Tura, Feb 4: The 150th Annual General Meeting of Garo Baptist Convention and the Sesquicentennial Jubilee of the A’chik Baptist Dalgipa Krima (ABDK) concluded on Sunday at Bethel A’bri, Balupara in West Garo Hills.

Bethel A’bri, about 30 km from Tura, is near Babadam under Rongram block, which is the permanent campus of A’chik Baptist faithful. Prior to the establishment of the permanent campus, the ABDK congregation was spread across different parts of Garo Hills.

President of World Baptist Alliance Tomas Mackey also attended the celebration and extended his greetings to the Garo Baptist Convention. He also invited the faithful to attend the World Baptist Convention, which will be held in July next year at Brisbane, Australia.

He told the gathering that he is overwhelmed with the love and hospitality of the Garo people. “I am very glad that the faithful from different parts of the region have converged here at Bethel, traveling in trucks and pick-ups (carts),” he remarked.

He also thanked the dignitaries, who attended the morning prayer services.

Close to 40,000 people had converged to attend the congregation on Sunday from different parts of the State, including delegates from foreign countries.

General Secretary of Indian Evangelical Mission (IEM) Rev Dr. Raja Singh Elias in his sermon called upon the faithful to emulate Lord Jesus Christ’s eternal message of love and forgiveness. “When people accept Jesus and say a forgiveness prayer, it is often the start of renewed and refreshed life,” he added.

In his address, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma lauded the contribution of the Baptist Missionaries in Garo Hills. He extended his greetings to the faithful and thanked the Lord Almighty for giving him this opportunity to be amidst them all.

“It is a blessing for the A’chik that they accepted Christ. Our forefather had chosen Christianity for us, otherwise we would have accepted different faith. It is truly a blessing from the above that our forefathers were guided to choose Jesus as our saviour,” he said.

He expressed his gratitude to the GBC and ABDK for all their commitment and dedication in the service of God. “Christianity has brought in education, healthcare and development for our people. The missionaries have worked tirelessly for the growth and development of the A’chik community. The jubilee celebration is a testimony of the missionaries love and commitment for our people”, he added.

He also welcomed the President of the Baptist World Alliance and other delegates to Meghalaya and particularly Garo Hills.

President of Garo Baptist Convention (GBC) Sundarsingh A Sangma announced the decision of the governing council to elect Rev Dilseng M Sangma as the new General Secretary of GBC as Rev Jananang Sangma retires this May to take on other responsibilities in the service of God.

Rev Dilseng M Sangma was blessed by the President of Baptist World Alliance Tomas Mackey during the programme.

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