On December 22, 2019, Shanghai Moore Memorial Church held the Christmas Sunday service as the bells were ringing.
The Christmas tree was placed before the entrance which was also decorated by ribbons, bells, and advent wreaths.
The pastor preached that Christians should always have a thankful heart because Jesus Christ was incarnated into the world when we were ignorant and still under sin. We should not forget the grace that the Lord gave to us, that our sins have been forgiven and he has saved us from death and led us with grace and love. Christians ought to imitate Christ's humility and be grateful.
After the sermon, the Sunday school children sang hymns and presented nursery rhymes such as the Father's Garden and Wa-ha-ha to welcome the holy baby who was born about two thousand years ago.
A dance performed by seven sisters in white skirts expressed the good news of the birth of the Savior. Later, a drama entitled, "The Birth of Jesus" harkened back to the quiet night when the three Magi traveled far to worship the new king and the shepherds rejoiced.
The Moore Memorial Church was established by American missionaries in 1887 with a large endowment from Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Royster Moore of Kansas City, triggering the church to be renamed in 1900 as Moore Memorial Church. In 1931, the church was expanded to accommodate 1,000 or more parishioners. Slowly, the church managed to build its local membership in thousands which was clearly seen when the church was reopened in 1979 after the Cultural Revolution.
- Translated by Karen Luo
