Saviour's Chimes Church Newsletter - January 2017

St Saviour’s Tamil Church, Kolkata SAVIOUR’S CHIMES

| January 2017 Monthly Newsletter of St Saviour’s Family |

31 December: Watch Night, 11 PM

Theme: Do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Readings: OT: Exodus 3:1-15; NT: Acts 4:5-12; Gospel: Luke 2:15-21

Songs: Hymns 14, 80, 253 Lyric 70 Communion Hymn 197

WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP & PRAYER GATHERING: AFTER SERVICE

8 January: English Eucharist, 8.30 AM

Theme: We are sharers in the Son-ship of Christ

Readings: OT: Proverbs 8:1,22-31; NT: Ephesians 1:3-8; Gospel: John 1:3-8

Songs: Hymns 60, 244, 188, 222 Communion Hymn 182

15 January: Tamil Eucharist, 8.30 AM

Theme: At His Baptism, Jesus is revealed as the Son of God

Readings: OT: Isaiah 42:1-13; NT: Acts 10:34-48; Gospel: Matthew 3:13-17


22 January: English Eucharist, 8.30 AM

Theme: Jesus is revealed as ―the Lamb of God‖

Readings: OT: Exodus 12:1-8; NT: I Peter 1:13-21; Gospel: John 1:29-37

Songs: Hymns 19, 49, 63, 212 Communion Hymn 213

29 January: Tamil Eucharist – Praise &

Worship Sunday, 8.30 AM

Theme: God suffers in all those who suffer

in this world

Readings: OT: II Kings 5:1-14; NT: Acts

5:12-16; Gospel: Mark 1:40-45


ST. SAVIOUR’S TAMIL CHURCH

9, Haji Mohammed Mohsin Square, Kolkata – 700 016.

Phone: 033 2217 2636 E-Mail: [email protected]

Website: www.saviourskolkata.wordpress.com

Like us on Facebook: St Saviour’s Tamil Church Calcutta

SAVIOUR’S CHIMES The Monthly Newsletter of St Saviour’s Family

CHURCH OF NORTH INDIA DIOCESE OF KOLKATA

ST. SAVIOUR’S TAMIL CHURCH KOLKATA. ESTD 1849

16

SEE, I AM doing a new thing! Now it springs up;

do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the

wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

ISAIAH 43:19

Welcome For Private Circulation Only

JANUARY 2017

mailto:[email protected]

http://www./

http://www./



FROM THE

PRESBYTER’S

DESK

New Year has arrived. God promises to bless all your plans and

commitments, if you trust and pray for His guidance. This

Message gives a simple 7-step plan for you to adopt this New

Year. Pray for God’s wisdom and help for a New Life in 2017.

We wish every one of you a very Happy and Prosperous New Year.

God promises to bless all your plans and commitments in 2017 if

you trust and pray for His guidance.

1. LIVE IN FAITH: "The just shall live in faith", God promised the

prophet (Habakkuk 2:4). Your faith life should open a new chapter in

2017. Believe that all things will work out for your good if you love

God and have a purpose for your life (Romans 8:28). Live in

complete faith on God's guidance. Jesus has assured us, "All things

are possible for those who have faith" (Matthew 11:24).

2. LIVE WITH A PURPOSE: A short life is given to us on earth and God

expects us to live with a purpose. "Be perfect as your Father in

Heaven is perfect," said Jesus (Matthew 5:48). This perfection is in

achieving the purpose for which

God has placed us here. God

Himself is perfect in accomplishing

whatever He planned for our life. Pray and find out your purpose in

life and with God's help, work out to achieve that purpose.

3. LET LOVE RULE: God is love and He expects us to love one another.

Being ruled by love and living a life of love means being "gentle,

humble, kind, giving, forgiving, loving and peaceful" (Colossians

3:12-17). Let your love result in action: caring for your neighbour, the

poor and needy. God's love is seen in action when He sent Jesus for

us to save us from Satan and the worldly ways.

4. WALK IN LIGHT: The world is going through darkness; every day's

news is not encouraging. As God's children, we should walk in light. A

little candle can remove the darkness around us. Let your light shine

through your good works so that people who see you may glorify God

in Heaven (Matthew 5:16). Shine like the stars, holding firmly the

good hope of eternal life.

5. LIVE WITH HOPE: The great emperor Alexander distributed all the

lands and treasures to his followers before he launched his world

conquest. His close friend and adviser asked him, "What will you

have for yourself?". Alexander replied, "I HAVE HOPE". Our hope is in

the promise of Jesus who has promised to take us to be with Him in

Heaven (John 14:3).

6. SET YOUR GOALS: 'Goal' is a magic word.

Those who set goals achieve great things

in their life. Set new goals and targets for

2017. The goals you set should be

measurable, achievable, realistic, time

bound and result-oriented. Have a plan

and schedule for accomplishing what you

want in your life in the new year. Have

clear, result-oriented goals and set targets

to achieve them and work hard for success in life in the New Year.

Commit your goals and plans to God and pray for God's wisdom and

help for a new life in 2017. BY REV. DR. SAMUEL RAJ

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3

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A POEM TO PONDER

Therefore I will look to

the Lord, I will wait for

the Lord of my salvation,

My God will hear me.

(Micah 7:7)

Waiting on the Lord is always a part of life, BY MRS S. CYNTHIA

Be it a Student, Farmer, Couple, or Housewife MUKHERJEE

Waiting for Results, Harvest, Marriage, Cooking food;

We all need to wait on the Lord with gratitude!

Waiting on the Lord makes us anxious,

We expect quick results, become restless;

We wait for favourable solutions;

While the prayer requests is a vast collection!

We can wait on the Lord Prayerfully –

Waiting patiently (Psalm 40:1) relying on Him Hopefully;

Believing in the Word of God (John 3:16), Obediently,

While waiting for the answers expectantly!

We can wait in anticipation and trusting in His name,

By Praying persistently, ―never-give-up,‖ should be our aim;

By praising, meditating, worshipping, honouring –

By waiting quietly, by thanksgiving, by glorifying, by rejoicing!

S’times we’re discouraged, impatient, lose faith and trust,

S’times waiting is miserable, we are upset, lose interest;

We should not give up, come what may,

For there can be a breakthrough any day!

God has reasons to make us wait,

He holds the answers; doesn’t leave to our fate;

Waiting makes us depend upon God –

Though the answer may not always be YES by the Lord!

When we surrender ourselves to His Will,

All His promises He will fulfill;

He makes all things beautiful in His time and in His way,

If only we continue to believe and from Him never sway!

AS WE LOOK AHEAD…

Reminiscence Looking back to look forward

Lord Jesus, here I stand and reckon,

The day I made my decision to your call and beckon;

Promising to follow you in all I'd do.

With great determination and dependence on You.

Knowing that trials and temptations would cross,

My path as a Christian with worldly failures and loss.

I'm reminded of how I had dreamt of having;

A family of my own and by their support braving,

The point of death through persecution or the sword

Declaring; "Me and my family will choose to follow the Lord."

But soon the days began to pass,

And our difference in relationship outgrew the bamboo grass.

Now years have passed into many a decade,

Nought have I found myself a suitable Jesus-loving maid.

Today, as I go with You down memory lane,

You remind me ('tis true), how You saved me many a pain;

From this transitory and temporal world ,

To which I could not YOUR LOVE unfold.

I plead You Lord Jesus, to grant me one last opportunity,

to tell and show how YOUR LOVE for us, sent You to Calvary

COMPOSED BY MR CYRIL MANI

FROM THE MISSION FIELDS: The Regular Feature on our Church’s

Mission Ministry will return in February.

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6 Surprising Times You Are

It is indeed amazing how The Bible influences our everyday

Language: from “behemoth” and “scapegoat” to “the ends of the

earth”, these words and concepts owe their origin to the Bible. This

piece delves into 6 such thoughts.

1. “A HOUSE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF” In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus

tells an impudent crowd, ―Every

kingdom divided against itself is

brought to desolation; and every city

or house divided against itself shall

not stand.‖ However, the phrase didn't

enter the modern lexicon until it was quoted by Abraham Lincoln in his fa-

mous nomination acceptance speech of 1858. Addressing the contentious

issue of slavery in the United States, he told an audience of Republican

politicians that ―a house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this

government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.‖

2. “ESCAPE BY THE SKIN OF ONE'S TEETH” This is one of the many

proverbs that owe their origin to the colorful language of the Book of Job.

The tormented hero Job is complaining about his woes. He has become, he

says, so emaciated that ―my bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and

I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.‖ The proverbial meaning is that he

has missed death by a tiny margin — as narrow as the (non-existent) skin

on a person's teeth. But Biblical scholars have argued endlessly about

what the phrase originally signified. Some argue for a more literal

interpretation; afflicted with sores from head to toe, Job is left with only the

thin porcelain "skin" of his teeth unblemished.

3. “GIRD ONE'S LOINS” Two archaic words come together in this phrase.

Gird, from the Old English gyrdan, means to put a belt (or girdle) around

something. Loins, from the Latin lumbus, originally described the flanks of

an animal and, from the 14th Century, those parts of the human body that,

as medieval writers primly put it, "should be covered". In Biblical times,

when long robes were still in fashion, anyone embarking on strenuous

physical activity or going into battle ran a serious risk of tripping on a

trailing hem and falling flat on his or her face. The solution? To tuck one's

robe into one's belt and get ready for action (i.e., to gird one's loins).

4. A "BEHEMOTH" The behemoth is a mysterious animal mentioned in the

Book of Job. With bones "like bars of iron" and a tail "like a cedar," this

mighty beast was said to be able to suck the whole river Jordan into its

mouth, Biblical scholars have long debated whether the behemoth is a

mythical creature or just an exaggerated description of an ordinary animal

(the most popular candidate is a hippopotamus). Whatever the original

"behemoth" may have been, the name has become a metaphor for

anything that reaches spectacular size.

5. A "SCAPEGOAT" The Book of Leviticus describes the proper

ceremonies to be observed on the Jewish Day of Atonement, when the land

of Israel would be ritually cleansed of its sins. The procedure was that one

goat would be offered to God as a sacrifice, while the other — the

"scapegoat" — would be symbolically loaded with all the misdeeds of the

nation before being driven into the wilderness. This ceremony was said to

have been carried out since the Israelites' exodus from Egypt.

6. "THE ENDS OF THE EARTH" Like most other ancient cultures, the

ancient Israelites thought it obvious that since the earth was flat, it must

have limits. The ―ends of the earth‖ therefore appears repeatedly in the Old

Testament as a way to describe the farthest reaches of the then-known

world. When, in the Book of Job, God is said to

"directeth… his lightning unto the ends of the earth,"

it's just a poetic way of saying that God is in charge

everywhere. As my life continues to unfold,

Courtesy: Reader’s Digest, US Edition, December

2016 / January 2017 (By Freddie Addis from The

Book Amen to That!: The Amazing Way The Bible

Influences Our Everyday Language)

7 6



AN INSPIRING TESTIMONY

Over the years, our Church has been making an impact in many lives.

Every story is an inspiration; here’s the much-awaited Testimony of

DR SUBRAMANIAN, a St Saviour’s Tamil Church School and Sunday

Class Alumnus: a heart-warming story amidst Kolkata’s Winter Chill.

Folks, I have a story to tell you; one that

will truly warm your hearts as it did

mine, but before I do that – first, let me

ask you this question: Do you know and

realize how many talented active

members we have had in the St

Saviour's Tamil Church Calcutta, then,

and now? Members who have gone on

to make a huge impact in the lives of

others while actively serving in their

respective Church communities? Just

read the Church Facebook page and

the Church Newsletter – they bear

witness to the many stories about our

Church members and their activities,

doing countless acts of service whether meeting with each other in

fellowship or joining together to raise funds for a good cause – whatever

the case may be, they are doing their bit to make this world a better place

and to enlighten their own spiritual path.

Many of us from the Church have come full circle in giving back to the

community, each in our own ways in spite of living across the four corners

of the world. I can list many names here, but just for starters, we have Paul

Annan, Dr. Joyce Siromoni, Reggie Uncle, Esther Amos, Stan John in

Australia, Glory Rendall in Miami, Shekhar in Calcutta and me, having

worked for 25 years with the poor, the sick, the abused, drug addicts and

the disabled in Toronto. Let me tell you folks, the needs of the community

here, are no different from anywhere else in the world.

Having said that, here's a story I would like to share with you that Cyril Mani

had passed on to me, with a photograph: This was Dr. Subramanian; the

Doctor used to attend the Tamil Church Sunday school during Emerald

Akka's time, and also was a regular at the St Saviour’s Tamil Church School

run by Sarojini Akka. Surprisingly enough, Dr. Subramanian said he also

remembers me teaching at the Sunday school. I remember I was just 17

years’ old and often helped Emerald Akka in leading in the Chorus singing

at the Sunday school and sometimes teaching the little ones; Dr.

Subramanian must have been a very young lad like Cyril Mani then!

This is what Cyril wrote: Dr. Subramanian went on to attend Bible Classes

from Book of Life Bible School. This education is now helping him in doing

the work of an evangelist in the slums of Kolkata while attending to his

patients in his clinic. His other activities include arranging relief for his

patients and their families by providing provisions and rations, besides

arranging a supply of free general medicines. He even works among AIDS

patients and their families.

He is presently a member of Jabez Fellowship. His confession is, "Jesus

gave His all, His very life for us. So, after coming to the understanding of

the degree of Christ's love for me, I too have surrendered my whole life in

His service. This medical knowledge is itself given to me by Him. So I have

chosen to serve His people."

Wow, well said Dr. Subramanian! What an inspiration, to use his talents

and skills in serving the Lord, after accepting Christ as recently as 2004!

Truly amazing how people live by the teachings of Christ, after accepting

Christ! It is a rare thing these days to find people making a difference in the

lives of others.

God bless Dr. Subramanian. Truly an inspiring man and we should feel very

proud of him! What a brilliant Doctor and what an awesome job he is doing

serving the health needs of the community - let's give him a big shout out

please and thank him for his big heart!

Feel proud of St. Saviour's Tamil Church Calcutta, and the impact the

Church is making in the Community and the City. The talents that have

come out of this Church are truly inspiring.

BY MS THELMA TAI, WITH INPUTS FROM MR CYRIL MANI

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St Saviour’s Tamil Church Calcutta

The Church Facebook Community and New FB Page are now

active. Do join in; also ask your friends to join.

FOND MEMORIES: I am really happy to read a copy of the Chimes. You bring

back very fond memories. Thank you very much and please keep it going.

By the way, was Dr. Samuel Raj once a Principal of La Martiniere? I

graduated from that school in 1968. (Yes, Dr Raj was!) MICHAEL SAMUEL

With 2017 right round the corner, on behalf of the Youth Group of

Yesteryears, thank you all for welcoming us back into the fold; so grateful

to feel welcomed and embraced into the warmth of the Christian family of

the Tamil Church. It is amazing that almost decades later that I was found

by Stan and Glory Rendall – we are getting on in years, even though I dare

say we are very 'young' at heart! We now see so many of you who are

dynamic young leaders in the Church, in whom I glimpse the joy and

sparkle of serving in the Church as we did 50 years ago. I must say the

Church FB page and the Newsletter has kept us all together and well

informed. So folks, God bless each one of you with the spirit of Christmas

and the joy of living each day in His service. THELMA TAI

PHOTO COLLAGE OF THE 1970S ST

SAVIOUR’S JASS LADS BY THELMA TAI

WE SHOULD PLAN A REUNION: Thelma

Akka, work towards a reunion of the 70s

Saviourites, and let's have a reunion

concert of the JASS LADS. Wouldn't it be

lovely.

JOSHUA PRAKASH KADAKSHAM

That would be awesome. Got to get Stan

from Australia, the other three in

Chennai and Calcutta; got to get Glory

Rendall on board to make the long trip.

If she goes I may come also. Great idea.

THELMA TAI

THE NEWSLETTER: Lovely... well done. God bless you all.

REV. PHILIP GUPTA

Enjoyed all the articles, colourful, well laid out, informative and really helps

us stay connected. ARUNA PATIBANDLA

Love it, love it, love it. Editorial team – you guys have rocked it. Loved

reading the Chimes. Love the colour, the header, the bylines, the graphics

– well done guys. THELMA TAI

As usual, a beautiful accomplishment! May the Name of our Lord and

Saviour Jesus Christ always be praised and honoured forever and ever.

GLORY RENDALL

1. Who lived to the age of 969?

2. How old was Jesus at the time of His baptism?

3. What is the number of the ―foolish virgins‖?

4. Where was Jesus baptized?

5. In Jesus’ parable, who stopped to help a man in need?

6. Who was the First King of Israel?

7. How old was John the Baptist at the time of the birth of Christ?

8. Which Book follows Ezra?

9. Where was Paul when he wrote the Book of Philippians?

10. Who climbed tree to see Jesus?

11. Who doubted the Resurrection of Jesus?

12. Who was David’s great grandmother?

13. What did Jesus and His disciples feed the crowd of 5000?

14. Where did Jesus give the Beatitudes?

15. Who showed Jesus to the people and said ―Behold the Man‖?

FROM MS. CHRISTINA MUKHERJEE, VIA E-MAIL FROM THE UAE

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10 11

https://www.facebook.com/glory.rendall

https://www.facebook.com/joshuaprakash.kadaksham?fref=ufi

https://www.facebook.com/glory.rendall?hc_location=ufi

https://www.facebook.com/glory.rendall?hc_location=ufi

mailto:[email protected]



10 POINT SPIRITUAL SELF-EXAMINATION

A collection of questions to introspect as we

enter 2017. May this be a Blessing to you.

Revivalist John Wesley made a habit of asking questions to stimulate

Spiritual growth. These questions were designed to spur reflection and

personal examination. We follow that tradition to enable you to gear up.

1. Am I closer to God now than January 1st 2016? If yes, what are you

doing to keep growing in 2017? Spiritual growth is not static or still. To

keep growing, we must be willing to continue to put an effort into spiritual

disciplines.

* Worship

* Bible reading

* Prayer: a. Who are you praying for? b. What are you praying for? c. How

are you praying? d. How often are you praying?

* Service: What are you doing for God on a monthly, weekly and daily

basis? If not, what do you need to do to solve the problem?

2. Am I a slave to anything?

* Habits * Work * Possessions * What owns you?

3. Am I overwhelmed by any area of life?

When we are overwhelmed by situations or circumstances, it impacts our

spiritual life. These are matters that should be handled with great prayer.

* Being overwhelmed limits our ability to sense God’s presence

* Being overwhelmed limits our ability to trust God's provision

* Being overwhelmed limits our ability to experience God's peace

4. Does the Bible live in me? Do I give time for the Bible to speak to me?

Allowing God’s Word to speak into our lives is the best way to let it live in

us.Knowing Scripture is not enough; we must apply it to our lives; live it out.

5. Is there something that God has told me to do that I am not doing?

What needs to be resolved? What steps need to be taken to bring to

obedience?

6. Do I enjoy my relationship with God?

* How is this joy growing?

* How is my heart impacted by God's joy growing in me?

7. Am I financially faithful to God? Financial faithfulness is more than just

putting something in the offering plate as it goes by. It is being obedient to

God in the matters of money. Being financially faithful to God has less to do

with money and more to do with the heart.

* Am I robbing God?

* Other financial questions: What do I earn? What do I own? What do I

owe? What do I give?

8. Who has hurt me over the past year? Everyone deals with hurt and

pain, especially those that flow from relationship problems.

* Whom have I hurt over the past year?

* Who do I need to forgive?

* Whose forgiveness do I need to seek?

Forgiveness is the first step to healing the pains of the past. The moment

that we make the choice to forgive, we begin to heal.

9. What were my priorities in 2016? Think about how you spent your time

and money. The Calendar and the Cheque Book are two good sources of

determining what our priorities were.

* Where do I need to invest my time?

* What priorities do I need to change for 2017?

10. What situation or circumstance am I dwelling on?

* What has caused me the most stress during 2016?

* What needs to change to reduce this stress in 2017?

COURTESY: MR SHANTHAKUMAR, BYM

After service, worshippers filed out of Church to greet the Minister. As one

of them left, he shook the Minister's hand and thanked him for the sermon,

"Thanks for the message, Reverend. You know, you must be smarter than

Einstein." Beaming with pride, the Minister said, "Why, thank you, brother."

As the week went by, he began to think about the man's compliment. The

more he thought, the more he became baffled why anyone would deem

him smarter than Einstein. He decided to ask the man.

Next Sunday, he asked the parishioner, "Exactly what did you mean that I

must be smarter than Einstein?" The man replied, "Well, Reverend, they

say that Einstein was so smart that only ten people in the entire world

could understand him. But Reverend, no one can understand you."

13 12



Ordinary to Extra-Ordinary Yield to Him. Experience the shift.

Esther was a foreigner, but God made her a queen.

Daniel was a slave, but God made him a Prime Minister.

David was a forgotten shepherd, but God made him a king.

Moses was a failure without confidence, but God made him a leader.

Ruth was a widow, but God made her a mother.

Peter was a fisherman, but God made him a forceful preacher.

Paul was a murderer, but God made him a powerful apostle.

Remember, there is so much in you that God wants to tap and bring out.

Yield to Him completely. He is waiting to convert you from the ordinary into

extra-ordinary.

BY VENTRILOQUIST G. SHANTHAKUMAR

BIRTHDAYS IN JANUARY

3-Jan Dr T.J. Abraham

7-Jan Mr Joshua Amirthasingh 8-Jan Ms Lydia Joyce Rupert

13-Jan Mrs Philomena Mani 13-Jan Ms Jessi Packianatha

16-Jan Mrs Cynthia Martin 18-Jan Mrs Gladys Vimala Newton

19-Jan Ms Catherin Jaisankar 21-Jan Mr Philip Benjamin

22-Jan Mr Timmy Canis Devadas 27-Jan Mr Jonathan Daniel Rupert

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES IN JANUARY

12-Jan Mrs & Dr T.J. Abraham

13-Jan Mrs Dr & Dr Emmanuel Rupert

14-Jan Mrs & Mr Michael Vedraj Mani

19-Jan Mrs & Mr Robin Martin

CHURCH SIGN-BOARDS

At times, Church signposts get topical, across the globe. An

interesting set of signposts; courtesy, the internet, and Whatsapp.

````

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https://www.google.co.in/imgres?imgurl=http://hdwallpaperfresh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Skydiving-Fly-Circle-Wallpaper.jpg&imgrefurl=http://hdwallpaperfresh.com/skydiving-fly-circle-wallpaper.html/skydiving-fly-circle-wallpaper&docid=qTUpccUjBeVBgM&tbnid=dIIFwhZ8BQZjOM:&w=1920&h=1200&ei=NdE6U_WICsmjrQefoYEg&ved=undefined&iact=c





Saviour's Chimes Church Newsletter - January 2017

Spiritual

Transcript of Saviour's Chimes Church Newsletter - January 2017