To celebrate the Lunar New Year, the Chinese Christian Church of Greater Washington, D.C. hosted the "Dumpling Festival" on February 15, 2025. The event featured dumpling-making, a special New Year worship service, a fellowship meal, and engaging games. It was a joyful and heartwarming gathering that not only strengthened the spirit of service and collaboration among brothers and sisters in Christ, but also provided newcomers with a valuable opportunity to connect with the church and experience the Christian faith. Despite the rainy weather, the enthusiasm of the attendees remained undiminished, with over 200 church members and friends—both new and old—coming together to share in the festivities. The atmosphere was filled with joy and warmth, making for a lively and memorable celebration.

The success of the event was made possible by the dedication and enthusiasm of fellowship members, who contributed to every aspect of the preparation—from promotions and venue decoration to making spring rolls and carefully preparing dumpling ingredients, kneading dough, seasoning fillings, wrapping dumplings, and cooking them. Additionally, the event’s program planning and game arrangements reflected the church’s spirit of unity and mutual service. A particularly moving aspect of the celebration was the selfless contributions of many elderly church members, who willingly took on some of the most demanding tasks, demonstrating Christ’s love through their actions and setting a beautiful example for all.

   

   

At 4 p.m., the event officially began as everyone gathered to make dumplings, engage in conversation, and enjoy the warmth of fellowship in a lively and joyful atmosphere. This year’s dumpling festival not only attracted many brothers and sisters from the church but also welcomed several international friends, some of whom brought their children along to experience the festive spirit of Chinese New Year firsthand.

   

Sister Yin Yin’s two college friends attended the annual dumpling festival for the second consecutive year. They shared that they felt welcomed at the local church and were grateful to live in an open, inclusive, and diverse community where they could experience different cultures. They thoroughly enjoyed the process of making dumplings and, even more so, the joy of sharing them together.

Additionally, Sister Tianhui Xu’s college friend and her husband, both longtime Christians, greatly appreciated the warm and inviting atmosphere of the dumpling festival. This year, they also invited two friends who have not yet come to faith, bringing along beautifully designed aprons and rolling pins as they eagerly joined in the experience. Their enthusiastic participation added both fun and warmth to the event, making it an even more memorable gathering.

   

Testimony and Worship Service

Later, at 6:00 p.m., the New Year worship service commenced, featuring a heartfelt testimony from Sister Gu, whose life story deeply touched the audience. She recounted the shadows cast over her childhood due to an abusive father and the many challenges and hardships she faced throughout her life. However, she testified to God’s unceasing love, sharing how He placed kind-hearted friends, colleagues, and employers around her, helping her rise above her struggles. She candidly admitted to having once been trapped in sin, unable to break free, but through God’s mercy and undeserved grace, she was redeemed. Through prayer and meditating on God’s Word, she grew in faith and was ultimately freed from a spiritual bondage that had plagued her for nearly two decades. With gratitude, Sister Gu declared that it was Jesus Christ who bore her sins and shame on the cross, giving her the courage to stand before everyone and testify to God’s miraculous grace. Her honesty, courage, and testimony of God’s redemptive power profoundly moved the congregation.

Following the testimony, Pastor Daniel Zhao delivered a sermon on "Entering the Ark." He spoke on three key points: God’s invitation, Noah’s obedience, and the significance of the ark. He reminded the congregation that, in a world plagued by sin, Noah was considered righteous because he walked with God and was invited to enter the ark. This serves as a powerful reminder for us to fear and obey God in today’s generation, where moral values are often distorted. Despite facing ridicule and the immense challenge of building the ark, Noah remained steadfast, displaying unwavering faith and obedience to God. The ark itself symbolizes the salvation found in Jesus Christ—the only refuge in the face of judgment. Pastor Zhao urged everyone to respond to God’s call and enter the door of salvation while there is still time, encouraging believers to follow God’s guidance in their lives.

Dumpling Festival and Cultural Performances

At 7:00 p.m., the dumpling banquet officially began, with attendees gathering to enjoy the dumplings they had made alongside a variety of carefully prepared side dishes from the Unity Family Fellowship. The evening continued with a series of lively performances.

The Chinese School Choir, composed of both children and adult students, opened with "Happy New Year" and "I Lift My Eyes to the Hills", bringing a festive atmosphere to the venue. Next, the Good News Ministry presented musical and theatrical performances. Sisters Xia Zhao and Hui Ma performed a beautiful soprano duet, "Bring Your Smile", accompanied by Sister Yalan Li on the piano. Following this, Brothers Peng Wang, Jian Guo, Ping Liu, and Heng Sun performed a lighthearted and humorous skit titled "Where is My Home?"—a comedic yet thought-provoking reflection on their early experiences of moving to the U.S. and their transformation through faith. The evening also featured a traditional Chinese music ensemble with Xiaoen Yu, Han Zhang, Shengyong Zhou , and Liping Zhang playing the erhu, drums, and gongs to perform classic pieces "Fengyang Flower Drum" and "Jasmine Flower" .Their performance showcased deep artistic skill and added a strong cultural essence to the event.

The Good News Ministry, founded in 2004, has been dedicated to glorifying God and spreading the gospel through music and the arts for the past two decades. Traveling across the East Coast, they have used various art forms—including vocals, instrumental music, and drama—to share messages of faith, hope, and love, offering encouragement and comfort to many and serving as a beautiful testimony to God’s kingdom.

Children’s Activities and Interactive Sessions

To ensure that children experienced the joy of the festival while receiving spiritual nurturing, the church arranged special children’s activities, including paper cutting, lantern-making craft, and wood-snake painting. Additionally, there were Bible story sessions and worship sing-alongs, engaging nearly 30 children. Each child received a carefully prepared gospel gift bag, introducing them to the truths of the Christian faith in a joyful and meaningful way.

    

A highlight of the evening was the children’s craft auction, which drew enthusiastic participation from attendees. The auction successfully raised $50 for missions, helping children learn about generosity and transforming their love into tangible action.

The evening also featured interactive games and prize giveaways, adding excitement and surprises to the gathering. Pastors Daniel Zhao and David Rim led fun Q&A sessions, such as inviting couples married for over 50, 40, and 30 years to receive special gifts. One particularly entertaining moment came when they announced, "Anyone wearing red can claim a prize!"—which, given the occasion, led to a lively rush, as many attendees had dressed in festive red attire.

A particularly heartwarming sight was that all of the gifts of Bibles prepared by the church were eagerly taken by attendees, a testament to the deep spiritual hunger among the people. May God’s Word take root and grow in every heart that received it!

Deacon Jacob Zhigang Jia from the Evangelism Ministry shared that next year’s dumpling festival will feature a more detailed pre-event schedule for attendees, continued testimony sharing from brothers and sisters, a wider selection of gifts, more interactive programs, and an expanded children’s craft auction.

This year’s "Dumpling Festival" allowed everyone to experience the Christian values of love, unity, and sharing in a profound way. Newcomers felt the warmth of a spiritual home, while church members deepened their bonds through fellowship and service, putting love into action. May God continue to lead us, uniting us in faith and strengthening our ministry, so that we may glorify Him together!