UCC executives help celebrate, dedicate hospital and museum in China founded in 1800s

A pair of executives of the United Church of Christ joined the anniversary celebration of Second People’s Hospital in Linqing, China, which opened a museum dedicated to the hospital’s founder — a doctor and missionary of the predecessor body of Global Ministries.

The Rev. Jim Moos and the Rev. Xiaoling Zhu represented the denomination at the ceremony for the hospital, established in 1886 by Dr. Edward Wagner, a missionary of the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions. The ABCFM was the first American organization to sponsor Christian missions overseas, and predated UCC Wider Church Ministries.

“To my knowledge, the hospital does not affiliate with Christian churches, but we are grateful for the mission history and their establishing a museum in Dr. Wagner’s honor,” Moos said.

Moos, the co-executive of Global Ministries, and the Rev. Xiaoling Zhu, area executive for East Asia-Pacific, traveled to Korea and China to meet with various partners from Oct. 22 through Nov. 2.