As the Spring Festival is approaching, Jilin Provincial CC&TSPM provided living subsides to 50 grass-roots pastoral workers living in difficulties.
On February 1, 2021, the Jilin CC&TSPM (Christian Council & Three-Self Patriotic Movement) issued a letter expressing concerns and sympathy to pastoral staff and believers across the province.
At the beginning of the new year, the coronavirus outbreaks stroke Changchun and Tonghua. Christian churches and meeting points in Jilin Province suspended all activities in accordance with the local government's policy of epidemic prevention and control. Some pastoral co-workers are left without support due to the suspension of worship services, according to Jilin CC&TSPM.
After the meeting, the chairmen and president of the Jilin CC&TSPM decided to overcome their difficulties and raise funds in various ways to provide living subsidies for the pastoral workers who have no guarantee of life.
After the funds were in place, the local CC&TSPMs asked the poor grass-root pastors to apply for subsidies, with 53 submitting applications. Each of the 50 pastorals workers was given 8,000 yuan of living allowance to help them solve their living difficulties.
Among the 50 pastorals co-workers who received help, five students were in Nanjing Union Theological Seminary. Since the change of the term in 2019, Jinlin CC&TSPM went to this seminary to visit 22 Jilin students, providing 1,000 yuan per person to encourage them to study hard. The poverty-stricken pastoral subsidy program of 2019 also includes living assistance for two divinity students in this seminary.
In June 2020, Jilin CC&TSPM had provided financial assistance to 18 pastorals workers affected by the epidemic. Through other channels, were provided living subsidies to 20 low religious workers. Within one year, 88 poor religious workers were given with living subsidies, with an expenditure of 610,000 yuan.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
