First offerings of 2005 to God in Biggest Christian New Year Celebration

As all Britons received the New Year, rushing for massive fireworks shows, drinking and dancing on the streets, some 20,000 Christians chose to offer up the first precious time of year to God in church.

The Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC), the largest church in Western Europe, held a Christian New Year Celebration on New Year's Eve. It featured gospel music worship from all around the globe, prayers, preaching and positive confessions for 2005. Last year, it attracted around 13,000 people.

The theme for this Watch Night event was "Cross Over without a Carry Over". KICC seeks to encourage people to cross over into the New Year without carrying over any aspect of their lives that are best left behind - such as sorrow, pains, failures, burdens, challenges. The event also sought to give people a sense of new hope, new vision, new dreams, new goals, and new opportunities for the New Year.

Part of the service was broadcast on GOD TV (Sky Digital Channel 671) between 11pm and 5am.

Prior to the event, Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo, KICC’s Senior Pastor commented, "I believe that ‘The Night of a Cross Over without a Carry Over’ will be an enjoyable time when we can forget the burden of past sins, sorrows, failures, negative experiences and feelings and usher in the New Year as a time for new hopes, new visions, new dreams, new goals and new opportunities."

There were also a whole host of performers including multi-Grammy award nominated artist Nicole C. Mullen. Mullen has performed in many top US and UK venues including Carnegie Hall and the Royal Albert Hall. Jaci Velasquez from the US, Lionel Petersen from South Africa and Sammy Okposio from Nigeria also ministered at the event.

KICC, an independent, interdenominational and international church, is the largest church in Western Europe. The main church is based in Hackney on a 9.5-acre facility that includes a 4,000-seater auditorium. Over 12,000 people attend its three services every Sunday. KICC has five UK branches - KICC Birmingham, KICC French Connection, KICC Luton, KICC South West (Wimbledon) and KICC Wembley - and 16 Sunday chapels across London and the South East. KICC is a major provider of Christian programmes to radio and TV stations that broadcast to millions of people across the world.