"A warm place on the Belgian North Sea coast" would be a fitting description of the physical and spiritual settings of this year's Festival for French-speaking brethren in De Haan, Belgium, said coordinator Erick S. Dubois.
Many said they experienced a sense of spiritual closeness and togetherness rarely equaled at a Festival. Others said they were "on fire" for God's way and so thankful for the deepening of understanding.
Brethren collected funds for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and met for an uplifting prayer meeting.
In its second year as a site, the resort town of Evian, on the French shore of Lac LÄman, welcomed 500 French-speaking brethren. The overall atmosphere throughout the Feast was exceptionally joyful, peaceful and people oriented.
Activities included an Alsatian evening, a YOU walk in the pre-Alps and a talent show. The diversity of talents provided by a variety of speakers provided members with a more complete, balanced and uplifting spiritual diet, said coordinator Donat Picard.
Festival 1995 was a historic event for the French Antilles as brethren from Guadeloupe and Martinique met together for a combined Feast at the beach resort of Saint Francois, Guadeloupe.
A first alert for Cyclone Pablo was in force as 200 brethren from Martinique boarded the ferry bound for Guadeloupe. Despite a rocky crossing and several upset stomachs, the Feast got off to a joyful start, according to coordinator Gilbert Carbonnel.
High points of this Feast included an evening barbecue animated by local songs and dances performed to the rhythm of tom-toms; an outing to Les Saintes, an island inhabited largely by fishermen; and a Saturday night dance with creole music by the Martinique church band.
About 150 Italian members and 120 transfers gathered in the central Italian town of Fiuggi, Italy, known for its natural spring waters and spas.
An all-day tour to Tivoli featured the Villa d'Este with its well-kept gardens and numerous fountains, and Villa Adriana, an archaeological site from Roman history, said coordinator Daniel Boesch.
On the Mediterranean island of Malta, area brethren combined with visitors from the United Kingdom, France, Norway, Australia and Jamaica to observe the Feast.
"The small size of the group enabled people to get to know one other fairly quickly and to have more meaningful fellowship," commented Neville Hutchinson, a deacon from Southampton, England.
Guest speaker Dean Blackwell, together with coordinator Carmel Gatt and Gus Roycroft, a minister from Belfast, Northern Ireland, performed a blessing of the children ceremony. The children blessed were Mandy Borg, 3 months, and Benjamin Gatt, 6 months.
Brethren watched a video of Pastor General Joseph Tkach's satellite transmission.
De Haan, Belgium ---------------- 327
Evian, France --------------------
503
Saint Francois, Guadeloupe ------ 358
Fiuggi, Italy
---------------------- 257
Sliema, Malta --------------------- 87
[ Worldwide Church of God | Worldwide News | Festival 1995 Articles ]
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 1995