The Preacher said God “has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecc. 3:11) and Moses prayed that we should learn to number our days so as to gain a heart of wisdom (Ps. 90:12). What better way to start the year than by looking back and giving thanks?
Below are 12 photos we have picked as a testament of God’s grace and faithfulness in 2017 towards the Bible ministry in China. Let’s pause, reflect and give thanks.
Year 2017 in Pictures
1 of 12
(R) Paul Williams, Chief Executive of British Bible Society, with a translator and Luhe Sunday School teacher at a Children's Reading Room in Luhe Church, Nanjing, sponsored by UBS. Thousands of children have benefitted from the Bible ministry of UBS in 2017. February/ UBS CP
A Ganyi Bible translator in Yunnan working hard on the Ganyi OT translation, one of the six Bible translation projects in China supported by UBS. These six translation will potentially reach 13 million ethnic minority in China. February/ UBS CP
Participants of UBS Chinese Scripture Forum at a Big Flowery Miao Church in Yunnan. The Big Flowery Miao believers received the Miao Bible in 2009 and churches have been conducting Scripture Literacy classes to help more read the Bible in their mother tongue. February/ Seree Lorgunpai
Visit by Deputy Minister Jiang Jianyong, China State Administration for Religious Affairs to Uganda. Minister Jiang presenting to retired Archbishop of Kampala, Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala, 91, a Chinese-English Bible (printed at Amity Press). April/ UBS CP
Dai Yaping, from Shandong Province, 28, is one of 1400 lay preachers UBS supported with Bible resources in 2017. Equipping pastoral workers in China continues to be an urgent task for the growing Church in China. April/ UBS CP
Visit by Elder Fu Xianwei, Chairman of National TSPM of the Protestant Churches in China to Malaysia and Singapore. (L-R) Mathew Punnoose, Gen-Sec of Bible Society of Malaysia, and Archbishop Ng Moon Hing (Primate of the Anglican Church of South East Asia) presenting a gift to Elder Fu on behalf of the Bible Society. July/ CCC/ TSPM
Praise God for the hundreds of young people who turned up at the five summer camps held across four provinces. Jiang Yingying, from Yunnan Province, 14, sharing that she lost her father three years ago but found a new lease of life at the youth camp. 215 million in China are 14 years and below. August/ UBS CP
Kids at camp in Guizhou province, bright and cheery in yellow! With rapid economic development and urbanization in China, there are about 61 million left behind children in the rural areas. August/ UBS CP
Visit by a delegation from Jiangsu led by Rev Zhang Keyun (4th, right), Chairman of Jiangsu TSPM and Gu Chuanyong (2nd, right), Jiangsu Religious Affairs Dy Director-General to Europe. At lunch hosted by Bible Society of Switzerland. August/ UBS CP
Distributing Bibles in Gansu Province during a mission trip by members of Bethesda Frankel Estate Church, Singapore. This was the church’s 15th mission trip to China and counting! October/ Ivan Lim
The Bible in China seminar, into its seventh year, opened in November to about 100 participants from the academic, religious and political circles, including a dozen speakers invited by the Bible Societies. This year’s theme was “The Bible and Sinicization of Christianity”. Held in Shanghai, 29 papers were presented throwing light on how Christianity has been indigenised in different cultural contexts. November/ UBS CP
The year ended on a celebratory note with the launch of the Chinese Study Bible (CSB), a translation and adaption of the ESV Study Bible notes. It was a joint project by China Christian Council, Crossway and United Bible Societies. (L-R) Bishop John Chew, Elder Fu Xianwei, Lane Dennis and James Featherby unveiling the Chinese Study Bible at the launch ceremony in Shanghai. The ground-breaking and long awaited publication was a dream come true for many. December/ UBS CP
