Church in China

I attended the Hengshan Community Church today.

It has various services but it's different from US churches because the service times determine who can attend. Only foreigners with passports can go to church with other foreigners. At Hengshan, the passport service is at 4 p.m. It's nice that way because you have the whole morning to relax and don't have to rush out the door to church. It helps get your prepared to worship.

The church is across the river on the Puxi side in the French Concession. A taxi ride to get there was about 20-30 minutes and cost 26 RMB=US$3.25. Can't do that in NYC or anywhere else in the US for that matter.

It's right across the street from a service apartment I looked at in Nov. when I was here. There's also a TGI Friday's across the street that will be good for after church. The church looks like an old traditional church.

I got there 20 minutes early and I'm glad I did. The place fills to overflowing and many stand throughout or sit on the stairs in the entry ways wherever they can find space. Basically every race, color and creed is represented at the service. There were a lot more Asians than Westerners. Dress is pretty casual (jeans, khakis, sweaters) and everyone wears their coats thru the service because I'm not sure the church had much, if any, heat. I saw the blowers on the wall but they keep the doors to the outside open between services for 20-30 minutes so it doesn't get very warm throughout the service. There were lots of families (classes for kids k-6) and everyone is very welcoming.

The pastor/worship leader (not sure which since we had a special guest pastor) is Gerald Ang and he's from Singapore. He's been at the church for eight years.It's contemporary worship in style with drums, a piano and guitar and you sing worship songs from a projector, similar to Campus Crusade stuff, etc. Some of the songs you sing in English and Mandarin. That's a difficult one your first time even if it's spelled phonetically.

Today was communion Sunday and the communion occured after the first two songs. You get a wafer (1 cm sq.) in a small Glad bag and a cup of grape juice/Kool-Aid. It's hard to open the little bag without spilling and you can't put the cup down because the bottom is rounded, not flat.

After communion, visitors are asked to stand. They are then given a mic and asked to give their name, where they are from and how long they plan to stay in Shanghai. Then the clap for each person and the people around you welcome you. There were visitors today from Israel, Australia, Barcelona, Toronto, Arizona, Los Angeles, London, and a few other places. It's VERY int'l with Asians, Europeans, Americans, Middle Easterners, Africans, etc.

Today, we had a special guest from Britian -- none other than John Stott. He was not who I was expecting but a very nice welcome to Shanghai. He didn't disappoint. I really enjoyed his scholarly sermon. He's very frail in terms of getting around but has a very powerful voice.

The church service was longer than a US service. It went for 1.5 hours and many in Shanghai go for two. That could be tough on the wood benches with no padding. The coats help that some.

It's not a reformed church but it is definitely a Bible believing church and very sincere in terms of the leadership. Each pew had a Chinese Bible (wonder what translation they use -- KJV, NIV, etc.?). The pastor uses NIV in the foreign service.

Observations:

Water has been served hot to me a few times in restaurants. Not warm or like tap, but actually hot like tea but with nothing in it.

Fox News Channel doesn't show commercials. Instead, the 2:02 is spent showing the various graphics of the continents and giving a silent weather update on the current and future temps around the globe.

Lefebvre builds bridges in China
Former Major League manager to lead WBC entry

Pure ice for festival in China's Harbin, organisers say
Photos