A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Abp. Most Rev. John Sathiyakumar
Primate & Chairman – GAFCON ABCI
Dear Beloved Primates, Archbishops, Bishops, Deacons and fellow-clergies,
Grace and Peace be multiplied to you through our Lord and Savior!
It is a great pleasure to be here with you today as we celebrate together the First Inaugural Function of GAFCON India trusting in a Great and Mighty God of the impossibilities who goes before us to make all crooked paths straight.
Who can despise the beginning of small things? (Zech 4:10). Yes. While man cried over small and insignificant materials, the God of Israel showed no signs of displeasure over small things. Sure. If our Great God is with us and we being faithful to Him surely, one day the small will no longer be small. “Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain.” (Zech 4: 7). All the hindrances, obstacles, and hurdles that we encounter will become a plain before our eyes. Only God expects our genuine faithfulness and trust in Him.
Glory to His Name!
I found the need to prepare this message sourced from a general call and understanding to work together in a commitment by love, unity, and brotherhood for His Divine Service. Through this message, I wish to display a patina of responsible sacramental disposition that essentially converges on the issues of tolerance, generosity, and sharing. I hope this would serve as a clarion call to the beloved members of the ACI/CEEC/ACMA and the newly formed ABCI conglomerate to join together with the oneness of heart, mind, and soul to carry forward in continuation of the divine ordinance of the holy word.
Tracing back to the recent amalgamations of the ACI/CEEC in birthing the ABCI forum that has conjugated with GAFCON, I thank you with a grateful heart for the cooperation, understanding, and a great deal of coherence exhibited by one and all. I pray that we work together on this same wavelength. My sincere prayers and longing that ACI/CEEC/ACMA/GAFCON-ABCI forums uphold the principles of the Jerusalem Declaration of 2008.
Since its inception, GAFCON-ABCI has significantly improved its capacity and broadened its experience, and this momentum has to be maintained. This conglomerate should therefore be further strengthened, also in terms of funding, so that all high quality projects submitted under specific calls for proposals could receive financial support to benefit their region and its populations.
Further to the recent deliberations with the GAFCON Council, USA I wish to throw light on the recent upcoming projects and opportunities anticipating the Member council to carefully weigh them for discussions and immediate action. Let me take you through a series of concerns that need handling with a professional touch in coherence to His word and command. Let me bifurcate them as bicameral viewpoints: Internal Lacunae and External Inflows.
Of the many issues that directly or indirectly affect the church today could be classified as: misalignment of vision and strategy, Culture that works against the vision, structure that restricts growth, lack of clear outreach focus, failure to offer discipleship, uncertain digitalization, imbalanced and biased church leadership groups, ineffective training and counseling. Therefore, in order to overcome these disparities with a single focus converge on the following:
UNITED AS ONE BODY
Being members of the body of Christ, let us set aside the mirage of misgivings and fractions of the past, laying aside every weight and obstacle, and look forward to building bridges beyond walls to stand up to our feet by leaning on the staff of God’s promises. Its high time we cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light, holding forth the word of God and shine forth as lights in this dark world.
BE SELF SUFFICIENT
BE SELF SUFFICIENT: In the realm of finances, as in church governance and mission propagation, the source is from within. God calls upon His people to give back to Him the first-fruits of all He has given to them. Only in this way will the work of God be able to continue free of hindrance or external control. In this view I pray that ACI/CEEC/ACMA be prepared to raise internal funding and not anticipate external. It wouldn’t be possible unless and until there are no rough patches to get sorted or strong misgivings are ironed.
BECOME INCLUSIVE – EQUALITY
Speaking of development and growth, it always starts from the premise of human dignity which flows from the fact that every man is created in the likeness and image of God. Accordingly, the conception of development and growth as the realization of human dignity must apply to all: it must be inclusive. There is no “I” who lives in dignity as long as there is another “I” who lives in degradation. I pray that our forum is participatory and capable of appreciating its own rich variety, embraces all those we often forget or ignore.
DISCIPLINE AND CONDUCT – CLERGY
A high standard of integrity and service is expected of our clergy. Ordained ministers bear the privilege and responsibility of being servants and leaders in the ministry of the Church. As pastors, spiritual guides and representatives of the Christian faith, they are in a position of trust in their relationships with those for whom they have pastoral care. Therefore, I pray that the clergy commit themselves and maintain sanctity in confidentiality, relationship, financial liability, and spiritual affairs. Let your modesty be known unto all men.
SHARING, CARING, AND GIVING
SHARING, CARING, AND GIVING: In view of maximizing our existing budget, it’s important to remember that money is a ministry resource just like our people, time, and facilities. Scripture clearly shows the generosity of the Jerusalem church in the first century, and it carried outward into the churches that Paul and others worked with. Hence let us revitalize our souls and ensure that there is proper economic balance in our forums and contribute generously to God’s work. God loves a cheerful giver. Let us bear one another’s burdens and fulfill the law of Christ. I extend an open invitation for the council members to donate liberally for the establishment of GAFCON-ABCI. May God richly bless you.