Pastor suppresses family tragedy to deliver service
Source: Chronicle News Service
Kangpokpi, January 02 2023:
Remaining faithful to his pastoral duties, Rev J Lunkim led a midnight service at Kangpokpi Christian Church to usher in the New Year despite his father's death.
Pastor J Lunkim's father Jamkhai Lunkim left for his heavenly abode after a prolonged illness on the New Year eve at his Keithelmanbi Military Colony when the Christian community was all set to celebrate the dawning of New Year 2023.However, Rev J Lunkim left his dead father to lead the midnight service held to bid farewell to the old year and to welcome the New Year at the Kangpokpi Christian Church.
The midnight service of Kangpokpi Christian Church is the brainchild of J Lunkim, who was recently honoured for his dedicated pastoral service.
He delivered an inspiring sermon at the midnight service attended by a large number of Church members.
The midnight service on December 31 held annually at the Church gained popularity with the arrangement of Bible verses for the New Year which the Church members have to randomly pick after dedication and blessing and that randomly chosen Bible verse is considered by the Church members as God's inspired words for all year round.
Taking cue from it, other churches in the town also conduct midnight service to pick the New Year Bible verse, which is considered the guidance of God.
Exactly at midnight, the pastor and church members praised the Lord and shook hands wishing one another a happy New Year before having tea and snacks as a New Year blessing.
In the morning, a New Year worship service was organised by all the churches in the town, and a get-together service at noon where they celebrated the New Year by singing gospel hymns throughout the day.
The New Year celebrations are held for two days by most of the churches while some continue till January 3 .
A New Year's feast marked the celebration at all the churches.
Meanwhile, local bodies such as Kangpokpi Town Committee and Kangpokpi Youth Union distributed sweets to all the churches as a New Year blessing.
Rev J Lunkim bid his farewell to his father and participated in the funeral ceremony on Monday afternoon at Keithelmanbi Military Colony.
Most of the New Year celebration at the district headquarters culminated on Monday.