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The Flower Lane Church, located at No.7, Flower Lane, No. 817 North Road, Dongjiekou, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, is one of the most important Christian churches in Fuzhou City, and an activity center of the Flower Lane Christian Church as well as a hub of churches in Fujian Province.
The Flower Lane Church was established in Fuzhou City around 1840. The original name was the Shangyou Church, which was one of the public churches subordinate to the Methodist Church of Fuzhou. In 1915 the Methodist Episcopal Mission bought this place and built the church into an institutional church, and named itShang You Tang, which means social church.
It was once the residence of Zhaoxin, the king of Ryukyu in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). During the Xinhai Revolution, the Fujian Revolution Army set up its headcounter here. On September 5, 1915, the first baptism was held for new adherents of Christianity. In 1938 it was restored and became the only chapel with granite structure in Fuzhou City.
The Shang You Tangat that time possessed classical, elegant style, with a flower hall and a fishpond. In order to deepen the impact of Christianity on the society,Shang You Tangfounded the Jinde School, which was engaged in teaching of modern culture and served as the preparatory school for He Ling Anglo-Chinese College. Then the school was changed into the Jinde Girls Middle School and set up the Jin De Kindergarten. During the Anti-Japanese War, all school activities came to an end.
In 1949, the China Church terminated the relationship with foreign churches and no more services were conducted during the Cultural Revolution. On October 28, 1979, the Flower Lane Church restored its religious service and became the first church in Fuzhou that performed the regular service after the Cultural Revolution. Consequently, it became the most popular rendezvous of Fuzhou churches and was renamed fromShang You Tangto the Flower Lane Church by conforming to its location.
Since 1979, the church has received 3,000 man-times of visits from 40 countries and regions for international fellowships, being the exchange center between the Fujian Christianity circle and overseas religious organizations. Up to now, the Flower Lane Church has eleven social-work departments and about one thousand social workers. And it has more than ten thousand adherents of different age and from different professions.
During the Lord's Day, over 4,000 adherents gather here in two congregations. More than 2,000 adherents and admirers are attracted to the large worship on every weekend night.Lily, a periodical that propagandizes the religion spreads its influence overseas. The activities organized by the church, which include visiting the handicapped, taking care of loners, helping paupers, handling emergencies, keeping order in the community, etc, are on the rise.
Source:
chinaculture.org
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