“Wherever we see the Word of God purely preached and heard,

There a church of God exists, even if it swarms with many faults.” 

A Visit to the St. Francis Xavier’s Church, Ashok Nagar, Kanpur

By TJIS, Kanpur

On Thursday, 20^th December, 2018

 

Christmas is the perfect time to celebrate the love of God and family and to create memories that will last forever. Jesus is God's perfect, indescribable gift. The amazing thing is that not only are we able to receive this gift, but we are able to share it with others on Christmas and every other day of the year.

 

The children of Grades P.G. to VI visited the St. Francis Xavier’s Church, Ashok Nagar, Kanpur on Thursday, 20^th December, 2018 to look at special things to help their worship. They found crosses, crucifixes, candles, stained glass windows, a font and Bibles. They gathered to worship the Lord Jesus Christ, who willingly gave His life for our redemption. Their worship gatherings expressed their feelings to God; at the same time, they communicated their view of God to others.

 

The priest occupies the central position of leadership in the church. It is evident from the moment he walks down the aisle during the procession. He leads the worship time, initiates the prayers and readings, and he is the one who gives the short homily.

 

The auditorium is typical of a Catholic Church. The altar table is central on the stage, with the pulpit to the left. Behind the altar table was a large purple curtain and a large crucifix hanging down from the ceiling in front of the curtain. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling. On the walls, one could see wood sculptures of the Stations of the Cross. If I were to begin on one side of the church and make my way to the other side, I could follow the wood sculpting and visualize the entire Passion narrative. The pews had fold out kneeling rails, so one could kneel at the appropriate times.

 

A strong sense of reverence pervades the service. The worship service is concentrated on the individual worshipper before God. It was an interactive session conducted by the Father, Rajesh where he told about the story of crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

 

The worship service was designed for the individual to connect with God; little room is left for individuals to connect with other individuals.

 

The decor and worship style gave the children the impression that they have entered into a sacred space, where they witnessed something much bigger than their problems. This type of worship service appealed to the everyone who are in need of peace and quiet from the hustle and bustle of life.