IF not for the constraints of logic, one could easily imagine that the convex ceiling of the Glad Tidings Open Bible Church in Spanish Town was bent into shape by daily shouts of praise from the congregation beneath it.

The thought — at least during last Sunday’s ceremony — seemed feasible as the ear-splitting shout of “hallelujah” echoed off the church walls on a mad rush to the heavens.

But this was a newcomer’s shock. Such verve in praise, and the emotions they evoked, are not novel to the church’s approximately 800 souls. It is their way of life.

And very soon, even to first-time visitors, the secret behind the loud decibels were realised.

“We have a lot of young people,” stated a proud Rev Daniel White. “And we give them a lot of space for their expressions,” he added.

Unlike many churches of its magnitude, Glad Tidings has a well-ratioed population. It possesses a unique blend of young adults, who not only learn from their many elders, but who also pump fresh vim into worship. They are the church’s lifeblood, its only hope for sustenance, said White.

“Our worship is really the thing that sets us apart … we flow in worship. We allow for freedom of expression. If people want to walk around, run around the place, they can. Those who have flags can use them, those who want to just dance in the spirit as the worship comes can do it,” White said, adding that worships are usually interspersed with miming, acting, and dramatic skits crafted by the youngsters.

At Glad Tidings, every event, from the welcome of visitors to the communal, is ceremonious. Each is equally important and each brings a sense of belonging to participants. There was hardly a time when somnolence crept into the service last week.

And if the Sunday services were not intimate enough, members have a range of groups and clubs to choose from.

“We have the drama group, we have a young ladies group that we call the ‘Visionettes’. We have the women’s groups, with wives and widows; we have the singles group, and we have the men’s group that consists of two groups, the boys and the more mature men,” said White. Pressed about the formation of the singles group, White said: “It’s for those persons to meet and talk about how they are coping with the singleness, and about where they stand as singles in the kingdom of God.”

Spanish Town has for the past decade been the battleground for the Caribbean’s two most notorious gangs, the Klansman and the One Order, and for several years churches within the old capital have embarked on a 100-man march, an initiative aimed to foment peace in the troubled area.

Glad Tidings has been integral in the march, but as White is quick to point out, the church’s lobby for peace is far more robust. It lives in its mission.

“Our mission is to provide the worshipping community with the skills to launch out in the community to share the word with those around, to see to it that others come into the light,” he said.

And the strategy for bringing people into the light must start from childhood, White said. In fact, that is how the Glad Tiding’s Early Childhood Development church with a unique blend

Centre was formed. It caters to over 150 children, who from “day one” are exposed to the teachings of God.

“We see it as our community project to offer sound early childhood education to the community of Spanish Town. That education is very important. If there is not a good start for our children, then we are going to thwart their development process. And I think that this is why we are in the place that we are now, some were stunted in early life,” White said.

White’s wish is to leave the church in the hands of capable youth ministers; a task that many of the younger members have already bought into. At least two dozen youth officers were anointed during a special ceremony at the church last Sunday.

According to Keion Smith, 24, chairman of the youth council at Glad Tidings, the church fostered his spiritual growth in many ways.

“From I have been involved at Glad Tidings, I have seen tremendous spiritual growth. The church has catered to whatever needs we have, whether spiritual emotional or physical, and that really forms a good base, that sets Glad Tidings apart,” he said.

In the meantime, Jhenelle McIntosh, who is in her early 30s, said that the church offers her a unique worship experience.

“It brings a level of worship that I would not necessarily find within my own comfort zone. The church gives you a chance to find something to do with people who share common values like myself,” she said.