The National Evangelical Church, Bahrain is a mosaic of diversity that has stood as an ever-evolving witness to God's faithfulness in Arabia. We are celebrating our centennial. I am humbled to be part of the committee in charge of the historic exhibition. I am merely a warm body in the committee but I thank God, nonetheless, for the opportunity. Praise the Lord!
posted by Meandering Shawarma @ 7:55 AM
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Rare artefacts go on display
By JENNIFER McWATT
RARE and priceless items used by the National Evangelical Church (NEC) over 100 years ago will be displayed at an exhibition to be held this week. It is part of the church's centennial celebrations held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad.
The three-day exhibition, which will be held from tomorrow at the church's Fellowship Hall in Manama, will feature documents, photographs and artefacts.
It will be inaugurated by former Islamic Affairs under-secretary Shaikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Khalifa at 8.30pm.
The exhibition will be open to the public on Thursday and Friday from 9am to 1pm and 4pm to 9pm.
Contributors to the exhibition include the American Mission Hospital (AMH), National Geographic, Bahrain National Museum, Bahrain Historical and Archaeological Society and Reformed Church of America archives among others.
"This exhibition will showcase a collection of photographs, rare documents and priceless artefacts which have been used by the church over the past 100 glorious years," said Common Council and Pastor of the English Language Congregation Rev Richard Westra.
"It will also provide a glimpse of the changing landscape of Bahrain through vivid imagery captured in various medium.
The church was built in 1906 under the instruction of early missionaries.
It was rebuilt in 1971 and rebuilt and expanded in 2002, but it still maintains the same structure.
"The exhibition will show how the church has changed since it was first built and the new forms that it has taken, to now host 20 different congregations," said Rev Westra.
One of the highlights of the exhibition is the old clock that graced the church tower for more than 70 years, he said.
"It has the distinction of not only being Bahrain's first clock-tower but also one that showed Bahrain's local time to ships nearing the harbour," said Rev Westra.
"Old chairs, visitor's books, Bibles, and old communion elements will also be featured at the exhibition."
The event will be preceded by a special centennial service at the church on Wednesday at 7pm.
The interdenominational service will be attended by Shaikh Khalifa, RCA Mission supervisor in the ME and Africa Reverend John Hubers and church pastor Rev Lewis Scudder.
"The evening will depict the unity in diversity theme, which has been upheld by the NEC since its early days," said centennial celebrations organising committee chairman Yousuf Haider.
"With a multitude of denominations worshipping at this sanctuary in diverse languages and hailing from different countries from the sub-continent to the Far East, the NEC represents a true mosaic of unity through the Christian faith."
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