Lenten Season (Season to prepare, fast, pray and give which moves us towards the Cross)

Transcription

1 Lenten Season (Season to prepare, fast, pray and give which moves us towards the Cross) Even now, declares the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. ~Joel 2: 12

2 2 P a g e

3 Beloved in Christ, Lent season is a very significant in the life and activities of the church which enables to introspect and rededicate ourselves to God. We celebrate February 14 th, 2018 as the Ash Wednesday. From Ash Wednesday the church calendar entering into a new season called the Lenten Season. Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of blessing ashes made from palm branches blessed on the previous year s Palm Sunday and placing them on the heads of participants to the accompaniment of the words Repent and believe in the Gospel. Lent is masked by a time of prayer and preparation to celebrate Easter. Since Sundays celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the six Sundays that occur during Lent are not counted as part of 40 days of Lent and are referred to as the Sundays in Lent. The number 40 is connected with many biblical events, but especially with the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness. Christians today use this period of time for self-examination and repentance. Lent has traditionally been marked by prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Most Christian churches that observe Lent at all focus on it as a time of prayer, especially penance, repenting for failures and sin as a way to focus on the need for God s grace. It is really a preparation to celebrate God s marvelous redemption at Easter. The message of Ash Wednesday is that although it points to Easter, there is no shortcut to Easter. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of a journey that leads us through the Holy week, Good Friday and finally to Easter. The cross represents the vicarious suffering of Jesus. Christians believe that the way of the cross is also the Hope of the world. The cross of Jesus is a symbol of hope because it is associated with love, forgiveness, vicarious suffering and sacrifice. We read in the Gospel according to Mark 8: 34,35 If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever lose his life for my sake and the gospels will save it. Let us take up the cross and follow Jesus. May God bless us Rev. K. G Thomson 3 P a g e

4 February 4, 2018 (Malayalam Service) The Fallen -ness of Creation 1 st Lesson Genesis 3: 1-10 Mr. James Thomas Psalm 53 Ms. Suzane Mariam Joseph 2 nd Lesson Romans 3: Mrs. Jaqualin Varghese Gospel Reading Matthew 18: February 11, 2018 (English Service) Lent: A time of Reconcilliation 1 st Lesson Genesis 45: 1-15 Mr. Mathew Thomas Psalm 85 Miss. Cleo Mathew 2 nd Lesson Ephesians 2: Miss. Sharuna. S Shaji Gospel Reading John 2: 1-11 February 14, 2018 Ash Wednesday (Malayalam Service at 7:00pm) Cross: A Call to Self-Denial 1 st Lesson Joel 2: Psalm 32 2 nd Lesson Galatians 2: Gospel Reading Luke 9: February 18, 2018 (Malayalam Service) Touching the Untouchable 1 st Lesson 2 King 5: 1-10 Mr. Jacob Davidson Psalm 10: 1-12 English Mr. Revin Philip 2 nd Lesson Hebrews 13: 8-17 Mrs. Seena Thomas Gospel Reading Matthew 8: 1-4 February 25, 2018 (English Service) Life Saving Faith 1 st Lesson 2 Kings 4: 1-7 Psalm 72 2 nd Lesson Acts 5: Gospel Reading Luke 5: *** To be arranged by Youth*** March 4, 2018 Women s Sunday (Malayalam Service) Persistence in Prayer 1 st Lesson 2 Kings 20: 1-11 Psalm nd Lesson 1Thessalonians 5: Gospel Reading Mark 7: P a g e

5 The Vicar and members of the CSI Congregation of Dallas wish the following members a very Happy Birthday!!! Happy Birthday For we are God s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. ~Ephesians 2: 10 February 3 Mr. Blesson Jacob February 14 Miss. Neha A. Philip February 4 Mrs. Christine Tharian February 14 Mr. Alvin Kurien February 6 Miss. Anusha Sara Jacob February 18 Mr. James Thomas February 6 Miss. Cleo Mathew February 20 Mr. Rayan George Tharian February 8 Mrs. Saramma Thomas February 21 Miss. Maria Kaippalimalil February 8 Mr. Toby V. John February 21 Mr. Mathew Varghese February 9 Mr. Mathew Thomas February 24 Mr. Jacob Davidson February 11 Mr. Nikhil Jacob Itty February 25 Mr. Itty Eapen February 11 Miss. Sharuna S. Shaji February 27 Mrs. Seena Thomas February 13 Miss. Ann Mariam Jacob The Vicar and members of the CSI Congregation of Dallas wish the following families a very happy and blessed wedding anniversary! Sharing the good times, bearing the hard times, trusting in love to show the way. Laughing and living, trusting, forgiving together forever side by side, day by day February 11 February 14 February 24 February 26 Mr. Joseph Kurien & Mrs. Amminikutty Joseph Rev. A.V Thomas & Mrs. Mariamma Thomas Mr. Richardson Mathew & Mrs. Sherly Richardson Mr. Shelby Thomas & Mrs. Elizabeth Mathews 5 P a g e

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Parables Philippians 4:6 A parable is a story with a meaning. There are many parables told by Jesus in the New Testament. Jesus used parables to help teach people. Directions: 1) Match the picture to the parable. 2) Which books of the Bible can we find parables? Submit your answers to Annu Vinod by Sunday, February 25, 2018! 6 P a g e

7 Don t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 This past year the youth committee was able to have various activities for our youth. The committee enjoyed being able to serve and lead. We are grateful for the ways we have seen the Lord at work in our youth and also for the support of our church. The elected committee members for 2018 are as listed- Vice President: Rebecca Richardson Secretary: Ryan Tharian Treasurer: Rohan Sam Committee Member: Edwin Williams (Bony) Committee Member: Aaron Jacob We are excited for this new year as we continue to learn more about who God is and reflect on the ways He has been faithful to us. We ask that as a church, you continue to keep our youth in your prayers. -Julia Mathew 7 P a g e

8 Oh Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Psalm 95: 1 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) Bless the Lord oh my soul Oh my soul Worship His Holy name Sing like never before Oh my soul I'll worship Your Holy name Earlier this year, the worship song 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) was sung by a group of prisoners as they faced a 13-man firing squad in Indonesia. Worship leader Matt Redman, who wrote the song with Swedish songwriter Jonas Myrin, described the incident as profound. The prisoners in question included Bali Nine ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, who had been on death row for almost a decade for drug trafficking. All but one of the eight had turned to Christ since the start of their incarceration. They had become Christians, full on lifetransformed, and they were transforming other people s lives, explains Redman. Despite protests from across the globe, the authorities decided to uphold the death penalties. But when the day came for them to face the firing squad, something extraordinary happened. The prisoners declined the offer to wear blindfolds and instead stood and faced their executors. According to witnesses, they recited the Lord s Prayer, embraced one another, and sang two songs, Amazing Grace and 10,000 Reasons, before their voices were drowned out by gunfire. Reflecting on the incident, Redman says: I don t think it gets more profound than that. Firstly, as a worship leader, that s the most amazing act of worship I ve ever heard of. Secondly, it tells me that you can face anything in this life and still be found with a song of worship on your lips, even a firing squad. And thirdly, I just thought, how did that song end up there? What an amazing thing. Surprisingly, 10,000 Reasons almost didn t make it onto the album Redman was working on. I thought, Oh that s a bit simple, it s a bit folky, he recalls. It doesn t have a pre-chorus, it doesn t have a bridge. That s how silly I am. We had, like, 20 songs to choose from. Hand on heart, without a team around me I may not have put that on. But the song soon gained traction, more than justifying its inclusion on the album and the album title, 10,000 Reasons. It seemed like the song was connecting with people, he says. I think some of the songs that have travelled round the most for us I had no clue when I was writing it; had no clue when I was recording it. Sometimes you just write your heart out, record it and just see what God does with it. 8 P a g e

9 One prisoner who was due to be executed alongside the eight was spared almost at the last minute. Mary Jane Veloso had been caught at Yogyakarta Airport in April 2010 with 2.6kg of heroin in her possession. She was sentenced to death and her appeals were rejected. But the 30- year-old mother-of-two maintained that she had been tricked into travelling to Indonesia from her home in the Philippines to begin a new job as a maid. She alleged that she had been given new clothes and a bag that, unbeknown to her, had heroin sewn into the lining. On the day she was due to be executed, the woman accused of duping Veloso turned up at a police station in the Philippines seeking police protection. She claimed to be receiving death threats and was taking into protective custody. At the 11th hour, Indonesia issued a reprieve for Veloso, stating that she was required to testify against a perpetrator suspected of human trafficking. Veloso was transferred to a prison in Yogyakarta and her legal team plans to launch another appeal, stating that she was a trafficking victim. When the news of the reprieve broke, activists cheered in the streets and the hashtag #MaryJaneLives trended on Twitter. Veloso s mother Celia told reporters: A miracle has happened to my child. Dead Ducks Don't Flutter Many years ago, a wealthy man went duck hunting with a hired hand named Sam.They took a horse and carriage, and along the way a rim came off one of the wheels. As Sam hammered it back on, he accidentally hit his finger. Instantly he let go with some bad words. He quickly fell to his knees, asking God's forgiveness. "Lord, it's difficult at times to live the Christian life", he prayed. "Sam" said the man, "I know you're a Christian, but tell me why you struggle so, I'm an atheist, and I don't have problems like that." Sam didn't know what to say. Just then two ducks flew overhead. The man raised his gun and two shots rang out. "Leave the dead one and go after that wounded bird!" he shouted. Sam pointed at the duck that was fluttering desperately to escape and said, "I've got an answer for you now, Boss. You said my Christianity isn't any good because I have to struggle so. Well, I'm the wounded duck and struggle to get away from the devil. But you Boss, you're the dead duck!" That insight fits Paul's description of his Christian experience in Romans 7: Struggle is one evidence of God's work in our lives Forgiveness of sin is available, so don't despair. Remember, dead ducks don't flutter. 9 P a g e

10 Noah's Ark Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah's Ark. Don't miss the boat. Remember that we are all in the same boat. Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark. Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big. Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done. Build your future on high ground. For safety's sake, travel in pairs. Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs. When you're stressed, float awhile. Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals. No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting. Where's The Piccolo? At certain times in life we may feel insignificant and useless. Surrounded by people with greater talent than ours, we are tempted in our weak moments just to settle back and let somebody else do the work. We reason that what we have to offer won't make much difference anyway. We forget the truth suggested by our Lord's use of five loaves and two small fish to feed a multitude (John 6:1-14) Each of us has something important to offer in His service. Sir Michael Costa was conducting a rehearsal in which the orchestra was joined by a great chorus. About halfway through the session, with trumpets blaring, drums rolling, and violins singing their rich melody, the piccolo player muttered to himself, "What good am I doing? I might just as well not be playing. Nobody can hear me anyway." So, he kept the instrument to his mouth, but he made no sound. Within moments, the conductor cried, "Stop! Stop! Where's the piccolo?" It was missed by the ear of the most important person of all. It's much the same way with the use of our abilities for the Lord. Whether our talent is great or small, the performance isn t complete until we do our best with what we have. 10 P a g e

11 The Trumpet February 2018 First and foremost, I want to thank, praise and glorify Almighty God for His guidance and being with me for the last year. I want to thank all the congregation members who encouraged, supported, authored articles & provided photos for the newsletter, especially want to thank Julia Mathew for the Youth Corner, Sreejith John for the Choristers Corner & Annu Vinod for the Sunday School Corner of The Trumpet. May God Bless all of you in 2018!!!! 1. Tele Prayer We will have Tele prayer every Friday at 8pm to 9pm. Tele Prayer conference number is , the access code is followed by the # sign. Please find time to join the tele prayer. 2. Women s Fellowship Prayer There will be women s fellowship prayer meeting on the first Wednesday of every month at the parsonage from 10:00 am 12:00 pm, the prayer is led by Sheela Kochamma. 3. Ash Wednesday Beginning of Lent Lenten Season begins on February 14th Ash Wednesday, we will have our Ash Wednesday service on 14th at 7 pm. Let us come together and worship Almighty God and earnestly prepare ourselves for the Lenten season. 4. Dedication of 2018 Office Bearers The dedication of the newly elected 2018 Church executive Committee members and Auxiliary organization office bearers will be held on Sunday 02/04/2018. Congratulations to all the newly elected office bearers and let us uphold them in our prayers for God s guidance in all matters 5. Prayer Requests Please pray for those who are sick and recovering, especially Annamma Eapen (Eapen Achen s Kochamma) Reshmi Abraham 6. Thank You! I would like to Thank Almighty God for the providence that he had provided us as a congregation last year, for the 2017 committee and personally, through all ups and downs. Thanks to Achen & Kochamma for their guidance and all congregation members for their support and well wishes for the last year. May Almighty God continue to bless each one of us and may the Lord provide the wisdom from above to the newly elected committee. God Bless you! - Shelby Thomas 11 P a g e

12 Mr. Cherian Varghese Vice President Mrs. Tessymol Kurien Secretary Mr. Viond Philip Joint Secretary Mr. John Thomas Treasurer Mr. Vinn Varghese Joint Treasurer Mr. Eapen Samuel Warden Mrs. Mariamma George Warden Mr. Jacob Jacob Committee Member Mr. Mathew Kaippalimalil Committee Member Mr. Roshan Abraham Committee Member Mr. Sreejith John Auditor Position Name Vice President Miss. Rebecca Richardson Secretary Mr. Rayan Tharian Treasurer Mr. Rohan K. Samuel Committee Member Mr. Edwin Williams Committee Member Mr. Aaron Jacob Position Superintendent Name Mrs. Annu Vinod Position Name Choir Director Mrs. Rayni Tharian Secretary Mr. Sreejith John Organist Mr. Rayan Tharian Organist Miss. Trifeena James Committee Member Mr. Rohan K. Samuel Committee Member Mrs. Happy Johnson Committee Member Mrs. Elizabeth Mathews Position Name President Mrs. Sheela Thomson Vice President Mrs. Rayni Tharian Secretary Mrs. Deepa John Treasurer Mrs. Lisa Jacob Committee Member Mrs. Betty Cherian Committee Member Mrs. Jaqualin Varghese Committee Member Mrs. Aleyamma Thomas Committee Member Mrs. Mabel Mathew And Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3: 23-25) 12 P a g e

13 No Matter what happens. Some memories can never be replaced Mr. George M Varghese & Mrs. Mariamma George Mr. George Poyikail & Mrs. Cissy Kuruvila Mr. Cherian Varghese & Mrs. Leelamma Varghese Mr. Bobby Tharian & Mrs. Rayni Tharian 13 P a g e

14 Mr. William George & Mrs. Jolly William Mr. Daniel Thomas & Mrs. Mary Daniel Mr. Jacob Abraham & Mrs. Liza Abraham Mr. Jacob Jacob & Mrs. Anjana Jacob Mr. Mathew Daniel & Mrs. Aleyamma Mathew 14 P a g e