1985 Maramon Convention: Astronaut turned Evangelist James Irwin wows with display of rare Moon Rock
“Weight – 4.5 ounces (129 g)” Photo by Leo Boudreau
In a historic and mesmerizing moment at the 1985 Maramon Convention, the congregation witnessed a unique blend of science and spirituality as former astronaut and evangelist James Irwin took the main stage. Worshippers were left in awe as Irwin, who had walked on the moon during the Apollo missions, showcased a rare Moon rock, adding an extraordinary dimension to the spiritual gathering.
The anticipation heightened as Irwin donned custom gloves and carefully opened a special bag that cradled the precious lunar rock artefact. The air in the convention pandal was thick with excitement as he unveiled the rock retrieved during Irwin’s historic moon journey, became the centre of attention. Holding it high for all to see – the rock, once part of the distant lunar landscape, now found itself in the hands of a man whose journey had transcended the boundaries of our world.
The 1985 Maramon Convention would be remembered as the moment when the celestial and the divine converged in a sermon delivered on the banks of the River Pamba.
Mr. Irwin said that his experience exploring the moon on the Apollo 15 mission in July 1971 moved him to devote the rest of his life to “spreading the good news of Jesus Christ”. He resigned from the astronaut corps a year later and became the founding president of High Flight Foundation, an interdenominational evangelical organization based in Colorado Springs.
To church groups around the country, Mr. Irwin often spoke of the lunar mission as an epiphany, declaring, “I felt the power of God as I’d never felt it before.” Quoting Scripture on Moon
While on the moon, at the end of the first day exploring the rugged lunar highlands, Mr. Irwin said he was reminded of “my favorite Biblical passage from Psalms.” Speaking by radio to Mission Control in Houston, he began quoting the passage, “I’ll look unto the hills from whence cometh my help,” and added quickly, “but, of course, we get quite a bit from Houston, too. “https://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/10/us/james-b-irwin-61-ex-astronaut-founded-religious-organization.html
About Astronaut James Irwin
Astronaut James Irwin was an American astronaut, test pilot, engineer, and geologist who gained fame as the eighth person to walk on the Moon during the Apollo 15 mission. Born on March 17, 1930, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Irwin had a background in aeronautical engineering and earned a Master’s degree in the same field from the University of Michigan.
Irwin was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1966 and made his first spaceflight as the lunar module pilot for Apollo 15 in 1971. During this mission, he and Commander David Scott spent three days on the lunar surface, conducting scientific experiments and exploring the Hadley-Apennine region. Irwin’s activities on the Moon included using the lunar rover, a vehicle designed for lunar exploration, making them the first people to drive on the moon. They collected 175 pounds of rocks and soil from the moon’s surface.
After his space career, James Irwin left NASA in 1972 and pursued various interests, including writing and public speaking. He founded the High Flight Foundation, a Christian organization, and later became involved in several ventures.
Tragically, James Irwin passed away on August 8, 1991, at the age of 61, due to a heart attack. Despite his relatively short time in the spotlight, his contributions to lunar exploration and the advancement of scientific knowledge left a lasting impact on space exploration and the understanding of the Moon’s geology.
12 Nov 2023: CSI, CNI and Mar Thoma Church celebrate “Festival of Unity of Communion of Churches in India (CCI) CSI- CNI-MTC”
On 12 November, 2023, Sunday: the CSI, CNI and Mar Thoma Churches will celebrate this Sunday as the ‘”Festival of Unity of Communion of Churches in India (CCI) CSI- CNI-MTC”‘.
The Communion of Churches in India (CCI) has been constituted as the visible organ for common expression of the life and witness by the founding Churches, the Church of North India (CNI), the Church of South India (CSI) and the Mar Thoma Syrian Church (MTC) which recognise themselves as belonging to the one Church of Jesus Christ in India, even while remaining as autonomous churches, each having its own identity of traditions and organizational structures. “The Communion” invites other Churches in India to enter into full communion with the member churches separately and join “The Communion”.
In a meeting of the Executive Committees of the CNI, CSI & MTC in November 1999 at CharalKunnu, Kuriannoor, Kerala from 11-14 November, 1999, it was unanimously recommended that the name ‘The Communion of Churches in India’ be adopted in place of the Joint Council to reflect the growth in the experience of unity among the three churches.
Festival Of Unity
CCI week every year in the second week of November with special combined worship service on second Sunday in November in all the Churches of the member Churches. Please look for the Special Order of Worship prepared for the Occasion
Common Liturgy – The Communion of Churches in India
Historical Background
The Communion of Churches in India (CCI) has been constituted as the visible organ for common expression of the life and witness by the founding Churches, the Church of North India (CNI), the Church of South India (CSI) and the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church (MTC) which recognise themselves as belonging to the one Church of Jesus Christ in India, even while remaining as autonomous churches, each having its own identity of traditions and organizational structures.
“The Communion” invites other Churches in India to enter into full communion with the member churches separately and join“The Communion”. The genesis of the story goes back to the invitation by the CNI to form three commissions of representatives of the three churches: the Church of North India, Church of South India and the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church (here-in-after referred to as CNI.CSI and MTC) to explore the ways and means of further cooperation and witness in India. This move was welcomed during the meeting of the CSI and MTC Negotiation Commission, held on 17th May 1974. Therefore the three churches appointed their representatives to the Theological Commissions of their respective churches and these commissions began to function as a Joint Theological Commission.
The first meeting of the Joint Theological Commission was held in January 1975 at Madras. The object of the Commission was to explore the possibilities of close cooperation between the CNI, the CSI and the MTC and to discuss the question of faith and order and other relevant issues. The aim of this was that there might be union between these churches, keeping in mind the ultimate goal of all Christ’s people in India i.e. the fulfillment of the Mission of the Church. During their third meeting in September 1976, the JTC passed the proposal for a new model of union for these three churches, which was accepted, and the Joint Council was inaugurated in July 1978, at Nagpur.
Aims And Objects Of The Communion
✮ To serve as the common organ of the member Churches for working towards a visible manifestation of the Unity of the Churches and of the whole Church of Jesus Christ in India.
✮ To help the Churches to fulfill the Mission of Evangelization of the people of India and of witnessing to the righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ by striving for a just society.
✮ To work with all people of good will to establish peace with justice and integrity of creation.
✮ To explore possibilities of common action for the fulfillment of the mission of the Church in India and outside.
✮ To consider the question of Faith, Worship and Order and other relevant issues arising from their present relationship of full communion and make appropriate recommendations, so that the churches may grow in mutual understanding, the deepening of the experience of oneness in Christ, and in the visible manifestation of unity.
Late Dr. Russel Chandran, one of the active proponents of the council since its formation used to say that the Joint Council was established on the basis of acknowledgement of the three churches that they were already one church because of their oneness in doctrine and mutual recognition of their sacrament and ministry. It was intended to give visible expression of the unity which already existed. One of the components of visible unity was adoption of a common name. Some expressed the difficulty, that do adopt a common name would be a question of losing the identity of the three churches. However organic unity with a common name was ruled out. The attempt was made to manifest oneness through a common structure, while retaining the autonomy of the three churches.
According to the Preamble of the new constitution, the objects are :
✮ To serve as the common organ of the member churches and of the whole church of Jesus Christ in India.
✮ To help the churches to fulfill the mission of evangelization.
✮ To strive with all people for justice and integrity of creation.
✮ To explore possibility of common action for fulfillment of mission.
✮ To consider question of faith, worship and order and other relevant issues.
In a meeting of the Executive Committees of the CNI, CSI & MTC thin November 1999 at Charal Kunnu, Kerala from 11-14 November, 1999, it was unanimously recommended that the name ‘The Communion of Churches in India’ be adopted in place of the Joint Council to reflect the growth in the experience of unity among the three churches. The new name was adopted and announced at the 10 Joint Council Meeting held in Calcutta on 13th and 14th November 2000. According to the Constitution of the CCI the General Assembly is held ordinarily every four years. The first General Assembly of the Communion of Churches was held on 10 March 2004 in Cochin but somehow after two years the second General Assembly was held in CSI Centre, Chennai from 3rd to 5th July 2006. The third General Assembly was held in CNI Bhavan New Delhi on 2nd and 3rd March 2010. It was decided to observe second Sunday in November every year as the Festival of Unity in the second meeting of the Executive Committee of the Joint Council held on 5th May 1979.
The first General Assembly held at Shantigiri, Aluva held from 7th to 10th March 2004 had noted the following challenges:
✮ Unity at the level of people’s struggle
✮ Making visible the unity we have
✮ From Institution to movement
✮ Empowering people as a form of service towards justice.
✮ From bureaucracy to people
✮ From National to local The CNI Moderator in his keynote address had said “ We need to learn lessons from our past, from our mistakes and also from the insights of our ancestors and be guided by the Holy Spirit into that Unity which God wants. Let us walk together on a new journey and make a new beginning in our effort for walking as united in faith and action.
Prayer
JOINT COUNCIL (CCI) PRAYER
“Almighty God, our heavenly Father, in you alone all things are held together in unity. You have united us in a new way in Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. We praise you for your love which is the bond of our unity.
We give thanks to you that you have led the three churches to which we severally belong to come together and to form a Joint Council and now called the Communion of Churches. You have also called us to united in prayer that we may all receive your blessings and grow in unity.
In our prayers, O Father, we join with our Lord Jesus Christ in his prayer for all who believe in him “that they all may be one.. that the world may believe” (John 17:20) We confess before you our tolerance of disunity and our share in taking pride in our heritages more than in Jesus Christ and his Cross.
We pray for the continued guidance of your Holy Spirit that through the Joint Council our bond of unity in love may deepen and our oneness may strengthen our witness t the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Help us to unite for Christ’s mission not only at the national level but in all levels, wherever we can be together for worship, mission and service. We seek your blessings so that our common life and witness may be a blessings to the nation to which we belong.
We specially pray for the Presiding Bishop and the members of the Presidium,……the Moderator of the Church of North India,……the Moderator of the Church of South India and … the Metropolitan of the Mar Thoma Church, and the members of the CCI Secretariat and for all other Bishops, ministers and the laity and commend them to your mercy, protection and guidance. Grant that led by their ministry the churches may continually grow in love and unity. May your peace, our heavenly Father, be always with us. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
AMEN.
for more information visit https://communionofchurchesinindia.org.in
World Sunday School Day: 5 Nov 2023 (Free Ebook – Robert Raikes and how we got the Sunday School)
5th November 2023 : World Sunday School Day – The first Sunday of the Month of November is celebrated throughout the world as Sunday School Day. The Mar Thoma/ CSI/ CNI churches are celebrating Sunday, 5th November, 2023 as World Sunday School Day.
Robert Raikes (1735- 1811), an English Publisher, started the first Sunday School in the city of Gloucester in England in 1780. During the early days, reading, arithmetic and Bible was taught at the Sunday Schools.
In 1809, Church representatives of the Malankara Churches held a meeting at Kandanadu Church, near Ernakualam to arrange facilities to teach children in the Church about religion, prayers and sacraments. The India Sunday School Union was founded in 1876.
The Mar Thoma Sunday School Samajam was established on 25 February 1905, at the Maramon Convention.
We encourage our readers to read and share this Free 4 page PDF Ebook Resource for your Sunday Schools and children’s services: Robert Raikes and How We Got Sunday School
Also read – Pages from History: Formation of Mar Thoma Sunday School Samajam – 1905
22nd October 2023: Family Sunday Service (Free Malayalam pdf EBook) CNI-CSI-MarThomaSyrianChurch
On 22nd October 2023 (21st Sunday after Pentecost), Family Sunday is celebrated by the CSI church, CNI church and the Mar Thoma Syrian Church. This year’s motto is “Family an expression of the Kingdom of God”.
Download this free pdf Ebook published in Malayalam in 1951 that is still relevant to today’s Christian life. This book can be used as a resource for your Family Sunday service. The link can be shared and used by church members, parishes and church organizations. It can be accessed on any smartphone, tablet or computer for free.
The Principles of Christian Family Life (Malayalam) (Published in 1951)
Saluting our Freedom Fighters on India’s Independence Day
There have been several great souls in the Syrian Christian Community who rose to partake in the freedom struggle for India’s Independence. As India enters the 75th year of Independence, Nalloor Library would like our readers to remember a few freedom fighters who represented the Syrian Christian community and share their stories in their Sunday Schools and meetings across the world. This list is no means a complete list and only four have been chosen as representatives. We salute each and every freedom fighter across this great nation who participated in the freedom struggle and those who gave their lives for India’s freedom. Jai Hind!
Shri Thevarthundiyil Titus also known as ‘Titusji’ – Dandi March
The historic Dandi Salt march by Mahatma Gandhi in 1930 triggered the wider Civil Disobedience Movement leading to India’s freedom from the British. Among the marchers that would change India’s destiny was just one Christian and a Mar Thomite, Shri Thevarthundiyil Titus also known as ‘Titusji’. A devout Gandhian – he was known by the name Titus in his earlier days. “Titusji” was the name given to him by Mahatma Gandhi as a token of love and honour.
Read more: Remembering the Mahatma of the Mar Thoma Church (Freedom Fighter) Rare Photos and Video
Mr. O. C. Chacko of the Indian National Army (INA)
Mr. O. C. Chacko was part of the Indian National Army (INA) of Subash Chandhra Bose and member of the Kuriannoor Mar Thoma Church, Pathanamthitta, Kerala. We post a link to a write up that was published on his 100th (centenary) birth anniversary.
Read More at: 100th Birth Anniversary of a Marthomite Freedom Fighter – Mr. O. C. Chacko
Rev. C.V.George B.A., B.L
General Secretary of the Mar Thoma Sunday School Samajam. He was the only Mar Thoma Priest who is recognized and awarded as a freedom fighter by the Government. Before his ordination, he was in jail for almost a year for his participation in the Freedom movement of India.
Read more at: Pages from History: Birth of Freedom Fighter (Advocate) Rev. C.V.George B.A., B.L
George Joseph
George Joseph, a barrister, fiery nationalist, avant-garde journalist, pioneer trade unionist, and ardent champion of important public causes, has etched an indelible place in the history of India’s war for Independence. He hailed from Kerala and was not just a pioneer in several fields, he was also a staunch supporter of Annie Besant’s Home Rule movement and Gandhiji’s Non-Cooperation movement during India’s freedom struggle.
He was born in Chenganoor (Kerala) in 1887, which at that time was part of the Travancore Kingdom. He completed his Law at the University of Edinburgh and it was during his stay in London that he became acquainted with notable freedom fighters like Madam Cama, S K Verma, S R Rana, and Veer Savarkar. He returned to India after finishing his education and though he established his legal practice initially in Chennai, he eventually shifted it to Madurai. George Joseph went on to become a famous criminal lawyer in Madurai. From the time he started practising there, he championed the cause of Madurai’s tribes, such as the Piramalai Kallars and Maravars. In 1920, following the Perungamanallur firing (also referred to as the Jallianwalla Bagh of the South), the British implemented the Criminal Tribes Act, labelling these groups as criminals. He vehemently opposed the Act by voicing his opinions in newspapers and he also represented these communities in court proceedings. The residents of these settlements gave him the name ‘Rosapoo Durai’ (a Rose amongst Leaders), as a symbol of their gratitude. ~indianculture.gov.in
Remembering Ms. Bagshaw – Hoskote, an example of Christian spirit and service
Pages from History: – Beginning of Hoskote Mission in 1947 and A Big Salute to Ms. Bagshaw.
The first missionaries (The founders – Rev. A.C.Zachariah and family and Mr. M.T.Joseph and family) of the present Hoskote Misson Medical Centre reached Hoskote on 27 June 1947. The Cubbon Park Prayer fellowship of the Bangalore Mar Thoma Paresh provided them the necessary help. The missionaries were whole heartedly welcomed by the Brethren Mission Church which had an orphanage “House of Praise “ in Hoskote town. The head of the Orphanage, Miss. Bagshaw and her staff in true Christian spirit accommodated the new mission workers with them in the House of Praise for about six months till they found their own rented houses in the town.
The early years of Ashram living was really tough. There was no regular income but survival was the main concern, to convert the hard ground to grow crops, it took, years of toil, sweat and hard work. The only answer was hard physical labour to make their living. Both families joined hand in hand, they were of one heart and mind, they felt that what they owned was not their own; they shared everything they had.
The first kind offer from the local community was to fetch drinking water from the Panchayat President’s residence. (Shri. Chenna byre Gowder). Thanks to this friendly family in God’s providence for their kindness.
The second offer was to buy the 9 acres of land for the Christa Sakshya Sangha work. Thus the land, where the present Headquarters of the Mission is situated, was bought in 1951-52 for a price less than Rs. 5000.
In the year 1953 Alexander Mar Theophilus Thirumeni (later the Head of the Mar Thoma Church – Rt. Rev. Alexander Mar Thoma Metropolitan) collected the funds for the construction of two mission quarters, a chapel building and a camp shed The two families shifted their residences from rented houses in the town to their own houses in the Mission Compound.
Hoskote Mission History – Abraham and Sara
Pages from History:
First Fruits of the Hoskote Mission – Abraham and Sara
Even though the missionaries earned the love and respect of many people in the town and surrounding villages through their life and testimony, people were very hesitant to join the new faith. The first one who joined the fellowship of the Church through baptism was a young man from Hoskote who received the Christian name Mathai. Narasimha and his wife, Rethnamma, were residents of the Gonakhanahally village. Rethnamma came into contact with the ladies’ team at Jedigenahally and became a Christian and accepted the Christian name Saramma. Later Narasimha was also baptized and received the name Abraham. Both of them were active members of the mission. Their tombs in Ghonakhanahlly village stand as a witness to their faith,
Padma Shri awarded to Dr. Sosamma Iype (renowned scientist and conservationist)
On the eve of the 73rd Republic Day on 25th January 2022, the Government of India announced the recipients of the prestigious Padma Awards. Among the notable names was Dr. Sosamma Iype (renowned scientist & conservationist) who was awarded with the Padma Shri for her work in saving the rare breed of Vechur Cow. She is a member of Thrissur Ebenezer Mar Thoma Church and hails from Niranam.
Nalloor Library congratulates Dr. Sosamma Iype on being conferred this national honour.
Dr Sosamma Iype, 82, who is known as “Vechur’s Amma”, saved the rare breed of Vechur Cow from the brink of extinction and put up tremendous efforts to increase its population. A retired Veterinary Professor and researcher at the Mannuthy Veterinary College in Thrissur, she set up Vechur Conservation Trust to look after the unique cattle breed of Kerala. Now, there are 5,000 to 6,000 Vechur cattle in Kerala.
Sosamma, who took PhD from the National Dairy Research Institute, was the head of the Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding. Her story of how she overcame the opposition to the popularisation of breeding of Vechur cattle appeared in “Njayarazhcha” on its January 16th edition. Sosamma hails from Niranam in Kuttanad. She resides in Mannuthy. Late Abraham Varkey was her husband.
~ www.onmanorama.com
Dr. Soamma Iype initiated the process of rehabilitation and conservation of the nearly extinct Vechur cow in 1988, along with other indigenous breeds of Kerala, such as Kasargod and Cheruvally cattle and Attappady goats.
Read more articles:
https://www.manoramaonline.com/news/sunday/2022/01/16/sunday-special-story-about-drsosamma-iype.html
Vechurpasu Punarjanmam (Conservation Biology) by Sosamma Iype | വെച്ചൂർപശു പുനർജന്മം
‘Rebirth of Vechur Cows’. In the book, Dr. Sosamma Iype shares her 30 years of experience in conserving Kerala’s indigenous cattle breed Vechur cows and the hurdles she faced in her journey.
Sculptor P. E. Thomas – a life of dedication and art!
Read the amazing story about sculptor P. E. Thomas (1934-2017), the first student from Kerala at Visva-Bharati University founded by Rabindranath Tagore. Thomas was born in Mallappally, a town in south Kerala, to Poykamannil P M Eppan and Annamma. He completed his basic education at Kottayam CMS School and College. His art work adorn many notable places.
One of them being”Nalla Idayan,” a concrete structure weighing two tonnes erected at the Marthoma House in Kozhikode, was completed by Thomas at the behest of Theodosius Marthoma Metropolitan, who was the then Kozhikode Bishop and alumni of Visva-Bharati University.
“Rhythm” and “Dance of Death”, fashioned out of plaster of Paris in 1966, were kept on (the Lawrence School, Lovedale), Ooty school premises; “The “Family” (1975) told the story of a bold family head who told his family members to emancipate themselves. The statue of Christ at Gethsemane at Kandal Cross Shrine, Ootty, the “Elephant” designed for the Postal Department at Thaipakkad tourist centre, the statues of ‘sage Patanjali and the Snake’ in front of the Madras Regiment Hospital at Wellington and the Little Horse at the needle factory at Ketti in Tamil Nadu are some of his major works.
Click to read more at OnManorama.com – https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/art-and-culture/2021/12/20/p-e-thomas-master-malayali-sculptor-visva-bharati-santiniketan.html
27 September, 1947: Formation of the Church of South India (Video & Rare Photos)
Photo credit: http://www.csisynod.com
27 September, 1947: Formation of Church of South India (CSI) in 1947, as a union of Anglican, Presbyterian, Congregationalist and Methodist churches. The idea of a Church union was proposed in 1919 at a conference held in Tranquebar (now Tarangambadi) in 1919. After 28 years of discussions various denominational churches in South India established by different Missionary societies agreed to the formation of the Church of South India in 1947 after India attained independence. The inaugural ceremony was held at St. George Cathedral Madras (Chennai).
Today the Church of South India is one of the largest Protestant churches in India and is a member of the Anglican Communion and its bishops participate in the Lambeth Conferences. It is also a member of the World Council of Churches, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the National Council of Churches in India.
The Church of South India (CSI), Church of North India (CNI), and Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church of India jointly formed the Communion of Churches in India (CCI) in 1978 for mutual recognition of the ministry and leaders, inter communal relationship, and to explore possibilities of working together and other areas of cooperation in the fulfillment of the mission of the Church in India.
At the inauguration of Church of South India. Photo by Mark Kauffman (LIFE magazine)
The presiding bishop of the inaugural function was the Rt. Revd. C. K. Jacob of the Anglican Diocese of Travancore and Cochin. A vast congregation gathered in the cathedral at Madras from all over the world. The following historical declaration was made by Bishop Jacob at the inaugural service.
“Dearly beloved brethren, in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ the head of the church, who on the night of his passion prayed that his disciples might be one, and by authority of the governing bodies of the uniting churches whose resolutions have been read in your hearing and laid in your prayer before Almighty God; I do hereby declare that these three churches, namely – the Madras, Madura, Malabar, Jaffna, Kannada, Telugu, Travancore Church councils of the South India United Church; the Methodist Church of South India, Trichinopoly, Hyderabad and Mysore districts; the Madras, Travancore and Cochin, Tinnevelly and Dornakal dioceses of the Churches of India, Burma and Ceylon; are become one Church of South India, and these bishops, presbyters, deacons and probationers who have assented to the basis of union and accepted the constitution of the Church of South India, whose names are laid upon this holy table, are bishops, presbyters and deacons of this church. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.” ~ wikipedia
Inauguration procession of Church of South India. Photo by Mark Kauffman (LIFE magazine)
Inauguration procession of Church of South India. Photo by Mark Kauffman (LIFE magazine)
Inauguration service of Church of South India. Photo by Mark Kauffman (LIFE magazine)
Inauguration service of Church of South India. Photo by Mark Kauffman (LIFE magazine)
Inauguration service of Church of South India. Photo by Mark Kauffman (LIFE magazine)
Photo credit: http://www.csisynod.com
Presiding Bishop Rt. Revd. C. K. Jacob at the Inauguration of Church of South India. Photo by Mark Kauffman (LIFE magazine)
Clergymen from 5 Protestant faiths attending the inaguration of the Church of South India. Photo by Mark Kauffman (LIFE magazine)
St George’s Cathedral, Chennai (photo credit – wiki)
CSI Diocese Map (image credit – http://www.csimichigan.org)
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