It would be a shame to waste a good excuse to celebrate, whether due to a Chief Apostle visit, the dedication of new place of worship, or simply an opportunity to be together. In any event, our brothers and sisters around the world had good reason for collective merriment over the past weeks.
-
Photo: NAC Ghana
-
Photo: NAC Ghana
-
Photo: NAC Ghana
-
Photo: ENA France
-
Photo: INA Argentina
-
Photo: INA Argentina
-
Photo: INA Argentina
-
Photo: INA Argentina
-
Photo: NAC Singapore
-
Photo: NAC Singapore
The children from the Apostle area of Wiawso, Ghana enjoyed their opportunity to be together for a whole week. Apostle Augustus Adika Lavoe had invited all Sunday School children from the twelve districts of his working area to Kwame Tawiah Krom over the week before Christmas 2023. Led by their teachers, the children participated in various kinds of programmes throughout the week. Their activities included a performance by the Sunday School children from Debiso, Bible-based poetry recitals, and a Bible quiz—in which the children from Adjoafua scored the best results.
Preparing for celebrations
It was already on 21 January that the choir members of the district of Lyon-Mulhouse South in France gathered together to begin preparing for the visit of the Chief Apostle, which was scheduled for 11 February 2024. They assembled in Bourg-en-Bresse to learn hymns from the brand new French choir book. Despite the concentration and attention each one had to muster, the mood among the singers was very joyful, since they were all very happy to be with their brothers and sisters from different congregations once again.
A travelling celebration
From 26 to 28 January, our members in Northeastern Brazil were able to enjoy some special divine services when District Apostle Enrique Minio travelled to the region with Apostle Reinaldo Milczuk. The first celebration was a divine service for ministers and their partners in Lagoa do Poço on 26 January. Some 120 kilometres further to the south, there was a divine service the next morning in the congregation of Richão. That same day, the Apostles returned to Rio Grande del Norte in order to preach in the congregation of Pedro Velho in the afternoon. The last in the string of divine services for this trip took place on Sunday morning, 28 January in the church in Senador Elói de Souza.
From hotel to hotel
“I feel the need to invite God to dwell here and to make this a place of worship.” Such were the words that Apostle Fred Wolf used to begin the dedication of a new place of worship in Singapore. The members of the congregation gathered for a festive divine service on 14 January 2024 in their new quarters in the Hotel Clan. The Apostle dedicated the premises with a passage from John 13: 15: “For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you”. At the end of the festive service, he also went on to ordain two Deacons.