Ananta Kumar Nag - Worship and Sermon

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Ananta Kr Nag- Worship and Sermon

Ananta Kr Nag conducted his worship and sermon on 22 October 2008. The theme of the worship was "Living Christ in a dying Society. The Oriya Invocation song was written by Paras Khosla. The Bhajan was written by Babu Abraham. A solidarity song in Hindi, modified out of SCM solidarity song by Sandeep, also was used. All these songs were appreciated by the evaluators. The text of the sermon was 1 Peter 4:12-17. Ananta Kumar Nag derived two points from this text: 1) Living Christ in a Lifeless Society and 2) Living Christ to Encounter the unjust power Structures. The context of the sermon was the present persecutions of Christians in Orissa. In a power point presentation numerous stills of destroyed houses and churches were shown and this added some emotional flavour to the whole worship. The community was moved by the pathetic conditions of Christians in Orissa. However, the preacher deriving strength from the lessons of the early Church, which was the background of Peter's epistle, expressed hope in the power of the resurrected Christ to make persecutions an opportunity for the further spread of the Gospel.
Ananta Kumar is an ordained minister of the Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church and we hope that God will use him as a powerful instrument to continue the mission of Christ with vision.

Belinda G. Praisy - Worship and Sermon October 15, 2008

The theme of Belinda's sermon was "Breaking Free: Participation in God's Liberative Mission,"  based on the text, Luke 8: 42b -48, the story of the woman with discharge of blood. The worship started with an enactment  of the theme by Sweety Helen, Wilson, Ravi Topo and Remalia, which gave a shocking experience to many and alerted people of the gravity of women's oppression in India.  The invocation in Hindi, written and composed by Sandeep Paramarth,  was sung by Alice Jose. The opening Tamil song was written by Jane Anitha and music was comped by Jacob Jabaraj.  These songs reflected the pain of women on account of social, racial, gender and economic oppression. Opening prayer  went like this: O God, as we come to your presence this morning we realize that you are a God who resists injustice. We ask that you might strengthen us with this spirit of retaliation to break free from oppressive forces and participate in your liberative mission. There was a discussion during the evaluation session whether it is right to use "retaliation", which was used several times in the order of worship and sermon,  as a Christian method of resistance to oppression. Belinda defended the usage as it reflected active resistance. The theme of worship was also reflected  in her confessional prayer: God, we confess that we have failed to be like Puah and Shiprah who had the courage to oppose authority to save life. We have failed to be like Jael who had the strength to nail forces that inflict violence; we failed to be like Vashti who had the powers to resist powers of patriarchy,  to be like Mary and  Elizabeth who nourished their children to stand against injustices, to be like Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Suzanna, who were co-workers in establishing God's reign.  We  failed to be like the woman suffering with hemorrhage who took the initiatives to overstep traditions to liberate herself. We have failed to follow the examples of the many women in our society who have recognized their strength and ability to succeed in life. She also used a "modified prayer of Jesus" written by Miriam Therese Winter of  Hartford Seminary, USA:

Our Mother and father who is within us

 we celebrate your many names.

 Your wisdom come, Your will be done

Unfolding from the depths within us.

Each day you give us all that we need

You remind us of our limits 

and we let go.

You support  us in our power and we act with courage.

For you are the dwelling place within us

the empowerment around us

and the celebration among us

now and for ever. Amen

In her sermon Belinda  described the  oppressive Jewish context which demanded women to remain  as household properties. The women who followed Jesus took a courageous stand to be part of the Jesus movement by overstepping the social barriers and their traditional roles. The woman with the hemorrhage for twelve years was not just suffering from a physical ailment. She was ritually unclean and impure  according to the rules in Leveticus 15: 19-27.  The Levetical  rules made her life miserable.   Whoever touches ritually impure woman also shall become unclean, whoever uses the things she uses also become unclean. She was completely cut away from society -- an untouchable, socially ostracized,  and stigmatized person. No body would marry her. Finally she comes to the  point of realizing that she has to take the initiative to claim her rightful place in society. She decides to overstep the purity-pollution laws that has imprisoned her. She breaks the laws that oppressed her.She might have thought Jesus being a Jewish man would hesitate to to touch her. Knowing that Jesus had healing powers she was determined to take the initiative: to touch Jesus.

This woman represents today's women whose mobility is controlled by patriarchal structures . She represents women who are prohibited to enter church altars, mosques and temples. She represents women suffering with illness like HIV/AIDS. She represents the Dalit and Adivasi women who are made politically voiceless. She also represents the agony, the cry, the pain, humiliation  and stigmatization of women who are forced into flesh trade because of their poverty.There is  a need to recognize the power dynamics behind the oppressive forces that keep women under bondage and  "wake up to resist and retaliate against them." She retaliated against the society by breaking the social taboos. Jesus also decides to bring her to the public view.  Her touch has shaken Jesus too. Her touch made Jesus to recognize the evil that his society had been inflicting on people in the name of religion, law and God. It was touch that could not be left unnoticed but one that should be given credit so that it will be a model for the God's community he was striving to create. Jesus recognized that resisting the oppressive forces is to do the will of God (Luke 8:21). By saying that her faith has made her well Jesus affirms that not only the woman's physical ailment was cured but that  by the woman's courageous act of faith she has sought to heal herself of the social constrictions that were imposed on her. Jesus has given full credit to her for taking a bold step to disregard the laws that bound her in the name of traditions and customs. He assures that both she and the society which she has woken up to recognize their  folly can reconcile to carry on the spread of the reign of God.

Belinda has brought out three significant ways from Jesus' attitude to the woman  by which  the community of believers can   break itself free from being oppressors: Firstly, Jesus chose to take a stand opposite to that of the patriarchal structures by acknowledging women to be co-workers in God's liberative mission which has been  the overall significance of  Luke chapter 8.  Secondly, by recognizing and acknowledging the act of the woman before the society Jesus teaches us that we should provide space for the oppressed to rise up by themselves and also must be ready to accept the change they bring. Thirdly, we should  be ready to identify ourselves with the oppressed people and stand in solidarity  with them in their struggles. This story of the woman with hemorrhage is  a radical call for the dominant oppressive society towards a "metanoia" to reverse all the structures to form the community of God.

Ms. Belinda Gracelyn Praisy is a member of the Church of South India, Madras Diocese.  Last summer she went to Fiji on an exposure programme. We hope and pray that she would be able to meaningful change in church and society through her interventions as a committed Christian. 

SCM Dharna in Protest Against Religious Violence in India

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2008

StudentChristian Movement of India, North Tamil Nadu Region, organized a Dharna in front of the Gurkul College, Chennai, on Saturday, 11th October, 2008.to protest against the continuing violence against minorities in several Indian states.  The SCM was  denied permission by the police to conduct a  protest rally.  

The Dharna was inaugurated by Dr. Ponniah Manoharan, Director of Gurukul.  Students from  various colleges in the city participated. Dr. K. Rajaratnam, Director Emeritus, Gurukul, Dr. Suneel  Bhanu, Acting Principal, Gurukul, Moulvi O.M.Muzzamill Ahmad H.A., Sister Elsa from the  Catholic church and  Rev. Ebenesar Kiruba Karan from the  CSI Church addressed the Dharna.  The speakers emphasised that by raising the question of  relgious conversions the communal forces are trying to bring back caste oppression in India. Communal forces in India are a minority and in the name of Hinduism they  are trying to bring back brahminic hegemony over India and to suppress the rise  of the former untouchables from gaining social and economic freedom.  The heart of Hinduism is pluralistic, tolerant and secular. The Christians who have been  attacked in Kandhamal, Orissa, are Dalits. The attackers are primarily interested in burining houses and destroying property  to prevent the economic independence of  Dalits. Swamy Laxmananda, the BJP missionary  in Kandhamal came from Uttar Pradesh and was instigating the Kandha tribals against Pana dalits and forcibly converting tribals and Dalit Christians to Hinduism.  No forced conversions  to Christianity  were  reported in Orissa or in any part of the country.  The issue of conversion was  raised as a ploy to attack the Dalit Christians and to create panic among the secular  Hindus. The organized attacks against Christians started in December 2007. Mass raping of the nun is only a symbol of  the violence that is in the heart of  its perpetrators. Violence agaisnt women is preceded by violence and rape of the earth and its resources. The secular as well as the non-political Hindu leaders should no longer turn a blind eye to the damage done by the VHP and its youth wing Bajrang Dal to the secualr fabric of India. The Indian heritage of  relgious tolerance need to be safeguarded. The Central Government should show the courage to dismiss the Orissa Governemnet which protects the communal forces and ban Bajrang Dal which turns Indians against Indians, the worst act of terrorism.  Dalits will not get justice under the present BJP supported Naveen Patnaik government and thousands of Christians living in refugee camps and in forests will not be able to return to their villages if  the Bajrang  Dal and VHP are allowed to continue to hold their sway over the villages. 

 In the afternoon there was a seminar on Youth's role against Communal violence in a Democratic Nation, in the Ziegenbalg Auditorium of Gurukul. Rev. Samuel Prabhakaran, General Secretary of  the National Missionary Society spoke on Christian Mission in the Context of Communal Violence. He exhorted the students that retaliation is not a Christian option: "it is not in our blood." The Church need to be educated how to live and die for Christ in times of persecution. He reminded the audience the early Christian response to persecution in the Roman Empire. We are approaching difficult times. We should be spiritually equipped to meet the challenge of communalism without becoming communalists.  Ms. Geetha Ramakrishnan spoke on Violence and Negligence  of Human Rights in Communal Violence.  Prof. Bernard D. Swamy  spoke on the question,  Is  Conversion Unconstitutional?' Ms. Hannah led the discussion on the Role of Media in the Context of Communal Violence Mr. Eby  Ebenzar Thomas, Programme Secretary SCM North  Tamil Nadu Region, and Mr. Aravind Jeyakumar, Gurukul Unit President organized the  programmes.

Church in India Under Attack

Evaluation Worship and Sermon by Deacon Johns Koshy, M.

The evaluation Service and sermon of  Dn Johns Koshy' was held on Wednesday 11th October, 2008.  Deacon Koshy's   worship gave the community a flavour of the Syrain Orthodox worship, a  rare experience in Gurukul Chapel. The curtains that spearated people from the altar surprised some in the beginnig of the service. When the curtain was slowly moved from left to right the kneeling figure of the deacon gave a dramatic effect upon the worshippers. The ceremoniously decorated altar as in an Orthodox Church Madbaha with chalice and paten covered and twelve candles lighted  by women and men  in public view  was an innovation on tradition.  The text of the sermon was Matthew 14: 13-21 (Jesus feeding the five thousand). While reading the scripture the narration was  enacted.  The topic of the sermon was, "A Christian Response to Food Security."  Lord' Prayer was sung in Syriac .Benediction was taken from the Orthodox Liturgy for the Holy  Qurbana. Students from different liturgical traditions particpated in the worship in tune with the Gurukul tradition.  We hope that Deacon Johns Koshy, who belongs to the Antiochene wing of the Orthodox Church in India, would make much contribution to the ecumenical life of the Church in India.

Evaluation Worship and Sermon by Abraham Thomas

Mr. Abraham Thomas, BD IV, conducted his evaluation worship and sermon on October 1, 2008. The theme of the service was, Let Your Love be in Action. The  text selected was Romans 12:9-21 The  Invocation ,  Praise and Thanksgiving and, the Concluding Prayer (modified Lord's Prayer)  were particularly appreciated by evaluators.The Invocation was led by Nang Sang (M. Th I). The sermon was presented in the context of persecution of Christians in Orissa.  For a number of reasons Paul regards love greater than faith and hope. For Paul love the heartfelt affection of the Christian in response to th love  God has shown toward us, especially in the gift of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. To Abraham Thomas, "Love subordinates the interests of the lover to the one who is loved.  Love inspires our deliberate, diligent, self-sacrificial service to others, which is intended for their good at our expense." The Grek word  used in Romans 12:10 is   philostorgoi, which is translated  "Kindly affectioned" (KJV),  mutual affection (NRSV), devoted to one another  (IV,NIV, TNIV). Love should be natural as loving the family members. When persecuted we are to endure not passively, but actively by perseverance and steadfast prayer. To explain the meaning of Paul's quote from Proverbs Prov. 25:21,22 in  Romans 10 20  the preacher referred to an Egyptian custom: When a person wanted to demonstrate public contrition, that person would carry on his head  a pan of burning coal to represent the burning pain of his shame and guilt. He concluded by saying: Pray  for humility that you might repay evil with good, and for the ability to serve their needs rather than their desire their suffering. This is genuine love which overcomes the evil.

Mr. Abraham Thomas belongs to th the Church of God (Full Gospel) in India, which does not have the tradition of  prepared liturgy. However Abraham Thomas tried hard to prepare an order of service as required by the Gurukul Evaluation Service. He is a good singer and  communicator, with a good loud and clear voice and we pray that he may be enabled further to pursue the meaning of the Gospel of Christ.

For excerpts from his order of worship click here