ST MARYS JACOBITE SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, SEVEN HILLS, NSW 2147

NEWSLETTER

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Thank you everyone, for your kind support in making this wish come true! We, as members of Arise, were merely thinking aloud when we first came up with this idea of building a platform for the members of our congregation to develop and showcase their literary talents. At St Marys JSO Church, we deliver great quality stage events and organise lively outdoor games and activities; however written word is something that we have not had much of a medium of expression for on a regular basis. God willing, this is the channel we wish to open for the members of our congregation within our realms of scope by bringing out this journal.

Making a life in this distant land is hard enough, when do we have time to nurture our talents is the question that gets tossed around to a point where it becomes a clich! However, life is not something to be rushed about. Like listening to some relaxing music or going out on an interesting trip, pouring your thoughts on a sheet of paper (or on a computer key board) is yet another way of exploring the person that is you.

As mentioned in a couple of articles in this edition, there are traditions and then there are todays values. To stand your ground as a complete person, you will have to maintain your traditional values, yet be conscious of your present environment and circumstances. No man can be an island; said the

From the Editorial Board

Volume: 1 | Issue: 1 | October 2015

English poet John Donne, and be alienated from the society we live in. It is this reflection that we base our activities on as Team Arise, and everything we do draws us one step closer to this vision of ours.

We are certain that there will be challenges along the way; however we humbly solicit you to include these deeds in your prayers to unite all of us together to help surpass the hurdles. We are preparing ourselves to contribute our bit by putting in our best efforts, and leave the rest in His mighty hands, inspired by the verse, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me (Philippians 4:13).

In His amazing grace, it is our pleasure to present before you the first edition of the Arise journal. A warm welcome to all of you to have a read!

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Isaiah 60:1

2to have instructed the Indian in Christianity. 8In AD 345 the Patriarch of Antioch dispatched under the guidance of Koonnai Thomay, a wealthy merchant, a Bishop, some clergymen and four hundred and seventy two Christian families. They were viewed with kindness by the reigning Prince Sharon Perumal who established them at Kodungallor. Antioch supplied an uninterrupted succession of Bishops who governed in spiritual concerns, till the arrival of the Portuguese in 1498. There is a record of the arrival in AD 825, of a second colony of Syrians, headed by a merchant Sapor Iso and two bishops Mor Sabor and Mor Aphroth. The 9th and 10th centuries were good days of the Jacobite churches everywhere. These good days came to an end in 13th century, as a result the Malabar church was deprived of any regular succession of Bishops. In 1490 Syrian community of Malabar sent three faithful members to obtain a Bishop from one of the ancient sees and the two surviving members met Nestorian Patriarch Mar Simon, who was more than happy to ordain and send two bishops. Subsequently three more Bishops were sent in 1502. It was these Bishops who established Nestorianism in Malabar. Church of Rome started taking interest when Vasco Da Gama came to India for second time in 1502. The Syrian community then oppressed by the Mussalman and Hindus applied for protection to Vasco Da Gama. They were send back with presents and promise of protection from oppressors. In 1539 the first bishop of Goa, John de Albuquerqe send Vincent de Lago, a Franciscan Friar with special instruction to work for the accomplishment of the subjugation of the Syrian Church to the see of Rome. During this time Nestorians split into two and in 1681 Pope Innocent XI created a third patriarchate. Christians of Malabar received any one who arrived in their midst, the Syrians did not care to know.

A Brief History of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch and All The East in IndiaJesus looked at Simon the son of Jonah and said, 1You shall be called Cephas (Peter, a stone). When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples who do you say that I am? 2And Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven3Saint Peter established the apostolic sea of Antioch and blessed by the Apostles St Paul and St. Barnaba, the rest of the disciples and followers of our Lord, came to Antioch following the martyrdom of St. Stephen, the chief of deacons. The Apostles Peter and Paul consecrated two bishops, St. Ignatius to minister believers of Jewish origin and St. Evodius to minister believers of the Gentiles. After St. Evodius departed from this world the church of Antioch of both groups came under the leadership of Ignatius who called her the Universal church. The church of Antioch embraced diverse cultures especially Syriac Aramaic, the ancient language of Syria which was spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ, his blessed Mother St. Mary and His Apostles who knew no other language but Syriac according to Eusebius the church historian of the 4th century A.D. 4It is a well-established fact that it was the followers of Lord Jesus Christ who were first called Christians in Antioch.5In AD 313, Emperors Constantine and Licinius affirmed Galerius decision to legalize Christianity through Edict of Milan. In AD 325 Emperor Constantine invited every overseer in the Roman Empire to deal with the Arian heresy to the council of Nicaea. The Creed of Nicaea confessed the churchs belief in the Trinity and in the full deity of Jesus Christ. In AD 381, council of Constantinople denounced Apollinarianism, the belief that Jesus had no human mind. In AD 431, condemned Nestorius of teaching that Jesus was two separate persons, one human and one divine. 6The Roman Church in the local council held in Toledo (Spain) in AD 579 adopted a new version conversing the procession of the Holy Spirit differing from the decision of the council of Constantinople in AD 381 that the Holy Spirit from the Father. Toledo council decided that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Son as well. This was revert back by Pope Benedict in 1014.7According to tradition Apostle St Thomas landed at Cranganore in AD 52 preached Christ subsequently went to Mylapore and then to China and was on his return put to death at St Thomas Mount in AD 67 and buried at Mylapore. Among clergy from overseas, Pantaenus master of the school in Alexandria is said

1 John 2:422 Mathew 16:16-193 HH Ignatius Zakka speech during the reception of HH John Paul II at St George Cathedral, Damascus on May 6, 20014 Acts 11:165 Christian History by Timothy Paul Jones, PhD6 The Christian churches in Kerala7 The Cochin State Manual8 Memories of the Survey of the Travancore & Cochin State.

In Gods green pastures

It is no surprise that as we draw closer to God, the challenges that we have to face in our Christian life blows out of proportion. The struggles that we experience are triggered by difficult relationships, our egotistical natures, the challenges of life and the

continual struggle to surrender.Our consciences become three-dimensional as

it magnifies our follies, the inner voice speaks to us loud and clear as we find it difficult to sever our connections with the attractions of this world. Through the shadowy existence of our lives, God calls us to a life of service. Let us try three things, our persistence through reading Gods word, through prayer and through holy and good counsel. Do we seek Gods will in our everyday lives? As the famous Malayalam hymn goes, Ninte hitham pole enne nithyam

ANITA KURIEN

G U E S T A R T I C L E

Fr GEEVARGHESE KUZHIYELIL (Vicar, St George Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, Sydney)

(To be Continued...)

NEWSLETTER

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exemplary life of selfless service.My mother still demonstrates through her life and example, the usefulness of patience, prayer and the power of God in our lives if we humbly submit to his will.As mature adults, we have a similar responsibility to empower our youth, endow them with the armour of God that will embolden them in difficult times.

nadatheedenameBy imploring Gods wisdom and being consistent in our prayer life, He calls us to be his faithful witnesses.God calls us to be witnessing Christians. A new opportunity unfolds each day as soon as we step out of our comfort circles. Who are we called to serve? Is it possible to step out of our familiar world and offer solace to the poor, those in suffering, the orphaned, the widowed and those who yearn for comfort? The problem is we meet God outside of the seams of our box.We adopt the attitude that a life of service and devotion is meant for our ripe, old years.Well, as the words of the song goes"Give of your best to the master, Give of the strength of your youth, give of your hearts adoration, into the channel of peaceI grew up in a family where my father exemplified simple living. He once asked that I count every piece of garment I had and think in terms of excesses. Cutting of excesses is a training I received constantly.He then explained that in a land where the majority did not have one square meal a day, or a roof over their heads, he did not deserve anything more than that. He was renowned for his austere way of life. Years later in my mature adolescent years, my father bought a car and when with a childs quick disposition I jumped into it. My gentle father reminded me softly that I was able bodied to take the town bus. The car was used to usher sick people to hospitals.He passed away in December 2013; his counsel though remains a perennial source of wisdom which enables me to conquer the challenges of everyday life. Today, I remember with pride his

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An Acrostic Poem About a ChristianC ares about othersH elps his/her peersR eads the word of GodI nterested in othersS hares their knowledgeT rue believerI dentified by loveA dores GodN eeds others-Aleena Daiby

-Aleena Abraham (Senior)

-Rebecca Stephen (Sub-Junior)

-Raichel John (Junior)

-Anjelina Sibi

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Holy Qurbana of the Syrian Orthodox ChurchJIJU PETER

The east-Syriac word Qurbana and the west-Syriac word Qurbano are derived from the Aramaic term Qurbana. When the temple stood in Jerusalem, and the sacrifices were offered, Korban was a

technical Hebrew term for some of the offerings that were brought there. The Holy

Qurbana is referred to as complete worship, since it is performed for the benefit for all the members of the church. The other sacraments are celebrated for individual members. All the other sacraments are completed through the Holy Qurbana, thus it is referred to as the Queen of all Sacraments. As per the Syrian Orthodox liturgy, Holy Qurbana is divided into two parts.

As per our theological belief, during the first part of the Holy Qurbana the priest conducts service from the earth, called earthly service. The second part of the Holy Qurbana is called heavenly service. According to the Syrian Orthodox belief during the mass the bread and wine is converted to the body and blood of Jesus Christ, our saviour. As a Syrian Orthodox Christian it is mandatory that you receive the Holy Communion when you are attending the Holy Mass. Failure to do so means that you have not been a part of our lord Jesus Christ, (as we sing the hymn ). The priest celebrates the Holy Qurbana only for those who are receiving it.In the next edition, I will explain the different parts of the Holy Qurbana.

As a Parent What Do I Teach My KidsLIA JOSEPH STEPHEN

Children today have access to information and technology in a way that was unimaginable some years ago. This new generation also dubbed as the i Gen" can access things around the world at the flick of a button. We as parents of the "iGen" can sometimes

only shake our heads in disbelief at how naturally our youngsters take to this new era.

Often we are left wondering what the new normal is, and where do we draw the line?At times like this we are best to turn to the teachings of the One who is the same yesterday, today and forever. ( Heb 13;8). Like the wise man if we build our home upon Christ the solid rock, our children too will learn to stay firm when the storms of life hit them. When we allow God to become part of our everyday lives, in the small and big daily conversations, tasks and decisions we create space at home where the children too will turn to him for guidance. As Christians, we are called to be imitators of Jesus and children are imitators of parents.

So how can we in todays world do what Jesus did? Let me share a few examples.1. Treat others as you would like to be treated- Jesus never treated people as they deserved, Instead he chose to show love and compassion in all circumstances. We too can teach our children, by example, to make a choice to be kind even when they do not feel like it. Trust the Holy Spirit to enable us to do what we cannot by our own strength.2. Believe in yourself, your life has a purpose- Jesus had a clear purpose to fulfil on earth and he stood by it no matter

(To be Continued...)

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The movement to form the Church that later became St. Marys Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, was started when few Pathriarkees members decided to meet to discuss about forming a separate Jacobite congregation in Sydney. Until that day, all Jacobites

of Sydney were acting as members of the Indian Orthodox Church and celebrated the

holy Qurbana with them. The meeting was initiated by a letter sent by a few like-minded people to all the members of the Indian Orthodox Church encouraging the need for a separate Pathriarkees Church and calling all Pathriarkees members to meet and discuss about the future. The meeting was held at the Uniting Church on Frances Ave South Strathfield on Saturday the 28th of January 2006 and was attended by 18 adults. The meeting was however divided on whether to go ahead and start a separate Church or to seek clarification first from the Indian Orthodox Church on whether the Church is in any fashion an ecumenical one. As most people present were inclined on the latter, it was decided to give a letter to the Indian Orthodox committee headed by the vicar and seek clarification on the matter. A letter citing three essential requirements of the Pathriarkees members in order to continue as an ecumenical Church was handed to the vicar, the trustee and the secretary on the next day, 29th of January 2006. The letter also requested the committee to raise these issues in the general body that was scheduled on the 5th of February 2006. It was made clear in the general body held on the 5th of February 2006 by the vicar and others that the Church is purely an Indian Orthodox Church. Having clarified the issue, the members then got in touch with the Syrian Orthodox bishop of Sydney - H G MOR Malatius Malki Malki and sought his help in setting up a Jacobite congregation and Sunday holy Qurbana.

St. Marys Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, Sydney The beginnings ABRAHAM KURIAN

His Grace welcomed the idea with all his heart and offered the premises of St Ephraim Cathedral at Lidcombe, Sydney and the services of the priests reporting to him to help us with the cause. The first general body of the Pathriarkees members was then called for to be conducted on Saturday 11th of February 2006 in the presence of H G MOR Malatius Malki Malki. The general body unanimously decided to name the church as St Marys Jacobite Syrian Orthodox church, a name that was suggested by H G Kuriakose MOR Theophiles who was the head of outside India diocese at that time. The general body then elected a committee comprising of a Trustee, a Secretary and eleven committee members. The general body also decided to celebrate holy Qurbana every Sunday afternoon at 4pm. Thus, on Sunday 12th February 2006, Rev Fr George Alkam of the Syrian Orthodox Church celebrated the first holy Qurbana for the Pathriarkees congregation in Sydney. However, Very Rev Fr Zeki Zitoun who was the vicar of St. Ephraim Cathedral, Lidcombe replaced Fr George from the very next Sunday onwards. Fr. Zeki Zitoun has been very kind and celebrated the holy Qurbana for the Church until years later when a priest from Kerala was able to come to Sydney as vicar. At this point, as desired by many of the members of the congregation to be part of a Qurbana (mass) celebrated in Malayalam, the committee invited Very Rev Fr Peter Velamparambil (father of Mr. Jiju Peter, one of our congregation members) for the holy week session of 2006. Fr. Velamparambil kindly accepted our invitation and arrived in Sydney on 1st of April 2006. He celebrated the first Qurbana in Sydney in Malayalam on the next day of his arrival, 2nd April 2006 that was attended by over 80 people. Fr. Velamparambil also successfully guided the Church through the holy week of 2006, conducting numerous prayer meetings and giving spiritual guidance to the congregation.

Members and their involvement during the initial daysInitial letter to all members: Ashok Mathew Pothen, Paul Varghese, Abraham Kurian (Abey).First Committee: Paul Varghese (Trustee), Rony Stephen (Youth Activities), Abraham Kurian (Secretary), Pramila Anna Paul (Sunday School), Ashok Mathew Pothen, Nimi Kuruvila (Womens Activities), Eldho Jiju Peter, Jiji Varghese, Rajan Chandy, Baby Ambat, Varghese Paulose, Abraham Kulapurathu, Anju Ambat.First Prayer Meeting: Residence of Raju Varghese family.

the opposition. Likewise, no child of God is an accident and each of us is known to him by name. Teach our children that God loves them for who they are and as they are. As parents, we should strive to build trust in our children that we too love them unconditionally. We must help them understand that we may be angry or disappointed at what they said or did at times, but never love them less for it. It will help to develop their confidence and teach them to love themselves and therefore others as well.

3. Do not be afraid to give things a go Jesus never let an opportunity go waste. We need to teach our children to make use of the chances they get even if they make mistakes. Help them view mistakes as a chance to learn something new. That's OK to fail, because as Dr Kalam said it best, fail means "First Attempt In Learning". Failure is a teacher, the first rung in any ladder to success. And if we need to look for comparison, turn to Jesus. He is the only one we need to imitate.

6There was a time in life when I felt that I was a very ordinary person with limitations and thought people needed to be gifted by birth to be successful. In almost all different situation, I found myself repeating, "I cannot do this", "It's too big for me", "It is

not going to work out", and consequently, lost ambition, motivation and faith, and actually

bring about what I said to myself.But it all changed when I was met by a Catholic Brother in my college, who helped me write a prayer which was accidentally a Positive Affirmation. What is a Positive Affirmation? These are positive statements that describe a desired situation, which are often repeated, until they get impressed on the subconscious mind. This process pushes the subconscious mind to take action and to strive to make the positive statement come true.When you know how to use affirmations, you get a great tool for achieving success and for improving your life.So the real question is can you reprogram or rewire your brain?Yes - according to a 2007 Harvard Medical School study conducted with volunteers. I don't want to go to the depth of

Prayers can be your Positive Affirmation

the study, however the outcome was that the adult brain retains impressive powers of "neuroplasticity" - the ability to change its structure and function in response to experiences real or imaginary.What is my message to you?Repeated positive statements help you focus your mind on your aim. They also create corresponding mental images in the conscious mind, which affect the subconscious mind accordingly. In this way, you program your subconscious mind in accordance to your will. This process is similar to the way creative visualization works.The conscious mind, the mind you think with, starts this process, and then the subconscious mind takes charge. By using this process consciously and intently, you influence your subconscious mind, and in turn, it transforms your habits, behaviour, attitude, and reactions, and even reshapes your external life.My secret to you is Arise!!! Have a very personal prayer to GOD and make this prayer a Positive Affirmation Statement and transform your life.

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GIJO VARGHESE

NEWSLETTER

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On the 12th of September, the St Marys Jacobite Syrian Orthodox church celebrated

their annual Onam festival at the Uniting Church Hall in Wentworthville. The event kicked off with stunning performances by our very talented members and ended

with a delicious Onasadya. The songs, dances, and skits showcased various aspects of

Keralas culture and tradition including the Thiruvathira dance, Mohiniyattam and Vallamkali.Onam is an ancient harvest festival that is still celebrated with great devotion. The festival marks the homecoming of King Mahabali, a legendary king, who once ruled Kerala with a great love for his people. That period was believed to be the golden age of Kerala; people were content and lived in complete harmony and prosperity. On seeing this, the gods became

jealous of the King and pushed Mahabeli deep into the earth. Thus, the golden age ended. Satisfied by Mahabalis honesty and generosity, the Lord granted him his wish to return to his kingdom once a year to see for himself the flourishing cities of his realm. Hence, Onam has become an annual reminiscence of the golden rule of the mythical king. Whilst Onam is traditionally defined by its elaborate pookalams, ornate sarees, glorious feasts and fireworks, it is so much more than that. It is an opportunity for Malayalees all around the world to connect with our beautiful culture. Being a Malayalee who was born and raised outside of Kerala, it can be easy to lose touch with my roots. The Onam festivities are a reminder of the vibrant traditions that characterise the heritage of Kerala. I now wish to give a special thanks to Reverend Father Joseph Kunnappillil, the Onam event organisers, decorators, music production crew and hosts for coordinating the entire event and contributing to the success of the night. Their hard work and efforts behind the scenes are always appreciated.

SHILPA SAGY

The Onam Celebration

PHOTOGRAPHS FROM RECENT EVENTSFather's Day Celebrations, Arise Logo Release, Community Fruit Bowl, Bells & Baubles - X'mas program announcement, Onam Celebrations - Stage Event & Onam Games, Vacation Bible School for kids.

AchievementsCongratulations to Jerald Joby & Gregory George for securing placement through the Selective High School test.Congratulations to Melvin Rajan for completing Masters in Remote Sensing & GIS, Macquarie University.Congratulations to Bazil Chambakkottukudiyil for obtaining full membership at the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia.Congratulations to all our Year 12 Graduates!Aleena Abraham (Kogarah High School)Ashish Mathew Sagy (Northmead Creative Arts and Performing High School)Deuel Ranjith (Sydney Technical High School)Elizabeth Abraham (Cherrybrook Technology High School)

Jayver Varghese (Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox College)Joshua Kavanakudy (Hurlstone Agricultural High School)Congratulations to Ammu Varghese for winning the First 'Kalathilakam' title in Sydney Kalolsavam 2014 and receiving the Award from The Consul General of India in Sydney.Congratulations to all our members who participated in the Steptember challenge - an initiative to raise funds for supporting people with Cerebral Palsy.Team Arise (Geevarghese Kollannur, Genuine Basil, John Paul, Joshy Pulikotil)Aleena AnilBindu VargheseCongratulations John Paul on completing 14km City2Surf Marathon.

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2 - 4 Oct 2015, Fri - Sunday VBS

31 Oct 2015, Saturday

Church Annual Picnic Day

1 Nov 2015, Sunday

Feast of Mor Gregorios Chathurathil - Parumala

12 Dec 2015, Saturday

Bell and Baubles Christmas Event (at C3 Conference Venue, Silverwater)

24 Dec 2015, Thursday

Carol Night, Christmas Service

1 Jan 2016, Friday New Year Service

Events