Nepali Christmas Service
/On Christmas Day, New Life Fellowship, a satellite of Ascension Lutheran Church, celebrated a great Christmas worship event at the Peace Center. The special service included many unique features, such as a multitude of decorations (two lighted Christmas trees in the altar area, plus balloons, banners, and ribbons inside the building and out), special songs, Christian dances and of course, a sermon provided by the Evangelist and Nepali Ministry Facilitator, Gagan Gurung.
The entire worship event was conducted in the Nepali language, and with more than 75 people in attendance, it was the largest service of New Life Fellowship’s eight-month existence. Interestingly, most of the participants were recent St. Louis arrivals, many from within the past six to eight months, and some from within just the past few weeks.
In addition to prayers and hymns, the service also featured multiple dances - a common worship feature in Nepal, as well as in many Lutheran congregations in India. Commitment to this part of the service can be gauged from the fact that many of the dancers practiced for two months in advance of the service!
The fellowship time immediately following the worship event featured cake and punch.
May our Lord continue to richly bless the good efforts of Evangelist Gurung and the members of New Life Fellowship.
From information and photos provided by Gagan Gurung.