More Than a Concert: Christmas Eve Marked by Generous Book Distribution
Reading Time: 3 minutesJanuary 7 marks Ethiopian Christmas, widely known as Genna, a season celebrated with worship, music, and reflection across the country. For decades, Filwoha Seventh-day Adventist Church in Addis Ababa has upheld a cherished tradition of preparing a special music concert on the eve of this holiday. This year’s concert took place on January 6, 2026, continuing a legacy of praise and community engagement. On the same evening, a spirit of worship filled the area surrounding Filwoha Church as Orthodox brothers and sisters gathered at the nearby Meskel Square for a song service. Organized by a group known as the Ethiopian Jandereba Generation, this public worship event—called የአእላፋት ዝማሬ (The Melody of Myriads)—was held for the third time and drew many attendees who came to welcome Genna with songs and thanksgiving. Capitalizing on the large number of people in the vicinity, a dedicated team from Living Parchment Ministry (LPM), led by Lizibie Fentaw (Head of Circulation) and including Melaku Mesfin, Israel Getachew, and Tigist Kassa, set up a distribution table at the church’s front gate. Their mission was to offer free spiritual literature as a Genna gift. The selection included coveted titles such as Christ’s Object Lessons, The Desire of Ages, Patriarchs and Prophets, The Great Controversy, and The Bible Speaks (the latter two in Oromiffa). The response was overwhelmingly positive. A total of 132 books were freely given to a diverse audience—Protestant and Orthodox attendees, young and old. Several priests gratefully accepted the books, with one remarking, “I know the Adventist Church, and I have always admired your gentleness and orderliness. Thank you for these books—I enjoy reading them.” Many recipients expressed that these were valuable gifts, noting, “These are expensive books; we truly appreciate your generosity.” This generous act was funded by two key contributors. The joint choir members of Filwoha SDA Church covered the expense for most of the books. In a commendable modern touch, they also provided a QR code for attendees to access additional digital resources from Hope Channel and other platforms. Living Parchment Ministry (LPM) covered the full cost for the copies of Christ’s Object Lessons. A number of magazines and flyers were also distributed. The initiative successfully engaged passersby, many of whom were drawn from the Meskel Square area by the offer of free books and stayed to enjoy the church’s song service. They left carrying both musical inspiration and precious spiritual resources. Living Parchment Ministry extends sincere appreciation to the Joint Choir members of Filwoha SDA Church, to Lizibie Fentaw and all the individuals who worked alongside her, and to everyone who contributed time, resources, and effort to make this Genna Eve outreach a blessing to many. Through music, literature, and cooperation, the true spirit of Genna—peace, goodwill, and hope—was beautifully shared.
