1. Vol 1: Sept. 2007
St. Peter’s Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church
9946 Haldeman Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19116
Rev Fr. Jose Daniel Paitel Seraphim?
S
To: The St. Peter’s Syrian Orthodox by Jingle Thomas
Youth Association
Our publication is named
Dearly beloved, Seraphim, for those who cannot read the
I am immensely glad about your Anglican font in the center. You must be
new venture. It is not only a venture but wondering what the name means.
also an adventure too. Be certain that Seraphim are mentioned many times in
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the effort behind a publication is huge; Christian liturgy. Seraphim are six-
and getting it read by the benefactors is winged angels who are considered the
very, very, very huge, i.e. 100x. I am so highest-ranking angels. They are the
confident about your talents, and hope angelic choir in heaven. It is said that
that you can win the goal tomorrow or they continually cry out singing “quot;Holy,
day after tomorrow. Let your publication Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts, the whole
R
multiply the reading habit of our earth is full of His Gloryquot; (Isaiah 6:3).
teenagers, younger parents and senior This chanting is referred to as the
members of our community. This is the Trisagion. The Trisagion prayer is the
central point of making a creative impact prayer we start of with every Sunday
in our community. morning or whenever we pray. If you are
not familiar with the term, it is the name
Wish you all success by hundred folds. given to the prayer “Holy art thou, O
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My prayer follows. God, Holy art thou, Almighty, Holy art
thou immortal, Thou who was crucified
for us, have mercy on us”. An example of
the Seraphim in the Bible is in Isaiah’s
vision “quot;... I saw the Lord sitting upon a
throne, high and lifted up; and His train
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filled the sanctuary. Above Him stood the
Upcoming event Seraphim; each had six wings: with two
he covered his face, and with two he
October 6 covered his feet, and with two he
Sunday school regional flewquot;(Isaiah 6:1-3). In naming this
competition publication Seraphim, we want to give an
Submit all names for competition opportunity to the younger generation to
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express their thoughts and feelings
by Sept. 9
about God to everyone. Take the extra
step, make the effort to take one step
closer to God.
A Child's Prayer
I
by A Spiritual Youth
The Lord provides me with peace.
He strengthens me each day.
Through his blood, my sins were forgiven Night Prayer
Through tears, he showed me the way. By A Spiritual Youth
To the Lord I offer glory,
M
Lord, as I lay here, I know there
Praise, and homage too.
is a chance that tomorrow may not come.
He is my Almighty Savior.
So I come to you to ask you for
Thank You Lord, from me to you
forgiveness. Forgiveness for any sorrow I
have caused You, my family, or friends.
Although I have not always been a
to be continued on p. 2…
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2. Vol 1: Sept. 2007
Wing of laughter
perfect sheep, you have always guided My friend replied, quot;I'm already in the
(Taken from an online source. Contact publication board for
me back to the flock. Thank you for the Army of the Lord, Pastor.quot;
more info.)
courage you gave me when times were Pastor questioned, quot;How come I don't
rough. So, now, if in case the new day quot;see you except at Christmas and
Money Goes To Church
doesn’t arrive for me, I can go to sleep in Easter?quot;
peace knowing I spent the last day on A well-worn one dollar bill and a similarly
Earth with you. He whispered back, quot;I'm in the secret
distressed twenty dollar bill arrived at a
service.quot;
Federal Reserve Bank
to be retired. As they moved along the
conveyor belt to be burned, they struck
up a conversation.
The twenty dollar bill reminisced about its
Extra! Extra! Read all about it. Why Go to Church
travels all over the county. quot;I've had a
The messenger is here.
if I have God in My Heart?
pretty good life,quot; the
twenty proclaimed. quot;Why I've been to Las by Debbie Mathew
Vegas and Atlantic City, the finest
Take the Plunge: The VBS story
restaurants in New York, We all have a friend or family
by Eldhose Thekkethottiyil
performances on Broadway, and even a member that looks at the idea of
cruise to the Caribbean.quot; gathering at a church in puzzlement.
This year’s VBS, as always,
How can we explain our behavior to such
was an eventful one. The theme was
quot;Wow!quot; said the one dollar bill. quot;You've people? It is true, God is in our hearts.
“Take the Plunge, Make a Splash with
really had an exciting life!quot; This is what the Apostle Paul desired
Jesus” and every organized event
from us when he said: quot;I pray that
reflected upon this theme. VBS was held
according to the riches of His glory, He
quot;So tell me,quot; says the twenty, quot;where
over a period of three days where the
have you been throughout your lifetime?quot; may grant that you may be strengthened
following sub-themes were addressed
in your inner being with power through
such as obedience, worship, courage,
His Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in
faith, and service. Everyday, there were The one dollar bill replies, quot;Oh, I've been
your hearts through faith as you are
two teaching sessions, one craft session, to the Methodist Church, the Baptist
being rooted and grounded in love.quot;
and one group discussion session called Church, the Lutheran
(Ephesians 3:16-17). So then how do
Bibleland Bay. At the end of each day, Church .and St. Peter’s Church in
you abide with the continual presence of
water sports were conducted. The goal Philly...quot;
God in your heart? What fruits of the
of every activity organized in this year’s
Spirits have you become aware of in
VBS was to increase the spirituality of The twenty dollar bill interrupts, quot;What's
yourself? Here I'll remind you: quot;The fruit
children and promote interaction a church?quot;
of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long
between children to exchange their ideas
suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
on the Christian faith.
meekness, temperance.quot; (Galatians
VBS began with an opening
5:22-23). Do you have these feelings and
ceremony conducted by Fr. Paul
no, they are not personal characteristics,
Parambath and Fr. Jose Daniel. Both of
they are gifts. A gift is that which we
them gave inspiring messages to the
formerly did not possess, but which
children and pointed out the importance
through spiritual growth has come into
of the biblical passages they were going
The Army of the Lord out life.
to encounter at their study sessions. The
morning prayer of all the VBS days was
A friend was in front of me coming out of
followed by a song teaching session So why do we go to church? To
church one day, and the preacher was
conducted by VBS volunteers. Songs listen to the sermon? But these days you
standing at the door
were in English and Malayalam and often can get that from a radio presenter. To
as he always is to shake hands. He
involved actions to go along with them. pray? But you can pray everywhere at
grabbed my friend by the hand and
The participation of youth, Sunday any time. Then, to make an offering? But
pulled him aside.
school teachers and kids, parents, and these days there are numerous
The Pastor said to him,
many others made this year’s VBS a collections on the streets.
quot;You need to join the Army of the Lord!quot;
success.
to be continued on p. 3…
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3. Vol 1: Sept. 2007
of announcements? But you can get that The woman went out and asked Love to
from an acquaintance. To put up a please come into their house and be our
candle? But you can put up a candle in guest.quot; Love got up and started walking
front of the icons at home. And so, why toward the house... The other 2 men also
do we go to church? got up and followed him.
Surprised, the lady said: quot;I only invited
Love... Why are Wealth and Success
Why does His Word invite: quot;Come The Invitation Parable
coming in too?quot;
unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy http://www.rosebudchristianchurch.org/readingroom/inviteparabl
The old men replied together: quot;If you had
e.html
laden, and I will give you rest...and ye
invited Wealth or Success the other two
shall find rest for your souls.quot; (St.
A woman came out of her of us would have stayed outside... but
Matthew 11:28). Thus, God calls us to
house and saw 3 old men with long white since you invited Love, wherever he
Himself, so that he might present us with
beards sitting in front of her house. She goes we usually go with him.
something. Learning - quot;Learn of Mequot;;
did not recognize them. She said quot;I don't
Spirit – quot;Receive ye of My Spiritquot;; Love,
think I know you, but you look hungry... Always remember, Love first... if you
peace, joy - quot;Abide in My lovequot;, quot;My
Please come in and have something to want Wealth and Success to follow!
peace I give unto youquot;, quot;That my joy
eat.quot; quot;Is the man of the house home?quot;,
might remain in you.quot; But Christ grants
they asked. quot;No,quot; she said. quot;He's out.quot; Who have you invited into your
us something further, quot; Abide in me and I
quot;Then we cannot come in,quot; they replied. home?
in you...Receive ye this, this is My blood,
which I shed for you...quot;
In the evening when her husband came
home,she told him what had happened.
And so we come to church, so
He said, quot;Go tell them I am home and
that we might receive something therein.
invite them in.quot;
Therefore, to visit church is not an
onerous obligation, but a wondrous
The woman went out and invited the men
privilege. We are granted the right to
to come in. quot;We rarely go into a house
stand as participants in the Mystical
together,quot; they replied.
Supper. We are granted the possibility of
becoming partakers of the divine nature.
One of the old men explained: My name
God sought us and has found us. We
is quot;Love,quot; his name is quot;Wealthquot; (pointing
simply need to go to church so we can
to one man), and his name is quot;Successquot;
be as close to God as we can. Church is
(pointing to the other man). Then he
the place where God approaches the
added, quot;Now go in and discuss with your
people. If Christ presents us with the Cup
husband which one of us you want in
of Communion through the royal gates,
your home.quot;
does it make sense for us to affirm that quot;I
have God in my heartquot;? Therefore, if
The woman went in and told her
anyone ever looks at the idea of
husband what was said. Her husband
gathering at a church in puzzlement, you
was overjoyed. quot;How wonderful,quot; he
are now better equipped to explain our
said!... quot;Since that is the case, let us
behavior to such people.
invite Wealth... Let him come in and fill
our home with wealth.quot;
The Faithful Moses and the burning bush.
His wife disagreed... quot;My dear, why don't
By Jingle Thomas By Paul Parambath
we invite Successquot;?
Their daughter was listening from the
By faith I was born,
other side of the room... She jumped in
Through faith I will grow,
With Him in Death
with her own suggestion: quot;Would it not
Through prayer and good deeds,
By Eldhose Thekkethottiyil
be better to invite Love? Our home will
Through trials and tribulations,
then be filled with love.quot;
Through love, loyalty, ascension and I feel great pain! I cannot move
quot;Let us heed our daughters advice,quot; said
vision will I affirm my belief in Him. my body. No matter where I turn, no
the husband to his wife... quot;Go out and
By faith I will stand till my last breath, matter how hard I cry, the pain leaves
invite Love to be our guest.quot;
To be born again as the faithful in me not. It is like a snake that does not let
heaven, go until its prey is dead for sure.
To take my rightful place at the right to be continued on p.4…
hand of God.
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4. Vol 1: Sept. 2007
I can barely open my eyes for the sun by leading people towards God and having acknowledged his words in these
falls straight on my face. Through its thereby prevent the evolution of sinners last moments of my life. And then, the
powerful rays it deprives me of my life, like me. I had seen Jesus preach but prisoner that hangs on the cross to the
little by little. I am ready to fall on the never gave an ear to his teachings right of Jesus shouts at him to rescue us
ground. But the ruthless nails on my because I never believed in God. I all. A force within me compels me to yell.
palms and feet will not let go until they believed only in myself and in what I did. I ask the prisoner if he does not fear God
have fulfilled the duty assigned to them- But now I feel I should have listened to even at the time of his death. I turn to
to kill me. So, from three nails I hang on Jesus because if I had he would have Jesus and I tell him to remember me
a cross that now drenches with my cleansed me from sin, the same way he when he ascends into his kingdom. I
blood. Flowing down the cross, the blood cleansed the leper and gave sight to the never expect a reply because I know the
from my body soothes me not but the blind. These people believed in Jesus depth of my sins and my lack of purity to
dried, sand smeared stones lying on the and were therefore able to see his comprehend him in his wholeness. But
ground. I think I have been cursed. Yes, miracles in their lives. Believing in him Jesus baptizes me in his words on the
cursed I am by all the people that I killed would have rescued me from the cross when he says that I would be with
and stole from in my dark, sinful life. I suffering that I am going through now. him, from that night on, in paradise. I
see them laughing and rejoicing in front now know that he is the son of God
of me as I struggle to take a breath. They because I believe in him. Even though
spit at me and throw stones at me. I lie death, in a few moments, will engulf me I
helpless on the cross accepting my fate have received the love that I longed for
and awaiting the clutches of death. But throughout my life and it is this love that I
somewhere in my dying soul, I feel that I will live by after I die.
do not deserve the grave suffering I am
going through.
I grew up on the streets and
In the Footsteps…
never knew whom my parents were. The
people around me showed no mercy to
me. They treated me like a dog and
would kick me away from their path if I
blocked them. My need to survive forced
me to steal. Everyday, as I stole more
and more from people, I got better at it.
The soldiers and people on the
Stealing for me was a form of revenge Syrian Orthodox Teachings
ground mock Jesus. They claim that if he
against the people who hurt me and the (taken from Queen of the Sacraments by Fr.
is the Son of God let him rescue himself.
law that never delivered to me what it K. Mani Rajan)
Deep in my mind, an urge rises to shout
promised. Every time I stole, my Compiled by Jingle Thomas
at them to not mock him anymore
contempt towards society increased and
because he has not done anything
so did my arrogance. I quickly became Do you know that the church
wrong to them. But Jesus responds by
the most sought after thief of the Roman building has five parts to it?
pleading God to forgive the people
soldiers. But pride always goes before a
because he claims that they do not know
fall and I was captured and condemned
The Narthex
what they are doing. Jesus is bleeding
to death. Burning with pain and a sense
It is the western-most part of the
profusely from head to toe. He has lost
of failure I turn my head to my right to let
church. It is usually at a lower level from
his strength. And yet he does not lose
the winds kiss my face. As I open my
the rest of the church. In our church, it is
his trust in the God he believes in. How
eyes with the slightest of relief, I see
the room that we enter into from the
is it possible for this man? Nowhere
Jesus on the cross. I had heard about
outside.
before in my life have I seen a man who
him and his mission on the streets.
sticks to his principles so firmly as Jesus.
People referred to him as “The Messiah”
The Nave
Even in the moments of death he is
and he had touched the hearts of people
It is the largest part of the
praying for his enemies. He truly is
through his actions. Again, I feel that the
church where the men and women
practicing what he preaches. There is
law is unjust because it has lead to the
gather for worship. Men are on one side
surely a great goal he wishes to achieve
crucifixion of an innocent man who
and the women are on the other side. It
through his death. I know not what it is
sought to spread the word of God
symbolizes where the people of Israel
but it through this goal that he will prove
through love and thereby change
gathered together while Moses went to
his greatness. My mind urges me to
people’s perception of the divine law. to be continued on p. 5…
speak to him. But I feel ashamed of
Jesus was trying to make a better society
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5. Vol 1: Sept. 2007
Mt. Sinai. This part of the church is
reserved for the faithful. Only COGs
(Children of God) permitted entry here.
The Kesthrumo
Publication Board Letter
It means “not risen from earth”.
It is the space between the nave and the
As a part of St. Peter’s Church
Sanctuary. A railing and a step from the
and as members of the S.P.Y.C youth
nave separate it. It is separated from the
group, we are glad that our first venture
sanctuary by two or more steps. The
into publishing a spiritual newsletter was
Kesthrumo is also where the prayer table
accomplished. Through a lot of hard
and the Baptism fountain are located. At
work and research, we have put together
our church we do not have one, but this
a newsletter that both the young and the
is where the deacons stand for morning
mature readers will enjoy. We hope that
prayer.
the future editions are filled with creative
works from both Sunday school and the
The Sanctuary
youth in our church. We hope this
The Syriac word for this is the
newsletter is informative and serves as a
Madhb’ho, meaning the holy place. It is
closer understanding of our faith. This
located in the eastern part of the church,
newsletter can be found on the church
symbolizing paradise. The paradise is
Seraphim in the Bible is in Isaiah’s vision
website (www.Stpeterspalli.com) and a
referred to in Ezekiel 43:1,2,4 as coming “quot;... I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne,
link will be provided on the youth blog
from the east. In heavenly paradise there high and lifted up; and His train filled the
site. We give thanks to all who submitted
are two things, the Tree of Life and the sanctuary. Above Him stood the
their works for the first edition of
holy beings. In the Sanctuary, the Holy Seraphim; each had six wings: with two
Seraphim.
Cross represents the Tree of Life and the he covered his face, and with two he
priests represent the Holy beings. The covered his feet, and with two he
flewquot;(Isaiah 6:1-3).
Holy place is also said to be glowing in
Publication Board
fire. This is why the priests wear
ceremonial shoes when they enter the Jingle Thomas
Sanctuary. The altar, which is located in Debbie Mathew
the center of the sanctuary, represent Eldhose Thekkethottiyil
Christ’s tomb and also it refers to Mount
Golgotha (site where Christ was
crucified). The altar symbolizes the home
of the Holy trinity.
The Baptistery
Located in the Kesthrumo is
used for Baptism. The Baptismal font is
made of granite and has carvings on it.
At baptism, we are cleansed of our
original sin and receive the Holy spirit.
We are made a part of the church. The
baptismal font symbolizes two different
things. It represents the Holy Virgin Mary
because it gives a new life to us and we
are made as brothers and sisters of
Christ. The baptismal font also
represents the Holy Sepulcher of our
Lord. This is referred to in James 6:3,4.
Please ask us if you use any materials from this
publication. E-mail: spycpublication@gmail.com
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