AHMEDABAD: Zachariah Mar Nicholovos, Metropolitan of North East American Diocese, has emboldened the MGOCSM members of Ahmedabad Diocese to be strong and lead a life of courage, without fear and to serve the needy.
Metropolitan Mar Nicholovos as the chief speaker was delivering the address at a one-day conference organized by the Ahmedabad Unit of MGOCSM, on August 14, 2016, at St Gregorios Chapel, Ahmedabad.
The theme of the conference was taken from the Gospel according to St Mathew, Fear not, be strong to do his will – “With God all things are possible” (19:26). The Metropolitan enlightened the youth about the historical context of the biblical passage chosen as the theme for the conference.
Metropolitan’s message gave insights into the social context of the Jewish society at the time when Jesus narrated the parable to the gathered masses and stressed the importance of sacrificing worldly pleasures to be worthy to inherit the Kingdom of God.
“Men who deeply care for their worldly possessions like the rich men in the biblical passage under discussion despite following the Jewish laws was apprehensive of following the Lord’s instruction to sell his property, distribute the proceeds from the sale and then finally follow Jesus as his disciple,” Mar Nicholovos pointed out.
The passage from the Bible exhorts the faithful to sacrifice worldly desires and serve the needy to be worthy of being called a true disciple of Jesus.
An open discussion round followed wherein the youth posed various queries regarding the theme and Orthodox faith to the chief speaker. This was followed by noon prayers and lunch.
Santosh K Joy, (Communication Analyst, New Delhi) led the second session on the subject “Communication, Hazards, Obstacles and Opportunities”.
The interactive session delivered by the analyst traced the development in communication technology from ancient times to the present. He also discussed the importance of understanding body language and how it aids effective communication. The session also saw deliberation upon the evolving social media and the hazards and opportunities that it presents to the youngsters. Discussions on how social media can be used to reach out to the masses about the true Orthodox faith were also held.
Various recreational games by the youth who were divided into different teams also formed part of the conference. The outdoor games saw excellent response and excitement from the participants.
Earlier, Fr Isaac Thomas, Vicar, St Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral, Ahmedabad, delivered the welcome speech which was followed by a melodious rendition of devotional songs by the MGOCSM choir.
The Metropolitan who turned 57 on August 13 cut a birthday cake before the conference began, with Fr Isaac offering a slice on the occasion. Saplings were planted by the chief guest as part of the green initiative started by MGOCSM Ahmedabad Unit. Mar Nicholovas also distributed prizes for the winners of the annual sports event during the conference.
Nevin Markose, MGOCSM Ahmedabad Diocesan Coordinator, delivered a vote of thanks. A memento was also presented to the speakers of the conference as a token of gratitude on behalf of MGOCSM. The conference ended with evening prayers.
Pix Link: facebook.com/
