The meek shall inherit the earth: Sunday School children with offering bags. The children were chosen as ushers for the Silver Jubilee celebration of Union Church Youth Department, Fazl Ali College Campus, Mokokchung, which was held on January 7 last. (Morung Photo)
Mokokchung | January 9 : Whenever a person visualizes an ‘usher’ in an event, generally an image of a grown youth in a distinct uniform comes to mind. There was a fine role reversal, however, last Friday on January 7, during the Silver Jubilee celebration of the Union Church Youth Department, Fazl Ali College Campus (FACC), Mokokchung. Sunday School children were seen enthusiastically playing the role of ushers.
Free will
The innocent bright faced children, around the age group of seven to thirteen with their usher badge hanging around their necks were seen running around assisting the people who had come to the jubilee celebration. With great enthusiasm, they were carrying out their duties. Not a single of them neglected what he or she was assigned to do.
When the Jubilee Planning Committee approached the Sunday School students for the task, the children had readily consented. The juniors said they wanted to help and see their elder brothers and sisters take a break, atleast for the jubilee celebration, since it was their day. It was also a way of saying ‘thank you’ to them.
The sermon
The director of Bright Hope, Dimapur Rev. Subong Aier, who was also the first pastor of the Union Church, Fazl Ali College Campus was the speaker during the jubilee worship service. The Reverend spoke on the jubilee theme: ‘Teach me thy path oh Lord’. “God’s way is the path of truth,” said the Reverend. He added with a word of concern that in today’s world; it is not as easy for any individual to walk the path of truth, still.
Sharing an anecdote from his own life, he recalled that when he was building pigsties at his farm he needed some pipes. He had no knowledge about the prevailing price of the pipes in the market, thus, he asked a relative. The relative told him that if he buys it from the market it will cost him Rs 50,000 for a dozen while in the black market it will be half the price, for the same. He admitted the suggestion from the relative was tempting, putting him in a state of mental dilemma. He was torn between right and wrong. Truthfulness prevailed in the end, and he decided to buy the pipes from the market. “I did not want to leave the path of truth,” he commented in retrospect. “Whatever we do we should do it truthfully for it is the will of god.”
Reminiscence
Former and present leaders of the youth department reminisced about their association with the church, how it all came into being and how blessed they all felt working for the glory of God. The first president of the youth department Aolepden, recollected that every Sunday before the youth service he used to play the guitar and wait for people to turn up. “…though less in number, I enjoyed being a part of it”, he said. He is presently the pastor of Longpa Baptist Church.
The congregation also remembered and paid homage to five members of the youth department, who had passed away, since the inception of the department, till now. Treasurer of the youth department, Limala Jamir gave an account honouring the contributions made by each one of them to the church. “Though they are gone, their good deeds still lingers on”, she said.
The night
The morning’s service was followed by an entertainment session christened: ‘Silver Nite’ later on in the evening. It was hosted at the FAC auditorium. The principal, Kuholi Chishi was generous enough to give the liberty to the youth department to use the auditorium for the evening.
The extravaganza event had participations from the Union Church FACC (Women Department and Sunday School children), Evangelical Union of FAC, Naga Idol 5.10 contestant Chubatsür Jamir, various other churches’ Youth departments - Chuchuyimpang, Tsüsapang and DEF, besides others.
Free will
The innocent bright faced children, around the age group of seven to thirteen with their usher badge hanging around their necks were seen running around assisting the people who had come to the jubilee celebration. With great enthusiasm, they were carrying out their duties. Not a single of them neglected what he or she was assigned to do.
When the Jubilee Planning Committee approached the Sunday School students for the task, the children had readily consented. The juniors said they wanted to help and see their elder brothers and sisters take a break, atleast for the jubilee celebration, since it was their day. It was also a way of saying ‘thank you’ to them.
The sermon
The director of Bright Hope, Dimapur Rev. Subong Aier, who was also the first pastor of the Union Church, Fazl Ali College Campus was the speaker during the jubilee worship service. The Reverend spoke on the jubilee theme: ‘Teach me thy path oh Lord’. “God’s way is the path of truth,” said the Reverend. He added with a word of concern that in today’s world; it is not as easy for any individual to walk the path of truth, still.
Sharing an anecdote from his own life, he recalled that when he was building pigsties at his farm he needed some pipes. He had no knowledge about the prevailing price of the pipes in the market, thus, he asked a relative. The relative told him that if he buys it from the market it will cost him Rs 50,000 for a dozen while in the black market it will be half the price, for the same. He admitted the suggestion from the relative was tempting, putting him in a state of mental dilemma. He was torn between right and wrong. Truthfulness prevailed in the end, and he decided to buy the pipes from the market. “I did not want to leave the path of truth,” he commented in retrospect. “Whatever we do we should do it truthfully for it is the will of god.”
Reminiscence
Former and present leaders of the youth department reminisced about their association with the church, how it all came into being and how blessed they all felt working for the glory of God. The first president of the youth department Aolepden, recollected that every Sunday before the youth service he used to play the guitar and wait for people to turn up. “…though less in number, I enjoyed being a part of it”, he said. He is presently the pastor of Longpa Baptist Church.
The congregation also remembered and paid homage to five members of the youth department, who had passed away, since the inception of the department, till now. Treasurer of the youth department, Limala Jamir gave an account honouring the contributions made by each one of them to the church. “Though they are gone, their good deeds still lingers on”, she said.
The night
The morning’s service was followed by an entertainment session christened: ‘Silver Nite’ later on in the evening. It was hosted at the FAC auditorium. The principal, Kuholi Chishi was generous enough to give the liberty to the youth department to use the auditorium for the evening.
The extravaganza event had participations from the Union Church FACC (Women Department and Sunday School children), Evangelical Union of FAC, Naga Idol 5.10 contestant Chubatsür Jamir, various other churches’ Youth departments - Chuchuyimpang, Tsüsapang and DEF, besides others.
