The Shanghai Community Church won't resume worship activities in the following months as the church is under renovation.
On October 25, the Shanghai Community Church announced that it had stopped worship services as required due to COVID-19 at the end of January, according to the church. Then the Standing Committee of the Xuhui District CC&TSPM decided to repair the church in March. Because the church had not been repaired for many years, there were safety concerns. The electric circuitry needed to be updated and there was a problem with water accumulating in the courtyard during the rainy season.
As churches in Shanghai are resuming services, the Shanghai Community Church suggested that its believers participate in services in nearby churches.
Regretting the suspension of worship services, the church leaders invited the believers to pray for the ongoing renovation. The prayer includes that the Lord would bless the church so that the glory of the present would be greater than the glory of the former house.
In order to shepherd and lead the congregation, the church will share audio recordings on WeChat of the pastor's sermons every Sunday, short spiritual essays every Wednesday and Friday, and hymns every Tuesday and Thursday.
The church called the believers to watch and pray twice a day for an ending to the epidemic, the development of the country, the harmony of the society, the happiness of the family, and the new construction of the church. They asked church members to continue to pray for mercy, healing, peace, and help from God.
Church leaders reminded believers that they could pray in their homes at 5:30 in the morning and 9:00 in the evening.
Established by Americans living in China in 1920, the original Community Church met in a small house. Five years later, a new larger interdenominational church was built. Boasting the largest foreign attendance, the church has received many prestigious foreign figures, including former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, and Nobel laureate Rev. Desmond Tutu.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
