Established Date: August 29, 2009
"Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain." Psalm 127:1
Praise the Lord, Pastor Moses Yang, Bishop of EMSI has been moved to start a church in the northern Netherlands. He commissioned Pastor Hugo Chan and his wife for pioneering the work. In April, 2009, Pastor Chen and his wife visited Chinese firms in the northern Netherlands area. They met many students, but there was no Chinese Church there. At the end of May, God prepared a 110 square meter meeting place for us at Korreweg 37, Groningen. The transportation is very convenient, It isclose to the "Oriental Supermarket", which the Chinese and foreign students in the neighboring towns are very familiar with. We are also grateful to the Lord that more than thirty brothers and sisters from different CEM churches in the Netherlands joined this pioneering ministry. On June 6, in the first meeting of the ministry, we set the time table for the progress of the work, and staffed each task. In the middle of June we began transporting the tools and items, and started the interior renovation. In mid-July the renovation was completed. By the end of July, we started visiting restaurants, Chinese shops and Chinese families door to door, and distributed tracts in the streets, inviting friends interested to know the Lord, to share, to dine and to attend gospel meetings. In August Student Fellowship from CEMC at Utrecht came to arrange student activities and to distribute leaflets in the weekends on a regular basis. The brothers and sisters of CEMC at The Hague also came to to lead the gospel cafe on Saturday. On August 2nd the first Sunday service was held, followed by a second worship service on August 16, with more than thirty participants each time.
Twelve made a commitment to accept Christ as Savior in early August. On August 28 a talent show was organized for international students’ orientation by the Lamb Fellowship to reach Chinese oversea students. Pastor Yang presided over the beginning ceremony of the CEMC at Groningen on August 29 and conducted a Baptism and Baby Dedication services. He preached at the Renew Life Series, "Who Holds Tomorrow?" Weekly Sunday Worship and Sunday school began in mid September.