On Oct 15 Guangxi Nanning Gonghelu Christian Church hosted the 2016 Volunteer Worker Meeting titled "Grace and Hope." At least 300 people participated including the pastoral workers and volunteer teams from Gonghelu Church. The meeting was held in Emanuel Church with volunteer training, new volunteer worker dispatch, yearly church ministry review, volunteer team presentation, questions and answers of the Bible and church knowledge, tug of war, a gift exchange, and other sections.
According to the Guangxi CCC&TSPM website, on one hand the meeting convened because of God's grace, and on the other hand it is about the prospects of the next year's ministry. The meeting specially invited Pastor Wang Conglian, chairman of Guangxi Christian Council to give a sermon titled "Fear God" to advise and encourage the congregants. Pastor Wang cited Acts 2:40-47, 5:1-11, 8:1-.3, 9:31 and other verses. He summarized that a fundamental premise of the prosperous Gospel of the apostolic church was to fear God. Pastor Wang mentioned that as servants of God, whether pastoral workers or volunteer workers, only through a right understanding of God will we have righteous service. God is love, but He also inspires fear; God is a devouring fire and a jealous God (Deu 4:24). If we love God we must have a fearful heart toward God.
The New Volunteer Worker Dispatch Ceremony followed, presided over by Pastor Zhao Hongmei, director of Gonghelu Church. There are 24 new volunteers joining the ministry this year. Pastor Zhao said that the yearly volunteer meeting will continue to provide a time for resting and get together. She also expressed that the church will continue to improve the volunteer system for people to participate more in the church ministry, grow in ministry, and establish a sense of ownership to build the church of God with one heart.
