Kinmen Christian Church Introduction
In 1922, Pastor Ouyang Hou initiated the construction of a new church due to the old church being insufficient to accommodate the congregation. The church was established in 1924 after purchasing part of the land on the original site of the Qing dynasty county magistrate's office, along with the construction of a meeting hall and the affiliated Peide Primary School and kindergarten, which were completed in December 1924. In June 1934, Pastor Huang Weimin traveled to Southeast Asia to raise funds and materials, leading to the construction of the pastor's residence. After the Treaty of Tianjin during the late Qing Dynasty allowed for trade at five ports, Western missionaries came to Xiamen and Kinmen, but initially encountered resistance to the old customs and had a small congregation. In 1896, the London Missionary Society established meeting places in Shamen and the Xiyuan salt fields on the eastern part of Kinmen Island. The following year, they set up another meeting place in the southern gate of Hupu, attracting over a hundred believers; that same year, Presbyterian pastor Shao Dezheng preached in Kinmen and established a meeting place in the northern gate of Hupu on Lieyu. In 1900, the Chinese Christian Church was founded, merging with the London Missionary Society and the Presbyterian Church. The first president, Huang Hecheng, purchased land to build a church at the present site on Zhongxing Road in Beimenli. In 1922, due to an increase in believers, the old church was inadequate, prompting the church to fundraise for a new building. In April 1923, under the leadership of President Ouyang Hou, they purchased part of the land on the original site of the Qing dynasty county magistrate's office to build the meeting hall and the affiliated Peide Primary School and kindergarten for over four thousand silver dollars, which were completed in December 1924. The Hupu Christian Church sits on elevated terrain, giving it a significant presence. The church features a single-story design, while the pastor's residence is located in the Hulong area, constructed as a Western-style building. Source: Ministry of Culture
