Friend’s Day
November 16, 2008
Praise the Lord for another wonderful gathering this year. Right after the Sunday Service, about 450 of us traveled to Tai Lam Country Park. It was indeed a blessed day with perfect weather that was neither too hot nor too cold! Although each Sub-District came with prepared food of their own, brothers and sisters from these Sub-Districts also came up with well-thought blessings to pass on to other groups and this gesture filled the place with a spirit of friendship. The spacious area also enabled brothers, sisters, and friends to have a wonderful fellowshipping time playing games like kicking the shuttlecocks, volleyball, etc. During the entire afternoon, we could see and hear joy and laughter all over the place.
During the “blessing” time, each sub-district took turn doing something related to the theme of “Friend’s Day” to bless one another. The order was as follows:
Sub District 1 to 2 – children from the young family groups served plates of well-prepared diced fruits.
Sub District 2 to 3 – sang Praise and Worship song(re-written and tailor-made for the Youth) and also served a dish of curry fish balls.?
Sub District 3 to 4 – sang Praise and Worship song with full gestures, youth style!
Sub District 4 to 5 – sang Praise and Worship song with full gestures, in Thai!
Sub District 5 to 6 – Staged a bamboo dance performance and also served flavored jelly
Sub District 6 to 7 – sang a song, served a pie, and passed out handwritten inspirational cards.
Sub District 7 to 1 – took turn impersonating Pastor Gavin, Sis Arlene, Bro. Yong and Bro. Allen; presented a gift.
Under the great atmosphere, the warm hearts of our brothers and sisters really shone forth as they were all willing to do their best to bless others.
As 5pm approached and as one-by-one the coaches took us out of Tai Lam Country Park, the lyrics from the song led by Brother Allen during the Sunday Service lingered in our hearts: ” …and friends are friends forever, If the lord’s the lord of them. And a friend will not say “never”, ’cause the welcome will not end. Though it’s hard to let you go, in the father’s hands we know, that a lifetime’s not too long to live as friends…” Indeed, friendships built in our Lord will last forever. Thank God for all the friends we have!
