The meaning of Hosana

from w
Yesterday was Palm Sunday for most Christians throughout the world and in Fiji it is also Children's Sunday with the children dressed in white reciting their memory verses, preaching, praying, singing. A lovely time. However this year for many the families wre advised to stay safely in their homes because of so much flooding throughout Fiji. Here's one story from Fiji Sun and I found some pictures from various places. Yesterday at the Colac Uniting Church where Peceli led the worship, I gave a small children's time talk about Fiji Children's Sunday. By the way the word 'Hosana' in its original meaning is not 'Praise' or 'Hoorah' but actually 'Deliver us' or 'Save us please' in the Hebrew. Very relevant for poor Fiji these days.

Children unlucky on Palm Sunday
April 2, 2012 | Filed under: Fiji News | Posted by: newsroom

Talei Niunitoga, 1, during Palm Sunday service at Rt Ifereimi Kubukasa Memorial Church at Kalabu yesterday. Photo: RONALD KUMAR.By SITERI SAUVAKACOLO

Children in the wider Tavua circuit counted themselves unlucky because they were unable to celebrate the one special Sunday they look forward to every year, Palm Sunday, yesterday. While children in other parts of the country enjoyed the special church service along with their family members, Tavua children could do nothing at home or in evacuation centers.

This was because a call was made by the circuit superintendent, Reverend Osea Tunidau, to cancel church services because of the current flooding affecting most parts of the Western Division. “We had planned for each individual family to have their own service in their own homes, including those in the evacuation centers to commemorate this special day,” Rev. Tunidau said. “It is indeed sad to see these children missing this special day but we couldn’t do much and we had to cancel it because of the bad weather. We are planning to have a special church service after this flood where our children can all take part as they have been practicing long enough to take part today (yesterday).”

Rev. Tunidau said more than 200 children from the Tavua circuit have been affected by the flood and could not take part in the Palm Sunday services yesterday.
Some parts of Naitasiri as well as the Ba and the Ra province could not hold their Palm Sunday service because of floods in their area. Plans have been put in place to have it once their life returned to normalcy so as to avoid disappointment by their children who have been looking forward to this special day.

However, churches in the capital, Suva, continued to record full attendance despite continuous rain. At Wakanisila Methodist Church, in Kalabu, just outside Suva, the congregation crowded into the church and watched as their children led the service while the young ones, as young as three years old, recited Bible verses.

Palm Sunday also marks the week before the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is commemorated, and will end on Easter Sunday, which is next week.

Palm Sunday and Children's Sunday

from w
In Fiji in the Methodist tradition Children's Sunday is on Palm Sunday and the children dress in white and lead the worship service. Here in Australia sometimes this is the custom but for us this afternoon, well, some kids dressed in white but they still had their Sunday School where they made palm leaf crosses to give out to their parents and others. Here are some pictures from Altona Meadows/Laverton Uniting Church Fijian group from this afternoon.

And a photo from our village of Vatuadova with the children dressed up in white for Children's Day. Vinaa vaalevu Talei for the picture.

Children's Sunday and Palm Sunday

from w
It's tradition in Fiji for the children in Methodist churches to lead worship on Palm Sunday, to wear nice white clothes, sing, pray, recite little Bible readings, take up the collection, and preach in a style mimicking their elders. Isa, this year some children this weekend don't have their nice clean white costumes because they were lost during the recent cyclone, and the children from the beach house at Nukutatava destroyed by the fire last Monday. Life seems to be full of dangers and sudden shifts.I found a few photos to post here, some from the Fiji papers and some are mine. I also posted one pic of three children at the Altona Meadows/Laverton Uniting Church Fijian congregation.

Some migrant communities also celebrate Children's Sunday on Palm Sunday, such as the Wesleyan congregation that meets in Coburg where Peceli visited today. It is interesting that many Fijians abroad take with them many of the associated customs of the church from back home in Fiji rather than join in with the church culture of the country they move to. They may find the music quite different, the style more informal, and even the theology more liberal! Some Fijians join in with Australian churches, others want to belong to a congregation that uses the familiar Fijian language, music and styles of worship.In my vavalagi church in East Geelong we decorated the building with (fake) palm leaves, clothes, rocks and gave each family either a woven palm cross or a Mexican cross made with sticks and coloured wool. I played the music and included 'Jesus Christ Superstar' music which really dates me! I had to help with music at a second church this morning, St Andrews, as their 91 year old organist has been ill. It was lovely to play on a huge Fincham pipe organ, though I really think the church today needs young people with keyboards and guitars and modern Christian songs to alternate with traditional hymns. I wish... Aussie people could sing a capella like Islanders!