American Archdiocese Silver Jubilee Convention 2010...What a Great Success

by Rev. Fr. Jose Daniel Paitel

Jubilee Convention, the First of its kind in the history of North American Arch Diocese of Syrian orthodox church.

July 22, 23, 24, 25, 2010.

Those days will forever be remembered in the Golden annals of North American Arch Diocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church. More than 2000 members of our Holy Church all over America and Canada, have gathered under one roof in Garden State Exhibition center at Somerset New Jersey. The convention center was blessed by the blessed memory of LL Mor Athanasius Yeshu Samuel Metropolitan, our former Arch Bishop.

Jubilee general committee under the leadership of Mr. Joby George & Mr. George Korath, with sub committees under different Coordinators, have worked hard for the success of this Golden venture. After the inauguration of Registration Kick-off at St. Peters Church, Philadelphia, on Oct.10 2009, the committee went to work.

The efficient leadership of Mor Theethose thirumeni was joined hand in hand with the academic skills, dedication, and loyalty of our faithful. A talented team of not less than 130 members, including Doctors, Business Executives, computer professionals, Chartered accountants, Business magnets, spent at least 150,000 man hours. More importantly each of them had a stake int ehconvention.They have each invested at least $1000 of their personal money (many of them considerably more) for this noble cause.

It is estimated that the cost of the convention including Hotel Accommodation, food etc. itself is $ 400,000. To this we need to add the money spent on items such as Cultural Program competition, choir competition, and other sports activities, etc. both by individual churches and by sponsor support. This total figure can easily exceed one million dollars. This might be the amount equivalent we collected for our mother church in India for the last five or six years.

The colorful Con celebration of twenty five priests, including two bishops, was a unique experience. Presence of Key note speaker Bar Eedtho breero Dr. D Babu Paul was an added advantage of this year's convention.It was like a long cherished demand of our community. Scholarly Expositions of the Subject was simple but marvelous. Very Rev. Baby Ichiravelil Cor Episcopose, the First spiritual Son of late Lamented Mor Greegoriose Gheevarghese Perumpilly, who castled out into the fiery furnace of Holy Church in 1974, the most turbulent days of our church, has explained the keynote subject with his eloquence and teaching experience. Participation of our Sunday School kids and youth members was remarkable. Nearly 500 of them have actively participated with timely canonical prayers, study classes, sports and other cultural activities.

The outcome of this majestic venture was that H.E. Arch Bishop was able to collect the skill, enthusiasm,and tireless hard work of a dedicated team of volunteers for the future up-building of the church. Their selfless hard work was never been used for the church. Their motivation, insight-for the future of the Church, resources will be channelized for the future.

There was an exciting ending for the jubilee convention. Before the closing session, Arch Diocesan Patriarchal center project was inaugurated. That will be the Golden project of this diocese. The huge complex will have residential complex for the Arch Bishop and other bishops, priests, and monks. It will also have an office complex, a Theological Seminary, a Convention Center etc. If the Arch Diocese is fortunate enough to get the determination and continuous leadership of the Arch bishop Mor Theethose Yeldho metropolitan, we are confident enough to win every thing by the blessings of God Almighty.

Thank You.