Centennial Celebrations

The denomination's Centennial Celebration that took place October 5 included 18,000 Nazarene churches in all 24 time zones. In many churches, celebratory events spanned the days and weeks before and after October 5.

Preparations for the day began in 2004 with the writing and translation of materials sent to every Nazarene church. Members of Nazarene churches around the globe that chose to be involved heard the same sermon, celebrated with the same music, and participated in the same readings. A number of congregations and educational institutions celebrated the anniversary in additional creative ways.

CHURCHES

Beardstown, Illinois, Church of the Nazarene? celebrated during the local Beardstown Fall Fun Festival with a float decorated for the Centennial Celebration. The float, which took first place in the church floats category, was adorned with a 6-foot tall cake and hand-painted signs depicting the denomination's seal. Church members distributed pens, pencils, and flyers to parade watchers.

Chicago Heights, Illinois, Church of the Nazarene began its Centennial Celebration in August by participating in a city parade. A total of 75 people from the church took part, representing numerous ages and ministries. A float designed by members of the church, communicating several messages in Spanish and English, led the parade entry. During the parade, church members distributed English and Spanish language New Testaments. On the weekend of October 4 and 5, vintage activities that included a car show, memorabilia display, and games were held at the church.

Centerville, Indiana, Church of the Nazarene celebrated the Centennial with a public outdoor showing of the JESUS film on October 3 and a Centennial service on October 5.

The Church of the Nazarene in Côte d'Ivoire has been observing the Centennial throughout 2008. Related events began with evening gatherings of prayer in February, events for women in May, and youth celebrations in August. The South and Central Districts in the country joined to celebrate the Centennial in Abidjan on October 4 and 5.

Local Nazarene churches in Council Bluffs, Iowa, joined together for an afternoon service on October 5. General Superintendent James H. Diehl was the special speaker.

At the request of Dalton, Georgia, First Church of the Nazarene, Whitfield County, Georgia, proclaimed October 5, 2008, "Church of the Nazarene Day."

The Dominican Republic's Oriental District celebrated the denomination's 100-year anniversary in part with a district-wide gathering. This report was sent from the district: "We prayed, worshiped, danced, and preached the Word of God. It was impactful. We talked about the 100 years of the Church of the Nazarene, and pastors and members were well motivated."

Dunkirk, Indiana, Church of the Nazarene held an "old-fashioned" Sunday event leading up to its Centennial Celebration in October. Members were encouraged to dress in old-fashioned clothes and bring antiques at least 100 years old.

South Point, Ohio, Church of the Nazarene hosted a gathering of seven Nazarene churches on the Central Ohio District for the Centennial Celebration on October 5. The gathering was held under a tent near the church. Participating congregations included Sunrise, Chesapeake, Coal Grove, Ironton First, Ironton Faith United, and Hanging Rock Churches of the Nazarene.

Six churches on South Africa's Gauteng District joined on October 5 for the Centennial Celebration. The gathering of congregations from the Roodepoort Zone took place at the Maraisburg Church of the Nazarene. Attendees watched the Out of Many One, Out of One Many DVD presentation and a demonstration illustrating how three districts formerly divided by race became one in the Gauteng District.

Spring Hill, Florida, First Church of the Nazarene celebrated the Centennial with a baptism ceremony, a service highlighting the denomination's history, a 100-minute-long potluck dinner, the release of 100 helium-filled balloons, and 100 designated minutes of prayer in member's homes.

Wantirna Church of the Nazarene in Victoria, Australia, celebrated the Centennial by showing video clips of the church's growth in the U.S. and Australia. They also honored long-time members of the church and shared a meal that included a 100-cupcake tower and cake.

The Mexico and Central America Region (MAC) celebrated the denomination's Centennial in numerous ways.

• The Church of the Nazarene in Poptún, Guatemala, organized a parade through the main streets of their community. Approximately 600 people marched with lanterns illuminating the sky, symbolizing the Light of the gospel.
• In El Salvador, the Central District organized a conference, "Living Free in Holiness," attended by 500 women on October 4. Rosa Saenz was the keynote speaker. That evening the official Centennial celebration began and the director of the MAC Region, Carlos Saenz, preached to nearly 3,000 people.
• In Mexico, people on the South Sierra District came from five distant areas and gathered in the first church that was founded there in the town of Concordia, Chiapas. The churches, united as one, conducted a parade through the main streets of the city and ended at the waters of the city dam where 80 people were baptized.
• In Panama, a children's festival (Centennial KIDS) was held, during which the children worshiped and enjoyed presentations of clowns and choreography. The children also received special gifts and food.

The Dordrecht, Netherlands, Church of the Nazarene shared communion served by all current and previous pastors during a Centennial service. A special evening program, "One XL," featured two bands leading praise and worship, and groups sharing the gospel through drama and choreography.

In Lisbon, Portugal, more than 400 people attended an all-district event to celebrate the Centennial of the Church of the Nazarene. Representatives from evangelical churches around the country were also invited to attend the event. Youth and children offered special presentations, the Centennial musical was translated and presented in Spanish, and a national television station broadcasted the event.

A "birthday" celebration was held October 26 in Pakistan to celebrate the Centennial, complete with candles and a cake. A special children's celebration gathered 125 young ones for a stage play and welcome song. NMI and NYI also took an active part in the event, with the women's fellowship raising funds in support.

In Volgograd, Russia, seven local congregations shared Communion to commemorate the Centennial as well as the 15th anniversary of the church in their city. Pioneer missionaries Lonnie and Connie Norris returned for the event. Youth performed a drama and a local church choir sang during the service.

The Church of the Nazarene in Debrecen, Hungary, invited all churches from their district to celebrate together on October 5. The gathered churches compiled a historical timeline of the Church of the Nazarene in Hungary and made a film as a reminder of its roots.

Gelnhausen, Germany, Church of the Nazarene counted down the last minutes to its Centennial Celebration service on a web site ticker. The German Thanksgiving was also celebrated during the service and non-perishable foods were collected for a local food bank.

The East India District gave 10,000 rupees on the occasion of the Centennial for the Church of the Nazarene's new Global Ministry Center.

EDUCATION

Africa Nazarene University students and faculty participated in special chapel services, promotions, and service projects in celebration of the denomination's centennial. Also, University Church of the Nazarene was launched on campus during the celebration October 5.

As part of the Centennial Celebration, Korea Nazarene University selected student leaders, faculty, and staff to be a part of several different delegations that visited various Nazarene universities throughout the U.S. The goal of the visit was to have the students learn more about their sister universities, the Church of the Nazarene, and the cities they visited.

Northwest Nazarene University featured a special photo exhibition, "Northwest Nazarenes," during the Centennial Celebration to tell the visual story of regional churches organized prior to the inception of the Church of the Nazarene. Also in October, the Friesen Galleries featured "Picturing Faith," an exhibition of 48 black-and-white photographs depicting U.S. religious life during the Depression. Both exhibitions were on display through November 8.

Holiness Today, November/December 2008

Please note: This article was originally published in 2008. All facts, figures, and titles were accurate to the best of our knowledge at that time but may have since changed.