1

2

3

4

My dear friends, It is a joy to connect with you through this monthly letter. It helps us to share our views, the ministries that are going on, and above all, a thought for the month to nourish us spiritually. Every new month is an opportunity given to us to proclaim the marvellous deeds of our Almighty God.

Out of his personal experience, the Psalmist says in Psalm 14:1-3 – I will extol You, my God and King and bless Your Name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You and praise Your Name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised and His greatness is unsearchable. If we commit ourselves and accept His ways, our experience will also be similar to King David’s. In the last month, God blessed us, and His goodness and mercy filled our lives. He has done great things in the past month, and so we are grateful to our living God. I would like to share with you, some truth from the life of Naaman’s maid. In II Kings chapter 5, we find a remarkable incident, related to the Gentile Naaman. In this lovely passage, we get just a glimpse of the maid, who initiates a complex chain of events that culminated in her master’s – Naaman’s - triumphant affirmation of faith. Therefore, I would like to mention just one word which will help us to be very much strengthened in our faith - OBSTACLES. In II Kings Chapter 5, we see many obstacles

which could have prevented this maid to act.

She was an Israelite captive in Syria, the enemy of her people.

She was a slave.

She was a girl.

She was young.

She had limited knowledge about God.

She had a number of stages to get through - like, from Naaman’s wife, to master, to Syrian king, from there to King of Israel and so on.

Therefore, she would have realized that the chances were very remote. Naaman’s family could have ignored the message pointing out that she being a very young girl, a slave, belonging to a different nation and religion. They could have even teased her and even punished her for having dared to talk about a different God. But she boldly risked everything to proclaim the mighty power and acts of God. Her words were respected and her request heard.

5

My dear friends, God has placed us among non-believers as mighty living witnesses. There may be many obstacles like language, culture, creed, colour and so on. Many times we see obstacles as big as mountains and underestimate the power of God. We never open our mouth and share the wonders of our God, His love, concern, forgiveness, the great salvation, eternal life and deliverance. We feel shy to proclaim the marvellous works of God. If we keep silent, the Bible says in Esther 4:14 – If you keep silent at this point of time, relief and deliverance will rise for Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Through this young maid God invites us to turn each obstacle which comes our way, into stepping stones, to climb higher in faith and to see the mighty wonders of our God. Isaiah 43:12 says – You are my witnesses, declares the Lord, and I am your God. Let us earnestly and honestly examine ourselves before God. When obstacles come our way what is our attitude? And what is our response? Many a times we murmur and we do not want anything to come our way. We expect that it is God’s duty to keep our ways clear at all times – and we do not allow such situations to mould us. Many children of God have passed through all these ways with complete surrender, commitment and God never allowed them to fall. The Bible says in Psalm 9:9,10 – The Lord is the stronghold for the oppressed and a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know Your Name put their trust in You, for You, O Lord have not forsaken those who seek You. So, let us have confidence that the Lord God always goes before us, clearing obstacles, and paving the way for our faith journey. My dear children of God, let us in one voice, express in unison, `Lord help us to see obstacles as stepping stones. Help us to see obstacles as the melting factor so that we can be moulded according to Your will. Help us to accept obstacles with courage, to strengthen us in our faith’. If that is our earnest prayer, this promise comes from our Lord: Psalm 29:11 – May the Lord give strength to His people! May the Lord bless His people with peace. Let us praise God for enabling our children to come out with great success in the recent exams. He blessed all the efforts of our children and sent forth His help from above. Let us continue to pray for our children, so that all their efforts and expectations towards higher studies will be blessed and guided by our God Almighty. After the summer vacation, all the ministries and activities of our church will resume from the first week of June. As we begin our pastoral year, let us have new vision and enthusiasm in our efforts. It is our earnest prayer and expectation, that every member of our congregation will involve

6

themselves in all the ministries of the church – and not be satisfied only with our Sunday worship services. There are more avenues for us to join and to show interest, to build His Kingdom on this earth. Let us come forward to be a part in one or two areas of ministry. We are grateful to God for protecting us from the scorching sun in the past month. Let His continuous protection be upon us.

Always be assured of our prayers at all times. God bless you all. Yours in His joyful service, Rev. D. Richard Ambrose Jebakumar Presbyter- in-charge

God is perfect in His timing regarding His children. Even if you have good desires, God has His own time to execute His will in your life.

You may have many desires today, but God leads you according to His own perfect will to set an appointed time and an appointed place for His blessings for you. Wait for God's time. He does everything beautiful in His time.

We believe this is God's 'oikoumene', God's world and we need to walk lightly and humbly within and upon it. We are stewards of that which comes from and returns to God. We believe that all of life is precious, and indeed that God has so designed creation, that for one part to flourish, all must flourish. Further, we believe that God has created the world in balance: land and water, light and darkness, evening and morning, sowing and reaping, winter and summer, birth and death, belong together; to exploit one to the detriment of another is to put all in jeopardy." from the `Statement on Safeguarding the Integrity of Creation’ from Bishops at the Lambeth Conference, August 2008.

7

LESSONS FROM NATURE

On my terrace are a row of flower pots filled with dry, hard mud. They show no signs of life – no leaves even - until the first drops of rain fall on them, when they suddenly push out large buds

and leaves out of the moist earth, exploding into a spectacular ball of colour. These fireball lily bulbs were planted by my father, and every time they bloom, they remind me of him, and God’s unfailing goodness. Isn’t it amazing how God has woven this idea of rest and renewal into the cycle of nature, to remind us of a greater hope that we have in Christ Jesus? “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (John 12:24). Every act of nature draws attention to God’s creativity and handiwork. “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork” (Ps. 19:1). The Bible tells us that our creativity as human beings comes from being made in the image of the Master Creator (Gen. 1:27) – a tall order indeed! Nature prompts us to worship. In Psalm 148, the psalmist remarks “Praise the Lord from the earth… mountains and all hills… creeping things and flying birds!” (v.12), as nature fills his heart with praise to God. Nature points to a caring God. Mart DeHaan, in a recent post in ‘Our Daily Bread’ talks about King Solomon’s interest in the creatures around him. “In addition to studying the wildlife of the Middle East” he says, “Solomon imported exotic animals like apes and monkeys from far-off lands (1 Kings 10:22). But one of his proverbs shows us that Solomon’s knowledge of nature went beyond intellectual curiosity. When he expressed the spiritual implications of how we treat our animals, he mirrored something of the heart of our Creator: “The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel” (Prov. 12:10). With God-given wisdom, Solomon saw that our relationship to our Creator affects not only how we treat people but also how much thoughtful consideration we give to the creatures in our care.” Nature changes our perspective. When we look at nature and bask in its presence, we get to understand our role in the larger scheme of things. Created in His own image, above all creation, thanksgiving and praise should be our natural response to Him.

Fabiola Jacob

8

Gracing our cover this month is the impressive St. Paul’s Church, Pune - located on Church Road in Pune’s City Centre. The back cover has pictures of the Church’s altar view, pipe organ, and the belfry - clicked by Tarun Samuel Soundarapandian. About the Church: The history of Anglican churches in Poona (now Pune)

dates back to 1820 when the Rev. Thomas Robinson, the first chaplain of Pune reported to the Archdeacon George Barnes, the first Archdeacon of Bombay, the need to build a church in Pune to meet the spiritual needs of the British soldiers and their families stationed in and around Pune, since Pune had no churches at that time. The Archdeacon in turn wrote to the Governor in Council and urged them to build a church in Pune. His request was granted and St. Mary's Church (known as the mother church of the Deccan) was built by the East India Company’s engineers, and consecrated by Bishop Heber (the only Bishop in India then) on 3rd July, 1825. For a few decades St. Mary's was the only Church in Pune. As the years went by, the Christian community grew since several military as well as civilian officers were posted in Pune and had made India their home, necessitating a second Church. And it was on 29th August, 1863, that the foundation stone for St. Paul's Church was laid by the Governor of Bombay, Sir Bartle E. Frere, and St. Paul's was consecrated by Rev. John Harding, Bishop of Bombay, on 5th March, 1867. This structure is of the early English style of Gothic architecture, and the design was prepared by the Rev. F. Gell, and the cost of building the church was around Rs. 90,000. The church was destroyed by a great fire in the year 1900, and was restored and re-opened for worship in July 1901. A new pipe organ built by the ‘Walkers’ with a single manual and pedal was imported from the UK and dedicated in 1910. The pipe organ was completely overhauled and restored in 1987 by M/s Joffer Musicals, Chennai, and is one of the two pipe organs in Pune, at present. St. Paul’s Church, under the jurisdiction of the Church of North India (CNI), encourages members to actively participate in their various ministries which include the Sunday School, the Youth Fellowship, the Women’s Fellowship, Senior Citizens Fellowship and the Medical Mission Ministry. The Church also runs a school, St. Paul’s Nursery and Preparatory School, located within the church premises, to provide quality education as part of their education mission.

Jaswanth Soundarapandian

9

DRUMSTICK Meaning: D1. A stick for beating the drum D2. A Vegetable grown in trees D3. Lower leg of a fowl for eating Just an imagination. If the above three were able to talk, what would the conversation be like… D1: My master the drummer loves me much. He painted me golden and keeps me in a velvet bag. Wherever he goes to perform, he carries me. He beats me on the drum in different ways. I feel much pain, but I forget it when I hear the thundering applause of the audience. I once heard on T.V the words of St. Paul “Each one of you should look not only for their own interests, but also the interests of others”. I am happy because my suffering makes others happy. D2: I am now hanging in the tree. Today is Friday. Tomorrow I will be plucked, cut and taken to the market. Some nice lady will buy me and take me to her home. She will tell others that I am good quality drumstick. On Sunday after church, she will cut me and use me to prepare sambar. I will be served and some will chew me, eat the pulp, then throw me away. God wants everyone to fulfil the purpose for which He created us. I have made others happy by making their food tasty. If I was not plucked I would produce good seeds. The seeds will grow into trees and they will produce good drumstick. Jesus said that the trees that bear good fruit will not be cut and put in fire. I am happy. D3: My life is one of suffering. I am cut from the leg of a fowl, covered with chilli powder and thrown into the burning oil. I will be taken out and served. Someone would eat both the flesh and juicy part and throw the waste away. I have given the whole substance of my body just as Jesus gave His flesh and blood. No, I do not say ‘I am Jesus’ - my flesh and juice will make one happy for a few minutes, but His flesh and blood give everlasting happiness. I’m sorry I live only for a very short period. D2: How long we live is not important, but how we live is more important. Jesus spent only three and a half years to do miracles, to teach about the kingdom of God, His second coming and how He will judge the people. D1: Let us depart. My master has a performance today. Dear readers, have I bored you with my drumsticks? They have taught us we are born to make others happy. We must always bear good fruit, how we live is more important than how long we live.

G. Joseph

10

A TAX COLLECTOR TURNS GOSPEL WRITER

He was a tax collector of a special breed, He was hated by all for his greed. He collected tax from the Jews, To pay the Romans their dues. Citizens cringed at his sight, As he counted every mite. He never spared the poor widows who went crazy And pleaded with him to show mercy. One day a shadow fell at his desk, He looked up at a tall Man at his best. He encountered a pair of eyes of fire, That burnt all his desire. ‘Follow Me’, said a firm voice, He felt the cast, of the dice. He took with him the pen, nothing else of value, He wrote the first Gospel of St. Mathew. Never judge a man from his outer being, The inner man may be for kindness crying. Jesus saw the man’s inner core, And changed him, as never before.

Prema Jayasundar

A lovely little girl was holding two apples with both hands. Her Mum came in and softly asked her little daughter with a smile: my sweetie, could you give me one of your two apples? The girl looked up at her Mum for some seconds, then she suddenly took a bite of one

apple, and then quickly of the other. The Mum felt the smile on her face freeze. She tried hard not to reveal her disappointment. Then the little girl handed one of the bitten apples to her Mum and said: `Mummy, here you are. This is the sweeter one’. No matter who you are, how experienced you are, and how knowledgeable you think you are, always delay judgement. Give others the privilege to explain themselves. What you see may not be the reality. Never conclude for others.

11

"Can you sleep when the wind blows?" The following story circulated on the Internet, is a superb metaphorical exposition of the level of preparedness. Years ago, a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for

hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals. Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. 'Are you a good farm hand?' the farmer asked him. 'Well, I can sleep when the wind blows,' answered the little man. Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work. Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, 'Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!' The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, 'No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows.' Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew. When you're prepared - spiritually, mentally and physically, you have nothing to fear. `When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you’ Isaiah 43:2. We can secure ourselves to face the storms of life, if we are grounded on God’s Word. We don’t need to understand, we just need to hold His Hand. Then we will experience a deep sense of security, peace, and joy from within…we will then be able to 'sleep when the wind blows.'

Contributed by Sushil Venglet

12

HOW I ARRANGE MY MIND

Several years ago I read a story of a 92 year-old Christian woman who was legally blind. In spite of her limitation, she was always neatly dressed, with her hair carefully brushed and her make-up tastefully applied. Each morning she would meet the new day with eagerness.

After the death of her husband, it became necessary for her to go to a nursing home, where she would receive proper care. On the day of her move, a helpful neighbour drove her to the new home and guided her into the lobby. Her room was not ready, so she waited patiently in the lobby for several hours.

When an attendant finally came for her, she smiled sweetly as she manoeuvred her walker to the elevator. A staff member described her room including the new curtains that had been hung on the windows. “I love it” she exclaimed. “But Mrs. Jones, you have not seen your room yet” the staff member replied, “That does not have anything to do with it”, she said. Happiness is something you choose. Whether I like my room or not does not depend on how it’s arranged. It is how I arrange my mind.

The Bible says, “Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, Rejoice”.

(Philippians 4:4)

GOD TAKES DELIGHT WHEN WE REJOICE

D.I.A. Soundarapandian

DO YOU KNOW YOUR HYMNS? Dentist's hymn - Crown Him with Many Crowns Weatherman's hymn - There Shall Be Showers of Blessings Contractor's hymn - The Church's One Foundation The Tailor's hymn - Holy, Holy, Holy The Golfer's hymn – There is a Green Hill Far Away The Politician's hymn - Standing on the Promises The Optometrist's hymn - Open My Eyes That I Might See The Gossip's hymn - Pass It On The Electrician's hymn - Send the Light The Shopper's hymn - Sweet Bye and Bye The Realtor's hymn - I've got a Mansion Just over the Hilltop The Massage Therapist's hymn - He Touched Me The Doctor's hymn - The Great Physician

13

Morning inspiration to start the day!

Moses would say, "Lord, if You don't go with us or before us, we are not going anywhere." Abraham would say, "The Lord will provide." Jacob would say, "I won't let go of You unless You bless me." Joshua would say, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Samuel would say, "Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening." Nehemiah would say, "The joy of the Lord is my strength." David would say, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want." and "This is the day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it." Solomon would say, "Trust in the Lord, O my soul, and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path." Isaiah would say, "Arise and shine for my glory has come." and "No weapon formed against me shall prosper." Jeremiah would say, "The Lord has plans to prosper me and not to harm or fail me." Jabez would say, "O that you may bless me and enlarge my territory." Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego would say, "We will not bow down to any image but will serve the Lord." Ezekiel would say, "Any dry bones in my life, live again." Peter would say, "I will cast my cares upon the Lord for He cares." Paul would say, "The Lord will supply all my needs and I can do all things through Christ." Choose your daily statement of faith. Meditate on it! Speak it!

Quick & Easy Sports Quiz

1. Who was the first man to run the 100 meters in under 10 seconds?

2. In which country was the first international cricket match played?

3. How many players are there in a rugby team?

4. How many water polo players compose a team? 5. Who was the first runner to break the magic four-minute mile? 6. Which is the tree from which cricket bats are made? 7. Who are the two sisters playing tennis for the USA? 8. Who is nick-named ‘SCUD’ in world tennis?

DIA Soundarapandian

Answers to Quick & Easy Sports quiz are on page 16.

14

ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD

On 13 May this year, I took the daily reading book “DAY BY DAY WITH BILLY GRAHAM” with me to office as I used to do whenever I was inspired by quotations relevant to the Bible verses. This book was gifted to me by a relative (Pastor) from Vellore, 25 years ago. I loved to read it every day without fail, and relished the good thoughts and guidance from Dr. Billy Graham. I used to mark the quotations and even attempted to write articles as and when the message touched my heart and mind. On that particular day, I took the book in a cloth bag along with my papers and went home from office – but I couldn’t find it when I reached home. I came back searching to office, but I could not find it anywhere. It was really a great loss, as I also lost a few valuable papers and photos in the cover. I made up my mind to forget about the book and a thought came to my mind “All things work together for good” Romans 8:28. Well, here’s how it worked together for good! I was in the habit of reading the daily portions in the morning before getting ready for work. Though I found it satisfactory, in my inner mind, there was a nagging thought that I was not reading the Bible patiently every day. The loss of this book made me to turn to the daily reading of the Bible which I have not been doing for many years. I realized that the loss of the book I loved and cherished for so many years, was to correct me and make me read the Bible regularly every day. I forgot the loss of the book and praised God, for His correction and guidance. Yes, it is true that Romans 8:28 can be relished at any time of loss “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Roman 8:28) It will be quite fitting to remember that some great losses I endured in my life have also worked for good in my life.

A residential site purchased with a bank loan of Rs. 1,40,000/- was taken away by the Housing Board. The compensation given to me was Rs. 14,000/- only.

When our house collapsed in July 2014, though we lost a lot of articles, God saved all our family members, without any injury.

It is quite consoling to read and believe certain promises in the Bible, and to enlighten our thoughts with hope on the Almighty and omnipotent God, throughout our life journey. Praise be to God!

S. Gnanaoli

15

THE CHAIR

A man's daughter had asked the local pastor to come and pray with her father. When the pastor arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows. An empty chair sat beside his bed. The pastor assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit. "I guess you were expecting me," he said. "No, who are you?" said the father.

"I am the new pastor at your church," he replied. "When I saw the empty chair, I figured you knew I was going to show up." "Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden man. "Would you mind closing the door?" Puzzled, the pastor shut the door. "I have never told anyone this, not even my daughter," said the man. "But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the preacher talk about prayer, but it went right over my head." "I abandoned any attempt at prayer," the old man continued, "until one day about four years ago, my best friend said to me, Joe, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here is what I suggest. Sit down in a chair, place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It's not spooky because He promised, "I'll be with you always." Then, just speak to Him and listen in the same way you're doing with me right now'. "So, I tried it and I liked it so much that I have been doing it a couple of hours every day since. I'm careful, though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to a funny farm." The pastor was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old man to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with him and returned to the church. Two nights later the daughter called to tell the pastor that her daddy had died that afternoon. "Did he die in peace?" he asked. "Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him dead. But there was something strange about his death. Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on the chair beside the bed." What do you make of that?" The pastor wiped a tear from his eye and said, "I wish we all could go that way.”

16

Road trip to Redemption: an amazing journey of healing and grace by Brad Mathias Chapter One: Flashback at the Falls Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV). June 2010 Hiking along the sapphire blue shores of one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, I found myself invigorated and out of breath. The combination of high altitude, frigid morning air, and the thirty-pound backpack I was carrying caused me to pause on the trail. Looking back over my shoulder, I saw my little band of intrepid flatlander suburbanites following dutifully behind me as we crossed this magnificent mountain landscape. We were exploring a remote road trip to redemption seven-mile trail to Bow Falls that skirts the picturesque Bow Lake in Alberta, Canada, located only a few miles from the idyllic Lake Louise resort region of Banff. We had left our rental cabin before dawn that day, hoping to get on the trail in time to reach our isolated destination by noon. I had led my family from Nashville, Tennessee, to Canada on a quest to reintroduce them to the Author of all beauty, the Creator of true life, Jesus Christ. I could envision no place in the world that could convey the majesty and creativity of their spiritual heritage better than this remarkable piece of paradise. An avid hiker and road warrior, I had visited Alberta several times before with my lifelong friend Brian Hardin. As a professional photographer, he had explored this lake with me, and I had kept one of his pictures framed in my living room ever since. Bow Lake was a sacred place for me. I had wept on the day I first stood on its shores. Dramatic mountain walls swept down into a crystal-clear, glacier-fed lake that perfectly reflected the snowcapped peaks from every angle. This valley had been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Every summer, tourist buses swept by its shores following the world-famous Icefields Parkway—an ice-trail road running from Banff to Jasper—carrying hundreds of visitors eager to see the sights, buy the trinkets, and pose for pictures. These driveby gazers were content to leave the majesty of the lake’s shores with a few digital memories. In their rush to see more, did they truly understand or appreciate the silent and awesome presence of this pristine wilderness? I doubted it. When I stand on the shores of this lake, I always feel as if I am standing in the presence of my Creator God. No other place in the world moves

17

me like this place does. It is unique, special, unequaled in its beauty and its serenity. So when I had an opportunity to take a trip with my family, it didn’t take me long to decide where we would go. Now here we were, hiking past the well-worn shoreline of the casual tourist trail and heading to the soaring glacier’s edge, which in summer forms the magnificent Bow Falls, rising over five hundred feet in the far distance. The trail was long and winding, with very few easy stretches, and we quickly realized it would tax us much more than any trail we had tried before. My sophisticated teens were excited, engaged, and anxiously snapping pictures as they hiked. Exclaiming like little children who had just discovered another new ride at Disneyland, they shared their joy with anyone who would listen. I smiled at their random outbursts of oohs and aahs, their pointing and yelling at the wildlife and mountain scenery around us: “Dad, this is AMAZING! It’s soooooo cool.” “Are those elk? Are they dangerous?” “Is that an eagle? How cool is that!” “Seriously, are there bears up here? Will they eat us?” They would each exclaim their discoveries or shout their delight, as if they alone had seen the beauty and we risked missing a critical life moment if we didn’t immediately stop and stare with them before it suddenly disappeared. It was awesome to see my suburban, media-addicted teenagers running around the wilderness like kids in a candy store. It was a prayer answered—and a major passion of my life shared with my family for the first time. I sensed something critical happening in them at this remote, wild, and beautiful mountain. God was present for them like he had been for me. They were seeing the majesty of the mystical and mysterious Creator we worshiped together every Sunday. Only this time, they were worshiping spontaneously, without me leading or prompting them. As I paused by the trail, my mind flashed back to that devastating night my family had experienced not even a year ago. The events that had shaped our decision to be here were painful memories, yet the sting of them was already fading in the magic of this moment. Nevertheless, that shockingly unexpected crisis had formed in my wife and me the resolution to change our lives, to adapt our parenting in ways I never would have dreamed of a few months earlier. That priority shift resulted in our decision to drive our entire family seven thousand miles in two weeks in an effort to reconnect with each other, and in the process, we saw our journey connect us all with God.

Courtesy: www.crosswalk.com If you have an excerpt from a Christian book that you recently read, that made an impact on you, do share it with us. It may turn out to be a blessing to someone who needs it!

18

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL 2016 ‘Faith is like a little seed, if planted it will

grow’ VBS 2016 was held at our church from 28 April to 7 May 2016. It was a memorable time of fun and learning as the children learned about the various attributes of Jesus. We registered 148 kids (48 for English classes and 100 for Tamil classes)

with attendance of more than 80% for each day. The theme was ‘I am for Jesus’ and the motto of this year’s VBS was to make the gospel come alive to the kids with fun and fellowship. It was a great experience for the 13 teachers and 11 volunteers who came together to organize the VBS - and it could NOT have been possible without each one of them! Each day, the children were brightly welcomed with action songs led by Mrs. Lillian Richard and Mr. Rajkumar, who were assisted by the teachers and volunteers. After the general session the children went to their classes according to their age i.e., Beginners, Primary, Junior, Inters and Seniors. It was wonderful to see the children in small groups engrossed with their teachers learning the Bible story for the day, enjoying themselves through song, skit, craft, activity books and a refreshing break for snacks. The children were delighted by the Bible stories through cartoon videos, ventriloquism and magic show by Mr. George Shanthakumar, puppet show by Mr. Charles and quiz by Mrs. Nirmala Stephen. A love feast was organized by the church that provided lunch for all the participants. The inspection of the classes was conducted by Mrs. Nirmala Stephen, Mrs. Leena Ponnudurai and Mrs. Samantha Daniel. During the last two days the teachers and kids enthusiastically planned and practiced in the final day program. It was amazing to see the children learn the choreography, dances, skits and mime within two days. The final day program on the evening of 7 May captured the hearts and minds of the parents and spectators as the children joyfully displayed their immense talent on stage. The highlight of the VBS was on the morning of 6 May as the children were led to commit their lives to Jesus and accept Him as their Savior. We continue to pray that this experience will last throughout their life. Our dedicated teachers: Mrs. Iris Manoharan, Mrs. Christleda Ponniah, Mrs. Vinodha Jayabalan, Dr. Isaac Jebaraj, Mrs. Chandra Shanthakumar, Mrs. Jasweena Paul, Mrs. Annamary Frederick, Mrs. Beatrice Priya Paul, Mrs. Ranjini Inbaraj, Mrs. Shylaja Henry, Mrs. Shilpa Malhotra, Mrs. Priyanka Jacob and Ms. Mercy Roshan.

19

Our enthusiastic volunteers: Christina Kanagaraj, Shobana Soundarapandian, Sheeba Roshan, Zibia Thiraviaraj, Sharon Grace, Melvin Roshan, Mark Rohan, Kevin Muller, Sandra Joseph, Sarah Joseph and Rohan Rathnam. Throughout the nine days we experienced the supernatural presence of God; from bringing the children to getting dedicated teachers and musicians to lead the singing, volunteers who got things moving, donations from congregation members, putting the final day program all together and so much more. We thank Pastor for his support, Secretary and Treasurer for their co-operation, all donors for their contribution, Mr. John our sexton and Mr. Moses office staff for their untiring help. Now that VBS is over, what next? To help make this year’s VBS spiritually successful and set the stage for the next VBS we request that you pray that the seed of the word of God imparted in every child who attended will bear much fruit.

Grace Rathnam - Director

Teachers and Volunteers VBS 2016 team

Answers to the Quick & Easy Sports Quiz:

1. Jim Hines at the Mexico Olympics – 9.9 seconds. 2. The USA 1859 3. Fifteen 4. Seven 5. Dr. Roger Bannister of England 6. The willow tree 7. Venus & Serena Williams 8. Mark Philippoussis of Australia.

Holy Scripture reminds us, that the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it (Psalm 24:1). All of creation belongs to God, not to human beings. We are part of the created order, and our first calling by God, is to be stewards of the earth and the rest of creation (Genesis 1:28-29). So when we exploit God’s creation to breaking point, we break the most fundamental commandment known to us: out of our greed and selfishness, we knowingly cause the degradation of the world’s ecosystems instead of protecting the design that issues from the Creator’s generosity. Wilfully causing environmental degradation is a sin. – Rt. Rev. George Browning

20

STEC MEN’S FELLOWSHIP - BIBLE STUDY PROPHET JEREMIAH – A RESUME

(discussed during meeting on 23.4.2016)

Jeremiah, son of Hilkiak, was born about 640 B.C to a priestly family in Anathoth. He was a boy of only 13 years of age when he was called to be a prophet

by the Lord. The word of the Lord came to him – “Before I formed you in the womb, I set you apart – I appointed you as a prophet.” – To Jeremiah’s plea – “I am only a child” – the Lord declared – “I am with you” – and reached out His hand and touched my mouth and said – “Now I have put My words in your mouth” – (Jer 1:4-9).This parallels that of Samuel who also, as a “boy ministered to the Lord”-(I Sam 2:11). Also, Jeremiah’s reluctance to serve the Lord recalls Moses, who also resisted his summons by the Lord, claiming, - “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, I am slow of speech and tongue” – to which the Lord commanded – “Now go – I will help you to speak and will teach you what to say” – (Ex 4:10-12).

Jeremiah prophesied from 627 B.C. onwards for 40 years, halfway through the reign of King Josiah and continued throughout the reigns of four other kings who succeeded him. The Book of Deuteronomy found in the Temple at Jerusalem, during the time of King Josiah, has some influence in the writings of Jeremiah. Repeating Moses in Deuteronomy (10:16) – “Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff necked any longer”, Jeremiah also wrote – “Circumcise yourself to the Lord, circumcise your hearts” – (Jer 4:4) It was Jeremiah’s unhappy commission in his prophesy to lodge and repeat the Lord’s – “Ultimate covenant curses for disobedience,” to be inflicted on His people, as elaborated by Moses in Deuteronomy 28:49-68. His prophesy was fulfilled. Prophet Jeremiah is a historian also. Jewish tradition assigns the authorship of four Books in the Bible to Jeremiah – PROPHETIC:

- Book of Jeremiah. - Book of Lamentations.

HISTORIC:

- Book of I Kings. - Book of II Kings.

The Book of Jeremiah is the longest book in the Bible, containing more words than any other book. It is essentially a collection of God’s divine

21

oracles against Judah and its enemies, dictated by the prophet to his aide, the scribe Baruch, who recorded the same in scrolls. The first 18 years of Jeremiah’s ministry under king Josiah were the happiest, until the Egyptian Pharaoh Neco invaded, when Josiah was killed and his son Jehoiakim was appointed as king by Neco (2Kings 23:29-34). As commanded by the Lord, Jeremiah prophesied till the end of King Zedekiah’s reign, when the Babylonians captured Jerusalem in 586 B.C.(Jer 38:28). The Lord while instructing Jeremiah, used visual aids to convey His message. The Lord took him to a potter’s house and said – “Like clay in the hand of the potter – so are you in my hand” – (Jer 18:1-6).This visual aid has been used by Paul while writing to Romans – “Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?” – (Rom 9:21). The Lord also used symbolism to highlight His message –

- A ruined and useless linen belt – (Jer 13:1-13) - A smashed clay jar which cannot be repaired (Jer 19:1-12) - A yoke of straps and cross bars on the neck (Jer 27) - A large stone buried in the brick pavement (Jer 43:9,10)

Jesus Himself quotes the words of the Lord that came to Jeremiah – “Has this house that bears My Name, become a den of robbers to you?” – (Jer.7:11) when He drove out those buying and selling in the Temple. – (Matt 21:13) – also refer Isa 56:7. THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS was written by Jeremiah during 575 – 516 B.C with his eye witness account of the destruction of Jerusalem with Solomon’s Temple in 586 B.C.as well as the exile of citizens of Judah to Babylon. The entire book is poetic. The five chapters of the Book contain typical lament

- Jerusalem’s misery and desolation – Ch 1:1-22 - The Lord’s anger against the people – Ch 2: 1-22 - Judah’s complaint – and basis for consolation – Ch 3:1-66 - The contrast between Zion’s past and present - Ch.4: 1-22 - Judah’s appeal to the Lord for forgiveness and restoration - Ch 5:

1-22.

It is interesting to note that all the chapters contain 22 verses except chapter 3, which has 66 verses made up of 22 three–line units, that too, all in Hebrew alphabetic pattern! However, in the middle of its calamity, Jeremiah acknowledges the Lord’s goodness in chapter 3, and says

22

- “And therefore I have HOPE” – (v.21) - Because of the Lord’s great LOVE; we are not consumed. (v.22) - They are new every morning; great is your FAITHFULNESS (v

23)

- It is good to wait quietly for the SALVATION of the Lord (v.26).

Also in the last chapter 5, Jeremiah acknowledges Yahweh’s eternal reign – “You LORD, reign forever, Your throne endures from generation to generation” – (5:19). Jeremiah is well known as – “The weeping prophet” – as he records the pain in his heart for the people of Jerusalem and Judah! THE FIRST AND SECOND BOOKS OF KINGS contains the history of the monarchy from the closing days of King David until the Babylonian exile – from about 1000B.C. to 586 B.C. Jeremiah used a variety of sources in compiling the history of the monarchy – Official Court annals from the Royal Archives of Jerusalem and Samaria. The records of Samuel and Gad the seers and prophet Nathan and other prophetic sources of these times may also have been referred. (I Ch.29:29 and other prophets mentioned in II Chronicles). Jeremiah’s intention was only to bring out the history of the kings which were regulated by God’s Covenant rather than the social, political and economic status assessment of the kings. He categorized those as “Evil and Good Kings” – In respect of King Omri, who – “Did evil in the eyes of the Lord”(I Kings 16:25) as against King Josiah who did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the ways of his father David.( II Kings 22:2). Jeremiah explains the relationship between prophecy and fulfilment of the same. The Lord sent a long succession of prophets to call the kings back to covenant Loyalty and warned them – “Turn from your ways, observe My commands” – (II Kings 17:13). Jeremiah explains the Lord’s judgment to destroy Israel and Judah and exile them for 70 long years. However, based on the Lord’s covenant with David, they were brought back to their homeland. Jeremiah was persecuted right through his life, even unto death, by the kings. The worst situation was that marriage and family life could not relieve his suffering and loneliness, since the Lord Himself forbade him to marry. Prayers and confessions of Jeremiah are a significant part of his prophecy, which are the most moving passages –

- Ah, Sovereign Lord, how completely You have deceived these people (through false prophets) by saying – “You will have peace” when the sword is at our throat. (Jer.4:10).

23

- I know Lord, that a man’s life is not his own – correct me Lord, but in justice and not in anger.(Jer.10:23-25)

- You are always righteous, O Lord - why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live in ease? (Jer 12:1-6).

- You understand, O Lord – remember me and care for me – avenge me of my persecutors. (Jer 15:15-18).

- Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed. Save me and I will be saved – for You are the one I praise (Jer 17:14-18).

- Listen to me, O Lord, hear what my accusers are saying – shall good be repaid with evil? – (Jer 18:19-23).

These prayers are honest and tells the Lord how exactly Jeremiah felt. They provide a good example for our prayers.

In the end Jeremiah was taken to Egypt where he died alone. His life is a sad story. Let us thank our Lord for the life of Jeremiah who has transmitted the Lord’s word meticulously to the kings and the people and served the Lord faithfully till the end to His full satisfaction. Like Jeremiah, are we prepared to obey the Lord’s call and sacrifice our life? Manoharan Gnanaolivu

Convenor

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all. II Thessalonians 3:16

Jesus—The Prince of Peace No matter what challenge, crisis or circumstance you are faced with today, allow His provision of peace to flow in and through you. Jesus is the

Prince of Peace. He came to bring you peace, to anchor and to establish your heart even through the most turbulent of times. No matter how boisterous the storm appears, how high the unemployment rates are or how low the world economy crashes, allow His peace to reign supreme in your heart and mind. It’s a peace that surpasses all human understanding, and it provides you safety, soundness of mind, stability and even sweet sleep. How can you let your heart not be troubled nor afraid? By receiving a fresh dose of perfect peace directly from the Prince of Peace today. Turn your cares into prayers, knowing that the Lord of peace Himself is in you, with you and for you. His robust peace will bring you safely through every storm!

24

CHURCH TALES This is a series on how the local church made an impact on the lives of those who happened to be there for some reason. It could be nostalgic, inspiring or just a testimony of God’s goodness. If a church has touched/shaped your life in some way, do share your story with us. How faith helped life take off… Tabitha Banks has just succeeded in becoming a cabin crew member with a

leading airline. A great achievement for the 24-year-old, a Christian who at one time turned away from the Church and dabbled with drink and drugs. Tabitha shares about how it was her faith that helped her back on track. Tabitha lives with her parents Jane and Gordon and her brother Joseph, 23, in Hove, Sussex. She loves her work as a flight attendant based at Gatwick, but only a few short years ago, it seemed she was going nowhere. Her father's job as church army evangelist took the family to Bodmin in Cornwall. They lived in the tiny village of Luxulyan, which is where things began to go wrong for Tabitha, who was then a teenager. She said: "I would like to say my faith is strong, which it is to some degree, but it has been a bit of an uphill struggle at times. I was brought up as a Christian, but when we moved to Luxulyan I got in with the wrong crowd and got involved in things that were not good for me physically or spiritually. "Instead of getting involved in the Church, I got involved with the other side, if you like. It was drink and drugs, nothing heavy, but I was drifting. "It was my parents who pulled me back. My father became the Chichester diocesan evangelist and so we moved to Hove in 2005. I was still in touch with my friends down there but Mum and Dad helped me see what a destructive cycle I was on, where they were leading me and where I would end up. I came to realise it was not a good idea and I broke away." At 19, never having been away from home for long, she flew to the States to take part in Camp America. Tabitha said: "On the day I flew out to New York, I sat on the plane and said 'OK God, if You really do exist, please look after me and bring me home safe'. I had an amazing time and God did bring me home, not once, but for the three summers I took part. He continues to watch out for me." Tabitha then started working as a barista at Starbucks in Hove, a move that was to help change her life.

25

She said: "A customer mentioned that she was a cabin crew member and thought I seemed like the kind of person who would enjoy it. I was looking for a career change, so I gave it some thought and decided to do an online course to see where that might take me. "I then received an invitation to an interview with an airline based at Luton. After prayer and thought, I accepted the offer, however I was unsuccessful. "I was really disappointed but a small voice kept saying 'in My time not yours, it will happen I promise' and this gave me hope and kept me looking." In February, Tabitha did a training/interview preparation course at East Midlands airport. A week later, she found out an airline was holding open days which, after more prayer, she decided to attend. She was offered an interview and, to her delight, was accepted and is now on a six-month contract working on short-haul flights. She said: "I have no doubt in my mind this is where God wants me to be, and prayer has been a really big part of it. I am happy to discuss my faith with some of my colleagues if the situation arises, but my big thing is to show my faith through words and action. So what I say and do on a daily basis will hopefully let them see my faith in action. "The airline is very accommodating to all faiths and religions. This is shown in the tolerance and understanding everyone has for each other. Gatwick has a chapel and the Anglican chaplain is Jonathan Baldwin. It is comforting to know I have somewhere to go for services pre- or post- flight." Tabitha is eternally grateful to her parents as well as her faith. She said: "It may sound corny, but I do have to say my parents are amazing. They have stuck by me - especially during those dark times. "In regard to this new adventure I'm starting, they have been behind me from the beginning. We have prayer times together and I really feel this has been a big part in getting to where I am now. "I love the challenge of the job, I love doing something different every day and being somewhere different - even if you just stand on the tarmac I still think, 'oh, I'm in Egypt - and I love it'. My parents are obviously delighted. At the end of six months, the airline could offer me a permanent job or another summer contract - or just say 'bye bye'. I am praying for permanent."

Courtesy: https://www.churchofengland.org

Going on summer vacation? Don’t forget to click a picture! If you happen to visit or see a beautiful, historic Protestant church that you think should be on our EanMe cover, please click a hi-res picture and e-mail it, along with a short note about the Church, to fabiolaj@gmail.com

26

ENJOYING THE GOD-GIVEN GIFT OF WORK by Lee Truax

For the past several decades, I have met many in the marketplace who suffered from an identity crisis yielding genuine frustration. When work and

career have not gone as expected, despondency and depression often followed. Coming from a Christian worldview, my understanding of identity has long been grounded and rooted in an understanding that there is greater meaning and purpose in my life (and work) endowed to me by my Creator, the God of the Bible. Identity and purpose have become less clear as we have moved further toward removing faith, belief in God, from so many aspects of our contemporary lives. It now depends on the individual to confer meaning and purpose. “What does faith have to do with it?” has become a popular internal, if not externally voiced, question for so many issues we face. Rather than attempt to argue the larger questions, for a proper understanding of God’s interest in (and, in fact, dominion over all) issues of life, I’d like to take a pragmatic view that integrating the Christian faith into work, labor and creativity can bring purpose and fulfillment in the work experience. If we recognize and acknowledge work as a gift from God (given to us, the Bible states, prior to the Fall of Man), we are able to explore the original intent and purpose for work in our lives. I believe that work has been gifted to us by God, which means it comes with certain responsibilities as well. We are to work in a certain way (to God’s standards, if you will) that result in the bringing forth a great value to the society and community where the work is done. Work should be an addictive process, filled with value for the worker and those who benefit from the creative or sustaining act. Integration of faith and work allows and provides for a purpose-driven view of work. Work is to be done to the glory of God and celebrated as an endeavor that provides joy to the worker and blessings to the beneficiary. Work removed from the faith context (that is given to us by God) has been reduced to purposes far below the high position and calling originally given to it. Most today see work in terms of the individual rather than for the purpose of glorifying God and enjoying him in our work. We’ve seen work lowered to the purpose of achieving mostly personal financial benefit. It is not lost on the author that the coming generation is asking more of their work experience. The fact that millennials by and large are looking for

27

significance to their work is hopeful. Their work is often more an extension of their lives. When the only function of work is profit-centered — for personal gain and wealth — versus the recognition of the divine privilege of expressing the qualities and character of God who granted it, work becomes far less satisfying and far less beneficial to the society and the context in which the work is done. Work was meant to be an expression of what Christ called the greatest commandment — “‘and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31) This expression, this act of worship if you will, of doing work that demonstrates the love one has for God and to the benefit of one’s neighbor infuses our work with meaning and joy. Ultimately, the power of a faith-infused work is one that embraces and enjoys the great purpose that God intended for work. The challenge remains, even for the Christian, to think properly about work and faith. Many experience great and meaningful experiences in their Sunday worship, but begin their workweek on Monday completely devoid of a connection to their faith. The phenomenon can be called the “Sunday to Monday gap,” the “sacred and secular divide” or practical atheism. Call it what you will, but seeing all aspects of our lives through the lens of our faith in God can often be counter-intuitive. One of the most powerful images of joy in God-centered work is illustrated in the movie, “Chariots of Fire.” When Eric Liddell, the Scottish athlete portrayed in the film, is confronted by his sister over her perceived higher calling of a sacred missionary work to the work Liddell is engaged in, he responds with the blessing of an integrated view of work and faith. In the movie, he says, “I believe God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.” Exercising and enjoying the God-given gift of our work — the expression of our skills and talents in proper perspective — is our great privilege from God. It is in the infusion of our work with our faith that allows us to enjoy and reflect the pleasure of our God. Lee Truax is president of the Christian Business Men’s Connection and a 25-year veteran of the technology industry. He has personally enjoyed the process of applying faith to work and challenging others to do the same. Courtesy: http://www.washingtontimes.com/

Contributed by Arun Jacob

28

GEORGE LESLIE MACKAY

George Leslie Mackay was born on March 21, 1844 in Zorra Township, Oxford County in Canada to George Mackay and Helen Sutherland (Scottish immigrants) and was the youngest of six children.

After teaching elementary school for several years, he was able to earn enough money to enroll in theological studies at the Toronto Knox College. He also studied at Princeton Seminary, the University of Edinburgh and Queen’s University where he earned his Doctor of Divinity degree. Among his other achievements, he was elected to the highest honor the church could bestow, Moderator of the General Assembly and the Presbyterian Church of Canada. The missionary journey A month after he was ordained (September 18, 1871), George Leslie Mackay’s missionary journey began. He left his home in Oxford County and boarded a ship destined for Formosa (now known as Taiwan). It would be the longest trip of his life, but also the most rewarding. He arrived in Kaohsiung (aka Takao) Formosa on December 29, 1871. He spent six months visiting the English Presbyterian missions in the Chinese port of Shantou and in south Formosa, before travelling to the northern part of the island. As he laid his eyes upon the green mountains on the island it was clear to him that this was where his life’s work would be. Aware that in order to pass his message of hope along to the people, he had to learn the language, he set this difficult task for himself. He applied himself by learning 100 characters per day and within three months of his arrival; he was fluent in the local language. He actually learned the dialect from young shepherd boys he met on his travels. To make things easier for his students, he created a dictionary of 10,000 characters that was used for several decades. His dental mission George Mackay was not a physician. However he acquired a basic medical knowledge to relieve people's health problems. Toothache was a common occurrence and the methods by which the natives extract teeth are both crude and cruel. Mackay felt that even without dental training, he could do better. Mackay obtained a set of forceps and went to work. He is said to have extracted over 40,000 during his lifetime and to have become exceedingly expert. Many grateful people went away with a missing tooth and an experience hard to forget!

29

Mackay had a message to deliver to the good people of Formosa, and he had to come up with a way to deliver it. By combining his dental/medical practice with that of his Christian message, he was able to deliver on his goal of physically and spiritually helping the people. George Leslie Mackay has always been a man who forged his own path. He married a lovely Taiwanese woman, TuiN Chhang-MiaN, known to all as “Minnie Mackay.” Minnie proved to be a powerful draw to the mission and in raising funds (during their furlough in Oxford County in 1881-82) for the construction of Oxford College (now Aletheia University) in Tamsui. A little known fact about G.L. Mackay was that he was an enthusiastic collector of cultural artifacts and specimens of local flora and fauna. Much of what he gathered has formed the basis of a museum at Oxford College. Also, in the ethnology department of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, are artifacts collected by Mackay. Writing was another passion Mackay enjoyed and he helped to print the first newspaper on the island which, of course was a church bulletin in Taiwanese. He was determined to get his message out to all the people. Making a difference This exceptional man dedicated his life to bringing medical, dental and spiritual help to the people of Formosa/Taiwan. Mackay helped to establish more than 60 local churches, Oxford College (Aletheia University), the first girls’ school (Tamsui Girls’ School on the east side of Oxford College in 1884), and Tamsui middle school (this school went through many restructurings and name changes before ending as the Tamkang Senior High School). Mackay opened his first “hospital”, (inviting Dr. Ringer who served the English business community in Tanshui to help with the medical work) in 1873, but the first true western clinic “The Mackay Clinic” didn’t open until 1880 in Tanshui. This clinic was not originally named after Mackay but after an American shipping captain from Detroit. The captain’s wife donated $3000 (US) to establish this hospital honoring her recently departed husband. After Mackay died, operations at the hospital were suspended for five years. In 1906 a Canadian missionary doctor James Young Ferguson reopened it with the endorsement of the Canadian Presbyterian Church, changing the name to the “Mackay Memorial Hospital”. Rev. George Leslie Mackay passed away in 1901 of throat cancer and is buried in Tamsui, the place he called “home”. In 2008, an Opera celebrating Mackay’s life was performed in Taiwan. It was the world’s first-ever Taiwanese/English-language opera.

Courtesy: https://blog.tourismoxford.ca/

30

SUNSHINE IN MY SOUL TODAY

School teaching has never been an easy profession. Eliza Hewitt (28 June 1851 – 24 April 1920) found that out from personal experience. As a young schoolteacher in Philadelphia, she was disciplining a student who responded by striking her across the back with a heavy slate. For six months, she was in a heavy cast. All winter long, she was confined to her room. Finally she was released and allowed to take a short walk outside. It was a bright spring day, a day she would never forget. After she took her short walk, enjoying the azaleas of the springtime, she returned to write the joyful gospel song in praise to her Saviour `Sunshine in my soul today’. She was very committed to reaching children through Sunday Schools and attended various camp meetings. Her goal was to reach children through her poems with the message of the gospel. She was the superintendent of the Sunday school at the Northern Home for Friendless Children and an active member of the Mt. Olivet Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia. There is sunshine in my soul today, More glorious and bright Than glows in any earthly sky, For Jesus is my light. O there’s sunshine, blessed sunshine When the peaceful, happy moments roll When Jesus shows His smiling face There is sunshine in my soul. There is music in my soul today A carol to my King And Jesus, listening, can hear The songs I cannot sing. There is springtime in my soul today For when the Lord is near The dove of peace sings in my heart The flowers of grace appear. There is gladness in my soul today And hope and praise and love For blessings which He gives me now For joys laid up above.

31

REINHOLD NIEBUHR – THE AMERICAN THEOLOGIAN

In the summer of 1943, when Adolf Hitler's armies marched unchecked across Europe, a pastor in a remote New England village decided to write a

prayer: "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change," he began, "the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference." Now known as ‘the Serenity Prayer’, it is quoted extensively, yet few people know that it’s Reinhold Niebuhr who wrote it. In a widely cited New York Times column, President Obama created quite a stir during the early days of his Presidency, when he called Niebuhr his "favorite philosopher." Niebuhr lived during an age of global calamities. He was born in Missouri in 1892, the son of a German-born minister. He preached and taught theology during the Great Depression and World War II. He saw the suffering of workers at Henry Ford's auto plant -- lack of pensions, dismissals for sickness -- when he became a pastor in Detroit, Michigan, recalls Richard Crouter, author of the book "Reinhold Niebuhr: On Politics, Religion and Christian Faith.". "The greed of capitalism and the business class was huge in his mind," Crouter says. "It had to be combated." So would other forms of evil. Niebuhr wrote movingly about the power of nonviolence. But when Hitler rose to power in the 1930s, Niebuhr drew criticism from Christian pacifists and others for urging the U.S. to enter the war, says Jordan Copeland, an assistant professor of religion at La Salle University in Pennsylvania. Pastor and theologian Niebuhr served as pastor of Bethel Evangelical Church in Detroit from 1915 to 1928. The congregation increased to a significant number indicating that he could connect with people outside the German- American community. During World War I in 1917, Niebuhr inspired the German Americans to be patriotic to America and his appeals were often published in National magazines, which gained him a lot of popularity. He served as Executive Secretary of the War Welfare Commission during the war and also maintained his position as the pastor in Detroit. His earliest writings exhibit the religious liberalism and social idealism that pervaded the theological atmosphere of the time. But his experience in Detroit—and especially his exposure to the American automobile industry before labour was protected by unions and by social legislation—caused him to become a radical critic of capitalism and an advocate of socialism.

32

His ‘Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic’ (1929) is an account of his years in Detroit. Niebuhr left the pastoral ministry in 1928 to teach at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, where he served as professor of applied Christianity (from 1930) and was a great intellectual and personal force until his retirement in 1960. In 1931, Niebuhr married Ursula Keppel-Compton who was a Church member and studied theology and history at Oxford University. The couple had two children, a son named Christopher and a daughter named Elisabeth. As a theologian Niebuhr is best known for his “Christian Realism,” which emphasized the persistent roots of evil in human life. In his ‘Moral Man and Immoral Society’ (1932) he stressed the egoism and the pride and hypocrisy of nations and classes. Later he saw these as ultimately the fruit of the insecurity and anxious defensiveness of humans in their finiteness; here he located “original sin.” He emphasized the tendency for sin—in the form of destructive pride—to appear on every level of human achievement, especially where claims to perfection were made, either in religious or political terms. Niebuhr himself was a hopeful political activist and emphasized the good that could be achieved if pretentions were overcome. His outlook is well expressed in his statement that “the saints are tempted to continue to see that grace may abound, while sinners toil and sweat to make human relations a little more tolerable and slightly more just.” His literary works From 1941 to 1966, Reinhold Niebuhr was the editor of the magazine, ‘Christianity and Crisis’. He published several books throughout his career like ‘Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic’ and ‘Moral Man and Immoral Society’. In 1952, he published ‘The Irony of American History’, in which he interpreted the meaning of the United States’ past. His books ‘Moral Man and Immoral Society’ and ‘The Nature and Destiny of Man’ were his most prominent works which still influence and inspire politicians and leaders all around the world. Niebuhr received the ‘Presidential Medal of Freedom’ from President Lyndon Johnson in the year 1964. He died on June 1, 1971, in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, at the age of 78. The West 120th Street in New York was named the Reinhold Niebuhr Place honouring his teaching years at the Union Theological Seminary located on the same street.

Source: The Internet

33

BIBLE QUIZ FOR ALL The quiz is open to participants of all ages. Answers should be given by the 20th of every month. Late entries will not be considered. Answers should be mailed to sheebs@hotmail.com or given to Mrs. Sheeba Roshan in person. Names of participants with score will be mentioned in the next issue. Winners will be awarded at the end of the year. QUIZ 6 Portion: Exodus 21 – 40

Give answers with reference:

1. With what were the two tablets of testimony written? 2. In which month, year and day was the tabernacle reared up? 3. What is that which blinds the wise? 4. What were the five special gifts that God endowed Bezalel with? 5. Where did the Lord say, 'there I will meet with you'? 6. The Lord spoke with Moses ‘face to face'. What did this signify? 7. What offerings were brought by the following: A. Women with a willing heart. B. Women that were wise hearted and C. Women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom. 8. What should be returned by the time, 'the sun goes down'? 9. What was it that Moses did not know when he came down from Mount

Sinai? 10. The Passover was observed unto the Lord as a memorial for God's

protection and the freedom He granted. The Lord Jesus also observed this Passover. Where?

Answers to Quiz 5: 1. The plague of lice (Exodus 8:16, 17), the plague of boils (Exodus 9:8,

9) and the plague of darkness (Exodus 10:21, 22). 2. Seven days (Exodus 7:25) 3. Exodus 15:1 and Exodus 15:21 4. The land of Goshen (Exodus 9:25) 5. Pharaoh said this to Moses. (Exodus 10:11) 6. Sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina (Exodus 15:14);

The dukes of Edom shall be amazed (Exodus 15:15); It is said about the mighty men of Moab that trembling shall take hold upon them (Exodus 15:15)

7. Fourteenth Day (Exodus 12:6) of the First month (Abib month - Exodus 13:4) of the year (Exodus 12:2,14)

8. Moses said to the Lord twice that he was with faltering lips (Exodus 6:12, 30)

34

9. Because the boils were upon the magicians and upon all the Egyptians. (Exodus 9:11)

10. By the name of God Almighty (Exodus 6:3)

Points tally after Quiz 5:

May 2016 Aggregate

1 Adelene Mercy 10 50

2 Andrew Melvin 9 49

3 Aria Anna 8 28

4 Diya Rajiv 10 50

5 Felicia Williams 9 29

6 Jadon Dhyriam 10 49

7 Jason Travis Daniel 10 50

8 Jasweena Paul 10 50

9 Jeremy Roopsingh 9 49

10 Jessica Moses 8 48

11 Latha Chittaranjan 9 39

12 Natasha Jacob - 10

13 Rachel J 9 29

14 Santosh Dhyriam 9 49

15 Sharon J. - 28

16 Shreya Dhyriam 9 49

17 Sneha Rachel 10 50

18 Tasha Grace 9 49

35

GOD OF CREATION The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness; The world and those who dwell therein. Psalm 24:1

36

37

We welcome your original contributions to the EanMe in the form of articles, poems, Protestant church pictures for the cover, or information relevant to the season. Please send your entries by hard/soft copy to reach the STEC church office stthomasenglishchur@bsnl.in or fabiolaj@gmail.com by the 20th of every month.

You can read the current issue of EanMe online at http://www.santhomeenglishchurch.org/. A few earlier issues have been archived on `CSI St. Thomas English Church’ facebook page. Contributions are also invited for the Sunday bulletin. If you have any interesting information to share in the form of anecdotes, short stories etc. (around 100 words) relevant to the Sunday theme, please mail it to Kavita Edward: sandeekov@gmail.com We are on Social Media! ‘Like’ our Church on Facebook to stay updated https://www.facebook.com/StThomasEnglishChurch ‘Follow’@CSI_STEC on Twitter

Church bells A minister was walking to church one Sunday morning when he passed one of his members working in his garden. "Can't you hear those bells calling you to church?"

asked the minister. "Eh, what's that?" said the member.

"Can't you hear those bells calling you to church?" "I'm afraid you'll have to speak a little louder!" said the member. "CAN'T YOU HEAR THOSE BELLS CALLING YOU TO CHURCH?!" shouted the minister. "I'm sorry," said the member, "I can't hear you because of those darned BELLS!" Army of the Lord After the worship service one Sunday, the preacher was standing at the door as he always does to shake hands. He grabbed a not-so-regular member by the hand and pulled him aside and said to him, "You need to join the Army of the Lord!" The man replied, "I'm already in the Army of the Lord, Pastor." Pastor questioned, "How come I don't see you except at Christmas and Easter?" He whispered, "I'm in the Secret Service."

38

FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMMES

Sunday School : English: Sunday – 8:15 am

Tamil: Sunday - 4 pm

Tweens Fellowship : Sunday - 4:30 pm

Medical Centre : Monday, Wednesday & Friday – 4.30 to 6 pm

Women’s Fellowship : I and III Saturday - 5:00 pm

Men’s Fellowship : II and IV Saturday - 6:30 pm

Young Adult Fellowship : Sunday - 5:00 pm

Hospital visit : II Sunday - 10:30 am

PASTORATE

COMMITTEE

MEMBERS

Mr. Bright Joseph

Mr. Ajit Stanley Moses

Mr. Daniel Manickam Inbaraj

Mr. Ranjan Selvakumar

Mr. Roshan Soundarapandian

Mr. Gerald Joshua Divyaprabu

Mrs. Caroline Roopsingh

Mrs. Samantha Daniel

Mrs. Ramona Crownie Deva Anand

Mrs. Diana Prasathini Arjun

The Rt. Rev. Dr. J. George Stephen Bishop in Madras

Rev. D. Richard Ambrose Jebakumar Presbyter-in-charge

Mr. Milton Sigamoney Mr. Ajit Stanley Moses

Lay Readers

Mr. Benjamin Hastings Secretary

Mrs. Gemina Martin Treasurer

39

WORSHIP SERVICES – PLAN FOR JUNE 2016

Date and Time

Day Services and Preacher Theme Stewards for Bible reading and Offertory

5.6.2016 7.30 am

6.00 pm

Third Sunday after Pentecost

Sung Eucharist: Celebrant: Rev. D. Richard Ambrose Evensong: Mr. Milton Sigamoney

Witness through

Suffering

Jeremiah 15: 15 – 21 Psalm 13 Revelation 2: 8 – 11 St. John 18: 1 - 11 Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Packiaraj

12.6.2016 7.00 am 8.15 am 6.00 pm

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

Holy Eucharist: Celebrant: Rev. D. Richard Ambrose Matins: Mrs. Lilian Richard Holy Eucharist: Celebrant: Rev. D. Richard Ambrose

Community

in God’s kingdom

Micah 6: 6 - 8 Psalm 99 I Peter 2: 9 - 10 St. Luke 6: 27 - 36 Mr. & Mrs. D.S.B. Naveendhar

19.6.2016 7.30 am

6.00 pm

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Sung Eucharist: Celebrant: Rev. D. Richard Ambrose Evensong: Mr. Ajit Stanley Moses

Make disciples

I Kings 19: 15 - 21 Psalm 34: 11 - 22 Romans 16: 3 - 16 St. John 1: 35 - 42 Dr. & Mrs. Philip Doraiswamy

26.6.2016 7.30 am

6.00 pm

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

Sung Eucharist: Celebrant: Rev. D. Richard Ambrose Message: Mrs. Priscilla Dhyriam Evensong:

Mr. Milton Sigamoney

People of

God: flock of Christ

Genesis 35: 1 - 7 Psalm 98 Acts 16: 11 - 15 St. John 10: 1 – 6 Dr. & Dr. Mrs. John Nesan Dhyriam