Dearly beloved in Christ,

Greetings in the precious name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Let us give thanks to the Lord for helping us to enter into the second half of the year 2007. As time passes by we should be alert and prompt in doing our duties and responsibilities. The Annual General Body of our Parish was held on 3rd June. New office bearers and executive committee has taken charge and started functioning. I thank the outgoing office bearers and members of the executive committee for their meritorious service and wish all blessings and success for the new executive committee which has taken up the responsibilities.

The executive committee that met on Saturday, 9th June 2007 has chalked out the programmes of our parish for the new financial year. The details would be announced through the Bethel Herald from time to time. The committee has decided to have the Holy Communion services in English order on every 4th Sundays from July onwards. This will help the younger generation to understand the service and its meaning, as most of them are not able to follow Malayalam. Also this would help to bring out leaders from them when they involve more and more in the life and liturgy of our church.

Our country is celebrating 60th year of Republic on 15th August 2007. Thanking God for sixty years of political freedom for Indians. Developments in various fields have made Indians make their mark in the competitive fields of technology and IT in the world. At the same time paradox exists alongside. Let us pray for our country.

Our Parish Picnic is on the 15th of August 2007. I hope this event will be an experience of entertainment and relaxation for our members. The Parish Edavaka Mission is planning to arrange a mission tour to Pollachi Mission from the 21st to 23rd September 2007. Let this be an opportunity for the parishioners to have a first hand information with regard to the mission activities and needs of our Mission fields in Pollachi and around.

In the month of August special programmes are arranged for the Sevika Sangham week, Sangha Dinam and Senior Citizen's Day. Your prayerful participation is solicited. Diocesan Assembly, Diocesan Clergy Conference and Sabha Mandalam will be held in the months of July and August. Kindly uphold these events in your prayer. The Diocesan Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Geevarghese Mar Theodosius Tirumeni will be with us from 17th to 19th August 2007 for the Episcopal visit. Let it be a blessing for us all.

Onam, the festival of Kerala is round the corner. The festivity of Onam requires the community to come together in peace and harmony. Though the joy and prosperity of Onam is our expectation, this is also our responsibility. Let's play our part well. Then there will be God's blessings as our share.


The construction work of the new church building is steadily progressing. We need more financial resources at this juncture. Almost all the families agreed to contribute one month income for the church construction. I thank God for the members of our parish and for their whole hearted cooperation and prayerful support in all the needs and activities of our parish. I request your prayer and participation for the forthcoming programmes too.

The Sunday school has started from the first week of June. I request all the parents to send their children to the Sunday school. Remember the word of God: "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it" (Prov. 22: 6). I wish God's blessings upon all the programmes of our Sunday school.

The students as well as parents have become busy with the re-opening of schools after the summer vacation. In the twenty-first century with knowledge explosion, education takes persons to new heights, however still grappling with various bondages. The goal of education is primarily to create competent, confident, and self reliant citizens. Schooling alone does not nurture the entire potential of a child. Children who go through the system of education are under stress with much home work and coaching that push them to excel in today's competitive community.

Where both parents work, children have to fend for themselves. Jesus expressed concern for children and commended the childlike spirit. Children need to be allowed to play, explore and do those activities which they can do only as children. Academic excellence is not the only one parameter in today's world. Identifying a child's strengths and encouraging him towards realizing them is infinitely better than persuading him to do something he would rather not. Let me conclude my message with the following lines.

To know the will of God is the greatest Knowledge
To accept the will of God is the greatest Heroism
To do the will of God is the greatest Achievement
To have the approval of God for the work is the greatest Happiness

May God bless us,
Yours in Christ's Service

K. E. Geevarghese Achan

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