YOUTH NEWS

A BRIEF REPORT OF THE AWARENESS CAMP ON MAY 16-19, 2011, WHICH WAS GRACIOUSLY HELD IN THE PROPOSED MEDICAL COLLEGE CAMPUS OF AMC, AROGYAVARAM FOR THE RAYALASEEMA DIOCESE 

Theme

…Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?_ Mark 10:38

Speakers

Rev. Dr. T. Isaac Prasanna Kumar (CSIND)

Rev. P. Isaac Varaprasad (CSIRD)

Dearly beloved of Christ Jesus,

In the sweet name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I greet you and thank you for all your co-operation, love and support for this Awareness Camp.

This camp happen to be the prayer fruit of our youth fellowship of Gudisevaripalle, who prayed since a long time to organize a Camp for the whole Rayalaseema diocese under the above said theme. It was all to get aware of the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation instituted in the Church of South India. The above mentioned two speakers were prayerfully selected to teach the Doctrines of Baptism and Confirmation and theme devotion respectively.

As the church in Gudisevaripalle is a very small congregation, a request was made to the Dr. Wesley, the Director of the AMC to host the Camp. Thereby with the gracious acceptance of the AMC, it was very easy to organize it with the spirit of enrichment.

There were nearly 110 delegates attended the camp and of them 87 registered and again of them 57 registered by paying a fee of Rs. 150/-. This was a very small amount but there was a huge contribution by AMC and the College & School of Nursing. Along with these, the congregation of Pulivendula, Some members of Gudisevaripalle and Nakkalavaripalle could also contribute their part. There were 47 outstation delegates, who were from Kadapa, Adoni, Mantralayam, Yemiganur, Proddatur Rameswaram, Pulivendula, Poluru, Perusomula, Arlagadda, Madanapalle and so on.

The camp started from 16^th evening and ended by 19^th afternoon. On 16^th there was an inaugural session of introductions and an inaugural address. On 17^th we had tight sessions both in the morning and afternoon for doctrines with group discussions. In the evening we had a walk to one of the quite places of AMC campus for a sunset meditation called “Sandhya Samarpana”. And before supper there was devotion on the theme. This day could orient the delegates of their Mother Church, observances of Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation and the commitment. Every night before supper we had devotion on the theme with alter calls for the commitment to the Church and its mission in CSI. This resulted with14 delegates to boldly commit to work for their mother church.

The next day 18^th was an orientation of the spiritual life with baptism. How to do a personal bible meditation and how to prepare in leading a group bible study were taught with practicals. There were 12 delegates voluntarily committed to start the bible studies in their respective churches’ campuses with the calling by the Church. They themselves shall call the members to the bible studies and organize themselves with the knowledge of the local pastor.

There were practical talks on the “Purpose of Life” by Rev. A. Jayaraju and “Temptation of the Youth” by Rev. I. Prabhakar. After lunch we had a music class as an orientation to learn KEY BOARD. A book of music was released in the Camp. We could not play games because of rain but delegates were practicing choreographies and skits for the cultural programmes. The cultural programmes were so meaningful and spiritual with good messages in them.

With these two days all the 87 delegates could understand the differences in the teaching and the doctrines of CSI with other sectarian groups that always do the sheep stealing. With this awareness seeds of thinking for the mother church were sowed in their hearts and minds.

On 19^th we had the communion service followed by the inaugural prayer of the foundation stone of the AMC gate in remembrance of its 100 years. Then all the delegates joined to profess the vision of the Church. They could bring out their feelings and all the sixes and sevens of the diocese with suggestions from their little knowledge. Finally, understanding their awareness in the camp, we gave away participation certificates for all to identify them for a next camp on discipleship and lead bible studies in their respective churches by the calling of the church.

Kindly control the speed and hurried spirit of their commitment to the mother church under your pastoral guidance and please encourage them to conduct a bible study once in a week in the church campus separately for boys and girls. Also a youth fasting prayer separately as we send them a monthly prayer letter.

We could also happily make programme to give Awareness on CSI Baptism and Confirmation for your one day retreat or two day retreat and even half a day retreat if your pastorate committees are willing to sponsor in your church. Kindly use the delegates that attended the camp and if your church did not send any delegates arrange a retreat so that we could orient with your help.  Once again thank you for all your love and support in the name of our lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you,

Yours truly,  

Rev. K. Devanand Subuddy.