26 July 2011 London, United Kingdom [Serene Allen, tedNEWS] The weekend of 23rd and 24th July 2011 marked a year until the London 2012 Olympics commences. The SEC Department, headed by Pastor Colin Stewart, took this opportunity to promote a noteworthy evangelistic event.
The weekend commenced with a Day of Fellowship, which took place at the Emmanuel Centre in Westminster. The doors opened at 9.30am and the day began with a dynamic praise and worship session. Special items were offered including songs and drama before Pastor Paul King 
Brown delved into the issue of being bold about using your talents for a purpose. The highlight of the morning programme was a commitment session where hundreds of young people took specially commissioned Oyster Card Wallets and Pledge Cards as a symbol that they would promote peace in the country for the next 365 days and beyond. The hall emptied as the young people streamed down the aisles to the front to pledge to be peacemakers. As Pastor Eddie Hypolite prayed for the pledges, the room was filled with raised hands clutching the Oyster Card Wallets. The programme continued with a beautiful special item by Tamara Austin, which prepared our hearts for the message Pastor Juan Carlos Patrick was about to deliver. He spoke with passion, enthusiasm and authenticity around the text Hebrews 12:1-2. The youth were challenged to strip away all that weighed them down and run with perseverance just as Christ did for us.
The morning programme was followed by the LIVE Rally; a march through Central London against the negative things young people find themselves surrounded with. With the emphasis on gun and knife crime, the Pledge Cards promoting peace were the most effective way to explain the march to the public. A team of young people stepped forward to be a street witnessing team while the march was taking place. They left the Centre ahead of the march and explained the significance of the Pledge Cards to young people in the public around Westminster. The march itself was a joy for the tourists of London to behold. The march was headed up by a row of policemen and women followed by Pastors Colin Stewart and Eddie Hypolite. Behind them were Area Representatives, the London 
Youth Federation President and LIVE London Representatives. Following this lead group was a rhythmic Pathfinder Drum Corp, which provided the march with upbeat cadences as over a thousand young people followed in line. Roads were closed as the group made their way around Westminster, the hub of this country’s government, even passing by Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament. Lining the streets were hundreds of members of the general public and tourists, most of which had been targeted by the tireless street witnessing team. In the hands of many were our very own Pledge Cards and Oyster Card Wallets with details of the LIVE movement and the website address where more information is available.
The day was only two-thirds of the way through with an afternoon programme still to come. It kicked of with some more praise and worship songs chosen by members of the congregation. We heard about the experiences of the street witnessing team on the Rally, which inspired others to get involved with future outreach events. Pastor Hypolite and members of The Chronicles Basketball Team showed us how it is possible to minister and share your faith with others using anything God has given us. The basketball ministry in South London has been going strong for over seven years and it has been a great example of how sport can be used for God. Mervyn Weir continued this theme with an original dramatic presentation using the Olympic motto, “Faster, Higher, Stronger”. The day culminated with another powerful and practical message from Pastor Patrick and a wonderful musical item by the group Higher Ground Acapella.
This day was definitely a Sabbath to remember with something in the programmes for everyone. The charge to leave you all with is the same that our young people have already taken upon themselves: Live intentionally and promote peace, instead of picking up the pieces. Be peacemakers and spread God’s peace to those around you so that when the thousands of visitors come to our communities next Summer, they will see that there is something different about us; they will see that there is calm amongst all and they will see God in each and every one of us. [tedNEWS]
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Photos by Nicholas Blackburn
tedNEWS Staff: Miroslav Pujic, director; Deana Stojkovic, editor
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