|
|
Dear Parishioners,
As you all are aware, the programmes planned by the
Organizing Committee of our Jubilee culminated on
Sunday, the 15th November 2009 with the Thanksgiving H.E.
Service and the Valedictory Public Meeting. Our Bishop
Rt. Rev. Thomas Samuel gave leadership and guidance to
the yearlong celebrations. Though we had to change the
venue of the Public Meeting from the University Senate
Hall to our Church at very short notice owing to
cancellation of our booking by the University of Kerala,
we consider the change as God’s providence, to be able
to celebrate the 150th year consecration day of our
Church in its premises itself. Every effort was made to
create the festive ambience in spite of very adverse
weather conditions. Most of the dignitaries who attended
the function commended the excellent arrangements made
and the large turn out of the audience all around the
Church. Many of our colleagues toiled day and night to
arrange for media coverage, design of Souvenir and
History Book cover pages and its contents, correction of
drafts and DTP for every bit of the schedule, completion
of all physical arrangements (pandal, lighting, sound
system, music etc…). Our dear Daniel George Achen
inspired everyone with his presence and continuous
guidance in all that we did, spending late evenings in
the church premises. The united teamwork of various Sub
Committees and the faith reposed in them by the entire
congregation was the hallmark of the yearlong
celebrations.
As your General Convener for the Jubilee Celebrations
representing the Church Committee, I take this
opportunity to thank every member of the Christ Church
Family for giving full support for all the initiatives
taken including the Jubilee Website, Jubilee Flag,
Jubilee Theme Song, Calendar, ‘TIDINGS’, Special
Valedictory Presentation and completing all the deferred
maintenance works including Rewiring of the church,
Modernization of the Sound system, Installation of the
Generator, the Alter table, Record of Ministers,
Renovation of Bell Tower and Church Bells, face lift to
the Cemetery etc.. We could not complete some major
projects finalized after detailed presentations and
deliberations in the Project sub committee and they are
being pursued actively for the required mandatory
permits and financial support. However, all the Mission
outreach and social service Projects taken up by the
Church Organizations would be completed shortly. I would
like to express a special word of thanks to all our
members who live outside Trivandrum and to former
members who grew up in this Sanctuary for their keen
interest and active support during the course of our
celebrations through greetings and prayer support. 42 of
our members came from various parts of the world for The
Great Family Reunion on 23&24 May 2009 and many old
choristers attended and sang during the Musical
Adoration Concert on 23 August 2009.We also had good
representation of our old members, friends and well
wishers during the Valedictory function. Prayers and
good wishes poured from all over the world from members,
sister churches, Bishops, Clergy and friends through
e-mail and through our website. This was indeed a
blessed period in the history of our Church. The Prayer
sub committee, all our achens and members of the
congregation interceded in their daily family prayer for
the Jubilee. Because of the prayers by all the members
of the congregation, all the activities ended, as the
Lord Almighty desired.
I will fail in my duty if I did not place on record our
sincere thanks for the Moderator of C.S.I., all the
C.S.I. Bishops, Bishops of our sister churches, the
Pastors attending the various programmes, the Maharaja,
all the invited dignitaries who attended the various
year long programmes for their appropriate participation
and guidance. The selfless service of all our staff
members deserves special thanks. The initiative taken by
all the sister orgainsations of the church in planning
and conducting the various programme during the year
long celebration deserves acknowledgment. The prompt
response and service of our member, Shri. Lalan George,
Dyana Studio, in covering all the functions during the
year and for arranging the group photographs for our
Souvenir is thankfully acknowledged
I am sure that we will be able to go ahead and seek
building permit for reconstruction of our Parish Hall
and also complete the Muttathara Church in the very near
future itself, with continued support and co-operation
from the congregation and all our dear ones in and
outside the country. The Souvenir, History and Project
sub committees will have to continue their activities
till we accomplish the tasks set before us.
On behalf of the Vicar, Church Committee and the
Organizing Committee for the Jubilee let me once again
thank everyone for what all we could achieve during the
celebration.
John Kurien
Church Warden |
|
|
|
|
