The worship hour message for the Berean Church's eighth International Day posed the question, "What are chocolate Christians to do in a Neapolitan world?"

"Paul had an identity transplant on the road to Damascus when he met Jesus," noted James Kyle, M.D., interim pastor of the Tamarind Avenue church. "Jesus challenged him to a new identification. As Christians, we are something more. Chocolate or strawberry may be our flavor, but it is not our essence. We are not called to worship our identification, but to reconcile fallen men back to a holy God. At the end of the day, in a Neapolitan world, we are many flavors; in heaven, we are all ice cream."

The "Kaleidoscope of Nations" program celebrated diversity and unity in Christ on a day which the church board has voted to make an official day on the church calendar. Coordinator Daphne Morgan, who initiated the celebration eight years earlier, works with a committee of seven. Now, many churches turn to her for help in launching International Days.

"I first saw the parade of nations at the GC session in New Orleans," Morgan said, "and admired the different cultures and worship styles. The Berean church has so many cultures — Jamaicans, Africans, Panamanians, and many more. I thought, ‘Let's celebrate our diversity and worship together on one day!'"

Music underscored the day's international theme, including Nicole and Ericka Tobins' pantomimed feature, "Love in Any Language." In the Sabbath school, the seven individuals who taught the lesson on "The Bible and Health" represented the Caribbean, Latin America, China and the U.S.

An afternoon concert featured songs by African, Korean and African-American groups and soloists, as well as a "Sweethearts" childen's trio.

Berean's senior pastor, Lawrence S. Dorsey, shared a message from Revelation. "We are preparing for the first and only international, interdenominational, intergalactical day when we will be blessed by the fulfilling of the promise of heaven," he said.