Last Sunday, churches across China rolled out Christmas Eve celebrations to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.
After three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, many churches resumed in-person Christmas celebrations, also carrying out evening services or gatherings.
On the morning of December 24, Sheshan Xingcheng Church in Qixia District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, held a Christmas Eve worship service. The church was adorned with red ribbons, with two Christmas trees on either side of the altar, and colorful "Silent Night" stickers under a red cross on the wall.
After hymns, choir performances, and prayers, the pastor delivered a sermon titled "Today, the Savior Has Been Bornf to You," based on Luke 2:1–20. "Savior is a beautiful and powerful name with authority." The preacher said that the Savior was not an oppressor or a dictator, but a gentleman with open arms who welcomed all those who labored and bore heavy burdens. "Jesus brings us true peace, regardless of external circumstances."
The church also had a gathering on the evening of December 24 and a Christmas special worship service the next day.
Xiangcheng Church in Suzhou, Jiangsu, known for its unique architectural style, has become a popular spot for photography enthusiasts on social media. The Christmas celebrations organized by the church also piqued the curiosity of the residents.
A couple attending the event remarked, "Let's see what they are performing." Church groups showcased diverse performances, including choirs, solo singing, dances, recitations, piano solos, and flower stick plays. The joyful atmosphere encouraged two believers to offer praise through song and dance.
In a performance titled "Joy to the World," ten elderly female believers dressed in red sweaters and scarves performed with flower sticks.
Reverand Wang and a male believer surnamed Pei sang a duet of "Going with the Lord," a song by Professor Wang Weifan from the Nanjing Theological Seminary, who was Pastor Wang's teacher during his studies.
At Huaxiang (Flower Lane) Church in Fuzhou, Fujian, the youth fellowship conducted an annual Christmas praise evening. This year's theme was "It’s All for Love, "and after varied performances, over ten seekers accepted Christ.
Three consecutive Christmas events—"Retro Music Concert," "Christmas Candlelight Taize Chanting Concert," and "Christmas and New Year Worship Concert"—were advertised at the entrance of Fangcun Church in Guangzhou, Guangdong, alongside two large Christmas trees. The church held four gatherings on December 24.
The Christmas music worship, which officially started at 6:30 PM, drew a queue of over a hundred meters an hour before. After the service, the congregation orderly exited following the church staff's guidance, with another long line forming for the second evening praise concert.
On Christmas Eve, Shamian Church in Guangdong Province held a Christmas gospel rally. A pastor highlighted humanity's reality, from Adam and Eve's disobedience to the debt of human conscience, emphasizing that only Jesus, born among us 2000 years ago, offered a way.
On the same day, the church hosted five activities celebrating the birth of the Savior, including two Sunday services and two Christmas Eve worship meetings.
In contrast to the megachurches in the city, a rural smaller church had colorful streamers fluttering outside, with the entrance adorned with big red couplets. This scene unfolded at the joint Christmas Thanksgiving worship event organized on December 23 by the Fuli Lane Meeting Point and the Fifth Pastoral District's Jiaokou Church in Yaodu District, Linfen, Shanxi Province.
Local believers arrived early in the morning despite the snowy weather, comprising the elderly, women, and young people, who wore smiles as they gathered in the chapel. Originally scheduled for December 17, the event had been postponed due to slippery roads caused by snow.
Aside from classic choir performances, there was a Bible contest where people were asked: "How many books are in the Bible? How many are in the Old Testament and how about in the New Testament? What is the full text of John 3:16? Who is known as the 'Father of Faith'? What does 'Emmanuel' mean?" Those who answered correctly received gospel booklets as gifts. Additionally, two believers shared testimonies—one about surviving a car accident and the other about their son's miraculous recovery from a brain hemorrhage—through prayer.
Apart from the thirteen people making a prayer for confession, rural believers also shared a love feast, with over eighty Christmas gift packs distributed on that day.
See Full Gallery HERE.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
