Lamka, May 07 2010: At the crack of dawn today, Church bells across this predominantly Christian district rumble to greet the historic 'missionary day' on the centenary year of Gospel even as tens of thousand of faithful exalts Hallelujah and praises the name they attributed to in guiding their lives to light from darkness.
For once the local residents seem to have shed that narrow rebellious attitude imbibed amongst them for the gospel's sake.
Setting aside their affiliations in faith, social and ethnicity twenty-two Church bodies across the community throng the public ground here since Tuesday night and celebrated the hundredth year of gospel under the aegis of Southern Manipur Gospel Centenary Celebration Committee.
The celebration's huge response even stunned the organizers as they reportedly struggle to handle the event since the first night's torch rally.
A fire tender had to be summoned to douse the torches that stream into the venue for over an hour while the temporary shed erected on the full-scape soccer ground fails to accommodate even half of the gathering in many of the events.
'Not many people were as privilege to witness a centenary celebration of the gospel.
Only people who will be born twenty years from now or so will again have that rare privilege.
So, there are overwhelming reasons for me to be part of this celebration,' said an elderly woman.
Dubbed as the one biggest event ever held in the district, the southern Manipur gospel centenary celebration today was expected to be attended by the Governor as well as the Chief Minister, but the unsettling state of affairs that besiege the state has prevented them so.
Nevertheless, the multitude of faithfuls that swarm the celebration venue has in one voice prayed that peace and tolerance will prevail in the state.
Unveiling of centenary monument, 10,000 choir members singing the high-pitch 'Hallelujah Chorus' in over eight dialects, pounding of a jubilee gong for hundred counts by a selected hundred individuals were the attractions in today's event.
The first light Church bells were also chimes for a hundred times each to mark the centenary celebration.
~ The Sangai Express
For once the local residents seem to have shed that narrow rebellious attitude imbibed amongst them for the gospel's sake.
Setting aside their affiliations in faith, social and ethnicity twenty-two Church bodies across the community throng the public ground here since Tuesday night and celebrated the hundredth year of gospel under the aegis of Southern Manipur Gospel Centenary Celebration Committee.
The celebration's huge response even stunned the organizers as they reportedly struggle to handle the event since the first night's torch rally.
A fire tender had to be summoned to douse the torches that stream into the venue for over an hour while the temporary shed erected on the full-scape soccer ground fails to accommodate even half of the gathering in many of the events.
'Not many people were as privilege to witness a centenary celebration of the gospel.
Only people who will be born twenty years from now or so will again have that rare privilege.
So, there are overwhelming reasons for me to be part of this celebration,' said an elderly woman.
Dubbed as the one biggest event ever held in the district, the southern Manipur gospel centenary celebration today was expected to be attended by the Governor as well as the Chief Minister, but the unsettling state of affairs that besiege the state has prevented them so.
Nevertheless, the multitude of faithfuls that swarm the celebration venue has in one voice prayed that peace and tolerance will prevail in the state.
Unveiling of centenary monument, 10,000 choir members singing the high-pitch 'Hallelujah Chorus' in over eight dialects, pounding of a jubilee gong for hundred counts by a selected hundred individuals were the attractions in today's event.
The first light Church bells were also chimes for a hundred times each to mark the centenary celebration.
~ The Sangai Express