WORLD METHODIST EVANGELISM LEADERS CELEBRATE NEW MILLENNIUM AND THEN CROSS INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE TO CELEBRATE IT AGAIN 24 HOURS LATER!
World Evangelism leaders celebrated the BEGINNING of the new millennium with Methodists in Tonga and then, seventeen hours later, they took a short flight across the international dateline where they celebrated the END of the old millennium with Methodists in Samoa. Their historic 1 1/2 hour flight took them back 24 hours from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 1999.
The first celebration, the dawning of the new millennium, was marked by prayers, hymns, and the singing of the "Hallelujah Chorus" by the people called Methodists in Tonga in the last hours of the year 1999.
The Kingdom of Tonga, the country located nearest the international date line where each new day begins, is the most Methodist country on earth with over half the population belonging to the Free Wesleyan Methodist Church of Tonga. The members include His Majesty King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV and Her Majesty the Queen and the Royal family. One of the most famous world Methodists in the 20th century was Her Majesty Queen Salote, the mother of the present King.
Dr. H. Eddie Fox, World Director of Evangelism, the World Methodist Council, and his wife, Mary Nell, were invited by Dr. Manase Tafea, Pacific Regional Secretary of World Evangelism to celebrate the earliest dawn of the new millennium on the island of Niuatoputapu, a small island in the South Pacific with 1600 people. This small island, the northernmost and easternmost in the Tonga chain of thirty inhabited islands, is located near the international date line. Dr. and Mrs. Fox were hosted on the remarkable trip by the Honorable Prince Ma'atu, second son of the King and Queen of Tonga, and his wife, the Honorable Princess Ula, the granddaughter of the head of state of Western Samoa. The Royal family and the Foxes arrived on the remote island in a small plane at a grass landing strip on the evening of December 30. As they entered the main village on the island hundreds of persons, dressed in white and wearing red scarves (as the sign of prayer angels) lined the dirt road singing and waving signs of greeting.
The island was renamed the Millennium Island for the special celebrations which included the dedication of a new Millennium Hall. A Great Feast featuring roasted pig and lobster with island fruits and vegetables was held to commemorate the opening of the hall which will serve as a community center for the island.
On New Year's Eve a nationwide radio broadcast took place from the Millennium Hall. During the special worship service, Fox repeated the phrase used for World Evangelism since 1991 in Singapore. "It is the dawning millennium for world evangelism." He declared that the "darkness shall turn to dawning…and that Jesus Christ is the hope for the world in the new Millennium."
In the hour just before midnight, hundreds of persons responded to Fox's invitation to "do our part in spreading the good news of Christ Jesus." During the closing minutes of the 20th century, the Prince called out each minute and the people fell on their knees in prayer as the New Millennium began. During the opening seconds of the new Millennium the people prayed the Lord's Prayer in their own language. After a time of prayer, the people called Methodist stood and sung the Wesleyan hymn, "O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing" for the very first time in a new Millennium.
Prayers continued throughout the night until the people gathered on a sandy beach near the village just before dawn. Special candles from the town of Bethlehem were lighted and pierced the darkness underneath a star-filled sky. At the first rays of light, Princess Ula and Mary Nell Fox unveiled a special Millennium Stone which was erected to permanently mark the historic occasion. The purpose of the stone is to remind people that Jesus Christ is the light for the new millennium.
During the evening and throughout the morning the sounds were singing, prayer, and praise of the Lord Jesus Christ. Mary Nell said, "We did not hear one firecracker. The dawn of a new Millennium was announced by a very excited rooster in the village."
The New Millennium came bringing glory to God. Manase Tafea a native son of the island said, "This is a great historical moment for our people here. Our people are filled with great joy and happiness." This beautiful small island, where the new millennium began, became the focus of World Evangelism's call to be AMBASSADORS OF HOPE in the world in Jesus' Name.
TRAVELLING FROM THE
NEW MILLENNIUM
TO THE OLD MILLENNIUM
Late in the afternoon, 5:15 p.m., January 1, 2000 the traveling group of World Methodist Evangelism and the Royal Family boarded a small "Royal Tongan Airplane" and traveled in an historic flight, the first international flight from Niuatoputapu to Samoa. After a flight of 1 ½ hours they landed at 5:45 p.m., December 31, 1999!
They were met by the daughter of the head of state and by the President of the Methodist Church of Samoa, the Rev. Fa'atoese and Mrs. Sunema Auvaa, a member of the Presidium of the World Methodist Council.
In a special worship
service on New Year's Eve, the people were led in prayers of repentance and
hope by the leaders of the Methodist church. At the stroke of midnight in
Samoa, the last country on earth to enter the new millennium, the people were
kneeling and praying the Lord's Prayer in their own language. It was a moving
moment which brought to a climax the 24 hours of the dawning of a new millennium.
The Methodist people began and ended the celebration on their knees, praying
the Lord's Prayer in the opening and closing moments of the unique day:
"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven…."
As the dawn split the sky in Samoa, Rev. Fa'atoese called on the nation in a national telecast to remember that we are a "nation founded on God." He challenged them to enter the new millennium by "Thanking God for all our blessings, repenting of our sins, and setting sail in the power of the Holy Spirit in the new century." Government leaders, church leaders and the people stood and prayed a prayer of commitment to live as God's people.
During the first Holy Communion Service on the First Sunday of the Millennium, Fox challenged the church leaders to a renewal of the world-wide Methodist Movement. Reminding the leaders of Wesley, he declared that we will be a dead sect unless we "hold fast to the doctrine, discipline and spirit with which we first set out." In a special rally in Avoka Hall hundreds of Samoans stood to declare that "Christ can count on us" to spread the good news that Jesus is the hope for all in the world.
President Fa'atoese said this is a very important and significant moment for us as a Methodist people. We are experiencing a renewal of hope through the Holy Spirit.
Fox said, "This is one of the most meaningful and moving experiences of our entire lives. To have the privilege of entering the new millennium twice with Methodist people fervently in prayer for this movement and the world is almost more than we can receive. We are overwhelmed by this powerful moment in time. We realize that what we have experienced is unique. It has great significance for us as we enter the dawn of a new millennium with a new commitment to be AMBASSADORS OF HOPE in Jesus' Name in a world that so desperately needs healing, hope and salvation. We have been greatly blessed by the deeply committed Christian people of Tonga and Samoa who began and ended the day of celebration of the new millennium."
Fox reminded the people in Tonga and Samoa, "It is most fitting that you in these two nations would begin and end this day of celebration. For you of all people have kept the focus where it belongs. The focus is Jesus Christ, the Lord of creation and the Savior and Hope for the world."
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