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Click here for Newsletter in PDF
| September 2002 |
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Inside this Issue
1. Message from the Vicar
2. Verse for the Year
3. A Prayer - Poem
4. Birthdays
5. Wedding Anniversaries
6. Encouragement
7. Bible Reading for September
8. Announcements
9. Deadline for article submission
10. Oracle - Poem
11. Bible Quizzes
12. Malayalam Bible Quizzes
13. Answer to last Months Bible quizzes
14. English Bible Quizzes |
Dearly beloved in Christ, LOVE LADDER THERAPY
The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my
flesh, she shall be called woman for she was taken out of man." Gen 2:23
Adam called Eve "woman" because she was taken out of man. But
she was taken "out off" man due to the entry of sin. Sin takes us "out
off" others. Man takes himself "out off" woman and woman takes herself
"out off" man. This is called sin or alienation. Salvation is the mission of God
through which he brings people together and heals the wounds of alienation. What about our
wounds? What about our alienation from ourselves, from others, and from God? Christ is the
wounded healer and wants to heal our wounds of alienation and disobedience. Are we
"out off" his reach? Love is the ladder to reach those who are away. Jesus used
the ladder of love on the cross, not to come down from the cross but to climb up the
cross. Love ladder only ascends, never descends. Why don’t we use this ladder in our
interpersonal, family, and spiritual relationships. Woman was taken out of man to
establish a new relationship in creation. This does not make woman inferior to man or man
superior to woman. This is only a formula of relationship. Bring in the love ladder in the
man-woman relationship, not the superior-inferior formula. Sin brings superior-inferior
formula and salvation brings love ladder relationship. When woman was taken out of man,
both became capable of giving and taking love. But if woman is taken "out off"
man, both will become only capable of giving and taking hatred. "Bone of bones and
flesh of flesh" reflects the unity and integrity of creation. Here we see a sense of
belongingness and an exclusive identity. There is a oneness and also an otherness.
Balancing the oneness and otherness is the key to a successful man-woman relationship.
Since woman is taken out of man, there is space for each other, a space to give love and a
space to receive love. Let us create space for each other and bind us together with the
love ladder. Love ladder therapy is indeed the Biblical prescription for sin or
alienation!
In His service,
Behanan Achen |
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Raise your eyes now and look from this place where you are northward and southward and
eastward and westward." Gen 13:14 |
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Looking Back and Ahead
Help me, Lord, not to grumble for things I do not have
Help me, not to complain about what I do not receive
Open my eyes to see abounding blessings, seen and unseen
Restore to me a thankful heart, and lips singing praises
Hopes from those least or out, fathomless blessings may abound
Hurts from those dear and close, bring to you for blessings
Tears of love seasoned in time, glee from those thoughtful friends
Tapestry so intricate, you alone blend and mend together
Make me a blessing to your children, great and small
Make me your image that reflects your pure agape
Help me always to focus on you, author of true faith1
Help me to surrender for your perfection, O master potter2
Thank you for arms underneath everlasting, O my refuge3
Thank you for engraving me in your palms4, O my beloved
Thank you for love, surpassing my mother’s5, O my redeemer
Thank you for help in years past, my hope for years to come
1Hebrews
12:2, 2Jeremiah
18:6, 3Deuteronomy
33:27, 4Isaiah
49:16, 5Isaiah
49:15
Thomas Philip
The vicar and the members of Atlanta Mar Thoma Church wish the following members a very
happy Wedding Anniversary. Please plan to attend the celebration communion service on the
Sunday following the occasion.
Mr. Ajith P. John & Mrs. Anita V.
John
Mr.Cherian Thomas & Mrs. Aleyamma Cherian
Mr. George P. Kurien & Mrs. Susan Kurien |
The vicar and the members of Atlanta Mar Thoma Church wish the following members a very
happy birthday. Please plan to attend the celebration communion service on the Sunday
following the occasion.
Shajan Thomas - Sept. 19
Mrs. Anita V. John - Sept. 28
Ashley Alexander - Sept. 26
Cigie George - Sept. 25
Mrs. Susan Kurien - Sept. 21
Mrs. Annamma Mathew - Sept. 26
Mr. Jacob Thomas K. - Sept 13
Marin Varghese - Sept. 24
Joshua Jacob - Sept. 9
Mr. Joy Varghese - Sept. 8
Mr. K.M. Thomas - Sept. 22
Megha Mathews - Sept. 14
Mr. Mathew Varughese - Sept. 12
Nisy Philip - Sept. 19
Remya Raju - Sept. 10
Mr. Rajan Jacob - Sept. 14
Mr. Roy Jacob - Sept. 13
Mrs. Rachel Roy - Sept. 7
Dr. Simon Thomas - Sept. 18
Mrs. Leni Thomas - Sept. 19
Mrs. Shobha Thomas - Sept. 3
Mrs. Susan Alex - Sept 17
Joshua Thomas - Sept 22
Mrs. Saramma George - Sept. 10
Mr. Varghese A. Chacko - Sept. 13
Anila Varghese - Sept. 24
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Philip A. Chacko |
It can be seen in the New Testament
that Barnabas was a close associate of Apostle Paul. Barnabas means, son of exhortation or
encouragement. Encouragement is a profound and powerful word. There is nothing more
powerful in the world than encouragement which would get the best out of a man. To have
the feeling that someone is willing to encourage you to achieve great things in life is
very comforting and motivating.
-Parents must encourage their children for Colossians 3:21, Paul says, fathers do not
embitter your children or they will become discouraged.
-Employers must encourage their employees, if you expect to get the best out of him or
her. A pat on the shoulder or a sincere and honest word of praise goes a long way. An
honest and sincere word of appreciation does not make a man proud, but humble.
A word of encouragement to a preacher can be a deed of infinite value. To know someone
appreciates you and takes note of all the hard work you put in, makes a world of
difference. Even a person who does the most insignificant looking job, in a church, needs
a word of encouragement at times.
Let me illustrate the power of encouragement by citing a small
story. Once there was a fire in a big city skyscraper. Firemen were climbing up and down
the ladders rescuing people from the topmost floor. At one point, one of the firemen was
bringing down something wrapped in white cloth ! People in the ground saw fierce flames
and the fireman trembled as he saw the fire raging around him. It seemed to him that his
life as well as the precious burden he was carrying was going to be engulfed in the fire.
It is at this time his Fire Chief cried to his men, "cheer him boys, cheer him".
He ascended safely and one more life was saved. Oh, you and I are to give cheers and
encouragement to a needy world.
Prophet Isaiah wrote this excellent verse, "They helped
everyone of his neighbor; and everyone said to his brother, be a good cheer". The
following poem is taken from "Knights master book of new illustration".
I know Something Good About You
Wouldn’t this world be better
if folks whom we meet would say
"I know something good about you",
And treat you just that way?
Wouldn’t it be splendid,
If each handshake good and true,
carried it with this assurance:
"I know something good about you",
wouldn’t life be happier,
If the good that’s in us all,
Were the only thing about us
That people would recall?
Wouldn’t our days be sweeter,
If we praised the good we see;
For there is a lot of goodness,
In the worst of you and me?
Wouldn’t it be fine to practice,
This way of thinking too;
You know something good about me,
I know something good about you?
-Church of Christ Advocate |
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| Date |
Lesson1 |
Lesson2 |
Epistle |
Gospel |
| Sept 1, 2002 |
Prov 8:1-12 |
Titus 2:1-8 |
Col 1:24-29 |
Mark 1:21-28 |
| Sept 8, 2002 |
Micah 4:1-7 |
2 Cor 5:11-21 |
Rom 12:9-21 |
Matt 5:1-12 |
| Sept 15, 2002 |
Esth 7:1-10 |
Acts 16:11-15 |
2 tim 1:1-5 |
Luk 13:10-17 |
| Sept 22, 2002 |
Isa 40:21-31 |
1 Tim 5:1-10 |
1 John 3:1-10 |
Luk 2:25-38 |
| Sept 29, 2002 |
Job 36:1-15 |
Rev 1:1-8 |
Col 3:1-11 |
Luk 4:16-21 |
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Edavaka Mission Bible study meetings on Friday evenings at 7.30 p.m
Sevika Sangam Day will be observed on Sept 15th Sunday
Fasting and prayer on 28th Saturday 10.00 am to 2.00 p
We need volunteers for cleaning up the church, for lesson reading and for offertory
collection. Please sign up and
consider it as an honor. The church is our home and, in some ways, even more important
than our home. Keep it clean and tidy always.
Please read the "Bible readings" before coming to the church. Bring your
Bible, notepad and pen. If you have a worship book please bring it; we don't have enough
copies.
| Deadline: The deadline for
submission of articles for publication in the October AMTC newsletter is September 20th.
Send articles and ads, if any, to oomman@bellsouth.net |
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Quiz for adults, in Malayalam, and for youth, in English , will appear in the
forthcoming issues of the Atlanta Mar Thoma Church News Letter. Answers to the questions
must be forwarded to Sunny (Abraham Mathew). You can also obtain a copy of the questions
from our web site, atlanatamarthomachurch.com by right clicking your mouse button, copying
and pasting in a word document. It is not necessary to give the questions with the answers
just the answers. Winner(s) will be selected and gift(s) will be distributed at the end of
the year. Questions, clarifications and suggestions must also be directed to him. Sunny
can be reached at 770-554-2077 or e-mail, mathew-A@prodigy.net.
Youth questions appear for the first time in this issue. There were only four people who
responded with answers to the last month’s quiz.
1. What was Achan’s sin?
2. Why did Paul shave his head?
3. Which evangelist had four daughters who could prophesize?
4. Who was the mother of James and John?
5. Who placed Jesus in the tomb?
6. What was the Ethiopian eunuch reading when Philip met him?
7. What was the answer to Samson’s riddle?
8. a) When did Jesus weep? b) Why did he weep?
9. Bronze snake made by Moses was an antidote for what?
10. Who lived longer than anybody else according to the Bible?
| Atlanta Mar Thomas Church President: Rev. Simon Behanan Atlanta Mar
Thoma Church News Letter Staff
Editor: Dr. Thomas Oomman
Published monthly by AMTC (Atlanta Mar
Thoma Church) |
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