Home-movie footage of Methodist missionaries at work and prayer opens an intriguing window onto Chinese church life in Hunan Province.

These haphazard but often revealing home-movie shots of Methodist Missionary Society work and prayer in Changsha open a window onto Chinese church life in Hunan Province. While much of the footage is shaky and chaotic, there are captivating moments: the congregational group photograph is all smiles, and the scenes of the missionaries' children dressing-up as American Indians are endearing.

INTEREST: The work of the church in Hunan, including the Changstra synod of 1946.