General News of Monday, 12 April 2004

Source: GNA

Churches hold picnics

Accra, April 12, GNA - Most churches in the La Township crowned the Easter festivities on Monday with picnics and fun games to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Congregations comprising the elderly, youth and Pastors participated in various games and sports such as playing of draughts, cards, football and table tennis.

Before converging at the various church grounds for the celebration, all branches of the Presbyterian in the town of La went on "dawn broadcast" (open air preaching before day broke) to proclaim that Christ has risen.

The significance, according to Brother Seth Anang, Youth Leader at the La Nazareth Presbyterian Church, was to tell people that Christ has resurrected and that there was the need for Christians to renew their relationship in order to partake in the promises of God.

"More especially it is to tell our brothers and sisters, who have not yet come to accept Christ as their Lord that the risen Lord has demonstrated His Love to them by nailing their sins on the cross so there is the need for them to repent," he said.

Brother Anang said the fun games, apart from making merry was also to afford them the opportunity to renew their relationships with their brothers and sisters in the Lord by forgiving each other of wrongs done against them.

He said forgiveness was unique to the celebration of Easter because the whole essence of Christ's crucifixion was to forgive the sins of mankind in order to restore the broken relationship and fellowship with God, the Creator.

Members brought variety of food and drinks and shared them among themselves amidst dancing and singing to glorify the Lord.