City. It is an alternative school, which allows us to teach from New Church
doctrines, and is not bound by Chinese communist regulation. To share a few
quotes from the students and Tim:
“I am a high school student and I came from Guizhou. Now I am here.
When I was in my hometown, I didn’t have books or clothes but now I study in
a very lovely environment. We have a very good teacher, who teaches us how
to be quality students. I dream of becoming a teacher to help poor children
like me. I got baptized last October by Rev. Jin who came from America. After
that, I felt a sense of peace and pleasure in knowing that I can move forward
with helping others.” (He Ju, 17)
“I am a student from Guizhou. I got baptized in October. I love to learn
English, listen to English music and watch English movies. When I was 11, I
didn’t know how to study and what to do in the future. At that time, I met my
teacher Tim and he taught me and guided me. He told me that I should have
a dream saying, ‘A dream will have powers.’ Now I am studying at the JiuJiang
Alternative New Church School. I am very happy because I know what I want
to do and I now have a dream. I want to be a translator, and translate many
New Church books and spread the New Church teachings.” (Cao Yan, 17)
Though these are wonderful testimonials, Tim also shares some of the
challenges: “Teaching senior high school courses is not easy with only one
teacher and me. Now, even one teacher left a month ago. If I cannot find
teachers, I will have to give up this New Church school and send the students
to a regular high school. So I am praying to get New Church qualified teachers
and overcome these financial challenges.”
Seminar for New Church People in China: On October 1-3, 2016, we
held a New Church Seminar in JiuJiang. Ten people attended (family members
of current church members not included) and 13 students attended as auditors.
The theme was, “What is the New Church?” During the seminar we worshiped
and also held baptisms for 13 New Church members. It was a very moving and
enlightening time.
New Church Theological School: Among the Chinese New Church
members, there are about 15 who want to study New Church teachings more
thoroughly. Therefore, they have decided to spend one year preparing a
curriculum of study. During the preparation year, Rev. Jin has been teaching
online courses (via GoToMeeting app – video conferencing) on New Jerusalem
and its Heavenly Doctrine and True Christian Religion, starting this past
November.
What we continue to do:
Translation and Publishing: A formal translation group has been
formed under David Zhang. Their work includes: Conjugial Love, Arcana
Coelestia, True Christian Religion (2 nd volume), and New Jerusalem and its
49