It was a dream come true for Deaconess Mercy Okpebholo Ray as, Pastors, Ministers and the members of her local church, the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG Victory Centre in South-East London, showed up in their numbers to support her during the unveiling of her pet project, Celebration Magazine.
The magazine mainly celebrates outstanding children in academics, social, sports, morals and spirituality.
According to the publisher, Deaconess Mercy, “the whole essence is to encourage children to put up an excellent behavioural attitude continually, knowing that celebration awaits them at home and a magazine out there is waiting to recognise and feature them as young achievers”.
She said: “In the face of so many challenges children of today go through, especially being influenced by the things they see or hear online, which often create some degree of deviancy in their characters, I had the leading to come up with a magazine like this which they would also be looking up to, striving hard to be among the celebrated ones in our quarterly editions”.
The magazine reviewer, Pastor Mrs Racheal Osuagu, while expressing satisfaction with the contents and quality of the magazine, opined that she, as a parent, discovered many lessons to be learnt and asserted that it is helpful for both parents and children.
The words of Pastor Rachael: “Going through this magazine, I have personally learnt a lot from it that as a parent, we need to celebrate our children’s good deeds, no matter how little as that could spur them into doing greater things, so I make bold to state categorically that this Celebration Children Magazine if a family magazine and not just for children alone”.
Also speaking, in his opening and welcoming address, the chairman of the event and senior Pastor at the RCCG Victory Center, London, Pastor Akin Soroye, thanked God for the idea given to the publisher and expressed confidence that the magazine will go global shortly because it is a good concept. So much good work had gone into the production.
Describing the publisher as a woman with a strong passion for doing things for children, Pastor appreciated her for the effort and called on members and guests to support the project and encourage her by ensuring everyone present went home with copies of the magazine.
Pastor Mrs Kemi Abraham, the chief launcher, before calling for guests to join her to unveil the magazine, described the magazine as a material every home and office should have in their collections. She stated that her eyes have been opened to the fact that children need to be encouraged and praised when they attain or achieve anything in their daily lives.
Pastor Kemi said: “We should not only talk down on our children when they behave below our expectations as parents, but we should also remember their aspects, no matter how little and eulogise them. This magazine has shown me in particular that there is always a thing to celebrate in our children, and as we do, they will always be encouraged into doing greater things”.
For me, my children have some rewards they got from school, which I did not actually pay any interest to and have them kept in cupboards. But, after going to this magazine, I have decided to go to the archives to bring them out, spread them in my living room, and make my children see that I value them and their achievements, no matter how belated they might be”.
The high point of the event, which was pomp and pageantry, was during the musical interlude when the daughter of the publisher, Blossom Darlington, a gospel musical artist, performed a cover of Mariah Carrey’s song -Hero and the appearance of the 2023 Miss Ebony Beauty Pageant winner.
The Magazine was later unveiled by the chairman of the event, Pastor Akin Soroye, his amiable wife, Mother of the day, Pastor Mrs Kenny Soroye, Grandma Elder Edoh, Elder Bussy Giwa, Elder Janet Fatunmishe, Pastor and Pastor Mrs Tolani and Kayode Gabriel, Engr Tunde Ajayi, Bro Adekunle and many other guests.
While giving the vote of thanks, the husband of the publisher, Deacon Darlington Okpebholo Ray, thanked everyone who came and prayed for God’s blessing for them all for their support, even as he showered encomium his lovely wife, whom he described as a goal-getter, resourceful and enterprising, he praised her to the high heavens for the beautiful work considering the short period of time she had to put everything together within four weeks.
He said: “I want to particularly mention my mentor and daddy, Pastor Soroye and his wife for their support and encouragement, appreciating Pastors Kemi, Racheal, Tolani Gabriel, Titi, and Dotun, for their support, as well as engr. Tunde, Bro Ayo Alain (the marvellous master of ceremony), Bro Victor Ubong, Bro Niyi, Victor Stephen, Bro Larry and his wife, Bro Julian, Sisters Enitan, Ruth, Arike, Mercy, Elizabeth, Precious, Favour, and all of you here who are too numerous to mention by name, God bless you all for honouring us with your presence and show of love…
The magazine, (Celebration), a production of Stars & Crowns LTD London, has Deaconess Mercy Darlington (as she is popularly known) as the CEO/Publisher of the magazine, co-edited by Pastor Mrs Andrea Onduku of RCCG Chapel of Grace, Bradford and Dr Mercy Satoye.
Mercy Darlington, a social media Gospel Preacher and motivational speaker famous for her daily Bible teachings tagged “Morning Cry” on Facebook, Instagram and Tikkot, has been a Children’s teacher with the Redeemed Christian Church of God RCCG since 2005. She is happily married and blessed with children.
