Report - Ernakulam Area Youth Fellowship One Day Retreat

By God's grace, the Ernakulam Area Youth Fellowship one day retreat was held on 8th of
June(Saturday), 2019, at CSI Holy Trinity Church, Aluva. There were around 90 Youths who
have participated in the meeting. The dignitaries present were, Rev. Mathew Elanjickal (CSI,
Madhya Kerala Diocese), Rev. P.V. James(Vicar, CSI Holy Trinity Church, Aluva), Rev.
Shinu John Chacko (Vicar, CSI St. Francis Church, Fort Kochi - Ernakulam Area Youth
Fellowship President and Diocesan Youth Fellowship Joint Secretary), Rev. Jiji Varghese
(Vicar, CSI Christ Church, Elamkulam), Rev. Joice John (Vicar, CSI St. John's Church,
Eloor), Rev. Dn. Sunny M Daniel (Vicar, CSI St. John's Church, Mulavukad), Mr. Renju
Varghese Mathew (Diocesan Youth Worker). The retreat was conducted in two main
sessions. The meeting started with the opening prayer by Rev. Joice John. Ms. Angel (youth
secretary, CSI Holy Trinity Church) welcomed all and Rev. P.V James inaugurated the
session. Ms. Sinu Benjamin(Youth Fellowship Secretary, Ernakulam area) delivered the vote
of thanks in the inaugural session. Followed by a praise and worship session by the UFC
band (an initiative by the Ernakulam Area Youth Fellowship). After that there was an ice
breaking session by Mr. Albert Rabin(Asst. Church Worker, CSI St. Francis Church, Fort
Kochi) on the theme "breaking the comfort zone". After the tea break, Rev. Mathew
Elanjickal took the first main session, on the theme "Youths and the will of God". The class
was a blessing for many. Achen briefed about how Youths can do God's mission in this
contemporary world. Then there was a business meeting session, followed by lunch break.
After the lunch break, with the leadership of Rev. Praise Thaiparambil, the youths were given
saplings as a part of "Thanal", an ecological board initiative, to plant the saplings in their
respective churches to create green churches. The second main session, took by
Dr.Thomas K George(Guinness record holder, Director and Chairman, LEAD college of
Management, Dhoni) was a motivational and adventurous session. The Youths were given
opportunity for fire eating and to walk on broken pieces of glass. This was to overcome the
fear of taking risks in life. Mr. Calvin Christopher (Youth Fellowship Secretary, Ernakulam
Area) delivered vote of thanks to all. Rev. Dn. Sunny M Daniel said the closing prayer and
benediction by Rev. P. V. James.