Famously known as the Festival of Lights and a time of reconciliation, Deepavali would not be complete without the light of one Man in the household.
That is the message Gideon Hari, the leader of the City Harvest Indian Fellowship, brought to the Tamil Church.
A breakthrough attendance of 350 people gathered in Rooms 1 to 3 in the Jurong West church premises for Yesu Oli, a Deepavali celebration organized by the Indian Fellowship. It was a night of smiles and laughter as three celebrities from the local Vasantham channel put up song and drama performances, which the congregation participated in.
“This is the first big outreach we have held, and the focus of this event was really fellowship,” shared Anish John, 32, an IT specialist. He explained that although the Indian Fellowship started some four years ago, it was only officially recognized in July 2008.
In 2004, Gideon started the fellowship with only 13 members, but it has since grown to an average of 150 members. Many visitations to families were done weekly, and these visits have paid off.
“I enjoy being here, and my whole family is here,” said Rohan Lars, 19, a student, pointing to his parents who were sitting in front of him.
“I am hoping for an average of 400 members by this Christmas, and 1,000 by June next year.” said Gideon.
About a third of the congregation during the Yesu Oli event were visiting church for the first time, and 50 of them gave their hearts to Jesus that day!
And what is a celebration without festive apparel? Many came dressed for the occasion and the room was filled with a myriad of colours. Candles were lined along the aisles, and when lit, were indeed a sight to behold.
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| PHOTOS: Daniel Poh |
The year is not over for the Indian Fellowship. A family camp is on the cards, and there are ongoing preparations for a dance item during the upcoming Asia Conference. Without a doubt, the light of the Indian Fellowship is set to shine brighter and brighter in the months to come.
