The month of June, especially the first week, is very important to members of Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) worldwide. All parishes celebrate juvenile harvest on the first Sunday with different themes. BISI ERETAN brings report from one of the parishes.
Immediately after Easter period, the children of CCC Isokan Ifemimo Sowapo parish, were already looking forward to the juvenile harvest, with the inauguration of the planning committee by the shepherd-in-charge, Evang. Olatunji Sholaja.
While parents were buying new white garments (sutana) and jewelleries for their children and wards, the planning committee headed by Cape Elder, Dada Ogunyemi, was tasking sub-committees and the Sunday school teachers were grooming the children for various activities.
Activities for this 37th harvest of supernatural change started on Saturday, June 6. Children and adults alike turned up in their customised polo shirts and settled down to a film show where the children were treated to educative and instructional cartoon films.
They took a break to dance to music dished out by DJ Scopy before they moved to the main church for Bible quiz put together by Micheal Elebiomayo.
The quiz, which covered the books of Esther and Romans, hymns, Celestial constitution and general Bible knowledge, was keenly contested by 15 people. At the end of the day, Itunu Aweda came first, with Samuel Taiwo and Titi Fapetu as runners-up.
Out of excitement for the following day, some parents had to go the extra mile to persuade their children to go home or sleep in the church premises. They had wanted to be a part of the decoration, especially in inflating balloons.
The following day, the service conductor, Damilola Moses, was ready to start proceeding as he kept asking when service would commence. It eventually did at 11am with the Sunday school choristers in their green and yellow capes.
The Bible passages, Proverbs 1:8-19 and Colossians 3:20-25, were read by Joseph Abienu and Joshua Dodo. Prayers were offered for families, the church and the nation by Segun Aweda, Iyanu Ogungbemiro and Similoluwa King.
Before the sermonisers mounted the pulpit, there was a Bible recitation by the children and presentation of gifts to Sunday school teachers, Bible quiz winners and to an outstanding child, Boluwatito Ogunyemi, who also received monetary gifts.
It was another round of excitement and entertainment when choreography, put together by Serah Kasumu, was presented. Dressed in their polo shirts, skirts and bandana, the choreographers gave a scintillating performance.
A special anthem was also rendered by the Sunday school choir.
The sermon as delivered by Ayo Oloro and interpreted into Yoruba by Iyanu Ogungbemiro was centred on parents and their children/wards. He admonished children not to join their peers to commit sin, while advising parents not to relent to discipline their children whenever necessary, to prevent them from going astray.
“Our parents should not shy away from talking to us and we should be able to confide in them, which is better than seeking advice from friends and outsiders. This way, children would not be taken away by peer pressure,” Oloro said.
After the closing prayer by Titi Fapetu, the choristers led the congregation in recessional hymn.
The children were treated to more music by the DJ. There was a lot to eat and drink as they also had gifts to take home.
“We give all glory to God for another successful and fruitful juvenile harvest. The fact that the children really enjoyed themselves was enough for us to smile. I pray that we witness more of this as we look forward to the adult harvest in October,” Ogunyemi said.
