A Message

Galatians 3:26-29 & 4:6 - 7;  Luke 4:16 - 21 Today the church remembers William Wilberforce. I wonder how many of you know who he is. He was a reformer. He grew up surrounded by wealth. He wasn’t a serious student but educated at St. John's College at Cambridge. He was a man with a purpose.  Two causes caught his attention. One the issue of slavery. He saw it as wickedness. And he made up his mind that it has to be abolished. As a young parliamentarian 30 years, he faced much opposition and he was vilified. Yet he did not give up. One of his friends feared that he would be broiled by Indian planters, barbecued by African merchants. His antislavery efforts bore fruit in 1807. That was an impact he had on the world. His second interest was the "reformation of manners," that is, morals. At the age of 28 he started a society for the Suppression of Vice.  He gave away one-quarter of his annual income to the poor. He fought on behalf of chimney sweeps, single mothers, Sunda...

This section of Psalm 145:10-21 speaks about God’s character . His faithfulness and God’s care for those who are in difficult situations and the Psalmists calls for a response. For God’s people to praise Him. God is faithful He fulfills his promises He loves all what he has made God is caring He upholds the fallen Lifts those who are bowed down Provides for the hungry Satisfies the desires He is righteous He is beside you He protects Whatever the circumstance is, God is faithful and his character never changes Even if we may face difficulties in life God is faithful and never changes. That is the experience of the Psalmist. Was that your experience of God in the past month? All what God has made, every creature is to experience God’s goodness and in return praise him. May you experience Gods goodness in the coming month.

Truth is a human quality. It can be considered a moral. We live in times where there is no space for truth. Our two readings for the day ( Jeremiah 26.11–16, 24 & Matthew 14:1-12)  remind us of the danger one will face when they speak the truth. In the days of the bible, the OT and the NT period it was death, especially if it is against the king. Today too it is the same, one can face death when the truth is spoken. But today apart from physically killing people, people are made to live death . They are made out as liars, trouble makers, as people who hate and oppose and obstruct, people who disturb the peace.   Why do people hate the truth speakers? People who speak the truth disturb the lives of people who live against God’s commandments. So Herod is afraid of John the Baptist who spoke the truth about Herod's  immoral act and about Jesus too. So it was with Jeremiah, he was threatened to be killed for asking the people to amend their ways. However it may b...

Amos 5.14-15, 21-24;  Matthew 8.28–end  Thought shared at the first of the month service.           We begin a new month today. The month of June has given us many experiences. When we look back I am sure we can all give thanks to God for his love and mercy and goodness. Our experience of God and our relationship with him will help us step into the month of July with confidence.            Amos helps us in this. "Hate sin" he says, "seek good and love good". What is good and sin differs in our world today.          When you choose good, when you seek good, and when you love good, the chances are that you maybe rejected. What is good disturbs the comfortable life of sin. The good that one seeks may not be "good" as good is defined by many in different ways to suit them. While Good ( טוֹב -  towb ) in the OT covers much and is well captured in Genesis 1, the good that Amos speaks ...

Corvid - 19 has made us realise how much more  people are in need. I would divide them  into  two categories. The need for material / physical. Peoples need for existence - food, jobs, security, money, technological resources to educate their children, the need for confidence in the future and the need to overcome poverty. Most often while the plight of the less fortunate has been highlighted, it has never more been brought to light as much as it has with Corvid - 19. Prior to Corvid-19, amidst their situation they would make ends meet by finding opportunities.  However, the many restrictions of Corvid -19 the behavioral changes, and peoples attitudes and mind sets only raises the question, who will meet our needs? This question is also relevant to a new category of people who have been made less fortunate during this period of Corvid - 19 - small businesses, the self employed, the migrant workers (local and foreign), farmers, etc., as they are surrounded ...

Friends! Every during the month of May-June we come together to be involved in mission work to celebrate our ordination to the priesthood which falls on May 6th. This year (Corvid-19) too like last year (Easter Sunday bombing) we could not fulfill our commitment. As our act of thanksgiving to God we have come together to lead you in this Ascension Sunday worship – a service of the word. Stay blessed and stay safe. --Fr’s. Balasunderam, Dhivyapalan, Lakshman-- You may follow this service by clicking  Ascension Sunday service The introduction Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, in the midst of a pandemic, a curfew which has kept us locked up inside our homes like the first disciples at Easter, and no worship services, yet for forty days we have been joyfully celebrating the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. His resurrection is a reminder to us especially during this period that he has defeated death and the power of sin. Today we celebrate our Lord’s ascension into heaven,...

The Promised Holy Spirit to the Church - You may use this resource in a meaningful way as you pray as a family. - You may use the given hymns or any other hymns that are relevant and known. Greeting Christ is risen Alleluia! He is risen indeed Alleluia! Opening sentence But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. John 16:13 Silence  Opening Song  - Gift of Christ from God our Father,  Tune: 8.4.8.4.8.8.8.4. Welsh Air; The opening prayer For prayer in the morning As we rejoice in the gift of a new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you, now and forever. Amen. For prayer in the evening As our evening prayer rises before you, O God, so may your mercy come down upon us to cleanse our hearts and set us free to sing your praise now and forever. Amen. Confession And I will a...

6th of May 2014, feast of John the Apostle and Evangelist the day I was ordained a priest, some verses of scriptures from my mornings (6/5/20) meditations helped to reflect over the last two days, give thanks.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end f the age . Matthew 28:20b  No one can snatch them out of my hand . John 10:28b Nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 8:37-39) On first impression these portions of scriptures can paint a negative picture. But these verses were further study sections to conclude a two month long devotional on the "prayer of Jesus" in John 17, which helped to look back at the path that six years had brought me through with thanksgiving, and to look ahead with confidence in God who calls, bringing me back to one of my favourite verses in the bible from 1 Timothy 2:12 " I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to h...

“Jesus’ New Way - Our Royal Priesthood”   -           You may use this resource in a meaningful way as you pray as a family. -           You may use the given hymns or any other hymns that are relevant and known.   Greeting Christ is risen Alleluia! He is risen indeed Alleluia!   Opening sentence  Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 Silence Opening prayer to be sung prayerfully Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus, to reach out and touch him, and say that we love him. Open our ears, Lord, and help us to listen. Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus. Confession But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. I Peter 2:9   In silence...

Stain glass window @ St. Thomas' Church, Stanningly. Jesus the Good Shepherd You may use this resource in a meaningful way as you pray as a family. The family gathers around the Easter garden or flowers / greenery in the space kept for prayer. A candle or lamp is lit. You may use the given hymns or any other hymns that are relevant and known. Opening sentence I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me. John 10:14 The opening prayer If you are praying in the morning As we rejoice in the gift of a new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you, now and forever. Amen. If you are praying in the evening As our evening prayer rises before you, O God, so may your mercy come down upon us to cleanse our hearts and set us free to sing your praise now and   forever. Amen. Hymn -  Faithful Shepherd, feed me Collect to be said by all God of peace, by the blood of the eternal coven...