Every Thursday we join the prayer group which meets at our Territorial Headquarters at Bishan. Normally we meet in the chapel, but this morning the Prayer meeting was held at the Central Corps Hall. I have never seen such a splendid display in a Salvation Army Hall with the theme EXPLORING EASTER. thanks to the new Corps Officers (pastors) Majors Paul and Stephanie Herring. For a whole week people are given the opportunity to look into the events leading up to Easter.
Lunch time during Passion week, meetings are held and the different speakers are tasked to speak on events leading up to Calvary. In the evenings church members are responsible for giving talks on subjects such as "Cleansing the temple" "Jesus serves" etc and to night the pastor will reflect on Gethsemane.
Let me describe some of the displays in the hall. Right in the centre in front of the Mercy Seat is the empty cross. On one side on display is the art work display of the Rose of Sharon. The story behind this is printed for display. To see the perfect Rose and the pain of the barb wire wrapped around the stake represents Jesus, the perfect Lamb (sacrifice) crowned with thorns and nailed to the cross to bear the sins of the world.
There are displays of chair, basin and towel depicting the scene of Jesus washing His disciples; feet. Then there is the scene of the Last Supper. The next scene shows some of the torture tools depicting the pain an suffering our Lord went through. We then see a big stone among trees in the Garden of Gethsemane and finally the empty tomb. I went inside and saw the white sheet and the place where the body was laid. At each display there are Scripture portions printed. Yes and there is the cross of a thousand nails. We are invited to put on hands on the nails to feel the pain and then write a prayer to put it the cross.
It is similar to the Stations of the Cross. The pastors and church members certainly must have spent a lot of time and put as lot of effort into such a display.
On the wall behind the platform are three large banners made by the Youth of the church. The Youth Group (three of our grandchildren are among them) meet every Friday night to worship together before meeting in small discussion groups. The display on the banners are the result of their discussions. Each banner focuses on a different thought - the betrayal, the cross and the risen Christ.
After touring and reflecting, we returned to the front of the hall, split into two groups to continue our prayers and interceding for others.
My wife and I were truly blessed this morning as we participated in this special prayer meeting on Maundy Thursday.
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