China Aid Association
(SHANDONG – July 9, 2009) ChinaAid received a letter from Changchunli Church asking Christians around the world to pray for them as the government has shut down their church gatherings and is attempting to demolish their church building. Even though Changchunli Church is a legally registered, government-sanctioned church, government officials, working together with government-sanctioned religious organizations, the China Christian Council (CCC) and the Three Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM,) have made agreements with real estate developers to take over the church land to for financial profit.
Since June 2009, the authorities of Jinan have harassed the believers at Changchunli Church. On June 14, more than 100 police officers forced the congregation to leave the church and worship in front of the church building. Hundreds of police officers occupied all of the buildings around the church, and they harassed and threatened the Christians. Hundreds of Christians moved into the church building and have been guarding it day and night. ChinaAid sources report that government officials are now trying to negotiate with them.
The following letter is from Changchunli Church:
“REQUEST TO BROTHERS AND SISTERS AROUND THE WORLD TO PRAY FOR CHANGCHUNLI CHURCH OF JI’NAN, SHANDONG PROVINCE THAT HAS BEEN FORCIBLY CLOSED.”
June 17, 2009
Changchunli Church of Ji’nan city is located at 148, Jingyi Road of Ji’nan (Its current address is 1, Changchunli) for which the Salvation Army of Christian Baptist Church of Britain bought two lots of land in 1934. There are contracts for this purchase … Around 1964, it was confiscated by the state. The brothers and sisters prayed that the property would be returned, and the property rights for these pieces of real estate were given back to Ji’nan Christian Church in 1983.
In June 2009, Ji’nan Municipal Government colluded with some thugs from CCC/TSPM and shut down the church by force. They used more than100 members of the special police force to scare and threaten the believers and dispersed the believers by force and will not allow them to gather. As a result, there is no way the believers can gather in a normal way.
We, all the brothers and sisters of Changchunli Church of Ji’nan, request that all the brothers and sisters of the world pray for and show concern for us and pray that Ji’nan Municipal Government will repent and stop its actions of shutting down and demolishing the church.
Members in Christ
Contact the Chinese Embassy and urge that the Changchunli Church building be released back to the church. Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong
3505 International Place, NW, Washington, D.C. 20008
Tel: (202) 495-2000
Fax: (202) 588-9760
China Aid Contacts
Rachel Ritchie, English Media Director
Cell: (432) 553-1080 | Office: 1+ (888) 889-7757 | Other: (432) 689-6985
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.chinaaid.orgn.
