Today, being Sunday, it is a day dedicated to worshipping our Maker with other members of the congregation. Although there is no specific time or day one cannot worship God—worship isn't limited to Sundays—Sundays are always special. We often have the opportunity to worship with other people of God.
Yesterday, a friend of mine called to inform me about her child's dedication, and I promised to be there. This morning, I decided to honour her invitation to their church since we don’t attend the same church. She told me that their service starts at 9 a.m., unlike ours, which starts at 8 a.m. I got dressed and ready to go, and I also informed my husband, who promised to take us there.
We left home a few minutes to 10 a.m. and arrived at the church premises around 10:30 a.m. To our surprise, we saw some members of the congregation already leaving the church premises. It then dawned on me that the service had already ended. I quickly called my friend to confirm what was happening. The church, Winners Chapel, was already closed for the day, and she explained that they had closed early because of the ongoing fasting and prayer program.
I asked her about the child dedication, and she said it would be held next week. I asked her if she had informed her pastor about the dedication beforehand, and she replied that she knew thanksgiving and dedication services were always held on the last Sunday of the month. I advised her that in such situations, she should inform her pastor in advance and register her child for the dedication, just to avoid such confusion in the future.
Since there was nothing else to do, we had no choice but to leave the church and head back to our own church, with our friends joining us. When we arrived, it was as if the program had just started, as we met them in a prayer session. I was glad we didn’t go back home. The service was so impactful, and our friends also acknowledged how blessed they were.
After church, we proceeded to my friend's house to continue the celebration. She had prepared jollof rice, and everyone was happy. The only thing that dampened my mood was the rain that fell while we were away. When we got home, our goats and other livestock had been soaked by the rain. I just hope nothing happens to them.