Anti-alchoholic quarter in Malankara Orthodox Church ..

Malankara Orthodox Church is holding a no-alchohol quarter during Oct, Nov and December of 2010.

this has been necessitated by the rampant misuse of alchohol for intoxication by the affluent, middle class and poor sections of the Kerala Society. The order (kalpana) read from the Catholica Bawa thirumeni talks of god's own land becoming alchohol's own land.

Kerala has during the just over New Year celebrations got the added decoration of being the alchoholic capital of the country. On Dec 31 st, 2009, Kerala consumed max alchohol in the country.

Youngsters and middle aged people who are falling prey to this menace due to their pitiable ignorance and have fun attitude, are unaware of the prblems it is bringing to the society and their own families and kids. Intelligent among them are unwilling to accept this weakness of theirs in public. Many marriages are getting broken because of this.

Let this Christmas be one of no alchohol, even wine not allowed, in Christian homes. Drug abuse and its de-addiction is also another important task for the church to initiate among the faithful.

Don't we require a web site to announce timings and dates of important events ?

Don't we require a website or blog which announces timings and dates of important events/prayers/ceremonies/announcements/prayer meetings/news of deaths etc .. in the church?

george easaw ..

Are we caring for our weak and diseased in the church ?

This morning, for the first service on Sunday, 3 rd October, 2010, I was quite surprised when Philip achen told in the church that 26 of our church members are either in hospital or are weak and taking rest at their homes. Also an elderly weak lady had come to the church as today was her husband's death anniversary. She was given special communion by James achen.

It is indeed a good act on behalf of the priests, Philip achen and James achen to be visiting the houses of the poor, needy, weak, tired and diseased members of the St Gregorios Orthodox Cathedral in bangalore.

Let me first of all congratulate our achens for doing this noble deed for the poor and needy in the church. The rich, influential and affluent do not need anyone's help.

In whatever small way it is possible, we are assuring you that we will be supporting the priests, as we believ this is a very good gesture and a honest one at that !

The church needs to move away from self serving and self defeating initiatives, like providing kanji/gruel during sundays of lent period. It is a convenient idea but being self serving, is not the right thing to do.

Why can't we use that money to buy textbooks for students or pay their fees directly in the school. Don't we have poor members in our church too ? or are there only people moving in Hondas and Toyotas in the church ?

If it is made clear that all money collected from the church will be used for noble work, helping the poor and needy, and not for self-serving purposes, I am sure many church members would be ready to open their purses much more than what they are doing now.

Individual donations to social upbringing can never have as much impact as 1000 families of the church together can make. The effect not only is manifold, but athousand fold. it can work wonders.

I exhort all my church members to think seriously think in this direction ..

george easaw..