Lighthouse
June 2025
Vicar's Message
Dearly beloved in Christ ,
Months are running fast ,along with our age as well, means every day we are drawing more and more closer to the Kingdom of God .
This month there are certain good thoughts to share with you all , because we belong to a special category of God, the adopted family members, for that we all are thankful to God almighty.
To keep up the Kingdom standers we need to grow up in the grace of God and humans, but more often we ignore the second part grace of human , but remember Our Christ grew up in the grace of God as well as in the grace of human which is mentioned in the Bible .
Humanity is the crown of creation to live together, if we cannot live together here , we cannot live together in heaven also .
For that we need to forget certain things and forgive others and ourselves too . Unless we forgive and forget we can’t grow in Christ, because he did it for us.
If these things to be happened we need the Holy Spirit to renew us
And the trinitarian fellowship to grow every day.
Fellowship with God and each other is very important in our daily life because that only can give good mental health as well as physical health which will provide us peace and stability in our lives.
This gives us great stimulation to keep our life in purity in every aspect.
Christ is asking us to imitate Him to be a true disciples ,which is not worldly but heavenly, because our aspiration and anticipation is to live with God whom we loved and worshiped. Days are rapidly moving ahead we must not be unaware of it or late, because tomorrow is not ours ,but needs to be safe in the stem of Jesus. With this faith formation let’s grow together in this Horeb fellowship. Let this month be a blessed month for all Horebians
Our prayers are with you .
We as family also need your prayers for a fruitful and blessed life and ministry .
With much love and prayers.
Geevarghese Achen
Horeb MTC Parish Retreat 2025
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HOREB MTC VBS 2025
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The Story behind the Hymn
by Philip Jacob
Horeb will be celebrating Choir/DSMC Sunday this month, and it is only fitting that the choir contributes a newsletter article for June.
Unlike much of today’s contemporary Christian music — which often leans toward performance, production, and Billboard charts — hymns are deeply rooted in personal conviction and lived experience. Compensation or credit was seldom the motivation for their creation.
One such hymn is “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus.” Known for its simplicity and its powerful expression of unwavering faith, the song traces its origins not to the hymnals of England or America, but — perhaps surprisingly — to the hills of northeast India, in what was then Assam.
A missionary by the name of William Cowan served in India between 1866 and 1902. He was instrumental in establishing schools, improving sanitation, and preaching the Gospel to the Garo tribe of Assam. Eventually, he planted his first church in the region. As is often the case in church history, converts and missionaries faced opposition and persecution from local religious leaders.
One of these early converts — a devout man and pastor, whose exact name has been lost to history — was arrested and brought before tribal leaders. They demanded that he and his family renounce their Christian faith. The man responded firmly, “I have decided to follow Jesus.”
In retaliation, the leaders ordered the execution of his two sons by archers. Still unwavering, the man declared,
“Though none go with me, still I will follow.” His wife was then killed. Offered a final chance to save his own life, he refused to turn back. As arrows pierced his body, his dying words were:
“The cross before me, the world behind me. No turning back.”
A revival later broke out in that village, and Christianity took root in the north-eastern states of India — a legacy that continues today. The story of this Garo martyr remained largely unknown until the mid-20th century, when English and American missionaries who had served in India began to share the account.
The version of the hymn we sing today was arranged by American hymn editor William Jensen Reynolds, who set the lyrics to a tune now referred to as “Assam.” The song gained international recognition when it was featured during Billy Graham’s evangelistic crusades in the 1950s. Indian evangelist P.P. Job was also known for frequently quoting this story in his messages, especially when addressing Christian suffering and martyrdom.
We are blessed with a rich tradition of Malayalam Christian hymns in our Mar Thoma hymnal, but I, for one, would never have guessed that “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” originated in India. It is a powerful reminder that the Gospel transcends borders — and that the faith we sing about today was often born through great cost and deep personal conviction.
MYSTERY FAMILY ???
Can you guess who is in the photo based on the clues below?
( Check back next month for the reveal. )
What are your favorite hobbies?
We like to travel, try new cuisines, and explore the outdoors
What did you major in during college?
Two of us studied different fields related to commerce. Two of us are learning the basics.
What is your favorite Bible Story?
The Parable of the Good Samaritan, as told by Jesus in Luke 10:25-37, is a story about a man who is robbed and left for dead on a road. While a priest and a Levite pass by, a Samaritan, someone traditionally considered an enemy, stops to help. He cleans the man's wounds, takes him to an inn, and pays for his care, demonstrating compassion and neighborly love.
Have you ever taught Sunday School?
2 of us have and 2 of us have not.
Have you ever had a position at church?
Yes but only 1 of us have.
What do you do for work?
We both build and redefine. Only we use very different media and methods to achieve our results. (extra hint:One of us is in accounting)
What's your favorite dish, both Indian and Non-Indian?
Indian :
One of us likes anything with Goat. One of us really likes Wheat dosa and tomato curry, it’s like my all time favorite food. One of us likes uppam and chicken curry. One of us likes a bacon and smokies.
Non Indian :
One of us can not imagine life without Tacos. 2 of us appreciate a good steak. And I just really like wheat dosa and tomato curry.
What is your favorite tv show or movie?
For one: (1986) The Mission
For another: Gangs of New York, Talladega Nights
How many state have you lived in?
One of us has only lived in one State.
Two of us have only lived in one city.
And one of us has lived in 5 countries!
What is your favorite book?
The Bible
Describe one experience you had that was a testimony to God working in your life?
Other than reading about or visiting a mission field while on vacation in India, neither of us had done any first hand mission work. In 2008 our diocese sent an email invitation to help restore a Native American community in Dulac, Louisiana as part of the Native American Indian Mission. Specifically the need was to rebuild homes damaged by the hurricanes. From opposite sides of the Continent we both signed up for this mission trip, not expecting anything more than to help a Native tribe recover from a major natural disaster. It was on that mission field that we met each other for the first time. It was definitely God working in our lives that our paths crossed on that mission trip which lead to us getting married in 2010.
CLICK HERE TO SEE LAST MONTH'S MYSTERY MEMBER REVEAL
Benny Chacko
Make Your Guess
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Tips for Diabetics
By Sherly John & Abraham John
1. Keep track of your blood sugar, eat at regular times and don’t skip meals. Before meals target BS 80-130 and two hours after meals 180. If blood sugar is less than 70 take glucose tablets, candy, honey or drink juice .
2. Know your numbers , keep hemoglobin A1C less than 6.5. check your hemoglobin A1C every six months or every three months if blood sugar is not controlled.
3. Consider using a glucose monitor and if you take insulin, see if you qualify for continuous glucose monitoring device .
4. consider healthier carbs like whole grains, like brown rice, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, and whole oats .
5. If you take medication for diabetes carry some type of quick snacks like hard candy, glucose tablets or raisins.
6. Have eye exams regularly and if you have retinopathy , need to have an eye exam at least once a year.
7. Take good care of your feet to prevent foot infections. Wear shoes or slippers all the time.
8. Don’t forget to keep moving. Try to aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week.
9. Focus on one thing at a time that you think you can do and don’t forget stress management.
This Month's Photo Gallery
New Railing Installation
Thank you to Ashby Mathews and Bobby Varughese for sacrificing their time and talents to lead this effort over Memorial Day weekend. Plans were initially begun a long time ago under the leadership of the previous committee led by Achen, Manoj, and Lejo. And thank you to their Additional Helpers: Levi, James, Nebu, Anup, Aji, Ginu, Binu, Babu
(click on pictures below to view full image)
