On the morning of September 12, 2026, the opening ceremony for the first session of Shanghai’s Key Lay Volunteers Training Program was held at Shanghai CC&TSPM’s Center on the Practice of Chinanization of Christianity.

The program was organized by East China Theological Seminary under the commission of Shanghai CC&TSPM. Rev. Yu Guangzhi, President of Shanghai CC, officiated at the opening ceremony.

Forty-two key lay volunteers from churches across Shanghai were admitted to the one-year training program after successfully completing a comprehensive assessment.

The curriculum consists of four components: ideological and political education, policies and regulations; theological studies; traditional Chinese culture and social sciences; and church management and practice. The program also includes field-based learning, combining theoretical study with practical training.