By SAM EYOBOKA & OLAYINKA LATONA

EASTER, also called Pasch (Latin: Pascha), a moveable feast celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, comes once in a year.

Despite the security challenges facing the country, thousands of Christians last Sunday gathered at different worship centres to mark this year’s Easter because Christ’s resurrection brought everlasting joy to His disciples and rekindled hope among his followers, restored confidence and boldness in them to preach the gospel without fear. At the Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral, Ikeja, Lagos and the Lord Chosen Charismatic Revival Church, Ijesha, Lagos, the celebration was observed with much zest and enthusiasm.

The Anglican Church played host to what it called, Jesus Festival on Saturday giving opportunity to old and young worshippers all clad in branded T-shirts with caps, to relish the scintilating acrobatic displays by the church’s Boys Brigade and Girls Guides. There were lots of prayers, Praise & Worship, word ministration as well as identification parades by parishes in the diocese.

According to event convener and Diocesan bishop of Lagos West, Bishop Olusola Odedeji, the programme formed part of a three cardinal point agenda of the diocese including: spiritual growth; enhanced youth involvement in activities and aggressive evangelism with emphasis on personal life. He restated his commitment to effect changes that would cause revival.

In his words: “This programme focus-ed on youth empowerment and desire to engage them in something godly and worthwhile.” Odedeji also urged politicians to deliver the dividends of democracy to Nigerians, stating that what is happening today is as a result of corruption and abuse of power by Nigerian politicians.

In a sermon titled; “Creation, for redemption and resurrection”, the Dean of St. Francis of Assisi, Wusasa, Zaria, Bishop Praises Omole narrated his experience as a minister of God in the North, he saying: “I have friends who have lost their lives in the crises. There was a bomb blast about 10,000 yards from my house and you needed to see how heavy the vibration was! I thought the blast was in my house.

“We always thank God for each day. They keep saying they don’t want Christians in the North, but I do not know how this can be possible. For some of us if we are going to die we will consider it a privilege. We trust in God. He is the one who has been sustaining us. We will not run away because of insecurity in the North.”

Calling on the church leaders to sustain the programme, one Mrs. Lucy Ibekwe, who claimed to have received instant healing during the ministration said: “I had been on bandage for two months due to an injury, but when the man of God was ministering I received my healing and I removed the cast.”

In a related development, Mrs. Elizabeth Agbamu Eterigho on Easter Sunday at the Lord’s Chosen told a huge crowd of worshippers that she was healed of HIV, TB, madness and other related ailments that threatened to terminate her life.

The testimony which was the icing of the cake at the service, threw the entire crowd at the international headuarters of the church along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway in Lagos in ecstacy and wild jubilation.

According to the middle-aged woman who was later joined by her husband, Mr. Agbamu Etereigho, her case had been proclaimed by different medical practitioners as hopeless when somebody told them to come to the Lord Chosen where she was healed after a simple prayer from the general overseer.

Corroborating the woman’s claim, the husband said: “After visiting five hospitals and there was no hope, I told the doctor to discharge my wife. They told me she would die and I said I will take the risk because I want to join another family. I have found my true father.”

Shortly after the testimony, torrential rains started and members scampered for shelter.