NBCC have expressed dismay over the state government’s directives issued to all HoDs and AHoDs to be stationed in their places of posting for the Indian President’s maiden visit to the state on November 2 and 3 coinciding with the Sesquicentennial celebrations.
By Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Correspondent
Ao Baptist Arogo Mungdang (ABAM) has begun its Sesquicentennial celebration in Impur, Mokokchung, Nagaland on Tuesday. Over 2000 delegates from different parts of Naga Hills and other parts of India have registered to participate in the celebration.
As the thousands congregated to worship in the inaugural service, using several satellite (LED) screens in and around Impur area churches, the event opened with praise and worship led by the Changtongya Town Baptist Church (CTBC), followed by a special inaugural presentation by Mokokchung Town Ao Baptist Church (MTAOC). The ABAM choir and the Baptist Church of Mizoram Choir brought messages through songs.
Former secretary, ABTM, L Bendangla Jamir, released the ABAM SQC Story titled “Naga Tenem Nung Arogo Otsü”. ABAM president, Rev Sentisashi Aier, led the prayer of thanksgiving for the SQC, particularly thanking God for His Faithfulness and for all the pioneers who brought the Gospel to the Naga Hills followed by remembering of about the 36, 838 Baptized members in ABAM who had gone to be with the Lord between 1997-2022.
Executive secretary, ABAM, Rev Dr Mar Pongen, welcomed all the delegates, speakers and the program participants for the SQC.
While bringing greetings to gatherings, Central Baptist Church, Sivasagar, pastor Biren Gowalla, called upon the participants and ABAM to look towards Assam, where the “harvest is plenty but the labourers” are few.
Also bringing greetings on behalf of the Bible Society of India (BSI), translation director, Rev Dr Along Jamir, expressed that the Ao people have many reasons to thank the Lord as the community is the first among the Naga tribes to have the complete printed Bible and the first audio Bible.
He challenged the congregation by stating that there is a lot of witnessing and Bible translation work remaining as only 724 language groups out of 7, 388 groups have their entire Bible translated.
In his exhortation, former Executive Secretary, ABAM, Rev Dr L. Kari Longchar, called upon the congregation and Ao people to repent from their sins so that they can receive the blessings of the jubilee while particularly asking them not to succumb to the temptations of new religious values, wealth, and power that come in the name of politics.
Preaching from the book of Psalms 118:13, Rev Watson Rajaratnam, the main speaker for the evening, stressed on three characters of God: Goodness of God; Graciousness of God; and Greatness of God. He later called upon all of God’s people to wholeheartedly thank God and proclaim what the Lord has done.
Meanwhile many including the NBCC have expressed dismay over the state government’s directives issued to all HoDs and AHoDs to be stationed for the Indian President’s maiden visit to the state on November 2 and 3 coinciding with the Sesquicentennial celebrations.
It was quoted by the NBCC that the directive has “created undue stress and regret” at this juncture while stating that the Sesquicentennial celebrations was not only historic to the Ao community but also to the whole of Nagaland.