In a powerful fusion of seasonal worship and civic duty, the Cherubim and Seraphim (C&S) Church Movement in Kubwa, Abuja, used its 2025 Service of Nine Lessons and Carols to issue a resonant call for national peace, directly linking spiritual reflection to Nigeria’s socio-economic future.
Senior Pastor Alex Ogundipe, addressing congregants under the theme “Great Mercy,” framed peace not merely as a spiritual ideal but as a critical economic and developmental imperative. His message carried unique weight given the contemporary context.
Peace as a Precursor to Prosperity
Pastor Ogundipe anchored his plea for harmony in a stark, practical observation. He pointed to the nation’s 2026 budget, where the largest sectoral allocation was directed toward defence and security. “This allocation,” he explained, “is a clear signal from our leaders that peace remains fragile and crucial. My message is that we should embrace peace so that more of these substantial funds can be progressively channelled away from securing a volatile present and toward building a prosperous future—into education, infrastructure, and healthcare.” This perspective reframes peace from a passive hope into an active economic driver, suggesting that national savings on security could be the nation’s greatest investment in itself.
The Theological Foundation: “Great Mercy” in a Challenging World
The chosen theme provided the spiritual underpinning for this call. Chairman of the Carol Committee, Mrs. Omolara Oyinbo, stated the theme was selected to remind members of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ—a gift of grace humanity did not deserve. “God’s mercy endures forever,” she noted, urging Christians to emulate the humility, kindness, and forgiveness demonstrated by Christ.
Pastor Ogundipe expanded on this, acknowledging global and local anxieties. “Regardless of how bleak the world might seem, hope can only be found in Christ. The world has always faced challenges, but to find joy and enjoy peace, you must know God, and you cannot truly know God without Jesus Christ.” He presented Christ as both the fulfilment of divine promise and the practical model for interpersonal reconciliation, which scales to community and national levels.
The Service as a Reflective Anchor
The traditional “Service of Nine Lessons and Carols” served as the perfect vessel for this dual message. As church member Mrs. Funto Babarinde reflected, the service provides a structured opportunity to celebrate Christ’s birth while contemplating its full significance. “The Nine Lessons summarise the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, reminding us of the great price paid for our salvation,” she said. This annual ritual becomes a time to reset moral and civic compasses, connecting the story of divine peace offered to mankind with the human responsibility to foster peace among one another.
The event, which featured carol songs and dedicated prayers for Nigeria, transcended a simple holiday celebration. It stood as a poignant example of faith communities engaging with national discourse, offering a theological framework for practical citizenship. By directly connecting the budget’s security allocation to the congregation’s prayer for peace, the leadership made abstract concepts of national progress tangible, suggesting that the path to a more prosperous Nigeria is paved with the collective mercy and forgiveness its citizens extend to each other daily.
(Based on a report by Naomi Sharang for the News Agency of Nigeria)
