The Department of Church, Public Relations and Resource Mobilisation held multiple programmes with Tamil Nadu Auxiliary, Calcutta Auxiliary, Northern Zone Auxiliaries such as Jabalpur, Allahabad and North West India.
WITH THE TAMIL NADU AUXILIARY:
On March 5th 2022 a programme was conducted for Women and Youth in Nagercoil Town at Concordia Seminary, India Evangelical Lutheran Church campus for a training programme on ‘Church Relations and Resource Mobilisation’ with 120 participants. We are so grateful to the volunteers including staff and students of Concordia Seminary, local Pastors and Branch Leaders who also fully participated in the programme.
On March 6th 2022, Bible Sunday was conducted in Tuticorin Town at six churches of the Church of South India. The response of the congregation members in these churches was remarkable. The commitment of the Tutikorin BSI Branch leaders, the volunteer-resource persons and the Staff of BSI was praiseworthy.
On March 7th 2022, programme was conducted for the Visually Challenged People in Erode town. 24 Braille Bibles and 5 Audio-Tamil Bibles were presented to selected visually challenged persons in the presence of 30 visually challenged persons and 20 people who had donated for the Braille Bibles from the BSI Erode Branch. The talk from all the resource persons and melodious singing by the visually challenged persons gave us the satisfaction and the joy of giving for those who are vulnerable. May God continue to bless the ministry of the Bible Society of India as the agent for transformation of life especially for the visually challenged community and the faithful donors for Braille Bibles and Audio Bible.
We are truly grateful to BSI Tamil Nadu Auxiliary Sr. Secretary Rev. Moses Devadason, and BSI Staff Rev. D. Manogar, Mr. J. Suresh Kumar, Volunteers Resource persons – such as Rev. Dr. B.J. Premiah, Mr. D. Davis Martin, Mr. V. Premkumar and all the Branch leaders in Nagercoil, Tuticurin and Erode for their commitment to the Bible cause.
WITH CALCUTTA AUXILIARY:
On March 23 to 28, 2022, the CPRRMD conducted a very meaningful programme with the Calcutta Auxiliary. On 24th and 25th March, 2022 we had two significant events pertaining to Church, Public Relations and Resource Mobilisation mandate such as Church Leaders and Auxiliary Committee Meet and The Cohort Initiative Programme (an initiative of special fundraising programme) where the Auxiliary Staff, Auxiliary Committee Members, Clergies from the Catholic, CNI, Baptist, AG, Methodist, Independent Churches, and Christian Business Entrepreneurs, Institutional heads and BSI well wishers and friends came together. The sharing and fellowship of these two days were very encouraging, where some of our participants were exposed to the ministry of the Bible Society for the first time and had made very promising commitment in our conventional and Cohort fundraising activities and continue to journey with us for the Bible cause in bringing the Bible closer to people and people closer to Bible for transformation of lives.
Church Leaders and Auxiliary Committee Meet and The Cohort Initiative Programme
On 26th March 2022 we had a very important programme of opening of BSI Haldia Branch at Haldia industrial town. The programme was started with Project Implementation for the Poor Widows and Suffering Women by gifting Bibles to100 women from around 10 different churches in Haldia town for their spiritual growth and meditation on the Cross in a time when the Churches are observing Lenten season. On 27th March we had Bible Sunday in different Churches with many new believers. The two days spent in Haldia were an eye opener for the BSI team to learn how the Bible lovers, irrespective of their social economic condition are eager to be part of the family of BSI and give their best for the Bible cause.
Various individuals were nominated and appointed as committee member of the branch. The newly BSI Haldia Branch Leaders are as follows:
i. Rev. Bapi Gorai (Presbyter Incharge, Haldia Presbyterian Church) was proposed and appointed as President for the Haldia Branch.
ii. Rev. Sital Ch. Samanta (Presbyter Incharge, Tamluk Emmanuel Baptist Church) was proposed and appointed as Vice President for the Haldia Branch.
iii. Rev. Abhijit Shome (Presbyter Incharge, Assembly of God Church, Haldia) was proposed and appointed as Secretary for the Haldia Branch.
iv. Ps. Anup Rana (Presbyter Incharge, Marquis Church, Geaonkhali Area) was proposed and appointed as Treasurer for the Haldia Branch.
It was on 23rd March, we had a very meaningful time of interaction with the BSI Calcutta Auxiliary staff at a round table, sharing our experiences as staff of the BSI, the journey and commitment that we have. We also had a very fruitful time of understanding the CPRRMD mandate and the important part which the Calcutta Auxiliary is playing in fulfilling the many responsibilities given to the Auxiliary under the leadership of the Auxiliary Secretary Rev. Philip Bari.
On the evening of the 23rd March we had a very meaningful Scripture Engagement programme with the Kolkatta City Slum Dwellers at Madar Tala Basti also known as “Caddiebasti”, as a good number of men are caddies for the two golf clubs that are nearby. The slum houses a little over 200 families and the area is densely populated. The women do cleaning or house work and the children attend local schools with much difficulty. In a very small house church hut we have gathered around 60 people, the commitment of the Christian community in this area is encouraging as they worship in this place on Sundays and some other time for Bible study engaging themselves with the Word of God. For all those who had received the Bengali and Hindi Bibles were so thankful to God and the ministry of the BSI as for them it was the first copy of the Bible to have as their own.
The leadership of Rev. Philip Bari, Auxiliary Secretary, Calcutta Auxiliary and the team work of the staff, the support from the Auxiliary Committee members, Branch leaders, Pastors, Mary Jones Women Fellowship, Churches, Volunteers, Well Wishers and Donors are greatly commendable and appreciated.
TRAUMA HEALING WORKSHOP CONDUCTED IN JAIPUR ON MARCH 28 TO APRIL 1, 2022.
The Department of Church, Public Relations & Resource Mobilisation successfully conducted the initial Equipping Session of the Trauma Healing Workshop comprising BSI Northwest India, Allahabad and Jabalpur Auxiliaries in Gyan Deepa Pastoral Centre, Jaipur, Rajasthan.
There were 28 participants including BSI staff and volunteers. We envisioned a healthy and vibrant community where anyone who is traumatized receives healing, support and attention they need to fully recover and reach their highest potential through the Lord Jesus Christ and God’s Word.
Core lessons like: “If God loves us, why do we suffer?” “What is the wound of the heart?” “Addictions” “Domestic Abuse” were dealt with during the sessions. The participants were blessed and are now equipped to practice healing groups in their own context.
We are thankful to God for God’s protection and providence.
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