The First service (moleben) in Guangzhou took place on September 9, 2005. There are several families of expatriates in Guangzhou who are ready to rent a place to establish a house church. This also requires applying for permission with the local authorities. Activity will be limited, as Chinese religious regulation do not permit mainland Chinese citizens to participate in the services. Fr Dionisy Pozdnyaev of the Department for external church relations of Moscow Patriarchate, hopes to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in Guangzhou in January, when the house church will be ready for it.