WHILE most municipalities are preparing to hold street parties to ring in the New Year, the Sugar City will welcome 2015 with an open air church celebration at Carnival Park.

Organised by the Lautoka Citywide Pastors Network, the multi-denominational service is designed to attract youths from across the Western Division.

Pastor Ravulolo Draunibaka, the event co-ordinator, said the fun-filled service was a strategy by the Christian community to change the mind-sets of people and to spread the message of God’s eternal love for all mankind.

“We have noticed a deterioration of family values and Christian principles over the past few years and especially in the aftermath of the annual street parties,” Pastor Draunibaka said.

“Contrary to what people think, we can also have fun in God’s kingdom, but if we do not change from our church tradition, we cannot give to our young generation the joy that God wants them to experience.”

Pastor Draunibaka said church groups were always trying to address the issues of teenage pregnancies, growth in AIDS transmission, drug problems, rape and sexual crimes through sermons and discussion.

“What we fail to address is the root of the problems, which are events like street parties, unsupervised social gatherings and other types of events that attract our young ones.”