Mangalore: Harvest festival celebrated with fervour in city
Pics: Ramesh Pandith / Brijesh Garodi / Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SS)
Mangalore, Oct 6: The Protestant community celebrated the harvest festival with much joy and fervour in CSI churches across the city on Sunday October 6.
The harvest festival is observed with the offering of the first harvest to God as a mark of gratitude. The community members brought new corn, tender coconuts, sugarcane and vegetables and offered them to God in various churches.
Devotees gathered in large numbers at various churches like CSI Cathedral at Balmatta, CSI Sushanthi Church at Mercarahill, CSI Hebbik Memorial, Gorigudde and others.
At CSI Cathedral in Balmatta, Rev Dr J S Sadananda, bishop, CSI, KSD delivered the Lord's message on the occasion.
He said, “We are the co-workers in the service of Lord and must render the gifts offered by him to us.”
Prayers were performed by Rev Edward Karkada.
Devotees in large numbers with their families took home the blessed crop after the thanksgiving service. Auction was conducted after the mass.
The hymns were sung by the choir group Balmatta Music Association, the youth group and the Sunday school children.
The harvest festival sports and games committee will organize the annual sports and games at the Cathedral premises in the afternoon at 2 pm.
MLA J R Lobo will be the chief guest accompanied by retired presbyter of CSI Rev S D Aiman. Pushpalatha Sadananda will give away the prizes after the sports. Dr J S Sadananda will preside over the programme.
At the harvest festival in CSI Hebbik Memorial, Gorigudde here, the sermon was delivered by Rev Dr C L Furtado, retired bishop of CSI and prayers were conducted by Rev Andrew John.
Rev Dr Furtado spoke about giving and donating in Christian life and to realize god's blessings in one's life.
The worship started at 8.30 am, followed by auction.
Sports will be organized in the afternoon, during which Uday Shankar Naik willl be the chief guest and the prizes will be distributed by Vidyashree U Naik
The congregation along with the pastorate committee at Sushanthi Church in Mercarahill celebrated the harvest festival on Sunday October 6.
The Lord’s message was delivered to the gathering by Rev Dr D R Sadananda.
The hymns were sung by the choir, the youth group and the Sunday school children.
The church service started at 8.30 am which will be followed by sports at 2.30 pm.
The evening function would be graced by health minister U T Khadar who will also give away the prizes.