Unity in fellowship amidst lockdown

A partial view of one of the churches in Zhavame village. (Morung Photo)

Three denominational churches in Zhavami to celebrate the Holy Week with joint worship service

Vishü Rita Krocha
Zhavame | April 9

While the Coronavirus pandemic has shut down schools, offices, marketplaces, eateries, and places of worship, it has also brought families closer. The lockdown has also inspired people across the state to find creative ways to do things in the confines of their homes.

In the same way, churches are also finding ways to reach out to believers amidst the COVID-19 lockdown especially during this Holy Week. The three churches in Zhavame village — Zhavame Christian Revival Church, Zhavame Baptist Church and St Xavier’s Catholic Church will have a joint worship service through loud speaker for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday respectively.

During this period, a pastor or catechist of one of the churches will lead the whole village in worship through loud speaker while every Zhavame citizen can stay home and join in the service. On Good Friday, SarhünyiKrocha, Catechist of St. Xavier’s Church, Zhavame will lead the loud speaker worship service and also share the word of God while NgopiPohena, Pastor of Zhavame Christian Revival Church and Rev. Akha Shupao, Pastor, Zhavame Baptist Church will consecutively lead and share on Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday respectively.

“Everybody is going to be home and the Holy Week is very important, so we thought, why not have joint worship services to observe these important days through the loud speaker so the entire village can be part of it,” said Rev Akha Shupao, Pastor of Zhavame Baptist Church. The speakers on each respective day, he informed will come to the Jubilee Hall of St. Xavier’s Catholic Church Zhavame to deliver God’s word as it is strategically located. There will also be bible reading and singing during the services. The whole concept has been initiated by the three churches in coordination with the Zhavame Village Council.

In response to this initiative, Solomon Shupao, a citizen of Zhavame village expressed that, “Corona is not only bringing families back together, but also bringing different Christian denomination and other religions back together.”
“I am sure we can overcome this crisis through togetherness and let this togetherness continue even after the crisis,” he affirmed.

Comments gathered from the “Zhavame Netizens” WhatsApp group further suggest that every believer in the village is looking forward to this one-of-a-kind loud speaker worship service, that will reverberate through the mountain range of Kapamodzü peak and fill every home with the spirit of the Holy Week.