Me Baptising a Child - Src Church Media

Church should not ignore the government, and the church should not be controlled by the government

Yea! It was another beautiful day to share my diary game. But before I go ahead, I send my pleasantries to you all, praying for you to succeed in all your endeavors in Jesus Christ's name AMEN21X

My Sunday morning was exciting. From the morning devotion, we started praying for the service to go well. After the prayers, we all prepared. Being the first day of the month, in our church, we used to observe “Fresh Anointing Service” or some called it “Morning Dew, Good Morning Jesus."” Different ideological expressions to give the needed spiritual connotations. However, in The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Use Offot Uyo Parish, we called it “Fresh Anointing Service” believing that we are waiting on God to give us the power and direction for the new month.

This made us go to church very early. At 8:00am, we commenced “School of Purpose and Discipleship” which is a school in itself to teach members about the issues of life. Many times, we digress to challenge ourselves on the realities of life. What we go through every day, how those on the streets without help are fairing. Classes like this used to stir up a lot of reactions while we called on the church to respond and take social action.

We proceeded to the divine service at exactly 9:00am with the choir leading behind the Bible bearer and then the elders and clerics process and the service progressed from hymn singing to praise and worship, prayer and choir ministrations, sermon and other formalities.

^{Baptism and Communion service - Src Church Media}

Immediately after the message, the “Act” of infant baptism was done. The Presbyterian Church globally believes in “infant baptism” because children also belong to God. Although they do not have full knowledge or could answer the affirmative questions for themselves, it is the responsibility and abounding duties for the parents who are to bring them up in every sense of life, to also bring them up in the knowledge of God.

We had a “Holy Communion” too. Every first Sunday is a Communion service, but when there is baptism like this, we all have it together. Today's service was 3 in 1 (fresh anointing, infant baptism, and holy communication).

The beauty of these services is that the church is still closed at 11:00am. We need not stay forever because we have 3 in 1 services. Upon closing, the children's department was entertained, and others took photos while celebrating with the family who brought their son to church.

After the church service and meetings, I returned home. At 1:00 p.m., my boss called me to prepare and join him to the Akwa Ibom State “International Worship Center” located along the banking layout off Udoudoma Avenue, Uyo.

I hurriedly dressed and met him by Oron Road roundabout, and we zoomed to the venue. It was a serious government function that attracted the presence of the senate president of Nigeria, Senator God'swill Akpabio.

We arrived before 2:00pm and had to wait until 3:00pm before the government would arrive for the service to commence. By the time we got there, the chancel seats were all filled up. I was wondering if some of the people there didn't go to church for service. Government functions bring crowds because the country has been placed in starvation tactics, forcing citizens to depend on the government for almost everything except the air we breathe.

^{Few photographs from the Akwa Ibom State Worship - Src Samsung A05}

I am not against the government in any way. That was why I went to the event in which the sitting government and the “All Progressive Party (APC) called on the church to dedicate their campaign to God. They all spoke well. As the service began, the hall was filled up to the bride with over 5000 people outside watching through screens.

The event that started a few minutes past 3 o'clock dragged until 6:00pm. One thing I will not forget is when the preacher admonished the government that they should not visit any other thing after calling the church to dedicate them else they will not be under the coverage of the prayers made today.

The state worship center is a little bit away from where 95% of worshippers used to come from. There is no service that will have the presence of the governor that will not experience mammoth crowds recorded in the venue. Sometimes, the numbers of people inside are equivalent to those outside, not counting the security units.

The biggest challenge in this place remains how to go back, especially if you did not drive to the place. Once the service is over, going through the gate to go home becomes a struggle. Everyone wants to go at the same time those with a motor are going, coliiding with those on foot. The struggle sometimes leads to cohesion, scratches on cars, and loss of properties like phones, wrist watches, and other related experiences.

What I do every time I wish to do is ensure that I am going with the same car that will take me out of there. But yesterday, something different happened. When I got to the worship center with my boss, I saw our father, who is 92 years old. I decided to attend to him. I secured his seat even though I did not have one. We all prioritized his own.

After the dismissal of the service, as I was managing to take the man to his car, helping him to walk down the staircase, my boss who brought me to the worship center, thought that I was going with him, and left with his car. When I secured the 92 year old cleric into his motor, I managed to go through the crowd to where we parked. It was done to me that my boss was gone. I called him, and he was so sorry.

^{The 92 year Cleric - Src Samsung A05}

I quickly rushed back to the entrance gate and waited by faith to see when the driver of the 92 year old cleric would pass through the gate. I knew that they would not come out from the church area immediately. Fortunately, I found them again. I was just praying they would stop me by Oron Road for me to find my way, but the old cleric instructed his driver to drive me to my house. It was about 7:00 am already.

This was when I was able to breathe well, and the hunger that had long gone came back immediately because I was balanced. I got home and soak garri (cassava flakes) with cold water and sipped to regain strength.

At 7:05 p.m., I joined our intercessor's online prayers that ran until 8:00pm. Another prayer was waiting for me at 9:00 am, which i was the one to lead, but I was tired, I asked my wife to stand in for me. I managed to update my steemit blog before I could not battle with sleep again, I gave up and rested.