Youth Retreat : Youth & Family - Rev. V. M. Mathew

We had 28 members attending the one day Youth Retreat organized by the St Paul's Yuvajana Sakhyam on Jan 26th - Republic Day - at Scripture Union, ECR, Chennai. We started off from church after breakfast at around 7:30 AM.

Main speaker for the meeting was Rev. V. M Mathew with Rev. Gigy Thomas presiding over the outing.

Rev. Gigy Thomas gave the Presidential address. calling the Youth to have a sense of belonging and spirituality. He asked the Youth to understand the context we live in and should learn to share resources, skills and give! He asked the youth to live for God's glory.

Rev. V M Mathew talked to the Youth on Youth and Family. The day was split in to three sessions. Session 1 & 2 were on Bible study. Session 3 was for games and interaction.

We started off with Mr. Thomas Mathew (Tom) First year student of Gurukul Seminary leading us with some beautiful songs.

Session I
Started of by reading from Judges Chapter 14-16 and Samuel  1-3.

The main theme was how God worked in the families of Samson and Samuel. Some of the highlights :
Samuel followed the vow made by his mother on he being dedicated as a Nazerite to God.
Samule lived in the presence of the Lord always. Followed the Nazrite vow deligently.


Samson broke the Nazerite vow of keeping away from wine, dead (sin), growing their hair - Read more about it in Numbers 6. Samson also did not know when the Lord's presence left him when his hair was shaved.  Samson also lived in his own comfort and was not fully obediently to God's will.


In general we see that Samuel was able to transform God's blessings to him for God's glory.
God has blessed us in many ways. He gave us good homes, jobs, safe place to live, education etc. Are we able to transform these blessings for God's glory ? Achen called upon the youth to live lives that are pleasing in God's sight.


Session II : was dedicated on Family. He talked about the importance of Family in the life of the Youth.

Family values thrive on dependency on one another. However the modern way of life individual mobile phones, bed rooms etc encourage individualism. We need to keep the basics of family in our minds and maintain our relationships well.

Two types of families - Functional and Dys-Functional.

Functional Families - Have positive aspects and are non-judgemental. Each member is accepted as is. There is also a free operation of various roles like child, father, mother etc. There is also healthy attachment and deattachment. Family needs love, care, support.

Family life can be better if each other accepts the possibilities and difficulties that come in each others life. Success syndrome is also one reason for the failure of married life. We should learn to accept failures too as that has an impact on our personal relationships too.

Family of Jesus was an epitome of relationship and the relationship between Joseph and Mary was based on obedience to God.

He also called up the youth to have a responsible relationship. Especially with parents when they are old. Have respect for parents and old people. He emphasized on the need for the need for basic communication in the family.

Session three had games organized by Christo, Jerin and Biju. We started back to church at 4:45 pm.

Overall the outing was a blesssing for all who attended and brought more fellowship among the youth members.

Marthoma Convention Chennai Center Youth Meeting - Jan 7th 2012

The 14th Annual Chennai Center Marthoma Convention for the Youth was held on Jan 7th 2012. The main speaker for the meeting was the Rev. P. P. Thomas, Professor of Old Testament, Bishop's College, Kolkata.
Rev. P P Thomas played different roles prior to being a Professor. He was the Bishop's secretary, involved with the Dharma Jyoti Theological Collecge, School Manager Institute of Deaf & Dumb Kasargod.


The main theme:
Diagnose your-self and see if you have an unclean spirit?

Mark 5:1-20
The current way of life has deteriorated in terms of integrity and pays more focus on efficiency. There is also lesser interaction and relationship between people. Achen asked the youth to look in to one self.

In the sermon, he talked about the characteristics of the person with an unclean spirit in the above Bible portion and check if there are similarlities in our own lives!


The person with an Unclean spirit was living in a tomb. There no one talks to each other. Do we talk to our neighbours in our flats ? If not, we must examine ourself and see if we are living in tombs ! People who do not want to connect with others are like the dead.

Luke 8:27.  When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs.

The unclean spirit was not dressed properly. Are we scantily clad and is our dressing pleasing in the sight of the Lord. Are we dressed like this unclean spirit filled man ? Remember we dress for others, so modest  dressing is important in our culture.



The man with the unclean spirit could not be tamed.He was having an uncontrollable personality.
We must make sure as youth we do not behave like that to our parents. Teenage is a time when there is more rebellion. However we should understand that our parents know better and are doing things for our good.


The unclean spirit was torturing/destroying the body of the man. Are we addicted to alcohol/ tobacco that kills the body ?
At each step of the above, examine yourself and see if you similarities of an unclean spirit.

The unclean spirit was called Legion  Mark 5:9 which is like a Roman battalion. Do we have a split personality? Do we  behave differently in church and at home and in school?


When you have a confrontation with Jesus a person with an unclean spirit will be cleansed. Our life will change dramatically. Achen called upon the Yuvajana Sakhyam members to be missionaries in our own work places and in the church by bringing our own youths to church. Whatever context we live in, we have our opportunities to bring glory to God. Lets use those opportunities.

Rev. P. P. Thomas

Rev. Biji Mathew, President Chennai Center Yuvajana Sakhyam

Jan 26th Yuvajana Sakhyam Youth Retreat at Scripture Union Campus, ECR

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say,  "I find no pleasure in them"   - Ecclesiastes 12:1

Adyar St.Paul's Mar Thoma Yuvajana Sakhyam's retreat will  be on Thursday (26th Jan 2012). 

We will start from at 7.00 AM from Church. So please be present at 6.45 AM. Breakfast will be arranged in church.

There will be a registration fee of Rs. 200 per head to cover food and transportation expenses.

I invite you all  to be part of this event and make use of this opportunity to listen to the word of God. As part of this event we have arranged games and activities which will help you build friends along the way.

Please make use of this great opportunity and be blessed.

You are welcome to bring your friends and any family members. However please remember to enroll your name in advance.

See you on Thursday morning :-)

--
Thanks,

SPMC YS, Adyar

Registration of our Yuvajana Sakhyam

Friends,

Its that time of the year we have to prepare a list of members to be registered with the St Paul's Marthoma Yuvajana Sakhyam Adyar. We have compiled an initially list and was published in church.

This is for your information. Please contact the Yuvajana Sakhyam Secretary or the President (Vicar) for details.

If we do not get any other comments we will go ahead with publishing without furthur notice. 


Thanks,

Biju.

SPMC YS.

Convention Day One : Marthoma Convention Chennai Center 2012

Inaugural day of the 14th Annual Chennai Centre Marthoma Convention held at St.Paul's Mar Thoma Church, Adyar on 6th Jan 2012 at 6:30 PM.

 

The convention was presided over by Rt. Rev Dr. Isaac mar Philixinos Thirumeni

 

Guest Speaker: Rev Dr. P.P. Thomas of Bishop's College, Kolkata,

 

The Convention was attended by all Vicar's of the various Marthoma Churches in Chennai & members from all the Marthoma parishes across Chennai. The following is a list of Achens who attended :

Rev. Gigy Thomas (Vicar St Paul's MTC)

Rev. A. T. Zacharia

Rev. Josie Joseph

Rev. Thomas Mathew

Rev. Prakash K George

Rev. B Mathew

Rev. Sajesh Mathew

Rev. Y Alex

Rev. Joby Thomas Samuel

Brief Summary of Bishop's message:

Highlighted that in this New year we need to be faithfull to our Master, Jesus Christ & lead a life which is guided by the spirit of the Lord. We should keep away our worldly goals and set more humaine goals in your life. He also hopped this convention will help us to come more closer to our Lord.

 

Brief Summary of Guest speaker's message: TURN TO GOD

 

Based on the Biblical verse from Isaiah 5:2
He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.

The Lord put us on this beautiful earth for a purpose. We must never forget the times when the Lord helped us tide over difficult times & now when he has blessed us abundantly, we must be thankful for his grace. However In the current times we are chasing worldly goals driven by pride and greed. Take this opportunity to TURN TO GOD! Let 2012 be a new beginning.

The message has enough small stories to keep the congregation engaged. 

 

Friends please do attend the Youth meeting tomorrow at 4 PM and be blessed.

 

 

Chennai Center Mar Thoma Convention 2012

The 14th Annual Chennai Center Mar Thoma Convention will be held from January 6, 2012 to January 8, 2012 at our church. Rev.Dr P.P Thomas (Bishop’s College, Kolkata) is the guest speaker of the convention.


We have a youth meeting @ 4pm on Saturday.


We request all Yuvajana Sakhyam members to attend this youth meeting.