Fujian churches hosted a symposium regarding the Good Shepherd Sunday.
Pingnan County CC&TSPM in Ningde, Fujian Province, organized the 11th Good Shepherd Sunday's Thanksgiving Symposium at Chengdong Church on April 29 to honor pastors, according to Pingnan CC&TSPM.
At the symposium, pastors shared the ups and downs of serving, especially the grassroots ministers from rural areas. Under the pressure of reality - limited capacity, money, and resources in the church - their ministries were full of hardships. Though they have experienced weakness, discouragement, and tears, they still stick to their post, faithfully fulfilling their responsibilities of living up to God's calling.
In the end, pastors prayed together for world peace, the pandemic situation at home and abroad, the end of the Russian-Ukrainian war, and the Pingnan Church and the pastoral team.
Zhongxin Wei, chairman of the Pingnan County TSPM, mentioned that Pingnan CC&TSPM celebrated the first Good Shepherd Sunday in 2012, which is the fourth Sunday of Eastertide every year. This year's festival aims for believers to learn to respect, encourage, appreciate and affirm their pastors.
On the morning of this year's Good Shepherd Sunday which falls on May 8, all churches in this county shared sermons themed "Respect the Shepherd, Perform Your Duty" based on 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 and 1 Timothy 5:17-18, guiding believers to respect their pastor. On that afternoon, all the churches would give sermons with the same theme "Build a Pastoral Team After God’s Heart", citing 1 Timothy 4:12 and Proverbs 29:18, saying that pastors would be the good soldiers called by God, who must be able "to come when they are called, to fight when they come, and to win when they fight." The message would emphasize team spirit - pastors should know that “They are in a pastoral team which needs their participation, and they also need the support of the team even more.” Pastors and believers are urged to unite to be a blessing to the church.
- Translated by Katherine Guo
