The first Sunday youth gathering was held at a church in Guangdong at the beginning of July.
"At Shamian Church, the Sunday youth gathering features modern hymns and short contextualized sermons, aiming to align with contemporary youth's lifestyles and spiritual needs," said Guangdong CC&TSPM.
To achieve this, the church has established the Light Worship Team, a youth music group that will lead young believers in worship. In addition to music and short sermons, they will regularly invite different speakers to share the essentials of the gospel and the life of faith with the youth.
For the first gathering on July 7, the church invited Rev. Lei Yuming, executive vice president of the Guangdong Christian Council, to meet with young Christians and seekers. Reverend Lei gave a sermon titled "Blessed Are Those Who Wait on the Lord," using the parable of sowing seeds to highlight that on the journey of faith, one must wait patiently for the Lord's wonderful works with the assurance of salvation. He emphasized that, besides life directions and goals, the youth should be determined to wait on the Lord.
The church also arranges its True Light Choir to perform at the youth gatherings hosted every Sunday afternoon. Additionally, the church occasionally carries out testimony sessions where young people share their faith experiences and growth stories. A communion service is conducted during the youth gathering on the first Sunday of each month.
Built by the Anglican Church in 1864, Shamian Church was once used for foreign worship in the British Concession in Guangzhou. It was managed by the Hong Kong and Guangdong Diocese of the Anglican Church, with services conducted in English. After World War II, the Chinese government reclaimed the concession, and the church was transferred to the management of the Anglican Diocese of Southern China. It was occupied by government authorities after 1949, but returned to the Guangdong Christian Council and Three-Self Patriotic Movement in the 1980s. Religious activities resumed in 1991 under the name Shamian Church. It remains one of Guangzhou's rare, well-preserved century-old Christian architectural landmarks.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
