In Nagpur, a group of New Apostolic Christians celebrated the birthday of Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider by reaching out to the elderly. This was followed by preparations for Thanksgiving in Ghugus-style: with a Biryani Fete.
The Chief Apostle‘s Birthday, a Reason to Reach Out
On 18 September, brothers and sisters in Nagpur decided to celebrate our Chief Apostle‘s birthday at an old age home in order to spread the happiness among the elderly. Around 60 elderly were dropped at the Panchwati Vrudh Ashram by relatives or family. When they heard about the Chief Apostle‘s birthday, they conveyed their greetings and blessing to him.
It was a rich time of fellowship and sharing experiences, and may of the elerdly requested for regular visits and prayer meetings. Their zeal to stay happy in spite of being mentally and physically weak was an inspiration for everyone present. Spiritual talk went hand in hand with snacks and tea, and both was a delightful and refreshing.
Biryani Preparations for Thanksgiving
With Thanksgiving Day approaching – this year on 1st October 2017 – the brothers and sisters in Nagpur hatched a plan to prepare a Biryani Fete. This idea was born in Ghugus a few years ago as a creative contribution towards the yearly Thanksgiving offering. Members would come together to prepare biryani and later sell it in the church premises. The income of that sale will be added to the congregation’s Thanksgiving offering on Sunday.
The annual Ghugus Biryani Fete was held on 24th September, and yet another time, a small group of ladies tempted the taste buds in town. This time around, they had even received pre-orders for 50 plates! Some food was delivered to people’s homes, and as usual the biryani sold out with a good profit.
A similar program was launched in Nagpur this year, where the biryani was sold on the busy streets of the city.
Being a Blessing to Others
Some members from Ghugus shared their motivation for these programs: “We feel that as a New Apostolic Christian it is our responsibility to try and utilize every moment to spread happiness and to be a blessing to others.”