A diverse world unified at Campion Church

Campion Church hosted International Sabbath last Saturday where people from diverse backgrounds took the stage in cultural clothing, showcasing multiple languages throughout the service.

The service started off with colorful flags from around the world being marched onto the stage, followed by greetings in 13 different languages spoken by students and church members. 
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Freshman, Samuel Walton said, “This Sabbath was an incredibly special experience. From hearing all the different languages and looking at the flags, it truly was endearing to see the church do something like this. I personally held the American flag, which meant I had to be the first one who walked on stage. Diverse ethnic groups uniting for one service was an awe-inspiring experience.”

The praise team led worship songs in many languages, and several people prayed and read the scriptures in their own languages upfront as well. During the congregational prayer, each member was invited to take a small flag and pray over a different country, and a special prayer was held for the conflict in Ukraine. 

“Diversity is one of the most beautiful aspects of humanity. It was as if a little bit of the world had come to one place. Singing songs in Swedish, French, Portuguese and many more languages was not the easiest thing, but I was overjoyed at the opportunity,” reflected Tiffany Mogaka, junior; “My favorite part was getting to wear my African Kitenge and seeing my schoolmates dress in their distinct traditional clothes. I look forward to seeing another day like this next year!”

Campion Church’s worship pastor Leandro Bizama led the praise team and organized the different aspects of the service. He stated, “It was simply very fun to experience. I felt nervous to sing in all other languages at first, but I loved every minute, and I felt the church singing together in a special way. It was a great opportunity for everyone to feel comfortable with their differences, and to reflect on how God sees all of humanity.”
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Airi Nomura, Student News Team