13630 Almeda School Road.Houston.Texas.77047

Rev.Thomas Paikad

Vicar 8/30/98

Greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

The month of September is very significant in the life of the Church Of South India. The church has passed the middle age and is running its race in the evangelization of India and wherever her children live. When we look into the life of the church whether we can honestly admit that the road we tread was one of success. The founders and the pioneers started it with a good vision. As ages past the church has diverted from its mission purpose and mission status. We have traveled a long way in the opposite direction. Think about the Highpriestly prayer of Jesus "That they all may be one".

Our divisions prevent our neighbors from hearing the Gospel, as they should. Our Lord Jesus Christ before his passion prayed for his disciples that they might be one. This unity that Christ speaks of is the unity among the disciples at the local level where it is possible to hold on to one faith in complete union. Unity is essential is yet to become a reality. We need to come back to orthodoxy holding on to the right faith.

The faith and experience must result in a kind of lifestyle or a way of life or a particular culture that identifies its followers from the rest of the people. Basic behavioral unity is essential to achieve integration within the church. In the name of diversity and variety disintegration should not be permitted to happen.

In this event of great celebration we must take time to think about our condition. Sometimes it seems to think that it is time to rewrite the motto to "that they all may be divided". Are we really heading to unity? Everyday we fight each other for power and prestige. When we analyze the reason behind these conflicts and in-fights we can see that it is only a bubble of troubled feelings. So think when you get time .Are we gaining anything from this? What is the model we show to the youngsters? Through our fights we are trying to keep the coming generation away from God and from church. So think about us .As we prepare to celebrate the anniversary just ask our conscience whether my actions are pleasing to God. Whether we can glorify the Lord through our life. Let us humble down and submit us to His service. May God bless each one of us.