Presidential Address Diocesan MTVEA MEETING 2016
Respected Clergy, Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Greetings to all in the precious and matchless name of Jesus Christ
This annual meeting is bringing the 8th Annual Report and Accounts of the Diocesan Voluntary Evangelists Association. This is a time to thank God for the abundant blessings with which Almighty God enabled the M T V E A to grow through our parishes and mission fields. We have 7 Centres and reports are separately given for the various activities we already have in these centres. I take this opportunity to thank my predecessor the Rt. Rev. Dr. Thomas Mar Theethos who gave spiritual leadership in our diocese and also the clergy with the members of the church who gave leadership in the formation and nurturing of the Association on the parish, centre and regional levels. This annual meeting is also a time for us to dedicate ourselves for an on-going mission and the budget for the New Year is an indication of it.
I want to focus our attention through this Presidential Address to the scripture portion found in the Book of Genesis 22: 1-9. Here is Abraham moving with his son Isaac and servants to Mount Moria where God asked him to go. Abraham is asking his servants to wait at the foot of the hill with the animals and personal goods, while the Father and the Son would go further to make a religious sacrifice. This is a model for the community of dedicated people. We usually speak about ‘ walking the Talk ‘ or living the Gospel. Abraham is an example for that. Here is a faith journey and Abraham is showing obedience to God. We mark here three characteristics of Abraham: Walking in Obedience, Committing for a Cause and Living with Hope.
- Walking in Obedience.
- Committing for a Cause.
- Living with Hope
Following are my suggestions:
- Encourage our members to have regular prayer with specific purposes.
- Prepare two Bible Studies every year which can be used in our parishes and mission fields .
- Participate in all collections of the Diocese, including the Suvisesha Nidhi.
- Enable the believers in our mission fields to know our Church by seeing the Diocesan Convention and / or the Maramon Convention.
- Let the Missionaries and Evangelists come to our parishes on 5th Sundays to tell us their stories.
- Have a Mission Day. It can be one of the fifth Sundays, where we will have exhibitions, missionary meetings, Bible Studies and the like.
- Conduct a Harvest Festival in places like Chakan Mission or Lonavala .
- Conduct Vidyarambham Day or E C P Anniversary where parents and children will assemble together to listen to the message.
- Organize Medical Camps in our Mission Fields.
- Empower the prayer groups in our parishes and make the house visits effective.
Let us humbly realise that Almighty God has greater plans about us and God will reveal that to us from time to time through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Let us have an open mind as we journey with our Lord who is living and reigning – Amen.
Mar Theodosius+
Diocesan Bishop, Mumbai Diocese
