Suzhou. Started in October 2018, a new campaign was taken to bring the introduction of national flag, religious regulations, core socialist values, and traditional Chinese culture into churches in China.
