THEY CAME in buses, taxis, bicycles and vans hundreds of them all bent on spending New Year's Eve in one of God's houses.
From Portmore to Kingston and St. Andrew, churchgoers mixed with unbelievers to welcome in the New Year and the voices of all were lifted with one message that change is a must for 2003.
And no one was turned away. Dozens of jeans-wearing females were welcomed into strict Pentecostal churches, others came in shorts, spandex and the like and loud fuschia and lilac colours were deemed okay for the night.
At the Faith Temple New Testament Church of God in Portmore, a mini-skirted go-go boots-wearing young lady made her way to the front pews of the church sans condescending stares. Another in skin-tight spandex was ushered into one of the only remaining seats, next to a gentleman clad in grey silk pants. The mix didn't even garner a chuckle.
The ushers' smiles were huge at Emmanuel Apostolic also, where jeans wearers and ladies with flamboyant multi-coloured weaves were greeted with smiles. It was an obviously lower turnout than last year but still ladies of the church lifted their voices in praise.
At minutes to ten o'clock, Emmanuel Apostolic seemed the most lively of all the churches visited. There, songs like Yes Lord Yes and Behold He Comes had even obvious unbelievers on their feet. An usher at the church said that more people would probably come in nearer to midnight.
Nearer to midnight, shouts of praise indicated that spirits were higher than usual at Wildman Street Pentecostal, Kingston. Those at the St. Andrew Parish Church and Webster's Memorial in St. Andrew were more restrained with their praise, and at minutes to the new year organ music and deep pastorly insights soothed the sparse turnout of uptowners. Spotted at St. Andrew Parish Church was Minister of Commerce Science and Technology, Phillip Paulwell.
But souls were saved, persons were baptised and many Jamaicans welcomed 2003 with prayer.
At midnight, some churches let balloons loose, some church members got on their knees, others sang and new believers were many.
