Today, The Church was honoured with a visit by Moderators, Bishops and Archbishops from around the world! The list of dignitaries who visited us reads as follows:
The Most
Reverend Bolly Lapok, archbishop of South East Asia,
The Right
Reverend Michael Lewis, Bishop of Cyprus and the Gulf,
The Revd.
Dr Jeremiah Yang, province of Korea,
Ms Naomi
Herbert, director of International Programs, Us
The Revd
Canon Chris Chivers,
Chair of
Trustees, Us and Vicar, John Keble Church, Mill Hill, London.
It was a memorable moment in which the members of the congregation were able to exchange ideas and experiences with the guests. For me it was a wonderful moment to meet the Right Reverend Michael Lewis, the Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Diocese in Cyprus and the Gulf, because I was able to get some information about the St.Mathews Church in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where I was confirmed by the Right Reverend Mervyn Stockwood, (then Archbishop of Canterbury). I am eager to know more about the then Presbyter in Charge of the St. Mathews Anglican Church in Addis Ababa Revd.. Collin Battel, from the Right Reverend Bishop Lewis when he visits Addis Ababa in a weeks time!
In his message to the congregation, Rev. Canon Chris Chivers, Chair of Trustees, Vicar of John Keble church, Mill Hill , London and Author of Fully Alive spoke about how while attending Mass at the age of nine he was so impressed by a message delivered by a priest from India, Revd. Subir Biswas who was then the Provost of the Calcutta Cathedral that he fell in love with the little Jesus Christ. Revd.Subir had come to Bristol to preach and present a charred cross made from the beams of a house destroyed by fire in times of terrible violence. At that time thousands of refugees had fled to India to escape persecution and violence back at home.Revd. Subir's message was so powerful as he spoke about memories of seeing a Cathedral’s original beauty getting transformed by the number of donated items, blankets et al stored in the premises to be given Bangladeshi Victims of a cyclone. Revd. Canon went on to speak on the thought for the day which was based on how much Faith we have in Christ and it had its basis on the proverb of a Doubting Thomas. Revd. Canon revealed a very side to the whole concept of the Doubting Thomas by mentioning the existence of the Eastern belief of a Believing Thomas, a man who looked for evidences so that he could share in the promised life. Thomas sought for signs, marks of divine suffering so that he could strengthen his own faith and share in the power to change the world! Reverend Canon also talked about the powerful sacraments, the Holy Communion as a metaphor of the ultimate sacrifice!
The Right Reverend Michael Lewis, Bishop of Cyprus and the Gulf delivering the Benediction at the end of the service at the Church of The Epiphany, Gurgaon
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