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St Saviours Tamil Church, Kolkata

31 December: Watch Night, 11 PM

Theme: Do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Readings: OT: Exodus 3:1-15; NT: Acts 4:5-12; Gospel: Luke 2:15-21
Songs: Hymns 14, 80, 253 Lyric 70 Communion Hymn 197
WOMENS FELLOWSHIP & PRAYER GATHERING: AFTER SERVICE
8 January: English Eucharist, 8.30 AM
Theme: We are sharers in the Son-ship of Christ
Readings: OT: Proverbs 8:1,22-31; NT: Ephesians 1:3-8; Gospel: John 1:3-8
Songs: Hymns 60, 244, 188, 222
Communion Hymn 182
15 January: Tamil Eucharist, 8.30 AM
Theme: At His Baptism, Jesus is revealed as the Son of God
Readings: OT: Isaiah 42:1-13; NT: Acts 10:34-48; Gospel: Matthew 3:13-17
Songs: Hymns 267, 221, 302 Lyric 237 Communion Hymn 193

SAVIOURS CHIMES

SAVIOURS CHIMES

The Monthly Newsletter of St Saviours Family

JANUARY 2017

SEE, I AM doing a new thing! Now it springs up;

do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the
wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
ISAIAH 43:19

22 January: English Eucharist, 8.30 AM

Theme: Jesus is revealed as the Lamb of God
Readings: OT: Exodus 12:1-8; NT: I Peter 1:13-21; Gospel: John 1:29-37
Songs: Hymns 19, 49, 63, 212 Communion Hymn 213

Songs: Hymns 10, 315, 302

29 January: Tamil Eucharist Praise &

Worship Sunday, 8.30 AM
Theme: God suffers in all those who suffer
in this world
Readings: OT: II Kings 5:1-14; NT: Acts
5:12-16; Gospel: Mark 1:40-45
Lyric 129 Communion Hymn 333

ST. SAVIOURS TAMIL CHURCH

9, Haji Mohammed Mohsin Square, Kolkata 700 016.
Phone: 033 2217 2636
E-Mail: saviours.calcutta@gmail.com
Website: www.saviourskolkata.wordpress.com
Like us on Facebook: St Saviours Tamil Church Calcutta
16 | January 2017

CHURCH OF NORTH INDIA

DIOCESE OF KOLKATA

ST. SAVIOURS TAMIL CHURCH

Monthly Newsletter KOLKATA.
of St Saviours
Family
|
ESTD
1849

St Saviours Tamil Church, Kolkata

SAVIOURS CHIMES

FROM THE
PRESBYTERS
DESK

New Year has arrived. God promises to bless all your plans and
commitments, if you trust and pray for His guidance. This
Message gives a simple 7-step plan for you to adopt this New
Year. Pray for Gods wisdom and help for a New Life in 2017.
We wish every one of you a very Happy and Prosperous New Year.
God promises to bless all your plans and commitments in 2017 if
you trust and pray for His guidance.
1. LIVE IN FAITH: "The just shall live in faith", God promised the
prophet (Habakkuk 2:4). Your faith life should open a new chapter in
2017. Believe that all things will work out for your good if you love
God and have a purpose for your life (Romans 8:28). Live in
complete faith on God's guidance. Jesus has assured us, "All things
are possible for those who have faith" (Matthew 11:24).
2. LIVE WITH A PURPOSE: A short life is given to us on earth and God
expects us to live with a purpose. "Be perfect as your Father in
Heaven is perfect," said Jesus (Matthew 5:48). This perfection is in
achieving the purpose for which
God has placed us here. God
Himself is perfect in accomplishing
2 | January 2017

whatever He planned for our life. Pray and find out your purpose in
life and with God's help, work out to achieve that purpose.
3. LET LOVE RULE: God is love and He expects us to love one another.
Being ruled by love and living a life of love means being "gentle,
humble, kind, giving, forgiving, loving and peaceful" (Colossians
3:12-17). Let your love result in action: caring for your neighbour, the
poor and needy. God's love is seen in action when He sent Jesus for
us to save us from Satan and the worldly ways.
4. WALK IN LIGHT: The world is going through darkness; every day's
news is not encouraging. As God's children, we should walk in light. A
little candle can remove the darkness around us. Let your light shine
through your good works so that people who see you may glorify God
in Heaven (Matthew 5:16). Shine like the stars, holding firmly the
good hope of eternal life.
5. LIVE WITH HOPE: The great emperor Alexander distributed all the
lands and treasures to his followers before he launched his world
conquest. His close friend and adviser asked him, "What will you
have for yourself?". Alexander replied, "I HAVE HOPE". Our hope is in
the promise of Jesus who has promised to take us to be with Him in
Heaven (John 14:3).
6. SET YOUR GOALS: 'Goal' is a magic word.
Those who set goals achieve great things
in their life. Set new goals and targets for
2017. The goals you set should be
measurable, achievable, realistic, time
bound and result-oriented. Have a plan
and schedule for accomplishing what you
want in your life in the new year. Have
clear, result-oriented goals and set targets
to achieve them and work hard for success in life in the New Year.
Commit your goals and plans to God and pray for God's wisdom and
help for a new life in 2017.
BY REV. DR. SAMUEL RAJ
Monthly Newsletter of St Saviours Family | 3

St Saviours Tamil Church, Kolkata

SAVIOURS CHIMES

A POEM TO PONDER
Therefore I will look to
the Lord, I will wait for
the Lord of my salvation,
My God will hear me.
(Micah 7:7)
Waiting on the Lord is always a part of life,
Be it a Student, Farmer, Couple, or Housewife
Waiting for Results, Harvest, Marriage, Cooking food;
We all need to wait on the Lord with gratitude!

AS WE LOOK AHEAD
BY MRS S. CYNTHIA
MUKHERJEE

Waiting on the Lord makes us anxious,

We expect quick results, become restless;
We wait for favourable solutions;
While the prayer requests is a vast collection!
We can wait on the Lord Prayerfully
Waiting patiently (Psalm 40:1) relying on Him Hopefully;
Believing in the Word of God (John 3:16), Obediently,
While waiting for the answers expectantly!
We can wait in anticipation and trusting in His name,
By Praying persistently, never-give-up, should be our aim;
By praising, meditating, worshipping, honouring
By waiting quietly, by thanksgiving, by glorifying, by rejoicing!
Stimes were discouraged, impatient, lose faith and trust,
Stimes waiting is miserable, we are upset, lose interest;
We should not give up, come what may,
For there can be a breakthrough any day!
God has reasons to make us wait,
He holds the answers; doesnt leave to our fate;
Waiting makes us depend upon God
Though the answer may not always be YES by the Lord!
When we surrender ourselves to His Will,
All His promises He will fulfill;
He makes all things beautiful in His time and in His way,
If only we continue to believe and from Him never sway!
4 | January 2017

Reminiscence

Looking back to look forward

Lord Jesus, here I stand and reckon,
The day I made my decision to your call and beckon;
Promising to follow you in all I'd do.
With great determination and dependence on You.
Knowing that trials and temptations would cross,
My path as a Christian with worldly failures and loss.

I'm reminded of how I had dreamt of having;

A family of my own and by their support braving,
The point of death through persecution or the sword
Declaring; "Me and my family will choose to follow the Lord."
But soon the days began to pass,
And our difference in relationship outgrew the bamboo grass.
Now years have passed into many a decade,
Nought have I found myself a suitable Jesus-loving maid.
Today, as I go with You down memory lane,
You remind me ('tis true), how You saved me many a pain;
From this transitory and temporal world ,
To which I could not YOUR LOVE unfold.
I plead You Lord Jesus, to grant me one last opportunity,
to tell and show how YOUR LOVE for us, sent You to Calvary
COMPOSED BY MR CYRIL MANI

FROM THE MISSION FIELDS: The Regular Feature on our Churchs

Mission Ministry will return in February.
Monthly Newsletter of St Saviours Family | 5

St Saviours Tamil Church, Kolkata

6 Surprising Times You Are

It is indeed amazing how The Bible influences our everyday
Language: from behemoth and scapegoat to the ends of the
earth, these words and concepts owe their origin to the Bible. This
piece delves into 6 such thoughts.
1. A HOUSE DIVIDED AGAINST
ITSELF In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus
tells an impudent crowd, Every
kingdom divided against itself is
brought to desolation; and every city
or house divided against itself shall
not stand. However, the phrase didn't
enter the modern lexicon until it was quoted by Abraham Lincoln in his famous nomination acceptance speech of 1858. Addressing the contentious
issue of slavery in the United States, he told an audience of Republican
politicians that a house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this
government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.
2. ESCAPE BY THE SKIN OF ONE'S TEETH This is one of the many
proverbs that owe their origin to the colorful language of the Book of Job.
The tormented hero Job is complaining about his woes. He has become, he
says, so emaciated that my bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and
I am escaped with the skin of my teeth. The proverbial meaning is that he
has missed death by a tiny margin as narrow as the (non-existent) skin
on a person's teeth. But Biblical scholars have argued endlessly about
what the phrase originally signified. Some argue for a more literal
interpretation; afflicted with sores from head to toe, Job is left with only the
thin porcelain "skin" of his teeth unblemished.
3. GIRD ONE'S LOINS Two archaic words come together in this phrase.
Gird, from the Old English gyrdan, means to put a belt (or girdle) around
6 | January 2017

SAVIOURS CHIMES
something. Loins, from the Latin lumbus, originally described the flanks of
an animal and, from the 14th Century, those parts of the human body that,
as medieval writers primly put it, "should be covered". In Biblical times,
when long robes were still in fashion, anyone embarking on strenuous
physical activity or going into battle ran a serious risk of tripping on a
trailing hem and falling flat on his or her face. The solution? To tuck one's
robe into one's belt and get ready for action (i.e., to gird one's loins).
4. A "BEHEMOTH" The behemoth is a mysterious animal mentioned in the
Book of Job. With bones "like bars of iron" and a tail "like a cedar," this
mighty beast was said to be able to suck the whole river Jordan into its
mouth, Biblical scholars have long debated whether the behemoth is a
mythical creature or just an exaggerated description of an ordinary animal
(the most popular candidate is a hippopotamus). Whatever the original
"behemoth" may have been, the name has become a metaphor for
anything that reaches spectacular size.
5. A "SCAPEGOAT" The Book of Leviticus describes the proper
ceremonies to be observed on the Jewish Day of Atonement, when the land
of Israel would be ritually cleansed of its sins. The procedure was that one
goat would be offered to God as a sacrifice, while the other the
"scapegoat" would be symbolically loaded with all the misdeeds of the
nation before being driven into the wilderness. This ceremony was said to
have been carried out since the Israelites' exodus from Egypt.
6. "THE ENDS OF THE EARTH" Like most other ancient cultures, the
ancient Israelites thought it obvious that since the earth was flat, it must
have limits. The ends of the earth therefore appears repeatedly in the Old
Testament as a way to describe the farthest reaches of the then-known
world. When, in the Book of Job, God is said to
"directeth his lightning unto the ends of the earth,"
it's just a poetic way of saying that God is in charge
everywhere. As my life continues to unfold,
Courtesy: Readers Digest, US Edition, December
2016 / January 2017 (By Freddie Addis from The
Book Amen to That!: The Amazing Way The Bible
Influences Our Everyday Language)
Monthly Newsletter of St Saviours Family | 7

St Saviours Tamil Church, Kolkata

AN INSPIRING TESTIMONY

Over the years, our Church has been making an impact in many lives.
Every story is an inspiration; heres the much-awaited Testimony of
DR SUBRAMANIAN, a St Saviours Tamil Church School and Sunday
Class Alumnus: a heart-warming story amidst Kolkatas Winter Chill.
Folks, I have a story to tell you; one that
will truly warm your hearts as it did
mine, but before I do that first, let me
ask you this question: Do you know and
realize how many talented active
members we have had in the St
Saviour's Tamil Church Calcutta, then,
and now? Members who have gone on
to make a huge impact in the lives of
others while actively serving in their
respective Church communities? Just
read the Church Facebook page and
the Church Newsletter they bear
witness to the many stories about our
Church members and their activities,
doing countless acts of service whether meeting with each other in
fellowship or joining together to raise funds for a good cause whatever
the case may be, they are doing their bit to make this world a better place
and to enlighten their own spiritual path.
Many of us from the Church have come full circle in giving back to the
community, each in our own ways in spite of living across the four corners
of the world. I can list many names here, but just for starters, we have Paul
Annan, Dr. Joyce Siromoni, Reggie Uncle, Esther Amos, Stan John in
Australia, Glory Rendall in Miami, Shekhar in Calcutta and me, having
worked for 25 years with the poor, the sick, the abused, drug addicts and
the disabled in Toronto. Let me tell you folks, the needs of the community
here, are no different from anywhere else in the world.
8 | January 2017

SAVIOURS CHIMES
Having said that, here's a story I would like to share with you that Cyril Mani
had passed on to me, with a photograph: This was Dr. Subramanian; the
Doctor used to attend the Tamil Church Sunday school during Emerald
Akka's time, and also was a regular at the St Saviours Tamil Church School
run by Sarojini Akka. Surprisingly enough, Dr. Subramanian said he also
remembers me teaching at the Sunday school. I remember I was just 17
years old and often helped Emerald Akka in leading in the Chorus singing
at the Sunday school and sometimes teaching the little ones; Dr.
Subramanian must have been a very young lad like Cyril Mani then!
This is what Cyril wrote: Dr. Subramanian went on to attend Bible Classes
from Book of Life Bible School. This education is now helping him in doing
the work of an evangelist in the slums of Kolkata while attending to his
patients in his clinic. His other activities include arranging relief for his
patients and their families by providing provisions and rations, besides
arranging a supply of free general medicines. He even works among AIDS
patients and their families.
He is presently a member of Jabez Fellowship. His confession is, "Jesus
gave His all, His very life for us. So, after coming to the understanding of
the degree of Christ's love for me, I too have surrendered my whole life in
His service. This medical knowledge is itself given to me by Him. So I have
chosen to serve His people."
Wow, well said Dr. Subramanian! What an inspiration, to use his talents
and skills in serving the Lord, after accepting Christ as recently as 2004!
Truly amazing how people live by the teachings of Christ, after accepting
Christ! It is a rare thing these days to find people making a difference in the
lives of others.
God bless Dr. Subramanian. Truly an inspiring man and we should feel very
proud of him! What a brilliant Doctor and what an awesome job he is doing
serving the health needs of the community - let's give him a big shout out
please and thank him for his big heart!
Feel proud of St. Saviour's Tamil Church Calcutta, and the impact the
Church is making in the Community and the City. The talents that have
come out of this Church are truly inspiring.
BY MS THELMA TAI, WITH INPUTS FROM MR CYRIL MANI
Monthly Newsletter of St Saviours Family | 9

St Saviours Tamil Church, Kolkata

SAVIOURS CHIMES
THE NEWSLETTER: Lovely... well done. God bless you all.
REV. PHILIP GUPTA

St Saviours Tamil Church Calcutta

The Church Facebook Community and New FB Page are now

active. Do join in; also ask your friends to join.
FOND MEMORIES: I am really happy to read a copy of the Chimes. You bring
back very fond memories. Thank you very much and please keep it going.
By the way, was Dr. Samuel Raj once a Principal of La Martiniere? I
graduated from that school in 1968. (Yes, Dr Raj was!) MICHAEL SAMUEL
With 2017 right round the corner, on behalf of the Youth Group of
Yesteryears, thank you all for welcoming us back into the fold; so grateful
to feel welcomed and embraced into the warmth of the Christian family of
the Tamil Church. It is amazing that almost decades later that I was found
by Stan and Glory Rendall we are getting on in years, even though I dare
say we are very 'young' at heart! We now see so many of you who are
dynamic young leaders in the Church, in whom I glimpse the joy and
sparkle of serving in the Church as we did 50 years ago. I must say the
Church FB page and the Newsletter has kept us all together and well
informed. So folks, God bless each one of you with the spirit of Christmas
and the joy of living each day in His service.
THELMA TAI
PHOTO COLLAGE OF THE 1970S ST
SAVIOURS JASS LADS BY THELMA TAI
WE SHOULD PLAN A REUNION: Thelma
Akka, work towards a reunion of the 70s
Saviourites, and let's have a reunion
concert of the JASS LADS. Wouldn't it be
lovely.
JOSHUA PRAKASH KADAKSHAM
That would be awesome. Got to get Stan
from Australia, the other three in
Chennai and Calcutta; got to get Glory
Rendall on board to make the long trip.
If she goes I may come also. Great idea.
THELMA TAI
10 | January 2017

Enjoyed all the articles, colourful, well laid out, informative and really helps
us stay connected.
ARUNA PATIBANDLA
Love it, love it, love it. Editorial team you guys have rocked it. Loved
reading the Chimes. Love the colour, the header, the bylines, the graphics
well done guys.
THELMA TAI
As usual, a beautiful accomplishment! May the Name of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ always be praised and honoured forever and ever.
GLORY RENDALL

1. Who lived to the age of 969?

2. How old was Jesus at the time of His baptism?
3. What is the number of the foolish virgins?
4. Where was Jesus baptized?
5. In Jesus parable, who stopped to help a man in need?
6. Who was the First King of Israel?
7. How old was John the Baptist at the time of the birth of Christ?
8. Which Book follows Ezra?
9. Where was Paul when he wrote the Book of Philippians?
10. Who climbed tree to see Jesus?
11. Who doubted the Resurrection of Jesus?
12. Who was Davids great grandmother?
13. What did Jesus and His disciples feed the crowd of 5000?
14. Where did Jesus give the Beatitudes?
15. Who showed Jesus to the people and said Behold the Man?
FROM MS. CHRISTINA MUKHERJEE, VIA E-MAIL FROM THE UAE
Monthly Newsletter of St Saviours Family | 11

St Saviours Tamil Church, Kolkata

SAVIOURS CHIMES

10 POINT SPIRITUAL SELF-EXAMINATION

A collection of questions to introspect as we
enter 2017. May this be a Blessing to you.
Revivalist John Wesley made a habit of asking questions to stimulate
Spiritual growth. These questions were designed to spur reflection and
personal examination. We follow that tradition to enable you to gear up.
1. Am I closer to God now than January 1st 2016? If yes, what are you
doing to keep growing in 2017? Spiritual growth is not static or still. To
keep growing, we must be willing to continue to put an effort into spiritual
disciplines.
* Worship
* Bible reading
* Prayer: a. Who are you praying for? b. What are you praying for? c. How
are you praying? d. How often are you praying?
* Service: What are you doing for God on a monthly, weekly and daily
basis? If not, what do you need to do to solve the problem?
2. Am I a slave to anything?
* Habits * Work * Possessions

* What owns you?

3. Am I overwhelmed by any area of life?

When we are overwhelmed by situations or circumstances, it impacts our
spiritual life. These are matters that should be handled with great prayer.
* Being overwhelmed limits our ability to sense Gods presence
* Being overwhelmed limits our ability to trust God's provision
* Being overwhelmed limits our ability to experience God's peace
4. Does the Bible live in me? Do I give time for the Bible to speak to me?
Allowing Gods Word to speak into our lives is the best way to let it live in
us.Knowing Scripture is not enough; we must apply it to our lives; live it out.
5. Is there something that God has told me to do that I am not doing?
What needs to be resolved? What steps need to be taken to bring to
obedience?
6. Do I enjoy my relationship with God?
* How is this joy growing?
* How is my heart impacted by God's joy growing in me?
12 | January 2017

7. Am I financially faithful to God? Financial faithfulness is more than just

putting something in the offering plate as it goes by. It is being obedient to
God in the matters of money. Being financially faithful to God has less to do
with money and more to do with the heart.
* Am I robbing God?
* Other financial questions: What do I earn? What do I own? What do I
owe? What do I give?
8. Who has hurt me over the past year? Everyone deals with hurt and
pain, especially those that flow from relationship problems.
* Whom have I hurt over the past year?
* Who do I need to forgive?
* Whose forgiveness do I need to seek?
Forgiveness is the first step to healing the pains of the past. The moment
that we make the choice to forgive, we begin to heal.
9. What were my priorities in 2016? Think about how you spent your time
and money. The Calendar and the Cheque Book are two good sources of
determining what our priorities were.
* Where do I need to invest my time?
* What priorities do I need to change for 2017?
10. What situation or circumstance am I dwelling on?
* What has caused me the most stress during 2016?
* What needs to change to reduce this stress in 2017?
COURTESY: MR SHANTHAKUMAR, BYM

After service, worshippers filed out of Church to greet the Minister. As one
of them left, he shook the Minister's hand and thanked him for the sermon,
"Thanks for the message, Reverend. You know, you must be smarter than
Einstein." Beaming with pride, the Minister said, "Why, thank you, brother."
As the week went by, he began to think about the man's compliment. The
more he thought, the more he became baffled why anyone would deem
him smarter than Einstein. He decided to ask the man.
Next Sunday, he asked the parishioner, "Exactly what did you mean that I
must be smarter than Einstein?" The man replied, "Well, Reverend, they
say that Einstein was so smart that only ten people in the entire world
could understand him. But Reverend, no one can understand you."
Monthly Newsletter of St Saviours Family | 13

St Saviours Tamil Church, Kolkata

SAVIOURS CHIMES

Ordinary to Extra-Ordinary
Yield to Him. Experience the shift.
Esther was a foreigner, but God made her a queen.
Daniel was a slave, but God made him a Prime Minister.

CHURCH SIGN-BOARDS
At times, Church signposts get topical, across the globe. An
interesting set of signposts; courtesy, the internet, and Whatsapp.

David was a forgotten shepherd, but God made him a king.

Moses was a failure without confidence, but God made him a leader.
Ruth was a widow, but God made her a mother.

````

Peter was a fisherman, but God made him a forceful preacher.

Paul was a murderer, but God made him a powerful apostle.
Remember, there is so much in you that God wants to tap and bring out.
Yield to Him completely. He is waiting to convert you from the ordinary into
extra-ordinary.
BY VENTRILOQUIST G. SHANTHAKUMAR

BIRTHDAYS IN JANUARY
3-Jan Dr T.J. Abraham
7-Jan

Mr Joshua Amirthasingh

8-Jan

Ms Lydia Joyce Rupert

13-Jan Mrs Philomena Mani

13-Jan Ms Jessi Packianatha

16-Jan Mrs Cynthia Martin

18-Jan Mrs Gladys Vimala Newton

19-Jan Ms Catherin Jaisankar

21-Jan Mr Philip Benjamin

22-Jan Mr Timmy Canis Devadas

27-Jan Mr Jonathan Daniel Rupert

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES IN JANUARY

12-Jan

Mrs & Dr T.J. Abraham

13-Jan

Mrs Dr & Dr Emmanuel Rupert

14-Jan

Mrs & Mr Michael Vedraj Mani

19-Jan

Mrs & Mr Robin Martin

14 | January 2017

Monthly Newsletter of St Saviours Family | 15