Pastor V.Nenglian conducts Responsive Reading: … Praise the Eternal Lord; My Life, Forget Not all the Good Things He Hath Done for You…
V. Biaklal a gospel musician in Central Lamka, Manipur, who happens to be in Delhi for personal reasons, leads the worship in praise. He emphasizes the importance of making oneself acceptable to God and being immersed in the realm of the spirit. With the selected hymns, “When We All Get to Heaven” (BNL 336), “The Love of Jesus” (BNL 187) the congregation sings about the wondrous love of Jesus, His mercy and grace. Through the hymns the Lord sure has a message. Opening up one’s heart is the least one can do. The sun rises in the morning only to disappear in the evening. But the love of God never left the believers. Man can only, in awesome, wonder the greatness of God. Arr Stuart K. Hine’s “How Great Thou Art” (BNL 225) is an example of joy expressed through human comprehension.
Taking cue from Psalms 150 the WT Biaklal stresses the need of praise, which is not a request from God. In fact the scripture commands praise with varied kinds of instruments. He led the mass prayer with the hymn, “The Old Rugged Cross”. That is followed by the fifth hymn, “Tul ngei lou ding” – The never wilting happiness, and collection of offering by the Ushers.
The offering is dedicated by Upa Thianzakham.
On taking the pulpit pastor dedicates in prayer to God three infants: (i) Ms Dina Niangremmawi d/o Thangkhansiam Naulak (ii)Mr. M. Muantansang s/o Lamlun Munluah and (iii) S. Lalkhanpiang s/o S. Thangbiaklian.
In response to the Sunday School test exam held earlier, about 70 solved answer papers have been received including 16 online. 12 of them who score full mark are honored with award of gifts, which are handed over by Upa H. Kam Suangthang. The recipients of the honor are:
Name Name of Cell
1. Chiinkhanniang RK Puram
2. Nancy Chinghoih Munirka
3. Niangmanlian Vasant Cell-1
4. Nu Chingngaih Munirka
5. H. Thangsiam Sarojini
6. P. Nangkhanthang Bersarai
7. Piangrouding Ngaihte Vasant Vihar
8. Rammawi Vasant Kunj
9. Ruth Ngaihlun HUDCO Place
10. Suanching Tonsing Munirka
11. Upa T. Kaithang Vasant Kunj
12. Upa Thiankhanmuan RK Puram
The Pastor also suggests that a second test covering the book of Saint Matthew chapters 21 to 28 is being conducted sometime in future.
For a very brief moment, the pastor helps the audience into memorizing the memory verse, Matthew 26:41 - Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
As different from the daily/or nightly worship held in Churches in towns and villages, the EBC Church in Delhi can afford to have one worship service in a week which begins at 11 am on Sundays. As such life enriching sermons given on such occasions has become the tradition. Sunday School lessons are incorporated in the Weekly DEW and the members are encouraged to go through such tutorials.
However certain Sunday services are dedicated for such classes. Due to the vastness of the lesson the pastor treats the church goers with a crash course on the Parable of the Ten Young Women-who went out to meet the bridegroom in a wedding (Matthew 25:5-13), the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus (Chapter 26), Trial of Jesus (Chapter 27) and the Resurrection (Chapter 28) with special highlight of certain noteworthy points as given below:
One The ten young women share so many things in common like the fact of having proceeded to the wedding, bringing lamps, having slept. How many of them are wise, really see the bridegroom and have fuel for the lamp? This question marks five of them out from the rest.
Two A house built on sand is destined to fall.
Three The servant either pleases or displeases the master in accordance with his/her treatment of the talent God deems appropriate. Closely aligned to the parable, Jesus told the disciples before His arrest about the separation of the sheep from the goat on Judgement Day.
Four On the anointing of Jesus by a lady the disciples suggested optimum utilization of the expensive perfume. According to Jesus, she has done a beautiful thing.
Five Jesus felt deeply depressed in the garden of Gethsemane. He said (watch and ) Pray or fall into temptation, the essence of a Christian life.
Six Pontias Pilate the Procurator or agent of the Roman Emperor ordered the crucifixion of Jesus on the insistence of the crowd.
Seven From the crucifixion of Jesus i.e. AD 36 to the writing of the book of Saint Matthew i.e. AD 50 the officials of the Roman Empire spread the rumor that the body of Jesus was stolen by the disciples.
Eight The final word to disciples- Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
The pastor informs the congregation of the planned Singspiration next Sunday. Also some anti-plastic campaigners’ accorded permission to display products in front of the Church, may be cooperated with by willing buyers.
Thereafter, he concluded the service with benediction.
By- Lianpu Tonsing
Media Team
