The Promised Land
[@ 2018 Tabernacle]
For many years, I had longed to trace the remnants of Mesopotamian civilisation, but I kept postponing the trip for one "important reason" or another… Then, the outbreak of an unexpected and protracted war forever confined that wish to the atlases and history books on my shelf.
A turning point came in 2017. After finally completing a cover-to-cover reading of the Bible (though much of it still perplexed me), my focus shifted to the "Promised Land" at the western end of the Fertile Crescent. So, a year later, when a window of about ten days opened up, I informed my friends and colleagues, and turned this long-held hope into a reality, and hoping to make the most of my first pilgrimage.
Churches in Shanghai
[@ Shanghai Walks]
"Among all the Chinese cities, Shanghai is the one that boasts the largest number of churches. Although the four centuries of church-building since the Virgin Mary Prayer Hall in 1609 can't be reckoned as a long history, the numerous churches constitute one of the most important architectural types of modern Shanghai..." as commented by Shanghai Church, first published by Tongji University Press in 2014.
My home church is the Shanghai Community Church, like many of the major downtown churches, it holds more than one service every Sunday, providing a spiritual home to which thousands of believers can return each week.
According to the 2013 Shanghai Church Directory data, Shanghai is home to 143 Catholic and Orthodox churches and 170 Protestant churches. After visiting a number of them, I will select 12 to share with you.