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On December 1, 11:00 am at the Assembly of God’s Church, Nongthymmai Pohkseh, the Shillong Auxiliary organized a very grant Farewell and Thanksgiving programme for Rev Phidolis Dkhar, Sr. Auxiliary Secretary, Shillong auxiliary, who had put in 18 years of service as Auxiliary Secretary.

All the important leaders in the Shillong Auxiliary such as, Auxiliary Committee Members, Branch Leaders, Women and Youth leaders were present at the Farewell and Thanksgiving programme.

The family of Rev. Phidolis Dkhar – his wife Tryially Lyngdoh, his son Philip, his daughter Evangeline Marbaniang and son-in-law Riewehkupar Kharsynteiw graced the occasion with their presence. The programme was concluded with tearful yet a heart full of thanks to Rev. Phidolis Dkhar by all presence in the function for his outstanding performance for the Shillong Auxiliary.

Jubilee Run was organised in Shillong city on November 24, 2022 by the Regional Bible Women Society Conference in celebration of their Golden Jubilee this year 2022.

On 11th November 2022 at Bible House, a very meaningful Scripture Engagement programme was organised, 65 women gathered for the Bible Study and short message was delivered by Mrs. Bharti Lakhra, one of our Mary Jones Women leaders in Ranchi Auxiliary. We had a very meaningful time of distribution of Scripture to 50 widows and needy women who were present for the programme.

Another 10 bibles were given to the CNI Cathedral members who could not present in the programme due to unavoidable circumstances. The women were rejoicing in God for their thirst for the Word of God is met through the Bible study and with a gift Bible for their own. We give thanks to the ministry of the Bible Society of India and the Mary Jones Women for their voluntary works, and above all, Praise be God who never forsake us!

The inaugural meeting of Valakom Branch, which was formed as the 141 st Branch of the Bible Society of India – Kerala Auxiliary, was held on 14 th October at St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church, Valakom. Rev. Georgie Varghese presided over the meeting. The Auxiliary Secretary, Rev. Jacob Antony Koodathinkal gave the inaugural address. He exhorted that the vision of the Bible Society is to stand ecumenically with the co-operation of various churches and make the Word of God accessible to everyone in their own language and that the only thing that does not change in a changing world is the Word of God. Rev. Thomas Daniel, Rev. Santosh Tharakan, Rev Devadanam James, Pastor Cherian Chacko, Pastor Ununni Mathew, Major G. Mathew, Br. Saju Thomas, Ms. Minitha Thampan, Mr. Alex Kutty David & Mr. A. Joykutty conveyed their greetings. More than 150 people participated in the meeting.

The office bearers of Valakom Branch were selected: Patron- Rev. Thomas Daniel, President :
Rev. Georgie Varghese, Secretary: Mr. K.G. Thomas, Jt. Secretary: Mr. Shaiju Samuel, Treasurer: Mr. A. Joykutty. Along with the office bearers, 46 members representing various churches were also selected in the committee for the smooth functioning of the Branch.

The message of Christmas is the message of universal love. It is the message of ineffable divine glory and splendour. The message of Christmas is the message of peace and goodwill among all nations.

Christmas is more than a day of rejoicing and festivity. It is a day for realizing the Christ-consciousness. It is a day for remembering the noble deeds of Lord Jesus and his sacred life of pristine purity. Christmas comes and Christmas goes, but let the spirit of Christmas be ever with us all.

Merry-making is not Christmas at all. Christmas does not consist in ringing bells and singing songs, exchanging mutual gifts and sending Christmas cards, and in enjoying rich repasts and heavy dinners and eating cakes.

Christmas is a state of spiritual awakening. To realize the Reign of God within ourselves, to hold communion with the Lord in the chambers of our hearts, to regain our lost divinity, to attain Christ-consciousness, to love all, to include all in the warm embrace of our love is real Christmas.

The spirit or heart of Christ is seriously lacking in the vast majority of persons. The love of Christ is badly wanted. What is Christmas without love, mercy and purity? Everybody wants to exploit his/her neighbour. One nation wants to destroy another nation. Is this Christmas? Is this the teaching of Christ?

Real Christmas never comes and goes. It is eternal. We need to feel the spirit of Christmas not only on one day, but throughout the year. Every day is a Christmas day for a real follower of Christ, for a thirsting soul. Let
that be our yearning and desire !

Rev.Dr.M.Mani Chacko

General Secretary
Bible Society of India

Four Students of United Theological College – Bangalore, successfully completed their 25 Days of ​Intensive Field Education with the Bible Society of India

The Bible Society of India for the second time hosted four Students of UTC namely Mr. Samuel Sunith R. (BD 4), Mr. S. Ebinesar Christopher Moses (BD 3), Mr. Bruce K. Thangkhal (BD 2),​ and Mr. Vigil Wilson (from the ​Young Men’s ​​Christian ​​Association – YMCA​) for their 25 Days Intensive Field Education from October 10 to November 3, 2022. Together with all the ​staff of ​BSI​ under the leadership of the General Secretary, Rev. Dr. M. Mani Chacko, the UTC students had a very educative exposure in terms of Office Administration, Field Exposure with Scripture Engagement, ​Bible Archives, ​Financial Management, Property Management, Bible Translation Process, Media Engagement, Information and Technological scales, Production of Scripture and Engagement with the Printing Press and  Marketing Strategy of the ​ministry of the Bible​Society of India.

The students had the privilege of meeting with all our 17 Auxiliary Secretaries online and face to face​,​ thereby, having ​first-hand information on​ the functioning and ministry of the Bible Society of India across our country.

The students greatly valued the mission mandate of the Bible Society of India to making the Bible Available, Affordable, and ​Accessible in every heart’s language across our country. As the BSI works towards reaching out ​to ​everyone with the Scripture, the students pledged their commitment to ​being the agents of BSI to help achieve the mission mandate in every possible way. 

On their first day of orientation ie., October 10, 2022, when asked about their knowledge of the BSI, their responses were all in a few words – two of them said, “BSI is like a printing press, printing Bibles and selling them to the people​”. One student said “Conducting Programmes in the Churches” and the other one said “Bible Translation Agency”. All of them are right with their own limited knowledge. On the concluding programme on November 3, 2022 when the same question was placed before them again, their responses went on and on, written down on number of pages, and published on YouTube, it was clear that time was not sufficient for them to tell their knowledge of the BSI. They expressed their heartfelt thanks to the UTC Administration and the Bible Society of India for the arrangements made in such an intensive manner, exposure from a high level of office management to the poorest sections of the community with the utterly helpless communities of children and adults in our country. The holistic ministry of the Bible Society of India according to them, “could no longer be put in a few words as the Word of God penetrates each and every corner of human lives and with all creation, the history of the Bible from ancient time to this day – all are too huge for us to ​know them all​ within 25 days. We will visit ​the BSI​ as and when the time permits us, to continue our learning of the ministry of the Bible Society of India. An amazing and blessed institution with 211 years of existence serving God and the people of God”.  

Golden Jubillee Celebration of the Uttarsanda Branch, Gujarat Auxiliary

On September 16, the Uttarsanda Branch had completed 50 years and they had arranged Thanksgiving Service and called Church leaders of the surrounding areas. The BSI Auxiliary President and Secretary and few staff members attended the service. We had a very meaningful time of meeting with church leaders, friends of BSI and donors who happily and willingly donated for the BSI ministry.

A visit to Philadelphia Church:

In Udepur near Gujarat & Rajasthan border, we had visited the Philadelphia Church, they purchaseda large number of Bibles for their ministry and we were also invited to organise Bible Sunday in the new month.

Bible Sale

On October 8 and 9 we had Bible Sale programme in Maninagar at Siyon Alliance Church with the help of Diocese Book Shop with good response. On October 15 and16 we had Bible Sale programme in Nadiad city, 50 kms away from Ahmedabad. We had a very impressive response from the Nadiad city. On October 22 and23,  we had arranged Bible Sale programme in Baroda city with a good response from the churches in and around the city.

Kozhencherry Branch : Golden Jubilee Celebration Closing Session

The closing session of the Golden Jubilee celebration of Kozhencherry Branch was held on 26 October ‘22 at St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church, Kozhencherry. The event was blessed by the esteemed presence of Bishops, Clergies, Pastors and other leaders of various churches. The meeting was presided by the Branch President Rev. Thomas Mathew, Vicar, St. Thomas Mar Thoma  Church, Kozhencherry. Rt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Mar Paulos Episcopa, Central Council Member, BSI & Kerala Auxiliary Committee member delivered the inaugural address. In his speech, Bishop exhorted in figurative style that the Word of God is like a rose flower. As the rose flower spreads its fragrance and looks attractive to eyes; God’s Word attracts people and those who read and abide in the Word of God spread their fragrance to whomsoever they meet. Bishop appreciated the mission initiative of the Branch as good amount is donated to BSI Ranchi Auxiliary and visiting villages of the Auxiliary for distributing Bibles and food packets. He added that it is an emulative example for the Branches to follow by including in their Budget in the future. The Auxiliary President Most Rev. Dr. Yuhanon Mar Chrysostomos Metropolitan and Rt. Rev. Thomas Samuel, former President, Kerala Auxilary gave benedictory message and later Bishop released the golden jubilee souvenir by presenting it to the first Branch Secretary, Mrs. Elizabeth Philip Varghese.

Rt. Rev. Mathews Mar Silvanios Episcopa, BEC shared greetings and inaugurated the formation of Branch Youth Wing by handing over the lighted lamp to the youth members. The Auxiliary Secretary, Rev. Jacob Antony Koodathinkal felicitated the closing ceremony by quoting Psalms 133:1, that Bible Society is a blessed platform for uniting and witnessing the Bible Cause from different church denominations. BSI Kozhencherry Branch Secretary, Mr. Varghese Jacob presented the Golden Jubilee Report. Rev. Abraham George, STECI, Rev. Dr. Santhosh John (AG Church), Divisional Commander Major O.P. John (Salvation Army) Shri. Anto Antony MP, Mr. Joseph Easow (Treasurer, Kozhencherry Branch), Smt. Elizabeth Philip Varghese, Smt. Saramma Shajan, Smt. Jiji Varghese John (members of the Branch & panchayat local body members) shared their greetings.  The Jubilee choir and the august audience blessed the celebration with meaningful songs and valuable participation.

New Branch at Moolamattom in Idukki Region

The inauguration of BSI Moolamattom Branch formed as the 142^nd  Branch in Kerala Auxiliary was held at IPC Church Moolamattom on 31 October 2022 at 3.30p.m.

Rev. K.J. Jose presided over the meeting and the Auxiliary Secretary gave the inaugural address.Clergies and pastors from various churches graced the occasion and greeted the event.Rev. Binu Kuruvilla Jose (CSI), Rev. Eby Oommen (MarThoma Church), Pastor T. Biju (IPC), Pastor T.M. Abraham (New India Church), Pastor P.D. Johnson (Church of God), Br. Shajimon P.D. (Brethren Church).Mr. K.D. Samuel (Secretary), Mr. C.K. Mammen (Treasurer) also spoke in the inaugural meeting. A Bible exhibition with discount sale was also arranged.

The following persons were selected and dedicated as Branch Officials: Rev. Binu Kuruvilla, Patron, Rev. K.J. Jose, President, Mr. K.D. Samuel, Secretary,  Mr. C.K. Mammen, Treasurer  and  Mr. U J Mani, Joint Secretary