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February 2012
Volume 13, Issue 2

From the Desk of Rev. Jai Varghese

Inside this Issue

1. Message from the Vicar

2. Wedding Anniversaries

3. Birthdays

4. Bible Readings

5. News and Announcements

6. Quiz

7. Think before speak

8. Women of Bible

9. Worship Services

10. Deadline for article submission and Acknowledgement

Lent is the time of remembrance and obedience.

If God willing we are going to enter into another Lenten season. In Latin lent means “dawning of the sun”. Lent is also known as spring time. Lent is the spring time of a believer. Lenten time is the time of self examination and preparation. During lent we experience the process of the “dawning of the sun” which is both revealing and restorative. The sun pushes back the shadows that have covered the ground and reveals all that has withered. The sun then applies its’ restorative property, offering nourishment to the ground and vegetation, once again yielding life. The spiritual life is similar. The season of Lent offers a time when we take a closer look at what lacks within us, within the shadows. At the same time, we are offered nourishment and restoration that is found only in the life and death of Jesus Christ. Lent is a season of self‐discovery of the parts of ourselves we don't want to discover, Lent is for strictly looking into yourself and getting down to what's real. Lent is the time of giving up something which is not good for our spiritual life. We can take fasting from food, TV, face book, gambling, fancy shopping, living off your credit card anything that could become a distraction from spending time with the Father. Fasting is a reflection of your awareness of sin and your sorrow over it.

Lent is also a time of remembrance and obedience. Recollection is important in one’s life. The Lenten practice derived from the biblical narrative of the people of Israel being tested in the wilderness for 40 years, as well as from Jesus forty‐days of fasting in the wilderness. It’s a 40 day period when we remember Jesus journey to the cross. His journey to the cross began in the wilderness. He was tempted with word of God, food and power. He fasted to show that “man does live by bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” He showed us that we are more than bodies, and more than our bodily wants. Obedience is acting without questioning and complaining. We usually enter into Lent recalling the miracle at Cana (John 2: 1‐11), in which Lord converted the water into tasty wine. Jesus was on a mission to save the world, the greatest mission in the history of mankind. The first sign starting with a wedding, means that the heaven and earth were happy with the salvation of our Lord to the mankind by His coming to save us. In the story of the water turned to wine we see clearly why Jesus came, just as the water was changed to wine our lives can also be transformed to be like Jesus. Mary's words to the servants point us to the path of obedience "Do whatever he tells you" (John 2:5). Lent is the season when we do same. We remind ourselves that Jesus is present and at work and we commit ourselves to do whatever he tells us.

Lenten practice was begun by the early church. Great Lent was set as a special period of prayer, meditation, self examination and self‐denial. This helps us to exercise our Christian principles. During this season of self‐examination, we need to keep in the forefront the mission that Christ has set before us. I pray that during this Lenten journey we will be able to encounter God in a new and deeper way. May God bless us all,

Rev. Jai Varghese Achen

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February Birthdays

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.

1 Abhilash Kurien
2 Annie Varughese
Mariamma George
3 Gijo Jacob
4 Blesen Kuruvilla
Mariamma Abraham
Thomas George
6 John S. Varghese
Zachary Johnson
8 Doncy M. Toms
9 Asha Alex
Lesley A. Houston
10 Susan Abraham
11 P J Joshua
13 Anil John
14 Jibin Titus
Josh Mathew
15 Reema A. Raju
Shruthi E. Thomas
Tyson Jones
18 Christan S. Mathew
Gibin Thomas
Jinomol Mathai
Mintu Mathew  
20 Susan Varghese
22 Joshy Jacob
23 Sapna Joseph
24 Livya S. Mathew
Meenu Jacob
25 Mathew Varghese
Sajitha Joseph
26 Rhea Mathew
27 Febu T. Jacob
28 Susan J. Kuruvilla

February Wedding Anniversaries

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.

 

02 Mr. Ajit Mathew &
Mrs. Priya Mathew 
04 Mr. Suresh Jacob &
Mrs. Shaji Suresh
07 Mr. George John &
Mrs. Lizy John
23 Mr. Joseph E. Jones &
Mrs. Molly Jones
25 Mr. Varghese Samuel &
Mrs. Susan Varghese
26 Mr. Varghese Chacko &
Mrs. Ramani Athiyal

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Bible Readings for February 2012

Date Lesson1 Lesson2 Epistle Gospel
02/05/12 2Kings 2:19‐22 Rev.22:1‐7 2Cor. 12:7‐10 St. Mark. 5:25‐34
02/12/12    Joshua 6:12‐20 Rev.22:5‐17 Rom. 13:11‐14 St. Mark. 14:32‐42
02/19/12    Job.1:1‐5 Rom.12:1‐15 2Cor. 5:16‐21 St. John 2:1‐11        
02/26/12    2Kings 5:1‐16 Jam. 2:1‐10 Acts. 5:12‐16 St. Luke. 5:12‐16     

 

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 NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Prayer Meetings

bulletSnellville
Feb 05: 6:00pm  Prayer Meeting at the residence of Roy Varghese and Annie
bulletGrayson
Feb 11, 7:00pm  Prayer Meeting at the residence of Alexander Chacko & Gracemma
bulletGrayson
Feb 19 Prayer Meeting at the residence of Sunny Mathew & Nissy
bulletMarietta
Feb 25 Prayer Meeting at the residence of Reji Jacob & Lucy

Young family meeting

bulletFeb 04, 4:00pm, Young Family Fellowship at the residence of Alan Thomas & Suma

Youth Fellowship

bulletFeb 04, 9:30am– 2:30pm Youth Retreat with Alabama Youths at Church
         under Rev. Jai Varghese leadership. Speakers: Dana Hunt & Jess George
         Theme: Serving Our Community: Being Leaders Where God has Placed Us.

Seviaka Sanghom

Edavaka Mission

bullet2nd & 4th Mondays: Edavaka Mission Regional Tele Conference Prayer 9pm-10pm

Yuvajana Sakhyam

Fasting Prayer

Sunday School

bulletEvery Sunday after the Service
bulletSinging, Story Telling, Bible Reading and Elocution Competition will be held on February 11th,2012, at the Church at 9.30 am
Topic for Elocution: How can one be a True Christian? (For 5th grade to 7th grade)
                                Jesus the only way or one of the ways to Heaven? (For grades 8th and above)
bulletMemory Verse competition will be held on February 26th. Please click below for Memory verse list.
bulletSunday School Calendar for the year 2012 can be purchased from Dr.Thomas or any Sunday school Teachers for 5$.

  Please click here to see Sunday school Announcement and Competition Rules and Memory verse list  

Special Programs

bulletFeb 04, 9:30am-2:30pm Youth Retreat with Alabama Youths at Church
            under Rev. Jai Varghese leadership. Speakers: Dana Hunt & Jess George
            Theme: Serving Our Community: Being Leaders Where God has Placed Us.
bullet

Feb 18, 10:00am-12:00pm Revival Meeting at Church
            4:00pm-6:00pm Youth Revival Meeting at Church
            6:30pm-8:30pm Revival Meeting at Church

bullet

Feb 19, Revival Meeting at Church after Holy Communion Service

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February Quiz

The Book of 1 and 2 Samuel are actually one book in the original Hebrew. It is very best to treat it as one book. The introduction to both books has been provided at the beginning of 1Samuel. The book begins with the death of Saul and Jonathan and follows the Kingship of David in its greatness and its humiliation. The book exposes the weakness as well the great faith of David. The divine blessing and judgment upon his life form a picture of the nation in miniature.

Please identify the Bible references, from 1 to 9 from the book of 2 Samuel and 10-12 general from the Bible.

1. David learns of Saul's death.
2. David laments over Saul and Jonathan.
3. Abner's desertion to David
4. David made king over Judah.
5. Six sons born to David at Hebron.
6. David fights against the house of Saul.
7. Ish-bosheth murdered by his brother.
8. David made king of Israel.
9. Hiram's recognition of David.
10. He saith unto them, "But whom say ye that I am?"
11. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, "Verily I say unto you, That a Rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven."
12. "For many are called, but few are chosen."

Please E-Mail your answers before February 20, 2012 to: pdthampi@att.net. or mail to Dr. Thampi Daniel, PO Box 2552, Lilburn, GA-30048. Tel: 770-783-2131.

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Answers for January Quiz

1. 1Samuel. 30: 1-6.
2. 1Samuel. 30: 7-17.
3. 1Samuel. 30 18-31.
4. 1Samuel. . 31: 1-13.
5. 1Samuel: 31:12 (Wall of Bethshan)
6. 1Samuel 31:13 (Jabesh)
7. 1Samuel: 2: 1-11.
8. 1Samuel 7: 1-3.
9. 1Samuel has 31 Chapters 810 verses.
10. St. Matthew. 8: 14-17
11. St. Matthew. 10: 5-15.
12. St. Matthew. 11:4

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Think Before Speak

Jaine was relatively in good health, slowly she because sick and underwent a surgery, day by day her condition got worse. She is not recovering from her surgery, but all the tests revealed she is physically healthy. Finally someone came with a new idea, hypnosis (A sleep like state in which mind responds to external suggestion). During hypnosis it was discovered, under surgery Jaine heard a team member asked the doctor, “Do you think she will make it?” Jaine’s doctor answered, “No way…” I give her few days most. Jaine did not understand the conversation was about another patient. Although Jaine’s conscious mind was asleep, her subconscious mind heard every word. Subconscious mind cannot distinguish between the real and unreal.

Our creative visualization may become a self fulfilling prophecy. Always keep in your mind images of the life you really desire to live. Do not feed our mind with thoughts what you do not wish. We should watch our words especially what we say to our children. Feed our mind and heart with most positive, uplifting, cheerful words and ideas. We have a heavely father. I am approved by my creator to accomplish great things. I am blessed and talented. Words I speak everyday determine my future.

Life is 10% how we make it and 90% how we take it [Our Daily Light]
Our critics are the unpaid guardians of our souls [Corrie Ten Boom]

Triumph Over Failure

While in Alabama jail a middle aged prisoner had a conversion experience, his life totally changed. A prisoner in the next cell was a criminal and cynic. Each night the middle aged prisoner spoke through the prison bars and told the criminal about the love of Jesus Christ. Young criminal in next cell mocked him each night and told him he was sick in his mind, religion is for insane people. Middle aged prisoner passed bible to other young criminal many days. He shared his candy every week, a gift from his relative. Few years later, the middle aged prisoner died of a heart attack. At the funeral service, prison chaplain spoke of the resurrection for believers and victory in Jesus Christ. During the middle of the sermon, criminal stood up, pointed to the coffin and said, “This is the only Jesus I ever knew”

 “God makes saints out of atheists and sinners but then he doesn’t have much else to work” [Fredrick Buechner] World looks for heroes, entertainers and successful people, but God looks our hearts. Following people accomplished great things for God and society, look their background.

Moses – A stutter, murderer, afraid to talk in front of people.
Paul – An atheist, murderer and persecuted Christians.
Thomas Edison – Slow student, useless to attend school.
Albert Einstein – Poor, mentally slow student, spoiled rest of the class.

“There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which only God can fill through His son Jesus Christ[Blaise Pascal] The best legacy we can leave to our children is a Christian heritage” [Our Daily Light] “Knowledge without love makes us proud. Knowledge plus love makes us Christ like” [Our Daily Light]

- Philip Chacko

 

 

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Women of Bible

Sarah - Remarkable Faith

The life of faith is not an easy one. And that’s exactly what Sarah was. Life was going quite well for her in her hometown of Ur surrounded by friends and family located on the lush banks of Euphrates River. But then she was asked to leave behind all that was familiar and move to a land that God will show land of Canaan. Sarah acted on Gods instructions. Sarah took an important step of faith and that faith grew and ultimately earned her a place of honor in Gods Hall of Faith. Then just when Sarah was getting used to the new land, a terrible famine struck and it was time to move on again to Egypt. As Sarah travelled with Abraham, their caravan ran up against the powerful Egyptian pharaoh. Fear for life, mixed with fear of famine, moved Abraham, the great patriarch of Israel, to lie to the powerful pharaoh about his exquisite wife. Here Sarah’s faith faced her fears and waited on the Lord. The Lord plagued the pharaoh and his house because of Sarah. The God of Sarah is also our God. With God all things are possible-even deliverance from the impossible and the unbearable. In His own time and in His own way, God rescues His people. So even when you feel awfully alone and your situation seems horribly hopeless, know that you are never alone and never without hope. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Strength for today and hope for tomorrow are realized only as you put your faith in God’s promises. Faith is “the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) We see Gods answers and enjoy His strength and hope only through faith. Every time you choose to exercise your faith, you gain further strength for each day and gather hope for each tomorrow.

At age 90, God seemed to be asking Sarah to turn her face, her fears, and her faith once again toward Him and to trust Him. Childlessness was a stigma in Sarah’s day and by all indications in the Bible, it seared itself more deeply into Sarah’s soul. She learned faith is the better way to face the distress of life. She reached for the promise that God made to Abraham “I will make you a great nation---to your descendants I will give this land” Her message is whatever impossible, unbearable, unusual, unchangeable test awaits us by faith; we are to reach for the exceedingly great and precious promises of God. Are there daily difficulties we constantly face? Are there people who regularly let us down or fail to follow through? Are there seemingly impossible hardships to be endured day after day? Imagine the sheer beauty our faith will have as we allow God, time after time and day after day, to use life’s difficulties and disappointments to lead us to deeper trust in Him. As we trust in the Lord, just like Sarah, we live our life in God’s constant and powerful presence. No matter where we are, no matter what we must leave behind, no matter where we are required to go or what we are asked to give up or to do without, no matter what odds we encounter, no matter how alone we feel or appear to be, no matter who has let us down or forsaken us, we are never alone for:
Above you are God’s Overshadowing wings (Psalms 91:4)
Beneath you are God’s everlasting arms (Deuteronomy 33:27)
Around you the angel of the Lord encompass on all sides to deliver you. (Psalms 34:7)
Inside you God’s peace that passes all understanding guards your heart and mind. (Philippians 4:7)

-Annie Varughese

 

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Worship Services

Feb 05 Sunday 10:00am Holy Communion Service in Malayalam
Feb 12 Sunday 10:00am  Holy Communion Service in English
Feb 19 Sunday 10:00am Holy Communion Service in Malayalam
Feb 26 Sunday 10:00am Praise, Worship and Holy Communion Service in English

 

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Newsletter by email?

If you are interested and not getting the parish newsletter by email already, please send your request to editor@atlantamarthomachurch.com to subscribe the monthly newsletter.

 

Deadline:  The deadline for submission of articles for publication in the March 2012 AMTC newsletter is February 24, 2012. Send articles and ads, if any, to editor@atlantamarthomachurch.com. Your prompt attention to this deadline is highly appreciated.

 

Atlanta Mar Thomas Church Newsletter Staff

President: Rev.Jai Varghese
Editor: Mr. Roy Ellikkulathu
Published monthly by AMTC (Atlanta Mar Thoma Church)

 

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