Church Celebration
San Francisco Mar Thoma church
is unique, Not just a congregation get together on Sunday
mornings, rather a single family of more than 100 families.
What makes this congregation a family is nothing but
the church celebrations and church members involvement
in each of these activities. In this article, we try
to capture few of these celebrations with textual explanation
and pictures.
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Church
Convention |
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Every
year in the month of August or September we organize
our church convention. Each convention day we start
with praise and worship led by choir with congregation
singing along followed by a message by our guest speaker.
This year too we have been greatly blessed by the God
once again in our life in this country. Four days of
fellowship beginning from August 15 to August 18. Messages
from Guest speaker Rev Phillip Varghese was really inspiring
and challenging the congregation to take up new steps
in their Christian walk. What make these days more spiritually
filling is the witnessing of church members their experiences
with the God and his faithfulness in their life, with
the congregation. |
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Year
2002 Convention |
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Harvest
Festival |
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Exodus
23:16 "Celebrate the Feast of Harvest with the
first fruits of the crops you sow in your field”.
We celebrate our harvest festival in the month of September.
Though most of the church members are not farmers we
submit our contributions, our different talents and
skills to God on this day. People bring different variety
of items for harvest festival auction: yield from backyard
farming, food packets, clothes, computers, handicraft
items, etc. This year too we celebrated our harvest
festival on 22 September 2002 after the Sunday service.
What makes this festival more fun is the participation
from all the people. Church members spend money for
the Lords glory without counting the actual values of
the item, that’s why sometimes a packet of banana
chips gets a price of $100 and a “Kariveppila”
plant gets a price of $1000. |
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Year
2002 Harvest Festival |
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Youth
Sunday (in every month) |
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Third Sunday
of every month is recognized as youth Sunday. On youth
Sunday we have English communion service. These Sundays
are special because youths take the responsibility of
assisting the Achan as Deacon, scripture reading, selecting
songs for the worship, leading the choir, offertory
collection, Passing “Kiss of peace”, preaching
the word of God and even the church cleaning after the
service. Participation of youths in the parish life
to shape and sharpen youths for the parish mission is
a part of the parish life. On youth Sunday we have more
number of youths attending the service than other Sundays
mainly due to their sense of responsibility and also
English service is a preferred medium of liturgy worship
for youth. |
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Church
Picnic |
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Church
picnic day is a great fun day for church members. On
this day, since morning till evening we play together,
eat together and thank God for his wonderful mercies
in our life. Usually in the month of September picnic
is held. On this day we rent a separate picnic spot
where we can arrange different games for different group
of people and eat together. This year too on September
7 2002 we had our church picnic held at Garin regional
park Hayward situated north-east of San Francisco, CA.
We had several games for different age groups and gender
groups: candy picking, tug-of-war, soccer for children
and lemon and spoon race, tug-of-war and grape-spoon
for women. For men it was Volleyball, Soccer and tug-of-war.
Picnic organizers bring food and ingredients and it’s
the elders and the youths without gender difference
cook food and the gathering eat together. It’s
a great Fun and Fellowship day to grow together as a
family. |
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Picnic
day Lemon and spoon race of women |
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Picnic
day Tug-of-war of men |
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Picnic
day Lunch together |
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| Picnic
day Candy Picking |
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Parents
Day |
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On parents day
children come together and express their gratitude and
affection to their parents. Sunday school teacher and
youths organize the event. Usually children sing together
dedicating songs for parents and also they express their
love and affection through Skits and stage performances.
On this day all that children do specially is to express
their hearts to their parents that they Love them and
also to Thank the Lord Almighty for their wonderful
parents he has given them. |
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Talent
Night |
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We
celebrate Talent night for youths and young children,
usually in the month of September. On Talent night day
youths and young children get an opportunity to express
their talents and skills to the congregation. Youth
league organization lead the responsibility of organizing
the talent night with the help from elders and parents.
This year too we celebrated talent night on 17 September.
A variety of programs were performed on this day such
as : Full blossomed band playing Christian songs, Dancing
to the tune of Beautiful melodies, Skit with Christian/Fun
themes, Fashion show, Performance of Instrumental music
etc., This year Many non-Marthoma, and non-Malayalee
people also attended talent night program as our guest
God Almighty
has been blessing San Francisco Mar Thoma church congregation
abundantly. Especially the younger generation growing
in the community has been a great blessing. They are
eager not only to develop their talents but also to
use their talents for God’s glory. |
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Talent
Night : Smiling and vibrant youth's dance performance |
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Talent
Night: Suni Chandy Playing Veena |
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Easter
Day |
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We celebrate
Easter day together. On Easter day, we have regular
Easter Day service followed by a special choir. Easter
day celebration ends with a dinner together, usually
organized by Sevika Sangam members. |
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Christmas
Day |
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| Christmas
celebration preparation starts in the month of September.
Choir practice begin by the first week of September.
Almost all Sundays since September choir team is dedicated
for the Christmas carol service practice. Such an earnest
and dedicated team work has made San Francisco Mar Thoma
church Choir one of best in the north American dioceses.
Christmas day
celebration is a mega event in every year. Starts with
Christmas day service followed by different activities.
Church choir singing the Christmas carol, junior choir
(of Sunday schools kids) singing Christmas carol, Christmas
message, Skit by youths based on bible theme remembering
the birth of the King, Visit of Santa Claus and Christmas
Dinner together makes every year celebration a memorable
day. |
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| By : John Geevarghese |
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