Multilingual Christmas Service Promotes Unity in Bradford

For numerous individuals, Christmas carols constitute a vital element of the holiday season. In Bradford, a church is hosting a multilingual nativity service designed to include everyone, irrespective of their spoken language. On Saturday, the Grace Urdu Hindi Church conducted its yearly multilingual Christmas service, which featured a nativity scene and carols performed in English, Urdu, Hindi, and Punjabi. Nathan Javed, the leader, stated that the church, affiliated with the Baptist denomination, is scheduled to commemorate its third anniversary in February. He further explained that the multilingual service, which took place at the Beacon Community Church, aimed to unite various communities. “It’s not an easy thing but we are so grateful that this is joining the hearts together – people from Muslim, Hindu, Sikh communities and then Asian Christians.” “When they come here together, we’re all one.” “It’s not easy translating from one language to the other, but we manage to do so, and we’re grateful to God that he’s made it possible that I’m able to speak both languages and relate to people with different languages.” Mr. Javed conveyed that the central message of the Christmas service revolved around peace and the significance of cultural unity. “There is nothing better than saying we are bringing peace to the community and one another,” Mr Javed said. “Jesus came to help us bring peace to one another. That’s the whole message of Christmas.” “But peace doesn’t build in a day’s time.” Teenager Sarah, who delivered a reading concerning Jesus’s flight to Egypt from the Book of Matthew, expressed that the multicultural service offered a chance to honor her English and Asian heritage. She stated: “It’s a really big privilege and I’m blessed to be here.” Alongside Sarah, teenagers Tabitha, Jennifer, and Eshal commented that the church facilitated the sharing of their culture and faith. Jennifer remarked: “You balance other cultures and your own, everyone was singing together and worshipping God together.” Eshal further stated: “Bradford is a multicultural city, so we are united when Christmas comes.” For highlights from West Yorkshire, listeners can access BBC Sounds, view the most recent episode of Look North, or submit story suggestions. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.