Founded in 1994, the Tunxi Church of Huangshan will celebrate its 22nd founding anniversary on November 20.
It is said that the Gospel was preached into Huizhou (Huangshan City now), a historical area in Anhui, in the early 19th century through the work of the China Inland Mission, the Methodist Church in the Republic of China and the Holy Catholic Church in China.
In 1925, an American missionary came to Tunxi for evangelism and relocated the church on Mount Huashan. In early 1949, Rev. Lin Bingchen from the Methodist Church in China took over the church affairs and rebuilt a church on the formal site. It was renamed after "Gospel Church". A Canadian was sent by the China Inland Mission to assist the church work.
But during the Cultural Revolution, all the religious activities were ceased. After the revolution, churches that were reopened came together as one church. It resumed services thanks to the policy of freedom of religion. From 1981 to 1988, the joint worship was held in the original Methodist church that later was moved to an old house owing to the urban expansion.
In 1992, Tunxi Church received a granted land of 5.2 mu from the local authority and donations from the churches at home and abroad. Two years later, a new church that could hold one thousand people was completed with an area of 1550 m2. The Christian figures including Chen Zemin, the associate president of Nanjing Union Theological Seminary, Rev. Chen Sixue from Zhejiang Theological Seminary and Rev. Kou Shaoen from the Home of Christ attended the dedication ceremony held that November.
In 1999, a new building with an area of 2500 m2 was completed on the right side of the church under the support of CCC & TSPM, and was used to provide the retreats and reception for the church staff. Three years later, an infirmary was set up to provide free clinics to the congregation. In 2013, an annex building with an area of 1400 m2 was finished to expand the Sunday school, pastoral training, and sacred music training ministry.
It has four pastoral staff, two elders and more than 200 volunteers. More than 1000 believers attend the Sunday services. The church conducts counseling for teenagers and parents, fellowships for undergraduates and couples, group Bible study and evangelistic conferences.
