The Elim Tamil Church in Botany is hosting an evening of celebration and prayer for the community on the occasion of Christmas. This event will be held at Mt Albert War Memorial Hall on Saturday, December 16 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The church, which is located on 159 Botany Road in Howick, has a congregation of more than 175 members on a regular basis. It actively engages in a variety of community work including offering free sewing classes for women, conducting summer/winter family camps, monthly family fellowships, and several mission activities.
Pastor Viki Vignarajah, who has been an integral part of all the activities at the church for the community, leads the church.
“A home far from home is exactly how welcoming is our Tamil Church, and this celebration is for every Tamilian from South India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Singapore, South Africa etc., who are presently living in and around Auckland, our place of worship fosters fellowship and spiritual growth,” an organiser of the event told The Indian Weekender.
Elim Tamil Church offers fun, food and fellowship for all ages. It helps children feel connected with their Tamil roots and keep them engaged with the community work as well.
“We believe the children and the youth are the future of the church, so we minister to their needs through our Children's ministry and Youth ministry. We encourage our children to learn the Tamil language, culture, and songs and of course they enjoy the Tamil cuisine,” he added.
The church connects different generations of women in the church through its Ladies’ ministry. The church runs sewing classes for all Tamil ladies; offer fellowship once a month as ‘KUDUBAM ’ and summer and winter camps.
In addition to serving the Tamil community in the Auckland area, the church is also committed to serving Tamil origin nationals in their homelands. Pastor Viki Vignarajah and his team visit India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Malaysia twice a year to uplift, encourage and support the needs of the orphans, the aged, the widows, the lepers, the blind, etc.
The event is free for all, and child minders will be available for 3 to 5-year-olds so that the community can relax and enjoy the event. There will be several skits, dances and song performances planned for the event followed by a delicious Tamil spread.