The Flower Lane Church is located at No. 7,
Flower Lane, No. 817 North Road, Dongjiekou, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province. It is
one of the most important Christian churches in Fuzhou City, and an activity
center of the Flower Lane Christian Church as well as a hub of churches in
Fujian Province and Fuzhou City.
The Flower Lane Church was established in
Fuzhou City around 1840. The original name was the Shangyou Church, which was
one of the public churches subordinate to the Methodist Church of Fuzhou. In
1915 the Methodist Episcopal Mission bought this place and built the church into
an institutional church, and named it Shang You Tang, which means social
church. It was once the residence of Zhaoxin, the king of Ryukyu in the Qing
Dynasty (1644-1911). During the Xinhai Revolution, the Fujian Revolution Army
set up its headcounter here. On September 5, 1915, the first baptism was held
for new adherents of Christianity. In 1938 it was restored and became the only
chapel with granite structure in Fuzhou City.
The Shang You Tang at that time
possessed classical, elegant style, with a flower hall and a fishpond. In order
to deepen the impact of Christianity on the society, Shang You Tang
founded the Jinde School, which was engaged in teaching of modern culture and
served as the preparatory school for He Ling Anglo-Chinese College. Then the
school was changed into the Jinde Girls Middle School and set up the Jin De
Kindergarten. During the Anti-Japanese War, all school activities came to an
end.
In 1949, the China Church terminated the
relationship with foreign churches and no more services were conducted during
the Cultural Revolution. On October 28, 1979, the Flower Lane Church restored
its religious service and became the first church in Fuzhou that performed the
regular service after the Cultural Revolution. Consequently, it became the most
popular rendezvous of Fuzhou churches and was renamed from Shang You Tang
to the Flower Lane Church by conforming to its location. Since 1979, the church
has received 3,000 man-times of visits from 40 countries and regions for
international fellowships, being the exchange center between the Fujian
Christianity circle and overseas religious organizations. Up to now, the Flower
Lane Church has eleven social-work departments and about one thousand social
workers. And it has more than ten thousand adherents of different age and from
different professions.
During the Lord's Day, over 4,000 adherents
gather here in two congregations. More than 2,000 adherents and admirers are
attracted to the large worship on every weekend night. Lily, a periodical
that propagandizes the religion spreads its influence overseas. The activities
organized by the church, which include visiting the handicapped, taking care of
loners, helping paupers, handling emergencies, keeping order in the community,
etc, are on the rise.