The good office wishes all the churches to celebrate the Christmas keeping in mind that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is starting to spread once again and to follow all the protocols from the competent authorities.

“We wish you all (the churches) in the region to have a very graceful Christmas and we also strongly recommend you to follow the guidelines issued by the competent authorities,” it stated.

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

“We wish that the blessings of the Almighty will be with you and your family so that you may have the Peace, Hope, Love and Joy this Christmas and beyond,” it concluded.

The general office especially encouraged everyone to meditate on John chapter 13 to John Chapter 19 during the period of Lent.

“Lent begins on February 17 and ends on April 3 this year and Christians around the world walk this 40 days period in prayers and fasting like Lord Jesus Christ who went into the wilderness for 40 days,” the general office stated.

“It is a beautiful thing to be sharing the suffering Lord in his journey and to make sense of abstinence, fasting, less meat and less entertainment and more on the Lord, not just during Lent but beyond Lent and as a general faith and practices,” it added.

“We must not take our eyes off the suffering Lord who endured everything and overcome everything with faith and love,” it added.

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!

May the joy, peace, hope and love of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you and your loved ones and churches this festive season when our Lord Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem 200 years ago!

Unlike the past years, we now live in a very extra-ordinary time as the pandemic continues to affect lives and churches are not able to hold services properly despite the government permitting them to hold with extra precautions as social distancing is very important and we stand with the people in our country and the government. Let us cooperate with the government so that we can overcome this pandemic soon.

We also acknowledge that some of you are also suffering from the disease and some of you are recovering. Our prayers are with you and we believe that the Lord will give you a greater testimonies through it. And let us also continue to pray for doctors, nurses, medical practitioners, researchers and people in frontlines and policy-makers who are working very hard to save lives and to contain the virus.

Although maximum caution has to be exercised and all necessary precautions must be taken so as to control the spread of the virus, it however does not stop us from celebrating the birth of Lord Jesus Christ in one way or the other. If one door of celebration is closed, there are many more doors. Many churches have also gone online to celebrate Christmas which is a unique experience in our lifetime.

People of God are never confined by the pandemic but it has given us more ways to worship and appreciate the coming of Lord Jesus into this world.

If you stay back and celebrate and worship our Lord from home, remember that you are doing a good service and sacrifice for your family and friends out there. Let us not be sad or disappointed but let us rather take all opportunities as God-given way for us to adapt to the new challenges.

May the God of peace be with you all.

Once again, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Blessings,

Rev. Dr. P.eter B.eita

The President

National Day of Prayer 2020 soft copy invitation

All the churches under Olivet Assembly of South Asia – India participated in the National Day of Prayer for the Nation held on Sunday, the 16^th August 2020 gracefully.

The National Day of Prayer is co-hosted and supported by National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) and Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) and it is often held on the Sunday nearest or closest to the India’s Independence Day which falls on August 15, according to the organisers.

Prayer guidelines were released in English, Hindi and other several Indian languages so that believers and churches can participate in unity.

The theme chosen on the NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER is “Pray for the Peace, Prosperity and Stability of Our Nation: Stand in the Gap! Bless India!”

With Bible verses chosen being displayed prominently in the official website. They are:

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” from 2 Chronicles 7:14

And

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for his inheritance,” from Psalm 33:12.

May the Lord hear the prayer of his people. Amen.

National Day of Prayer official website: https://www.nationaldayofprayer.in/

The general office of OA South Asia stated that churches are advised not to waste time during lockdown but to continue to expand the outreach online and spend time in using the time to draw closer to the Lord – by making clear plans for members in reading the scriptures, praying, online Bible studies, online counselling, online services and prayer fellowships.

“One cannot really make excuses. With good internet connections and technologies, everything can be done online and churches must explore more on this and do more in this area,” stated the general office.

It is learned that most churches are running towards Pentecost with specific goals and strategies albeit all works being done online.

“It is important for churches to adapt to the new environment and challenges pose by the circumstances and situations,” it added.

The general office also advised all churches to strictly follow the guidelines given by the governments – state and central as well as those of WHO in regards to COVID-19 pandemic.

Churches are using various platforms like Youtube, Facebook, Zoom and others to go online and give the best possible online service experience to the precious church members.

“It is really graceful that we could still observe Good Friday and celebrate Easter with online worship services in this trying time due to the lockdown which is inevitable due to the pandemic,” said the general secretary Reverend Peter.

“Most churches are not prepared and this is an opportunity to have a better presence online from next time onwards. Many churches neglected online audience but this is a learning experience,” the leader said.

The Holy Weekend is one of the most important events in the history of mankind and especially for Christians without the resurrection of Lord Jesus from the grave, as Apostle Paul right pointed out, “Our faith will be useless,” (1 Cor.15:14) because Christianity hangs on this one truth – the resurrection of Christ. Since Christ claimed that he would resurrect before he died, if he didn’t, it will make all his truth claims will become meaningless. So, the resurrection validated and authenticated all his truth claims.

“May the resurrected Lord be encountered by one and all, who can change one’s life and give them transcendent peace,” the leader concluded.

The World Evangelical Alliance has designated Sunday, March 29 as a Global Day of Prayer & Fasting amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. They encouraged everyone to pray to God that the crisis will pass quickly.

WEA has also provided a guide for the day with fasting options as well as scripture reading selected for the occasion.

“It is very graceful for the global churches to come together by taking up the spiritual responsibility of our time and intercede for the whole world and for the Lord to bring the pandemic to an end soon,” said the general secretary Rev. Peter.

“We are very thankful to WEA and EFI for this initiative. This is not the end but a reminder to all of us that we must and we should continue to pray for the pandemic to end soon,” the leader added.

The prayer and fasting were in the churches gracefully.

Most countries in the region, prominently India sub-continent has decided to close down malls, schools, institutes, universities, or any mass gathering to help fight the virus, churches must do the same.

Therefore, all church’s worship services will remain closed till March 31, 2020. Further notice will be made about the services after March 31.

OA general office recommends that churches follow the direction of their respective government’s diktat on dealing the disease.

OA South Asia also recommends broadcasting sermons so that members can continue to be part of hearing sermon-  the main part of the services every week.

Above all, churches must pray at their own homes for the containing of the virus and all the victims around the world.

May the Lord’s hands of protection be upon everyone!

Issued by
the General office of OA South Asia
Bangalore, India.

According to the general office, Holiness is one of the most important outcome or the results of the new regeneration of the person by Almighty God through His Son, Lord Jesus Christ who died to purify sinners from their uncleanliness.

The good office stated that Holiness must be pursued spiritually as well as physically. The sermon on this can be referred to Rev. Peter Beita’s sermon on this topic below:

May everyone pursue holiness and reveal the power of the gospel throughout 2020. Amen!

The general office of OA South Asia stated, “We request churches in our region and country should bless people around them with Christmas Carols and bless them with the sound of beautiful carol music.”

“The Christmas season is the opportune time for the followers of Christ to show how much they care and love their neighbourhood using Carols,” it stated.

“It is part of an expression of good news that will cause great joy to all people as the angels declared in Luke 2:10,” it stated.

“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14), it is great joy for all people,” it concluded.