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Dear parishioners, With great joy, I greet you all in the matchless Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Our heart overflows with JOY and GRATITUDE as we think of the wonderful ways in which the Lord has blessed us during the past months of this year. He is the Almighty God who does supernatural things in our lives, things that are far beyond us to even think or

comprehend. However, we need to do only one thing. We should obey His word implicitly and we should trust Him without giving any room to doubt, without asking any questions and without reasoning out logically. This new month SEPTEMBER is going to be an important month in the life and witness of our church. The most important events that are going to take place are:

Annual Thanksgiving Festival on 06.09.2015. Confirmation Service on 13.09.2015 Elders’ Sunday and Congregational Meeting on 20.09.2015 CSI formation day on 27.09.2015.

ANNUAL THANKSGIVING FESTIVAL: Friends, giving to the Lord is an act of worship. Therefore, let us give GENEROUSLY to Him the best that we have. When we open our hearts and our hands and give generously, God is pleased and rewards us in wondrous ways. Let us look at the Cross. We will know how much the Lord has given to us – His own life! What prevents us then from giving Him our best? Another point is, when we give JOINTLY the result will be dramatic. Our own spirit may at times be dampened, but when we join with an enthusiastic giver, we will be motivated and continue to give to the Lord cheerfully and wholeheartedly. Shall we start giving today for God and His Church if we have not done so earlier? Let us recollect all the blessings that we have received in our lives these past days and acknowledge that it is from God Almighty. He is the source of all blessings. As family, friends and relatives even with our neighbours, let us come to the presence of God, with gratitude in our hearts and praises in our lips, offer ourselves first and then offer wholeheartedly our offerings. CONFIRMATION SERVICE: Confirmation means strengthening in the faith of God. When a child is born in our family, we as parents are expected to bring the child to the presence of God with praise, and offer the child into the hands of God in Baptism, taking the responsibility to nurture the child in the way of God. This is the first step in the life of the child in his or her spiritual journey. Confirmation is the second important

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step, in the life of that child when he or she accepts the responsibility as his or her own regarding faith. As it is impossible to rely upon our own strength, we commit the child once again into the hands of God, pleading with Him for His POWER from above i.e. HOLY SPIRIT. By laying his hand the Bishop prays to God for His grace. The basic understanding and expectation of this day can be listed as below:

Renewing once again the covenant with God. Professing the faith that we have in Jesus Christ and His

salvation. Completely committing ourselves to God Almighty, and to His

will. Preparing ourselves to receive grace for our spiritual journey. To pledge before God and believers, for a witnessing life in the

family, church and in society.

Let us earnestly pray for the Confirmation Service, for our children, and above all for our Moderator’s commissary The Rt. Rev. Dr. A. Rajavelu, who is going to confirm our children:

Alisha Mary Cherian Curie Hudson Jessica J. Jessica Milinda Arul Natasha Jacob Neha Naomi. P. Rachel Florence. J. Sharon Soundarya. J. Alvis. F. John Arul.

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING: We gather once in a year mainly to review the past year’s life and witness of our Church. Our concern towards all the ministries of the church can be expressed, and if needed, accordingly we can draw a ministry plan to achieve the goal. Let us pray and prepare ourselves for the meeting. God willing we will have the meeting on the third Sunday of this month i.e. 20.09.2015. This is our Church. Let all the families involve in all the activities of the church. If you have any doubts or problems do not hesitate to approach the Pastor. Come forward to have cottage prayer meeting in your home so that we will grow more in fellowship as well in the Lord.

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Come let us celebrate Jesus! His salvation! Let our talents be used for His glory! Be assured of my prayers at all times. Yours in His ministry, Rev. D. Richard Ambrose Jebakumar

Welcome to our Church!

We the family of

CSI St. Thomas English Church

take great pleasure in welcoming the

Rt Rev Dr A Rajavelu Moderator’s Commissary

to conduct our Confirmation Service

on Sunday, 13 September 2015 at 7:30 a.m.

It is indeed a privilege to have you in our midst.

We pray that God will guide and prosper you as you continue in your ministry for His glory.

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BEING GRATEFUL

Gratitude is no longer in fashion – as I learnt the other day. I was at the bank that’s down my street on a Saturday, and it was packed to the nines. I picked up a token and waited for my turn, and in

the meanwhile, feeling thirsty, I made a quick dash home to drink water. When I returned, I picked up another token just in case, but was relieved to find that my chance hadn’t come. After waiting for what seemed like ages, my turn came and just as I was leaving, I remembered the second token I had picked up and thought of giving it to someone. I saw an elderly lady entering the bank in a hurry and offered her my second token which would place her well ahead in the queue. And to my surprise, she grabbed it from my hand with a scowl on her face, and disappeared into the crowd! I was reminded of that A G Gardner essay ‘On saying please’ that I had learnt in school, where he says “Please and thank you are the small change with which we keep the machine of life oiled and running sweetly.” But sadly, ‘please’ too is considered an unnecessary appendage these days, often used to express exasperation or irritation! Giving thanks to God But what does the Bible say about expressing a word of thanks? 1 Chronicles 16:34, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” Yes, we need to take some time to thank God for the specific ways in which He has been merciful toward us, thank Him for forgiving our sins and express gratitude to Him for actively restoring us. Psalm 103 also teaches us how to express our gratitude to God. Many Bible scholars including Charles Spurgeon have written about Psalm 103 – a psalm of gratitude in which the redeemed Jews give thanks to God for their restoration. “It is a psalm of inimitable sweetness and excellence;” says Adam Clarke, as it “contains the most affectionate sentiments of gratitude to God for His mercies; and the most consoling motives to continue to trust in God, and be obedient to Him.” Extending God’s generosity The next step in expressing our gratitude to God is in being gracious towards others. While God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7), He takes greater delight when we extend our generosity to everyone, just like how He has extended the free gift of salvation to all. Thus a true expression of gratitude means not just sharing our wealth or possessions, but also our valuable time and resources with those in need. And for this, we need to go back to the new commandment of Christ in John 13:34 “…love one another: just as I have loved you…” For, as Amy Carmichael – that great missionary who rescued many young girls from a bleak and miserable life said, “You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.” Surely, she would know.

Fabiola Jacob

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Featured on the cover this month is the picturesque The Chapel of the Transfiguration, inside St. Thomas College in Mount Lavinia, Sri Lanka, clicked by Anila Manoharan. Located on Hotel Road, St. Thomas College is a premier institution, spread across one of the most beautiful campuses in suburban Colombo. Founded as an Anglican Church School by the first Bishop of Colombo, the Rt. Rev. James Chapman in 1851, St Thomas College has an illustrious list of alumni that includes four former Prime Ministers of Sri Lanka. The foundation stone for The Chapel of the Transfiguration was laid by the Bishop of Colombo, Rt. Rev. Ernest Arthur Copleston, on 13 October 1923, and the chapel was completed on 12 February 1927. It was consecrated by the Rt. Rev. Mark Carpentier-Garnier, Bishop of Colombo. Dedicated to the event of Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is apt for a school chapel where young lives are meant to be transformed into the image of Christ. On the eastern wall as a backdrop for the altar, is a breathtakingly stunning mural of the Transfiguration of our Lord by renowned Sri Lankan artist David Paynter. It is said that he used as his models the workmen and worshippers present while he painted. It is this mural that captures one's attention on entering the chapel.

The exterior of the building is of Byzantine architecture, with its elaborately carved heads of four massive outer pillars. The interior of the Chapel consists of a high and wide nave between the western entrance and gallery and the high altar in the eastern apse. The great roof beams, carved in a simple motif, are supported on pillars with unique designs. The High Altar, which has five crosses marked upon it is of fine Italian marble, grained with blue and coral pink. Above the west end of the Chapel is the gallery, which was intended to house the organ at some future date. It is reached by a spiral staircase and is without windows, originally to protect the organ from the deleterious effects of the monsoons. In 1938 Sir Stewart Schneider Trust gifted the College with a Hammond Organ, which is still in use. The Chapel has a reputation for high standards of Choral & Liturgical excellence with a world renowned choir. The Chapel has always been ‘High’ in its pattern of worship too and it is this heritage of Traditional Anglicanism, which continues to nurture the young Thomians of today. An important event in the College as well the Chapel calendar is the Service of Nine Lessons & Carols, styled on that of King’s College Cambridge England. It is held on the first Advent Sunday every year.

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THE JUST TRUTH In 1692, Harvard College adopted as its motto, “Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae” i.e., ‘Truth for Christ and the Church.’ Its crest showed three books, the top two books on the shield are face up while the bottom book is face down. This symbolized the limit of human knowledge and reason, and the need for God's revelation.

After decades that motto has been changed to “Veritas” – “Truth”. And the book has been turned face up to represent the unlimited capacity of the human mind. This symbolized a belief that there is no limit to man’s reasoning, and that God’s revelation is perhaps no longer needed. The pursuit of knowledge is praiseworthy, but learning can quickly lead to pride, and perhaps refusal to acknowledge any limit on our mental abilities. When that happens, Biblical truth may be ignored. What then is truth? A wise king wrote centuries ago, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” Proverbs 1:7

D.I.A Soundarapandian

Quick & Easy Science quiz

1. What is twenty-twenty vision? 2. Which material is used for making solar

cell? 3. What is the Indian name for solid vegetable

fat? 4. Which element has the symbol ‘W’? 5. What is the study of human body? 6. If a human does not have the pigment ‘Melanin’, he/she is

termed an ________. D.I.A Soundarapandian

Answers to the quiz are found on page 8.

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ARE YOU FRUITFUL OR BARREN?

I am a well-watered fig tree, With plenty of manure and breeze. Other trees with fruits are laden, I have only leaves as my burden. One day the master came for introspection, With a lot of expectation. He found me a burden to the ground, And asked the gardener to cut me down. The gardener was sad with remorse, He thought of a good idea to propose. He asked me to manure and tend me for another year, He was sure that I will have fruits to bear. Are you a barren tree? Do you with the Gardener’s idea agree? Start bearing fruits for the Master Or you will meet your doom faster.

Prema Jeyasundar

There's a story told of a husband and wife both of who were doctors - one a doctor of theology and the other a doctor of medicine. When their doorbell was rung and the helper answered, the inquirer would often ask for "the doctor". The helper's interesting reply was: "Do you want the one who preaches or the one who practices?"

EXCLUSIVE PRAYER A businessman who needed millions of dollars to clinch an important deal went to church to pray for the money. By chance he knelt next to a man who was praying for $100 to pay an urgent debt. The businessman took out his wallet and pressed $100 into the other man's hand. Overjoyed, the man got up and left the church. The businessman then closed his eyes and prayed, "And now, Lord, that I have Your undivided attention..."

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WHAT EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD KNOW

The chart below reveals how the Exodus Passover was a detailed preview of what would occur fifteen hundred years later at Christ’s Crucifixion.

The old Testament Passover

The Crucifixion of Jesus on

Passover A lamb was taken into the

house on tenth of Aviv Jesus entered the temple on the tenth of Aviv

The lamb was a young male without any blemish

Pontius Pilate found no fault in Christ

The lamb was examined for four days

Jesus was tested by leaders for four days

The lamb was slaughtered in the fourteenth of Aviv

Jesus was crucified on the fourteenth of Aviv

The lamb was killed at 3pm (between the evenings)

Jesus died at 3 pm (the ninth hour) Mark 15:25-32

A lamb was tied to the wooden pole

Jesus was crucified on a wooden cross

At Passover, the Hebrews discovered the protective power of the lamb’s blood (Exodus 12). Three marks on the outer door of Hebrew homes restrained the death angel from entering the houses. The blood of the lamb defeated the destroying angel. In the same manner, the blood of God’s lamb Jesus would also defeat the power of death. Rev 12:11

From ‘The Pulpit’ Newsletter dated April 2015.

G.Joseph

Answers to Quick & Easy Science quiz:

1. Perfect eyesight 2. Silicon 3. Vanaspathi 4. Tungsten 5. Anatomy 6. Albino.

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CHOIR SUNDAY – A REPORT

We gather week after week in our church, to participate in worship, praise the Lord and to celebrate the mysteries of our faith. We know that none of these would be so enriching if it were not for the presence of our choir. They are not there to

just sing hymns, but also to lead us in worship. Choir Sunday, which fell on 23 August 2015 was truly divine, with the opening hymn setting the theme. "Bless the Lord O my soul, O my soul, worship His Holy Name" prepared the congregation to worship the Lord in holiness. The choir rendered many interesting songs, in their inimitable style. “This is Your home, we welcome You today”, reminded us that the church is the house of the Lord, and we have to gather here laying aside our desires, to let Him have His way. “He was the talk of the town” and the medley of Negro Spirituals, were fast numbers which would have awakened even the dead! “I go to the rock and whom shall I fear” reminded us of Psalm 18:2 “Jesus my rock and my strength” and Psalm 23:4 “even though I walk through the valley of death I shall fear no evil”, amazing words and song to strengthen even the weakest. Mercy and Aria the budding vocalists, surely deserve a mention, and they totally rocked the song `The God of angel armies’! The message by Dr. Grace Rathnam was titled ‘Goshen in the land of Egypt - the favour of God’. She explained how during the ninth plague which struck Egypt, there was deep darkness over the land, whereas there was light in Goshen. Spiritually, Goshen is a place of abiding in the favour of God, and a place where God makes a distinction between His people and the world. The favour of God, which is the canopy of God's protection over our lives, blesses us with • Favour with man • Plentiful harvest in times of severe famine • Opens our eyes to see the Lord's presence and provision in times of distress. The favour of God can be activated by • Becoming a child of God (salvation) • Walking in obedience to His Word • By bringing our tithes and offering to His house • Expecting the Lord's favour at all times • Operating in the wisdom of God • Acknowledging the favour which God bestows on us each moment

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In spite of trying to please God and living according to His Word, we do ask “why this Lord?" whenever there is a trial or setback. As we read in Judges 6, we just need to believe in “I will be with thee”. That was a superb message by Dr. Grace Rathnam. Thanks Grace! Thank you Anila and team, for the songs which lifted our hearts in praise. The ladies looked stunning in green and the gentlemen handsome as ever, and as always, the choir looked beautiful.

Annamary Frederick My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Proverbs 4:20–22

Feed On The Tree Of Life When you watch documentaries or read news reports about a certain topic or problem, you’ll realize that often, no real solution is actually offered. The program or report will give you both the good and the bad in order to be objective, balanced and fair. So you’ll find that you don’t really gain anything, just more knowledge of what’s good and what’s evil regarding the topic. I’m not against watching documentaries or reading the news. But the problem with feeding your mind and soul with the knowledge of good and evil is that more often than not, with greater knowledge of a topic, you also become more confused, worried or fearful. My advice to you is to spend your time feeding on Jesus, who is the tree of life. When you feed on Him through His Word, you will find His wisdom, understanding, peace, joy and unmerited favor flowing in your life. And if you want to watch the television or read the newspaper, be selective. Guard what comes through your eye and ear gates! For example, if a certain program is putting fear in you, turn it off! The Book of Proverbs, which is chock-full of God’s wisdom, tells us, “My son, give attention to My words; incline your ear to My sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.” So tune in to what Jesus is saying and not what the world is saying. Feed on His words of life and His love and grace toward you, and the result will be life, wisdom, peace and health. Be wise today, my friend, and know what is truly good and beneficial for the wholeness of your body and mind!

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WOMEN’S SUNDAY – A REPORT

Women’s Sunday was observed on 30 August 2015, and the Women's Fellowship of our church took us along the journey of the Israelites through the wilderness to the promised land. They compared the events that happened in the journey with our day to day Christian life in this world, and made it interesting with songs, narrative and visuals. They started with the crossing of the red sea, when the Egyptian army was in hot pursuit, and how Moses divided the red sea with a rod of God in his hand. The women sang Don Moen’s “God will make a way, where there seems to be no way”, setting the theme for this Biblical journey. A map was used to illustrate the journey through the wilderness and it touched on the following places:

Mara - where the water was bitter. The Israelites could not drink that water and they were dying of thirst. Moses cut a piece of wood from a tree and put it into the water and the bitterness of the water changed to

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sweetness. Likewise, problems in our life make us bitter, and with the word of God it will turn sweet. Rephidim - where the Amalekites came to fight with the Israelites. Moses, Aaron and Hur climbed to the top of the hill. Aaron and Hur lifted Moses' hand one on each side, while Moses kept on praying. When Moses lifted his hands the Israelites won and when he put down his hands the Amalekites won. In the end the Israelites won the battle – thus prayer brings victory in our life! Mount Horeb – when they made a golden calf and were worshipping it as Moses was held up on the hill. God was angry with the Israelites – just as He is when we displace Him with idols in our life too. Taberah - where the Israelites were fed up with eating manna and so were grumbling against Moses and God. This shows that we should not grumble against God and be contented in our life. Kadesh Barnea - where Moses sent 12 spies to spy out the land of Canaan. Out of the 12, 10 people brought a bad report that there were Anaks in the land and so they cannot inhabit the land. Only Joshua and Caleb said that they can acquire the land. This shows that victory belongs to God alone in our life. Meribah - where the Israelites had no water to drink. God told Moses to speak to the rock. Instead, Moses beat the rock with his rod. Since Moses disobeyed God, God did not permit him to go to the promised land. There’s a lesson here - we should always obey the word of God in our life. Moab - where the Israelites were indulging in idol worship. God sent serpents into the camp which bit them and many of them died. So Moses made a bronze snake and lifted it on a pole. Those who were bitten by snakes were saved when they lifted up their eyes and saw the bronze snake. This shows that we must always accept God's will in our life. Mount Nebo – where finally God took Moses and showed him the promised land and Moses died there on the mount. God buried Moses' body. Thus eternal rest is found only in Him.

The Women’s Fellowship team led by Lillian Richard, along with Vinodha Jeyapalan, Iris Manoharan, Christleda Ponniah, Felicia Williams, Prema Samuel, Leena Ponnudurai, Vasanthi Premkumar and Rani Sigamoney, made it a Sunday to remember!

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TEN FINGERS FOR GOD BY DOROTHY CLARKE WILSON

This absorbing book narrates the life story of Dr. Paul Brand, son of missionary parents Jesse Brand and Evelyn Brand - featured in last month's EanMe.

The Brands had their missionary post at Kolli Hills of the Kalrayan range. Jesse Brand being a self-taught naturalist guided his children Paul and Connie to see the wonder and beauty of God's creation and to develop an innate gratitude to the Creator. The children's favourite pastime was climbing trees and roaming through the forest. They were taught at home by their mother and Paul used to do his homework perched on a tree branch and throw his notebook down to his mother. When he was 9 and Connie 6 the family went to England to leave the children with their aunt to have schooling there. The children missed life in the hills and could not adjust to city life. Their school years make fascinating reading.

As Paul was finishing school, news of Jesse Brand's death reached the children. To become a missionary like his father had always been at the back of his mind. Paul became a building apprentice because his mother thought, to be a missionary in India one must know how to build houses and structures. He learnt carpentry, plumbing and construction work for a number of years. At the end of his training, he took a short course in tropical medicine. He enjoyed this experience so much that by the time the course finished, Paul's ideas had undergone a change. He found that he loved medical work. So he decided to enter medical school.

Meanwhile Paul also underwent a course at the missionary training colony. The candidates had to live in wooden huts built by the trainees themselves. They were trained in Bible study and preaching - public preaching.

Paul met his future wife Margaret in the medical school. During the war years Paul and other students had heavy hospital work attending to the wounded brought from the war front. Paul married Margaret during a break in his FRCS programme. Later he got a chance to complete FRCS. The year at University College Hospital under famous surgeons was invaluable in the teaching experience and surgical training.

Dr. Robert Cochrane foremost leprosy specialist in the world wanted Paul Brand at Christian Medical College, Vellore. Before his second baby was born, Paul joined CMC. It was a voyage into the past as well as the future. He was going back to his native country. He just loved it. CMC

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was understaffed and Paul plunged into work 10 to 12 hours a day. He was teaching too. Then Margaret and the two children joined him.

Once Dr. Cochrane took Paul to Chingleput, to Lady Willingdon Leprosy Sanatorium of which he was the Superintendent. Dr Cochrane wanted Paul to do what he could for their deformed hands and feet after they were completely healed of leprosy. His idea was that Paul being an orthopaedic surgeon could help them.

The human hand had always fascinated Paul Brand. He was overwhelmed with a sense of wonder at God's creation of the human body. Leprosy affects the nerve ends of hands and feet and robs them of feeling. So when people get hurt, they do not feel it and ulcers develop and deformity sets in. Paul's concern for the healed patients was so intense that it was like a divine call. So he started his research in restoration of deformed hands and feet and was able to attempt different types of surgery to restore a deformed hand to near normalcy. He was always assisted by a band of dedicated staff. It makes fascinating reading to follow his surgical methods to suit different conditions. We can see Paul's heart of compassion throughout. National and international recognition came and he was the recipient of many awards.

Paul and Margaret had six children and all of them grew up and settled well in life – most of them following in the footsteps of their medical missionary father.

One has to read ‘Ten Fingers for God’ to enjoy the fascinating narration of the author Dorothy Clarke Wilson. You can pick up this book for reading from our Church library.

Christleda Ponniah

BASIC CONDITION TO ENTER HEAVEN If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale

and gave all my money to the church, would that get me into Heaven?" I asked the children in my Sunday School class. "NO!" the children all answered. "If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would that get me

into Heaven?" Again, the answer was, "NO!" "Well, then, if I was kind to animals and gave candy to

all the children, and loved my wife, would that get me into Heaven?" I asked them again. Again, they all answered, "NO!" "Well, I continued, "then how can I get into Heaven?" A five-year-old boy shouted out, "YOU GOTTA BE DEAD!"

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STEC MEN’S FELLOWSHIP JOSHUA & CALEB

(discussed in the meeting on 22-08-2015) The Lord God Almighty liberated the stiff necked Israelites from slavery in Egypt and brought them to the Promised Land Canaan, as earlier promised to their forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. However due to their wickedness and disobedience enroute, they were all eliminated by God except for the next generation youth along with Joshua and Caleb. Even Moses was allowed only to see the Promised Land, but not enter. The Lord had a soft corner in his heart for this blessed and picked pair, Joshua and Caleb, due to their righteousness and implicit obedience to him. Joshua, the son of Nun, from the tribe of Ephraim, was originally called Hoshea (a Greek form of Jesus meaning “Salvation”). He was renamed by Moses, when he became an aide to him and later his successor. He proved to be a great saviour of God’s elect. Joshua’s first appearance in the Bible was during Exodus, when Moses selected him to go and fight the Amalekites – which he did and blotted out their memory under heaven, as the Lord desired (Exodus 17:8-14). Next time, Joshua accompanied Moses up the Mount Sinai and stayed forty days and nights and received the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments from God (Exodus 24: 13 – 18). The book of Joshua brings out his further life achievements in detail. After the death of Moses, God assigned Joshua as his successor to lead the Israelites, who in turn, promised – “ Just as we obeyed Moses, so will we obey Joshua also” – (Joshua 1:17). Many of Joshua’s activities echoed those of Moses - Just as Moses sent 12 leaders, one from each tribe to spy out Canaan, Joshua also sent out two spies before he invaded Jericho (Numbers 13 & Joshua 2).

Just as Moses crossed the red sea with the Israelites, Joshua also crossed Jordon with his army, both crossing dry land (Exodus 14:22 & Joshua 3:17).

Just as Moses met God at the burning bush, Joshua also encountered God near Jericho. Both had to remove their footwear since the place they were standing was holy ground, with the presence of God (Exodus 3:5 & Joshua 5:15).

Just as Moses, as a final official act, called all Israelites to a covenant renewal (Deuteronomy is a preserved document), Joshua also before he died, once more assembled all the tribes

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at Shechem to a renewal of the covenant with God – perhaps to bid farewell also. At this time Joshua publicly makes his famous commitment – “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15) – which we even now repeat in Church during Covenant Sundays.

The book of Joshua further details the occupation of Canaan by the Israelites after defeating the tribes existing there and clearing the land. Joshua, as an able General of God’s Army, led them to victory. Thus he occupied the Promised Land and administered the division and allocation of land to all the 12 tribes. He also created the 6 cities of refuge and 48 cities for the Levite priests, who were not given any land. Joshua had his “ups and downs”. He conquered Jericho but lost at Ai, because of the sin committed by Achan (Joshua 5&7). There after he was cheated by the Gibeonites into making a peace treaty with them (Joshua 9). This affected his conquest to some extent. Joshua was God’s chosen agent to establish Israel in the Promised Land and “enter into rest”, which was partial and temporary. The striking conceptual association of this may be seen of God’s “Sabbath Rest” on the seventh day of creation. Also compare against the ultimate “Salvation Rest” entered by faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ (Refer Hebrews 4:1-11). Caleb, son of Jephunuch, was of the tribe of Judah. Caleb’s family members were highly held in the Old Testament at the various periods of history.

Caleb’s son Hur along with Aaron held up the hand of Moses with God’s staff, as directed by God, when the Amalekites attacked Israel. This act gave victory to the Israelites (Exodus 17:8-13).

Caleb’s brother was Kenaz, whose son Othniel was the first Judge of Israel (Judges 3:9). He delivered Israel from the oppression of the king of Mesapotamia, that ushered in a generation of peace for 40 years. Othniel married Caleb’s daughter Achsah. Caleb’s son Hur’s grandson was Bezalel.

When Moses needed master craftsmen to work on the Tabernacle of the tent of meeting, the Lord called Bezalel and “filled him with the spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge of all kinds of crafts” (Exodus 31:3). This splendid Tabernacle of Bezalel still stood in the temple built by king Solomon 300 years later.

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At the desert of Paran, the Lord commanded Moses to send representatives from the 12 tribes to go and spy out the promised land. Caleb represented Judah (Numbers 13). On returning, Caleb gave a rosy picture of the land and recommended to attack and occupy (Numbers 13:30).

But the Israelites rebelled against the Lord and planned to elect a new leader and go back to Egypt. The Lord in his anger declared – “not one of them will ever see the promised land” (except Caleb and Joshua) – but because My servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows Me whole heartedly, I will bring him into the promised land, and his descendants will inherit it” (Numbers 14:23-24). After years of desert wandering, when Canaan was being allotted to all the tribes of Israel, Caleb by then 85 years old, was allotted land and villages in the vicinity of Hebron, where he and his descendants settled down in peace.

The lives of Joshua and Caleb were fully devoted to God, and His every command was obeyed.

Their lives are a role model to us – How is our devotion to God? How is our obedience to God and His command?

Let us retrospect and be blessed.

Manoharan Gnanaolivu Convener

ENTRANCE TEST TO HEAVEN

Recently a teacher, a garbage collector, and a lawyer wound up together at the Pearly Gates. St. Peter informed them that in order to get into Heaven, they would each have to answer one question. St. Peter addressed the teacher and asked, "What was the name of the ship that crashed into the iceberg? They just made a movie about it."

The teacher answered quickly, "That would be the Titanic."

St. Peter let him through the gate. St. Peter turned to the garbage man and decided to make the question a little harder: "How many people died on the ship?" Fortunately for him, the trash man had just seen the movie and answered, "about 1,500." "That's right! You may enter." St. Peter then turned to the lawyer. "Name them."

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LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM THE BIBLE – BARNABAS The first mention of Barnabas is by Luke in his account of the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 4:36). He came from a Jewish-Cypriot priestly family but the Jerusalemite John Mark was his cousin (Colossians 4:10). Luke describes him as ‘a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith’. From this ‘good man’, we are able to pick up some leadership qualities.

1. He was generous Godly leaders are generous. Their ability to understand that it is because of His grace they are in this position is to be noted and appreciated. There was no legislation which prompted Barnabas to sell off his possession and bring the proceeds to the apostles. It was his concern. Through this we can infer that he was aware of his responsibility and the desire to share. His was an example of sacrificial giving. Leadership starts with a personal example

2. He gave a second chance Throughout the Scriptures we see that our God is one who gives us a second chance. A few examples of this could be seen in the life of, for example, Moses and David. Jonah’s book magnifies the sovereignty of God as well as the love and mercy of God. Jehovah is the ‘God of the second chance’, even for rebellious prophets. When the converted Saul arrived in Jerusalem, the disciples were all afraid of him and did not believe that he was a disciple (Acts 9:26). It was here that we see this leadership quality of Barnabas.

i. He was someone who insisted on believing the best of others. ii. He was someone who never held people’s past against them.

At this point it will be good for us to remember that it is the great attribute of God that He has not held our past sins against us. We should never condemn people because they once failed. Barnabas reflected the quality of Jesus through this action of his.

3. He was a great encourager When a great number of Gentiles were evangelised, it was Barnabas who represented the apostles at Antioch (Acts 11: 20-22). It was just the grace of God that they sent the man they did – they sent Barnabas, the man with the biggest heart in the Church. You will do well to remember that:

i. It was Barnabas who stood by Paul and had vouched for him when everyone around was suspicious of him (9: 27)

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ii. Barnabas had given proof of his Christian love through his generosity to those who were in need (4:36-37)

We read (Acts 11:23) “when he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord”. How important for us to encourage others in Christ. Barnabas was a great spiritual encourager. He was also a team builder. God’s work is team work.

4. He was a set apart pioneer Both Barnabas and Saul were set apart to do God’s work and they were called by God (Acts 13: 1,2). It was to Cyprus that they first went to (13:4). Barnabas was a native of Cyprus (Acts 4:36) and it would be typical of him to share his gracious heart, that he should share the treasures of Jesus first of all with his own people. The journey with Paul (Acts 13-14) beginning in his own Cyprus, resulted in a chain of predominantly Gentile churches far into Asia Minor and a surging Jewish opposition.

5. He believed in people When Paul was preparing for another journey (Acts 15:36-41), Barnabas wanted to take John Mark, but Paul would have nothing of a man who had previously deserted him. The difference between them was so sharp that they split up, never to work with each other again. It is difficult for us to say as to whether Paul or Barnabas was right. But this much we know that Mark was fortunate to have had a friend like Barnabas. The close partnership was broken, but not the friendship. It may well have been the friendship of Barnabas which gave Mark his self-respect and determined to make good. Barnabas believed in Mark, and in the end Mark justified himself (2 Timothy 4:11). Closing thoughts for us

God prepares and empowers ordinary people to do His extraordinary task

The Holy Spirit presents opportunities to every Christian to share the gospel

The Holy Spirit empowers believers to display Jesus in their daily lives

A Christian’s joy is not in his circumstances but in the privilege of serving the Lord

God can use unlikely situations and people to direct and advance His work

Chittaranjan Soundarapandian

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Love your enemies – is that even possible?

Have you ever had a friend or acquaintance who made a wrong choice for every right choice you made, yet in the end your friend seemed to face none of the consequences you faced? It’s hard to take, watching someone come out smelling like roses when you know the stinky stuff they’ve been rooted in.

If you can relate, then you can empathize with Jonah when God told him to go to Nineveh. Now, that was not just any field of service for the ancient prophet. It was Israel’s greatest national enemy. The Ninevites were citizens of Assyria, a brutal nation to the east, and Israel’s greatest threat. Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah 3:1–2. It’s no wonder that when the people of Nineveh did clean up their act (for a while anyway), Jonah was distressed. How could God sanction the redemption of a country like that? It didn’t seem fair. And in truth, at least from Jonah’s perspective, it probably wasn’t.

It’s tough to just do what’s asked of you and leave the fairness issue to God, isn’t it? It’s hard to see people receive good things when they’ve caused you (or someone you love) pain. Like when that philanderer is happily married or when the disloyal colleague gets a promotion you deserved. It’s even harder to facilitate their good fortune, like Jonah did. Jesus said to love our enemies, but when it comes right down to it, we’d rather not.

How do we get past our feelings and wish our enemies well? We grace them with the same kind of mercy with which God graced us without expectation of getting anything back in return (see Luke 6:35–36). We focus on God and on the good things He has given us and done for us. The key to countering the envy of another’s fortune is to be grateful for our own. And when we do that, we let go of the part of God’s job that we’d like to do—the finger-pointing. It’s just too hard to do our own work and God’s too. And He does it so much better! Since we don’t have His insight into the hearts and minds of those people we’d like to judge and condemn, it’s better for us to push aside our limited understanding of justice and just trust Him instead.

Courtesy: Zondervan

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CHRISTIAN WILLIAM GERICKE – THE VEPERY MISSIONARY

Christian William Gericke was born in Colberg (now a part of Germany and Poland) on April 5 1742. He was educated at Halle University. Hermann Francke, the German theologian who

had earlier recommended Schwartz and Jaenicke, also recommended Gericke to the S.P.C.K. which appointed him a missionary to India in 1766. Gericke took a dangerous and circuitous voyage to India, and had to face many difficulties on the way. “Devonshire”, the ship in which he travelled, took him at first to Anjengo and then to Bombay. While returning from Bombay to the Coromandel Coast, the ship was blown away by a gale which diverted its direction southwards to Port De Galle in Ceylon. There the governor, who was a Netherlander, invited Gericke to Colombo and wanted him to preach there to the numerous Germans. From Colombo, Gericke sailed on to Jaffna, Nagapattinam and at last touched Cuddalore, his destination, on June 26, 1767. Till 1788, Gericke worked at Nagapattinam, besides many other places. The Vepery Mission In 1788, Gericke was appointed missionary for the Vepery Mission as successor to Fabricius. While at Vepery, Gericke acted as the Dutch translator to the government, and he was also appointed as Chaplain to the Naval hospital. An outstanding missionary, Gericke rebuilt the old Vepery mission along with the other missionaries. His exemplary life and character drew every section of the community to him and he was known as the ‘Primitive Christian’. He was a man of some wealth, and used it to exercise his charitable and kindly disposition. When Gericke arrived at Vepery, the communicants at his first celebration of the Lord’s Supper were just 60, which soon increased to 127 by Christmas that year. He conducted services in English, Tamil and Portuguese on Sundays and week days too. In Vepery, his work was mainly among the Anglo-Europeans who were considered half-castes by both the Europeans and the natives. He even used his salary for missionary work, providing out of it for catechists and school masters and for poor native Christians, for whom he found employment in various wings. Gericke was also a faithful friend to prisoners of war – mainly from Holland and Denmark, who were abandoned by their governments. Gericke was also the chaplain and secretary of the male asylum (orphanage) which is now St. Paul’s School, and its’ Gericke Hostel

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bears his name. Thus Gericke was not only a true blessing to the Mission, but a father to a multitude of orphan children and adults. A travelling missionary In 1800 A.D., Gericke joined Joseph Jaenicke of the Tinnevelly Mission in his tour of Ramnad. In 1802 A.D., he toured Tirunelveli, along with Sathianadan. Gericke baptized many people in Tirunelveli district on October 2 1803. It may safely be affirmed that of all the missionaries of that period, Gericke was the most loved and respected, next only to Schwartz. According to Rev. James Hough, Chaplain at Palayankottai, “Gericke baptized thousand three hundred souls. So there were some accusations against him, that Gericke had baptized these large number of people without sufficient evidence of their sincere conversion to the Christian faith. But the assumption is completely ill founded.” Within a short period of his labour in Tirunelveli, Gericke visited many villages and added many to the Christian fold. He worked in the Master’s vineyard patiently for a long time and at last the reward came for his patience. He desired greatly to work among non-Christians from his earliest years and his tour round Tirunelveli gave him an opportunity to work among the people who had never known and heard of Christ in their lifetime. His happy family life was shattered by the loss of his grown-up son and daughter, yet he labored on. When his best friend Rev. Schwartz passed way, he nominated Gericke as the executor of his last wishes and designs for the benefit of the mission. Gericke went from place to place, preaching the Gospel and strengthening those who had already responded to the Gospel through the native priests and catechists. He travelled to Padmanabapuram, Sattankulam, Mudalur, Bethlehem, Navaladi, Kundal, Karikovil, Uvari, Taruvai and Manapad. He was responsible, along with David and Sathianadan, for the formation of new villages like Jerusalem and Nazareth. Wherever he went, the spiritually hungry people gathered round him and he prayed with them and preached to them. He helped them in their secular needs also. The poor people were heavily taxed beyond their means. He recommended their case to the Collector and redressed their grievances. No wonder the people loved him and considered him the most lovable missionary, next only to Schwartz. W Taylor in his book ‘The Earliest Protestant Mission in Madras’ remarks as follows: “The year 1802 A.D. was an extraordinary era in Gericke’s life. It was something like the sudden and peculiar gleam which the setting sun casts forth just beneath a cloud.….. by his coming to the Tirunelveli District members presented themselves for the ordinance of baptism.”

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Gericke was stricken with fever after the tour of the south. On October 2, 1803, while spending the night at Vellore, he told his servant that he was going. His servant thought that he was going to Madras and asked him not to go because he was very weak. But he was talking of his eternal journey. He died the same night at Vellore, and his body was buried at Vepery, Madras, on October 6, 1803. His funeral was attended by a large number of people, mostly destitute widows and orphans, the helpless, afflicted and poor for whom he was a benefactor, guardian, advocate and defense. Gericke was sixty one years old when he passed away, paving the way for the CMS missionary, the well-known C.T.E. Rhenius. Thus ended the greatly loved missionary’s life in this part of India, entirely given to the cause of preaching the Gospel and to the uplifting of the poor people in South India.

When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil... Proverbs 2:10–12 Involve Jesus

You don’t need a financial miracle when you are consistently walking in the wisdom of God. In other words, when you walk in His wisdom, you won’t be surviving from one bailout to another, nor be in a constant state of financial crisis and lack. My friend, God’s provision of wisdom is abundant and I want to challenge you to tap into this powerful resource from heaven today. How can you do this? By always involving Jesus in your decision-making. Before you make a career move, start a new business, or make a significant purchase or investment, involve Jesus. Don’t exclude the Lord. When someone pressurizes you to sign an agreement because the offer is “only valid for today,” take a step back. Don’t make an emotional decision and rush into it. Wait upon the Lord. Be prepared to walk away from this “great opportunity” if you don’t sense His peace and wisdom. Beloved, learn how to flow in divine wisdom. It will save you both precious time and money!

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NOW THANK WE ALL OUR GOD With the exception of `A mighty fortress is our God’, this is the most widely sung hymn in Germany, sung on occasions of national thanksgiving. Like many other great hymns, it was forged in the crucible of the Thirty Years’ War. Martin Rinkart (1586 – 1649), a German

clergyman and hymnist, was the only pastor in the walled city of Eilenberg. Many refugees fled there, hoping the walls would protect them, only to see the city overrun by Swedes, then by Austrians, and then by Swedes again. In the crowded conditions, hunger and plagues were chronic problems. In 1637, Rinkart conducted funerals for five thousand residents – including his wife. So when he prays `guide us when perplexed’, he is not talking about minor inconveniences. Yet thanksgiving erupts from this stately song. The tune, by Johann Cruger, was introduced with the text in 1644 while the war still raged. Translated into English from the German text Nun danket alle Gott, in the 19th century by Catherine Winkworth (1827 – 1878), it has a majesty and a resolve that few other works can match. We can thank God even during the most trying times. We can know God is with us `in this world and the next’. Now thank we all our God with heart and hands and voices Who wondrous things hath done, in Whom this world rejoices Who, from our mothers’ arms, hath blessed us on our way With countless gifts of love and still is ours today. O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us With ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us And keep us in His grace and guide us when perplexed And free us from all ills in this world and the next. All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given The Son, and Him who reigns with them in highest heaven The one eternal God, Whom earth and heaven adore For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.

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JOHN CHRYSOSTOM (C.349 – 407 AD)

John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, was an important Early Church Father. He is known for his preaching and public speaking, his

denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and his ascetic sensibilities. The epithet Χρυσόστομος (Chrysostomos, anglicized as Chrysostom) means "golden-mouthed" in Greek and denotes his celebrated eloquence. Childhood and youth John was raised in Antioch, a leading intellectual center of late antiquity, by his widowed mother, Anthusa, a pious Christian woman. His tutor was Libanius, the famous pagan rhetorician who had been a professor in both Athens and Constantinople. After his education, like many devout men of his day, the spidery John (he was short, thin, and long-limbed) entered monastic seclusion. But his ascetic rigors were so strenuous, they damaged his health (the effects would last his whole life), and he was forced to return to public life. He quickly went from lector to deacon to priest at the church in Antioch. During this time, he penned ‘On the Priesthood’, a justification for his own delay in entering the priesthood but also a mature look at the perils and possibilities of ministry. It was in Antioch where Chrysostom's preaching began to be noticed, especially after what has been called the "Affair of the Statues." In the spring of 388, a rebellion erupted in Antioch over the announcement of increased taxes. Statues of the emperor and his family were desecrated. Imperial officials responded by punishing city leaders, killing some; Archbishop Flavian rushed to the capital in Constantinople, some 800 miles away, to beg the emperor for clemency. In Flavian's absence, John preached to the terrified city: "Improve yourselves now truly, not as when during one of the numerous earthquakes or in famine or drought or in similar visitations you leave off your sinning for three or four days and then begin the old life again." When eight weeks later, Flavian returned with the good news of the emperor's pardon, John's reputation soared. From then on, he was in demand as a preacher. He preached through many books of the Bible, though he had his favorites: "I like all the saints," he said, "but St. Paul the most of all—that vessel of election, the trumpet of heaven." In his sermons, he denounced abortion, prostitution, gluttony, gambling, the theatre, and swearing. His large bald head, deeply set eyes, and sunken cheeks reminded people of Elisha the

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prophet. Though his sermons (which lasted between 30 minutes and two hours) were well attended, he sometimes became discouraged: "My work is like that of a man who is trying to clean a piece of ground into which a muddy stream is constantly flowing." At the same time, he said, "Preaching improves me. When I begin to speak, weariness disappears; when I begin to teach, fatigue too disappears." Kidnapped to Constantinople In early 398, John was seized by soldiers and transported to the capital, where he was forcibly consecrated as archbishop of Constantinople. His kidnapping was arranged by a government official who wanted to adorn the church in the capital city with the best orator in Christianity. Rather than rebelling against the injustice, John accepted it as God's providence. And rather than soften his words for his new and prestigious audience—which now included many from the imperial household—John continued themes he preached in Antioch. He railed against abuses of wealth and power. He lived an ascetic life, used his considerable household budget to care for the poor, and built hospitals. He continued preaching against the great public sins. His lack of tact and political skill made him too many enemies—in the imperial family and among fellow bishops. For reasons too complex to elaborate, Theophilus, the archbishop of Alexandria, was able to call a council outside of Constantinople and, trumping up charges of heresy, had John deposed from office. John was sent into exile by Empress Eudoxia and Emperor Arcadius. John was transported across the plains of Asia Minor in the heat of summer, and almost immediately his health began to fail him. He was visited by loyal followers, and wrote letters of encouragement to others: "When you see the church scattered, suffering the most terrible trials, her most illustrious members persecuted and flogged, her leader carried away into exile, don't only consider these events, but also the things that have resulted: the rewards, the recompense, the awards for the athlete who wins in the games and the prizes won in the contest." On the eastern shore of the Black Sea, at the edges of the empire, his body gave out and he died. Thirty-four years later, after John's chief enemies had died, his relics were brought back in triumph to the capital. Emperor Theodosius II, son of Arcadius and Eudoxia, publicly asked forgiveness for the sins of his parents. He was later given the caption of "Doctor of the Church" because of the value of his writings (600 sermons and 200 letters survive). Along with Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Athanasius, he is considered one of the greatest of the early Eastern Church fathers. He is commemorated in the Church of England’s calendar on 13 September.

Courtesy: www.christianitytoday.com

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A Bible quiz for children below 18 years of age, please encourage your children to attempt this quiz. Answers by hard/soft copy should reach Sheeba Roshan or the Church office or fabiolaj@gmail.com by 25 September 2015. Names of children who participate will be published in the October issue of EanMe. A special prize will be awarded at the end of the year to the winner of the quiz! QUIZ 9 BIBLE PORTION: REVELATIONS CHAPTERS 1 - 7

1. Describe the one who was seated on the throne: 2. Who were the ones adorned in white robes and where did they

come from? 3. Who shall see Him coming with the clouds? 4. Explain the mystery of the seven stars and the seven golden

lampstands? 5. Why would the people of Sardis not know the coming of the

Lord? 6. What is the reward promised to the one who overcomes? 7. In which city does satan live? 8. How many horses were there and what were their colours? 9. What was the sin of the people of Ephesus? 10. Why is God angry with the Church in Laodicea?

Answers to Quiz 8: Down: 1. JAMES – Jude 1 2. MICHAEL – Jude 9 3. CAIN – Jude 11 4. MOSES – Jude 9 5. ANGELS – Jude 6 Across: 1. JESUS CHRIST – Jude 1, 4, 17, 21, 25 2. ENOCH – Jude 14 3. BALAAM – Jude 11 4. JUDE – Jude 1 5. ADAM – Jude 14

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Points tally after Quiz 8:

Aug 2015 Aggregate

1 Aria Anna 10.0 80.0

2 Diya Rajiv 10.0 80.0

3 Jeremy Roopsingh 10.0 80.0

4 Jessica Moses - 20.0

5 Joshua Moses - 20.0

6 Melvin Roshan - 20.0

7 Mercy Roshan - 50.0

8 Natasha Jacob - 30.0

9 Rebecca Martin 10.0 80.0

10 Sneha Rachel 10.0 80.0

11 Tasha Grace 10.0 80.0

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life... Psalm 23:6 Pursue the Good Shepherd One day, when I was studying the Word, the Lord said to me, “Notice how goodness and mercy follow you in Psalm 23:6.” Then, He brought me to John 10:4, where it describes how the shepherd goes before the sheep and the sheep follow him. In a flash, the Lord opened my eyes to see a divine sequence: When you follow or pursue Him, the Good Shepherd, His goodness and mercy and all the blessings you need in life will follow after you! My friend, don’t pursue the blessings. Pursue the blesser—Jesus. As you pursue Him, you don’t have to be concerned about the blessings because they will follow after you! In fact, the Hebrew translation of Psalm 23:6 is much stronger and more aggressive. It literally says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall HUNT ME DOWN all the days of my life!”

Author unknown

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THE PERFECT GIFT

It was that time of the year when the Sunday School children visited the orphanage near their church and

distributed gifts. “We will be visiting the orphanage next Sunday” announced the teacher, “so please bring gifts that you think will be useful for the

children.” And to make their task easier, she had made a list of things that the children could bring, and it included notebooks, pens, towels, pillow covers, bed sheets and other essential items. Little Johnny loved meeting other little boys like him and a visit to the orphanage always made him happy. He liked distributing the gifts along with his friends, as the joy on the children’s face was truly priceless. So that Sunday, as soon as he reached home, he ran to his Dad and told him, “Dad, please get me gifts for distributing to the orphanage kids next Sunday. Here’s the list of items that my teacher said we could get…” and searching inside his bag, Johnny couldn’t find the paper! In all the excitement and eagerness to play after Sunday School, he had forgotten to put the paper inside his bag! “Don’t worry Johnny, I will get you something that the kids will love” said Dad and the following weekend, he brought a large box full of assorted biscuits. Now Johnny did not like biscuits so much, and he was a tad disappointed. He wondered if the kids would like it as much as the stationery and other accessories that his teacher had suggested. And on Sunday, while all the other kids brought their brightly packed gift boxes, Johnny took this large box of biscuits to Sunday School. Their teacher asked them to leave all the gifts and boxes inside the van that was to take them to the orphanage. When they reached the orphanage, they found all the children assembled, wearing their best clothes and eagerly waiting for the Sunday School children. “Oh how could I forget the refreshments!” cried Johnny’s Sunday School teacher. “What will we give them to accompany their tea?” “Oh don’t worry Aunty” said Johnny, “I have a large box of biscuits and that’s my gift!” And as they opened the tightly packed carton, they found the most delicious imported biscuits in a variety of flavours! And when it was teatime, the kids relished the biscuits and also told the Sunday school children that it was the best they’ve tasted. It was then that Johnny realized that “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father...” – James 1:17.

Fabiola Jacob

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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/eanme.pdf. A few earlier issues have been archived on `CSI St. Thomas English Church, Santhome’ facebook group. 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 SMS alerts Our Church office is now sending out SMS alerts about Church activities and important information. If you have not been receiving this SMS, please update our Church office with your current mobile number.

Birth: Gerald Joshua and Dorthy Evangelin blessed with a baby boy on 29 Aug 2015 Ebenezer and Merlina Samuel blessed with a baby boy on 31 Aug 2015

PRAYER POINTS In the light of fundamentalist activities all over India, pray that believers should be strong in their faith and not stray from the fold. Pray for Muslim and Hindu-background believers who are facing opposition from their family and community. Pray against the ISIL (Islamic state) who are systematically working on an ethnic cleansing program in the Middle East. Pray against the Al-Qaeda which is now planning a terrorist wing in India.

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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 : II and IV Saturday - 5:00 pm

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

Young Adult Fellowship : Sunday - 5:00 pm

Hospital visit : IV 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

Most Rev. Dr. G. Dyvasirvadam CSI Moderator and Bishop-in-charge

The Rt. Rev. Dr. A. Rajavelu

Moderator's Commissary

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

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WORSHIP SERVICES – PLAN FOR SEPTEMBER 2015 Date and

Time Day Services and Preacher Theme Stewards for Bible

reading and Offertory 6.9.2015 7.30 am 6.00 pm

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Annual Thanksgiving

Festival

Holy Communion: Rev D. Richard Ambrose Evensong: Mr Milton Sigamoney

Thanksgiving

Deuteronomy 26:1-11 II Corinthians 9: 6-15 Psalm 65 St. John 6: 26-35 ATF Conveners

13.9.2015 7.30 am 6.00 pm

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost Confirmation

Service

Holy Communion: The Rt Rev Dr A Rajavelu Moderator’s Commissary Holy Communion: Rev D Richard Ambrose

Our faith

in Christ

Ezekiel 36: 26-28 Romans 8: 12-17 St. John 14: 15-17, Acts 1:8 Confirmation Students

20.9.2015 7.30 am 6.00 pm

Seventeenth Sunday after

Pentecost Elders Sunday

Holy Communion: Rev D Richard Ambrose Evensong: Mr Ajit Stanley Moses

Aged: Sharing wisdom and

experience with the young

Joshua 23: 1-6 I Timothy 5: 1-10 Psalm 71 St. Luke 2: 25-35 Elders

27.9.2015 7.30 am 6.00 pm

Eighteenth Sunday after

Pentecost CSI formation

day

Holy Communion: Rev D Richard Ambrose Evensong; Mrs Lillian Richard

United

in worship

Ezekiel 37: 15-22 Ephesians 4: 1-6 Psalm 122 St. John 17: 20-26