South Asian Outreach Ministry in Greater Princeton Area
New Jersey Synod – ELCA – Aug 28th 2008 / Weekly updates issue # 8


Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Greetings in the name of the Triune God Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

Best wishes & greetings for a Merry Christmas & Happy, Bright, Prosperous and Blessed New Year 2009! 

• God's blessing on the Mission Developers' Training - Part II in Chicago - ELCA Center from Aug 10th through 12th. Pastor Fernando and The Rev. Judith Spindt (Mission Director & Bishop's Assistant) were able to participate and appraise the 'Evangelical Outreach & Churchplanting Ministry' leaders(EOCM) with the latest developments in Nava Jeevan and pray and plan with them.
• It was a good opportunity to connect and reconnect with similar mission developers and mission directors from other parts of the USA and learn about new resources to work as a team.
• Even as Pr. Fernando was away in Chicago the Nava Jeevan Family got together in Hamilton parsonage and diligently devoted themselves in prayer, bible study and fellowship on Aug 8th, thanks to the group leaders and all the participants!
• Apart from the weekly bible studies, the Lord blessed our special meeting and bible study on Aug 22nd with the Rev. Scott C. Schantzenbach (Bishop's Assistant, Director of MOM & Stewardship Specialist). The key lessons imprinted on our hearts and minds are:
• Set apart (10%)
• Save (10%)
• Spend (80%) with prudence and Godly wisdom.
• The Lord blessed the Annual Church Retreat of Tamil Christian Congregation - NJ & NY held at SPADE Retreat Center, Kempton, PA from Aug 15th through 17th where Pr. Fernando was invited to deliver the Special Messages (including 'Sandhiya' an informal discourse at dusk seated in the natural out door setting and songs and music around the Camp-Fire) and preside over the Holy-Eucharistic Worship on sunday morning in Tamil language.
• Here is a testimony from the Church-board president and elder:-

• Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:18:06 -0400 To: nynjtamilchurch@googlegroups.com Subject: Re: Invitation to view Tamil Christian Congregation's Picasa Web Album - SPADE Retreat 2008-AUG-17- Tamil Christian Congregation-NYNJ Dear friends, I thank the LORD for the wonderful retreat we enjoyed last weekend. Special thanks to the big guys Prabhakar, King George, Anbu, Rajah, and Shibu (ladies don't get upset for not thanking you; when I mentioned the guys' names I meant their other halfs too). I have attended many Indian Church retreats (including the TCC's retreats in the 80s and early 90s, and Washington Tamil Church's retreat) in the last 27 years here in the US. Almost in every retreat, only the morning session would be spiritual and the afternoon session would be just fun and entertainment only. Ours was entirely different. We spent may be just 2 hours for entertainment playing valley ball (Perhaps since the campsite is located in the Lehigh Valley the 'volley ball' has become the 'valley ball'?!? - pr. Eddie)and rest of the programs including the camp-fire were fun and spiritual. Almost after every retreat, I've seen people leaving the retreat grumbling and complaining about the dirty beds some times with bed bugs and cheap meals. But we enjoyed the hotel like bed rooms with clean baths and delicious Indian meals (thanks to Mrs. Tubbs and Mrs. Westcott Moses and all other ladies who helped in the kitchen). When I think all of these, only one reason comes to my mind for the success of this retreat. That's our fervent prayers for the past 6 months. We wanted to have a retreat and without even knowing the retreat place we started praying and God answered our prayers in His way. Now we have no doubt that we can achieve great things to our church by our fervent prayers.     - Jayaraj

Pray fervently and ceaselessly for:

1. A complete health recovery of Deepa Ranjith, Sasikumar, Junia Moses, Lois Amutha Fernando and Roma.

2. For the restoration of good health to our kids namely: Deborah Prabahar, Rowena Kannaiyan, and Vishal Agarwal.
3. God’s anointing on Pr. Edwin Fernando as he prepares for his preaching assignments & supply pastor ministry.

4. Speedy recovery of the Rev. David Purushothaman recuperating from a major surgery.

5. For the robust health & travel mercies of Neetha Villury's parents on their way back to India.

6. For the major natural calamities like Tsunami and Earthquake threatening to affect millions in India, Srilanka and Indonesia in the coming months. We are reminded to humble, repent and seek the Lord's face according to 2 Chronicles 7: 14

7. God's intervention and protection in the increasing persecution and attrocities against Christians, nuns, missionaries, World Vision - India staff who have now fled for life into forest areas in Indian states namely Orissa, Bihar and other parts of north India. 

 

 
Announcements
Next Bible Study:
• August 29th - 7.30 - 9.00 pm - Samuel R. Kennedy's home - Acts 15 (Special Prayers for Children's Back-Pack & New Academic Year)
• September 5th - 7.30 - 9.00 pm - Esther & Praveenkumar's home - Acts 16
• Septemebr 12th - 7.30 - 9.00 pm - Manu & Praveen Yeddu's home - Acts 17