A Grand Anniversary Celebration at Restoration Fellowship Church in Virginia

By Jacob Sax Conteh, Editor-in-Chief

On Sunday, October 21, 2012, Restoration Fellowship Church in Alexandria, Virginia celebrated their Four Year Anniversary in Christian pageantry and pomp punctuated with music, testimonies and a rousing sermon. Reminiscent of Moses whose face glowed after spending forty days and nights with the Lord during the Israelites’ journey to the Promised Land, member’s faces glowed with joy and gratitude at the Glasgow Middle School auditorium where the church currently meets. The manifestation of the Holy Spirit during the ceremony brings home the truism that it is people that make up a church, not the building.

PASTOR KAMARA AND WIFE

At a time when many Sierra Leoneans in the Diaspora have left their “first love” of church attendance for seven days work week, members at Restoration believe in the admonition our Lord gave in Mathew 6:33 ^“Seek the Kingdom of God^[^a^] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (NLT). Over the years, the church has played a vital role in promoting unity and peace among Sierra Leoneans in the Washington, DC metropolis.

The church’s growth and progress is largely due to its dynamic leadership. Church Pastor Thomas Bhai-Kamara and his wife and Co-Pastor Rev. Fifi Bhai-Kamara are a vibrant intelligent, yet humble couple who exemplify the life of Christ. Their down-to-earth demeanor and accepting stance has attracted people from different ethnic groups and backgrounds to the church.

Another positive role Restoration has played in the community is to host or co-host gospel concerts and plays that invite the community to their church. This year alone, they hosted a gospel concert in their church featuring gospel megastars Giileh Scholz, Rebecca Arthur, Josephine Atanga and others, and also co-sponsored the African Gospel Competition hosted by VOA African Voices host David Vandy. All these events have exposed the church to the outside world.

On behalf of the staff and editors at Cocorioko, we wish Restoration Fellowship Church a Happy Anniversary, and pray that the good Lord will continue to open the windows of heaven and pour you out a double portion of the Holy Spirit as you continue to minister to His people.