Molungkimong, September 5 (MTNews): To commemorate the sesquicentennial celebration- 150 years of Christianity in Nagaland, a Gospel Torch in memory of Dr. Edward Winter Clark, the missionary that brought Christianity to Nagaland was lit at the birthplace of Naga Christianity, Molungkimong village on September 4, 2022.

 

 

Pastor, Molungkimong Baptist Church, Rev. Moaliba Tzudir and Village Council chairman Imsutemjen Tzudir seen holding the Dr EW Clark Gospel Torch after being lit at Molungkimong on September 4, 2022.

 

 

Initiated by Vision India, the Gospel Torch Relay will be lit in five different locations in India to venerate five missionaries in the locations that they evangelized- St Thomas (Chennai), Pandita Ramabai (Pune), Sadhu Sundar Singh (Ludhiana), William Carey (Serampore) and E.W Clark (Molungkimong). Their flames will inaugurate the National Youth Festival which will be held from 24-29 October 2022 at New Delhi.

 

 

The National Youth Festival’s vision is to bring missionary torches from five corners of India, celebrate the lives of Torchbearers and Gospel Forebearers along the way in different cities and churches, gather the Youth and unite them cross culturally to spread Inter-denominational brotherhood.

 

 

In Molungkimong, a dignified service was held at the church where Rev Daniel Ponraj, Bishop, Shubh Sadesh Foundation, Jharkhand exhorted the congregation after which the gospel torch was lit by Rev Moaliba Tzudir, pastor of Molungkimong Baptist Church with a dedicatory prayer.

 

 

A vista of the lighting service of the Dr EW Clark Gospel Torch at the premises of Molungkimong Baptist Church on September 4, 2022.

 

 

With songs of praise and celebration resonating in the air, the gospel torch procession team was escorted by all the villagers, and warriors dressed in traditional attires till the village gate. The gospel torch will travel to Molungyimsen, Mokokchung town, Clark Theological College, Alichen, NBCC (Nagaland Baptist Church Council) Kohima, Dimapur Ao Baptist Church, Siliguri and several other Indian cities before finally culminating in Delhi for the Youth Festival in October.

 

 

Earlier, on September 3, members of the Vision India team along with 60 Molungkimong warriors took the same route taken by Clark and the villagers when he first set foot in Molungkimong on 1872. Following the trail of Clark and the ancestors of Molungkimong, the Vision India team also trekked the Chubakati-Rongsensü Lemang, which is the famed Naga-Ahom trade route of the 19th century.

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