Our Christmas Celebrations at Tubagere, and the journey, helped me to think of
the word which has been added to our everyday dictionary, "distance." People
were finding it so difficult to maintain distance between each other, and it was
difficult for us to enforce it. Close living and a new relationship as a community of
faith, was visible in all the celebrations and life as a community. The essence of
the celebration was the idea of "Abiding", which essentially means wholeness in
relationship, the one what endures and not momentary. To abide is to be present
with someone, and binds our relationship with God and each other, which is
closely related to the theme, 'Bearing fruit.'
On the way back from Doddabalapur, our journey helped me to think of the
imagery of the Vine and the Vine grower in John Ch. 15:1-11. We know that
villages around Dodballapur and Chickballapur are known for Vineyards.
Let me begin with one of my favourite stories from Fr. Tony de Mello, from, The
Prayer of the Frog (vol. 1), which sets the tone for our theme this month, as we
look forward to a year filled with promise, hope and courage.
A woman dreamt that she walked into a brand new shop in the marketplace, and
to her surprise, found God behind the counter. "What do you sell here?" She
asked. "Everything your heart desires," said God. Hardly daring to believe what
she was hearing, the woman decided to ask for the best things a human being
could wish for. "I want peace of mind and love and happiness and wisdom and
freedom from fear," she said. Then as an afterthought she added, "Not just for
me. For everyone on earth."
God smiled, "I think you've got me wrong, my dear," He said. "We don't sell fruits
here. Only seeds."
The Community of faith is vividly depicted in the image of the Vine and the
branches (John 15:1-17), and the aspect of abiding is closely connected with
bearing fruit. The way the branches are connected to the stalk of the Vine is a
description of believers abiding in Jesus Christ. We are observing distance to
help each other, but we miss our moments of fellowship and intimacy. But God
does not want the same in terms of our relationship with Him in Jesus Christ. We
thank God for helping us to bear fruit as a community, and here are some aspects
to thank God for:
Worship Services, Advent Programs:
We have continued to receive positive participation from believers both in the
church and online services. Each time it has beaten our expectations and helped
us to rediscover faith in the life of several of them who decided to participate in
the worship services. We had to make changes in view of the Government norms
and advisory, but it was a prayerful decision, and it did help everyone. Our digital
up-gradation is almost complete with the initial trial-and-error. Thanks to the
Team that has put in many hours of work and continue to do so. In addition, each
of the ministries coordinated special services and programs that was creative,
and facilitated sharing of compassion.
Asset Addition and Property Matters:
The Leadership Team is constantly helping to enhance and add to our assets.
New carpets have been added, and if you have observed, we have our own
serial lights that lit up our church during Christmas, thus we save a lot on rentals
each year. We are working closely to add lights to the Stained Glass Window,
and looking of professional help. The old Generator has been installed behind
the Parish Hall to support uninterrupted power supply in the Parish Hall and
Church Office.
Mission Field at Tubagere, Dodballapur:
The work towards the process of purchasing the land for the construction of
church at Tubagere is progressing, and we are waiting for legal documents as a
first step.
St. Andrew's School, Siddapura:
The completion and blessing of the renovated and improved Infrastructure at our
School, supported by the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Program is very
encouraging, and we look forward to be part of any CSR initiative in the future.
Our Staff Team is doing well and facilitating learning in the changed context.
St. Andrew's Centre for Learning and St. Andrew's Career Hub:
We are set to begin the classes and become a Hub for Learning and Career,
which is facilitated by the Education and Professional Network Committee
(EPNC). It is our prayer that this vision will expand to help people and support the
work of St. Andrew's School. It may be good to think of endowments in memory of
our dear ones, to support different streams of Scholarship. Education is
empowerment, and we must step up to support our children.
Partnership with CSI Bethany Ashram, Channapatna:
The Care for Elderly Ministry has extended the work among the elderly at CSI
Bethany Ashram, Channapatna. It is our hope that their involvement will help in
making the life of the elders there, better.
Reports from the other ministries of our church will follow later in this Newsletter.
We thank each one of you for your continued prayer and support. It is indeed very
encouraging.
Let this year be a 'Fruitful Year', which is possible because we abide in Him.
May God bless you
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