Message from Achen
Dear Horeb Family,
Let’s thank and praise God for all His mercies and providence upon us during all of our activities and travels during this past summer season. Many of our youths were once again able to engage in summer programs and camps in-person, as well as a number of our families were able to travel within the country and abroad. I especially thank God that during this past summer, a team from Horeb was able to travel and take part in our Diocese’s Native American Mission outreach in Navajoland, as well as three of our youths were able to attend the Diocesan Youth Fellowship Conference in Philadelphia.
And by God’s grace, we were able to have a blessed return to in-person VBS on the first weekend this past month. I very much appreciate our Midhun & Sheila Mathew who stepped up to organize and coordinate this year’s VBS and praise God for the loving efforts of all our Volunteers to help create for our children a most memorable and wonderful experience based on the theme “Make Waves”.
To “Make Waves” is God’s call in Christ to all of us – whether young or senior, male or female, rich or poor, extrovert or introvert – and in this call, we are to understand that no matter how imperfect we may be, God still has a great purpose He wants to fulfill through each one of us…and God empowers us when we take that “leap of faith” for Him. Let’s remember: My willingness + my limitations + God’s will & power = Unlimited Possibilities
As we once again return to our regular schedules of work and school, let’s do so all the more with a spirit of openness and learning towards God’s call and the possibilities of His working grace in our lives. Let’s take the experiences of this past summer through which God spoke and worked in our lives and channelize it for the glory of HIs kingdom.
Especially as we draw closer to our 10th Anniversary events and programs, we are entering into the month of September with our Annual Convention. Requesting all of our Horeb family members to give our prayerful presence and participation – let us come together before God’s Word so that we can be strengthened to go forward and work together as He calls and directs us. May the Good Lord bless us.
With prayerful regards,
Rev. Arun Samuel Varghese
The Story of Mary
In this month's Bible story, Anisha John explains why Mary, mother of Jesus, is her favorite person in the Bible. Video editing by Ruth Jacob.
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Diocesan Youth Fellowship Conference
The National Youth Fellowship Conference was held at Bryn Athyn College near Philadelphia from July 29-31. Over 100 Mar Thoma youths attended the conference. Jaidon Thomas, Mahyini Mathew, and Alex Abraham represented Horeb. Jaidon Thomas shares his experiences and thoughts from attending the conference below.
(Photos courtesy of Mar Thoma Youths and George Mathew Photography)
Being in a different state and away from my parents for the first time was exciting and troubling at the same time. However, it was a rewarding weekend to be with others of similar backgrounds and age groups, which is what Alex, Mahyini, and I did at the 43rd Diocesan Youth Fellowship Conference in Philadelphia.
Spending time with over 100 like-minded Marthomite youths from all different regions was an enjoyable experience. Praise God for this year’s in-person conference at Bryn Athyn College, Philadelphia which brought much enthusiasm and energy to the participants.
The theme of the conference, Slip-Not, was apt for our age group. As a youth, we stumble and fall almost every day. Our former vicar, Larry Achen, was the main speaker. As always, Achen explained the theme simply, practically, and motivationally. My main takeaway was that stumbling in life is part of God’s plan and it is a process of growing. There are consequences when we stumble. However, our master still loves us. Genesis 3 and Romans 11 were used to explain the biblical meaning of Slip- not.
Mr. Tom Philip, one of our Diocesan Lay Chaplains, gave a Bible study on Jacob meeting God in his dream. Tom Uncle emphasized that God calls us to remind us of his promises, God’s promises are true, God calls us to respond and God calls us even though we are unworthy.
Delegates were given an opportunity to write down questions on a flashcard and pass them to the leaders. The Q & A session was lively and engaging, with many people asking about Christian perspectives on several social issues.
The session answered many burning questions surrounding abortion, depression, homosexuality, getting drunk, gambling, and more. Small group sessions were another great avenue for us to share our thoughts, and open our minds. We discussed further on the theme, and also got to know each other closely.
The social time with several activities like basketball, volleyball, badminton, and board games gave us a time to know and connect with youths from different regions and churches. We made friends, exchanged contacts, and shared thoughts. All the more, it was time of fun, laughter, and a spirit of togetherness. To be with over 100 youths of the same origin and religious beliefs gave us a feeling of being part of a bigger Marthoma community.
The talent show was yet another time of laughter, with some lasting memories. Saturday night’s recreation time simply got extended till 3 AM, shhh. The friendship created over the two days helped us to stay awake.
The time of testimony and dedication brought it home for many of us. Sharing one’s life experiences and God’s interventions for each person helped us to reflect on our lives and the blessings we experience each day. The Holy Communion on Sunday made a perfect conclusion for the conference, followed by a delicious lunch.
Throughout the conference, we experienced wonderful hospitality by the hosting church members, including back and forth rides, sight seeing, restaurant stops, and more. And a chance to meet Larry Achen and Dennis Achen again.
We also enjoyed our journey even when we had long hours of layover. Multiple airports and layovers were a time to experience independence with caution. We are grateful to the Horeb family for supporting and encouraging us to attend the National Youth Conference. The whole experience was so valuable that all three of us felt that we shouldn’t miss future conferences.
