FU, Jakarta – Christians from the Pentecostal Church in Indonesia (Gereja Pantekosta di Indonesia – GPdI) Palmerah Timur also celebrated Easter at the GPdI building, Jl. Tentara Pelajar, Palmerah, West Jakarta, Sunday, March 31 2024. Like in various other churches, the Easter celebration at this church is carried out with an Easter Service which is enlivened with various creative praise songs, choir performances and lively ornaments in the worship room.
Very coincidentally, on this Easter celebration day, GPdI Palmerah Timur also celebrated its 57th anniversary. In series with this anniversary celebration, after the Easter Service was finished, the event continued with the performance of angklung music and the cutting of the church’s birthday cake by Rev. Jahja Surjana and Mrs. Rev. Nasrani.
The presence of the angklung music group made the Easter and GPdI Palmerah Timur anniversary celebrations unique, special and livelier. The appearance of the angklung team, who are children and teenagers from the church’s Sunday School, was very charming. They performed a special song arranged by the team coach from GPdI, namely Happy Birthday GPdI song.
As stated by one of the congregations who was present at this Easter Service, Ferlisan Tabanci, she felt very lucky to be able to witness a live performance of angklung music. “Usually, we only see angklung music on television or YouTube, now I can watch it live, the angklung music performance is very enchanting,” said Icha, Ferlisan Tabanci’s nickname, after the worship event.
This Easter celebration, added Icha, is full of meaning for her. “This is the first time I have participated in the Easter celebration service in Jakarta, it was very lively. Also, very smooth and safe. “I enjoyed God’s presence in the service, it was so wise,” said this graduate of anaesthesia.
Meanwhile, from field observations, the sermon delivered by Rev. Yohanes Lumuria emphasized the need for every Christian to ‘become like Him (Jesus Christ – ed)’. This means that every Christian is obliged to imitate Him who is full of love and willing to sacrifice for others. The Easter message is a moral command for all Christians to be bearers of light in the world community which is being hit by uncertainty in life these days.
The Easter Service and 57th Anniversary of GPdI East Palmerah which took place at 17.00 WIT ended with greetings of ‘Happy Easter and Anniversary’ as well as the distribution of mementos in the form of 57th Anniversary Plaques of GPdI East Palmerah to all the congregation present. (APL/Ed)