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Dearly Beloved in Christ & Dear St. Thomas Family,
Greetings to you all in the precious name of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ.
As we begin another month, my heart is filled with thanks-
giving to God for His abundant blessings upon our parish family. We praise
Him for leading us through a wonderful Vacation Bible School and Elders
Bible School. It was a joy to see children, teachers, volunteers, and our senior
members learning God’s Word together. I sincerely thank everyone who
prayed, planned, served, and participated in making these ministries a great
blessing.
We also thank God for the Youth Retreat held at Sandy Cove, Maryland. It
was a meaningful time of worship, fellowship, and spiritual renewal. I pray
that our young people will continue to grow in their faith and become faithful
witnesses of Christ wherever they are.
August will be another exciting month in the life of our church. Our Junior and
Senior Conference will be held from August 6–9, followed by the Diocese
Yuvajana Sakhyam Conference from August 14–16. Let us uphold all the par-
ticipants and leaders in our prayers.
Our parish family will also gather for our annual Picnic on August 15 at Saxon
Woods Park. I encourage everyone to join this time of fellowship and together-
ness. Later in the month, we will travel to Lancaster on August 27 to watch the
inspiring production of Joshua. May these occasions strengthen our fellowship
and faith.
As India celebrates its Independence Day this month, let us thank God for our
beloved homeland and continue to pray for its peace, unity, and progress. We
also remember that Mission Sunday will be observed on August 2, reminding
us of Christ’s call to proclaim the Gospel to all nations. On August 16, we will
observe Reformation Sunday, giving thanks for God’s renewing work in His
Church and recommitting ourselves to His Word.
On a personal note, I thank God for His faithfulness throughout the past 12
years of ordained ministry. Every step has been guided by His grace, and I
remain grateful for the privilege of serving His people. Thank you for your
prayers, encouragement, and love. I humbly ask you to continue praying for
me and my family as we seek to serve the Lord faithfully.
Finally, our world continues to face conflict, violence, and uncertainty. As
followers of Jesus Christ, let us be people who pray for peace, work for recon-
ciliation, and become instruments of God’s love. May the Prince of Peace rule
in our hearts, our families, our church, and among all nations.
May the Lord bless you and your families with His grace, strength, and peace
throughout this month.
In Christ’s service,
Jubin Achen
Vicar’s Message