Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Watchnight Service - Countdown with a Difference 2007-2008 @ PLMGPS Hall! Labels: church
I got a haircut today. Even though it can still be tied in a ponytail, I felt almost bald after the lady hairdresser cut out so much.
So, I was actually late for the rehearsal, but then, to my surprise, only Marcus and Si Kai were there. The rest of them, including Michelle Foo, Elaine, Joanna, Selena, Nat, Daniel etc. followed later, bearing decorations for the hall.
Jo, Josh and I were shredding newspaper for the confetti in the big balloon, and it was really mindless work. Josh said that's how office work is going to be next time. How dreadful.
After that, more and more people started coming, some just sitting down, while others were helping with the decorations, or rehearsing their performances. Yingxuan was the chinese MC!!! I'm so proud of her.
Then when everyone was told to go down for the reception food, then we had to stay up there and pray. It was then we had to decide whether to have the mime onstage or offstage, lighting and visibility being the factors. This prevented me from playing my bridge game with Rachel Ng, Yihui and Ian.
When the actual thing started, we were initially sitting with the young people on the floor (I got to see Melissa Deng after so long), then Emily suggested that we move to the side, where performers were to wait their turn.
The band was good, and the sound system was overpowering! Emily and Josh noted that the older people looked rather stoned, while the youth were screaming and cheering.
After the band, the pastoral team and full time workers put on a line-dancing show! I must say that Rev Leow was really good! Pity Rev Chong wasn't in it!
When it came to our turn, we finally decided to do it onstage. The 3 CJMYF people are so nice! He Jun told me to smile, because he said I was very nervous, which was true, and Si Kai was nodding violently. Shi Min looked so concerned every time I coughed or something!
I believe that the audience enjoyed our mime, even my scared shaky singing, and I think Aunty Furng said something about it being powerful. Marcus and Joshua are really the best.
Then there were 3 testimonies by Anthia, Yihui and this MM kid called Yong Qiang, whose testimony went as far back as his P6 life! The MM instrumental was written totally by one of their members, and it was great!
The worship after that was good too, and the atmosphere when it was about 11.58 or so was really...wow. Then we all counted down from 30 seconds, and the last 10 counts were super excited and jubilant.
At ZERO, everyone cheered, popped their party poppers, burst the huge balloon, blew their loud contraptions, and went around hugging and shaking hands.
The funniest was when the band was playing Dare You to Move, and Paul's Sunday School students all came up to hug him while he was singing. And Hongyu proceeded to try shake hands with all the band members.
After the rejoicing, we had this Love Feast, which was some simple water and bread among everybody, as we thanked the Lord for His providence and everything He has blessed us with in the last year.
Finally, it ended with a final prayer by Rev Chong, and then we had to clean up the confetti on the floor. People were putting the rubbish in hats, plastic bags, picking up with hands, sweeping with cardboard, etc.
As 2007 draws to a close, I want to thank God for everything He has blessed me with this year, in school, choir, and especially church.
Thank You God,
Xuan
Thanks to all the blogs i referred to (countless) for html code help :) (esp. cyn' and sixseven)
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