With 11 different language groups and over 700 people in attendance, the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware’s (BCM/D) eighth annual Language Music Celebration was held at Global Mission Church in Silver Spring, Md., on March 28. The colorful celebration featured worship performances from a variety of cultures, including a group of dancers from Bolivia, South America (pictured above).
By Shannon Baker, BCM/D National Correspondent
SILVER SPRING, Md.— With 11 different language groups and over 700 people in attendance, the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware’s (BCM/D) eighth annual Language Music Celebration was held at Global Mission Church in Silver Spring, Md., on March 28.
Held on Palm Sunday each year, these celebrations feature worship performances from different language churches across the multi-state convention. To date, there are 18 different language groups with churches in the BCM/D.
Included in this year’s celebration were the Bhutanese, Burmese, Chinese, Filipino, Haitian, Hispanic, Korean, Nepalese, Vietnamese and West African churches. This was the first year for the Burmese church as well as the West African churches.
Church planters, Lisa Mele and Lois Akehurst, representing South Asia also made an appearance. Though she did not perform, Mele indicated her earnest desire to build a church and to be included in next year’s big event.
In his welcome, Global Mission senior pastor, Dennis Kim, praised God for the “variety” of churches represented that night.
As in years past, Kim and his church have offered their facilities at no cost for the free event, shared Rolando Castro, BCM/D missionary for church planting/evangelism and language churches.
“Global Mission Church is incredible,” Castro said, expressing his gratitude that the Silver Spring church does much to prepare for the annual festivities.
Castro shared that the growing music celebrations give churches opportunities to get together and share who they are and to teach about their particular culture and forms of worship.
In his opening remarks, BCM/D Executive Director, David Lee, noted that the Palm Sunday celebration was a great way to launch the Holy Week leading up to the celebration of Christ’s resurrection. He shared a message from Romans 8, which identifies Christians as “more than conquerors,” who as co-heirs and children of God “cannot be separated from the love of God.”
After enjoying the time of worship, participants shared a special multicultural meal in Global Mission’s fellowship hall.
For more information, contact Rolando Castro at (443) 285-2012, rcastro@bcmd.org or Robert Kim at (410) 977-3816, rkim@bcmd.org.