Hyderabad: Church bells toll for grand Christmas celebrations

Hyderabad: Pomp and grandeur are back as Christmas is around the corner. Streets are seen blooming with melodious tunes of carols, various churches in the city are see seen lit with colourful lights for Christmas celebration. Few have planned to recreate the screens of Jesus' birth prophecy till the crucifixion and in humanitarian ground few churches have planned to give skill development training to unemployed youths.

G Selvavice, secretary of United Christmas Celebration Committee, said, "This year we have planned to celebrate Christmas with much grandeur. Various churches have planned colorful programmes and for the first time in the city 200 members from various churches will be signing carols in Wesley church Secunderabad.

A member of CSI Wesley Church, Ramkoti, said, "After long two years night carols are back. We have divided our choir group into 11 different locations in the city to attend special carol services. The church has also organised a musical event followed by a fellowship dinner, where a 104-member choir comprising children, youth and the elderly will lead the congregation to carol singing. The church has installed a huge Christmas tree and a life-size nativity scene as part of its elaborate decor."

Anjali Samuel, senior pastor at Revival Church, Abids said, "Our church is gearing up to celebrate back-to-back events including Youth Christmas, Sunday School Christmas and one by the men's and women's fellowship. We will also be organising a Christmas carnival on Sunday and have planned to help small-scale traders by setting up stalls in our premises On December 24 so that they can sell their products and earn some profit."

"This year we have planned to organise a campaign in name of 'created to flourish', that is in terms of employment in the whole of Christmas week and we will be visiting various colonies and encouraging youth on how they can improve their lives. We have also planned to collaborate with various organisations for providing job to unemployed youths," said senior Pastor, Trinity Assembly of God Church, Secunderabad. "We will finally be able to witness and enjoy the mass, as Christmas is not only about lights, decor or food but it's also about meeting, greeting, hugging and gifting," said Phebe Merolica, degree third-year student.