While Sichuan, Beijing Churches Reopen, Jiangsu Churches Close Amid COVID-19 Rebounds

The close-up shot of the cross of Beijing Fengtai Church
The close-up shot of the cross of Beijing Fengtai Church (photo: Dongyi)
By Mark LiNovember 29th, 2021

Some churches in Sichuan and Beijing announced the continuations of in-person gatherings after the local outbreak had subsided, while two churches in Jiangsu closed due to an asymptomatic case.

Last Friday, Gracious Light Church in Chengdu, Sichuan, stated its resumption of two services on Saturday and two on Sunday from November 27, with gatherings suspended during the week.

On the same day, Guangyin Church in the same city said on its official WeChat account that the Youth Fellowship gathering on Friday evenings and Sunday services would resume from that day onwards, reminding its members to book their places via WeChat and maintain social distancing with masks. Christians who came from Shanghai Pudong New Area, Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Xuzhou where recent COVID-19 rebounds took place were required to attend the worship virtually.

As the pandemic situation stabilized and all medium- or high-risk areas were downgraded to low-risk in Chengdu, Shangxiang Church (formerly known as St. John’s Church) reopened on Thanksgiving Day, holding celebration activities in the afternoon.

On November 26, Beijing Fengtai Church announced its resumption of three Sunday services starting from November 28.

On the same day, Huaihai West Road Church and Dongyuan Church in Yunlong District, Xuzhou City, eastern Jiangsu Province, announced the halt of all face-to-face gatherings from that day forth till further notice. As Quanshan District in Xuzhou reported an asymptomatic carrier who had been in close contact with a Shanghai patient, according to Xuzhou Command Center for COVID-19 control and prevention on November 25.

- Translated by Abigail Wu

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