On December 11, the Shanghai Christian Council held an ordination ceremony for seven pastors and 12 elders in Jiayin Church, in Pujin Street, Minhang District. Nearly 500 staff workers and believers attended.
Rev. Xu Yulan, chairman of the Shanghai TSPM, gave a sermon entitled, "Being a Good Deacon of Christ".
During the ceremony, Rev. Geng Weizhong, president of the Shanghai CC, laid hands on the 19 fellow workers after they shared their understanding of the office to which they have been called. Later, they were presented clerical stoles and Bibles.
After the ordination ceremony, a seminar was held to welcome the newly ordained pastors and elders.
Rev. Xu said that God still cared for the Shanghai churches in the special period of COVID-19. The number of pastoral co-workers ordained this time broke last year’s record. She led them to recall the three callings from the Lord. The first was obeying God’s calling to devote themselves to studying theology; the second was starting to shepherd the flock after the graduation; the third was being ordained to be the overseers of all the flock and a deacon of Christ.
Rev. Geng said that thanks to God’s grace and blessing, the Shanghai CC was able to carry out the ordination during this difficult time. He exhorted the newly ordained colleagues to be good servants in the new era and develop their personal qualities by studying theology hard and combining their beliefs with traditional Chinese culture.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
