3118 Edition
November 28-December 4, 2011
Church Ministry News
Fengshan Church marks the beginning oa f community-centered Christmas season
Reported by Simon Lin
Written by Lydia Ma
Bright Christmas lights shone on the plaza just outside of Fengshan Presbyterian Church on the evening of November 27, 2011, as the church kicked off its annual Christmas season celebrations. Fireworks lit up the night sky as well after a string of performances from local Christian artists and the lights on a nearby Christmas tree were switched on, signaling the beginning of the Christmas season.
Fengshan Church’s assistant pastor, Rev. Shih Ya-fang, told her congregation, “Christians must be children of light. We are called to be guiding lights for others. Christmas is a great season to invite people to church.”
One of the performers lined up for that night was the church’s praise dance team, and part of their performance included inviting the audience to join in the dance. After the performance, the team issued an invitation to the public to join them every week for classes offered at the church.
According to Shih, this is the fifth time the church has hosted a Christmas celebration. Many local residents have been coming to these celebrations to get into the Christmas mood. However, this year’s program will include various events and each will last longer. Shih hopes this change will encourage local residents to linger a while and open opportunities for them to hear more about the gospel.
According to Shih, all participants were given a “Christmas Passport” this year where they can accumulate stamps by participating at various events. Once they collect enough stamps by attending these events, they can then exchange the passport for a prize.
This event was also attended by notable figures such as Fengshan Mayor Hsu Chih-chieh, his wife Chou Kuei-hsiang, and many borough chief officers. The church and Fengshan District government have been in good terms, and even cohosted a bazaar a few days earlier on November 24, 2011.
