On December 27, 2017, the usage right of Tian'en Church was transferred from the local government to the city's Three-self Patriotic Movement Committee (TSPM).
The church is located in Yong'an Street, Anqing City, in east China's Anhui Province. The church building is a municipal object of cultural relics protection.
In March 2004, the property rights were returned to the city's TSPM, however, it was used by the former No.6 middle school as a faculty dormitory. Due to years of lacking attendance, the building is in a very bad condition and deemed dangerous and needing urgent repair.
In 2017, Ying Jiang District's government included the church in "renovation of shanty towns" project, relocated all the tenants, and returned the usage to the church.
Tian'en Church was first built in 1917 with brick and wood. It served as the main church in west district of Anhui and Jiangxi Parishes of Chinese Episcopal Church.
In 1942, the Pacific War broke out and the church was torn down during the Japanese invasion.
The east gate was well preserved with "Tian'en Church-Chinese Episcopal Church" on top of the door. The gate faces widely toward east and the outside wall is flat-laid with dark bricks.
Two accessory buildings together form the shape of a "T." The buildings are classic style from the time of the Republic of China. After 1949, it was briefly Yonganjie Elementary School and later used by No. 6 Middle School.
According to Pastor Zheng Yuguo, the church successfully recovered the usage and management rights with the "renovation of shanty towns" policy.
At the moment, the church is working on renovation ideas and planning to use it as a historical exhibition hall for Anhui and Jiangxi Parishes of Chinese Episcopal Church. "Both projects need a long time," said Zheng.
-Translated by Grace Hubl
