A song presentation during the Advent Christmas celebration of the NPF in Kohima on December 17. (Photo Courtesy: NPF)
Kohima, December 17 (MExN): Unity, hope and the true spirit of Christmas were at the heart of the Advent–Christmas celebration of the Naga People’s Front (NPF) held at the party’s Central Office in Kohima under the theme “Glory to God in the Highest” on December 17.
Extending Christmas greetings, MLA and Secretary General Achumbemo Kikon described Christmas as a season of hope and urged the Nagas to bury differences and strengthen unity to build a stronger society.
He said hope was the central message of Christmas, recalling that Jesus Christ was born at a time when the world was in despair, a press release from the NPF informed.
“Christmas is hope. If you lose hope in life, you lose everything. It is hope that keeps us alive,” Kikon said.
Referring to conflicts in different parts of the world, including Gaza, the West Bank and Ukraine, he said people living amid war yearned for peace, while those suffering illness hoped for healing.
In the Naga context, Kikon said unity remained the greatest collective aspiration. He observed that society continued to be divided and stressed that coming together was the most common wish expressed by Nagas during Christmas. He acknowledged the efforts of individuals and groups working towards unity from different fronts, saying such initiatives had played a significant role in strengthening Naga society.
“This unity is one of the best Christmas gifts we can give to our people,” he added.
Sharing the Christmas message, Rev Thsadongse Sangtam, Pastor of Sangtam Baptist Lithro, Kohima said Christmas should not be reduced to a mere celebration but observed as a time to spread the Gospel.
Drawing an analogy with a good shepherd, he urged believers to carry the good news wherever they go and challenged Christians to draw closer to God and work for Him, stating that celebrating Christmas without truly worshipping Christ would be meaningless.
The programme included singing of hymns, scripture reading and prayer as well as a special song by the Central Youth Wing, the release said. A Christmas offering was also collected for orphanages. The programme concluded with fellowship among party members, it added.
