Letter from the Minister
LTCC’s 48th year Anniversary Sunday Service
28th June 2020
Dear Friends
Special greetings to you all in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who was, and is, and will be faithful in the life of LTCC.
Happy 48th Year Anniversary of LTCC!
On this Anniversary Sunday as we are physically separated, I would like to encourage you that we are not separated spiritually and mentally. The reality is that our worshipping centre is in lockdown but we are not locked down in regards to worshipping the Lord. The only thing for us to consider is that there is a change of places of worship during this lockdown but we need to thank God that our special place of worship is our own home.
Nothing can separate us from our bond of Christ’s love wherever we are. We need to remind ourselves on this special day that “We are the temple of God”.
48 years ago, only 7 people gathered to begin their journey of Tamil Christian worship but the organisation has grown like a Banyan tree and its branches are both in local and global Tamil Christian worshipping communities in the West.
LTCC is a “Mother” who nourishes her children and enables her children to become a great blessing in her journey in the world. I praise God because LTCC is a worshipping community concentrating on singing Tamil and English Christian songs, studying God’s word regularly and standing along with brothers and sisters in their struggles, for example during the past period of war and the tsunami in Sri Lanka. The reason is that LTCC knows how to feel the pain of one another.
I strongly believe that God, the One who began this London Tamil Christian Congregation 48 years ago, still encourages us to look at every challenging situation as an opportunity, in the life of LTCC, to proclaim His love and care. Even the lockdown in this pandemic crisis is a step forward to witnessing Christ’s love.
Realistically the journey of LTCC felt gloomy when the Lockdown was announced. The real pain of our sisters and brothers was expressed. We were in a panic as to how we can overcome our own pain of darkness in our worshipping life of LTCC.
By God’s grace, LTCC found a unique way forward as Psalmist says in Psalm 55:22
Cast your burden on the Lord,
and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
the righteous to be moved.
This is the concrete strategy of focusing on ‘Prayer and Bible Study’ which has been implemented in the life of LTCC during this pandemic crisis, to remove all our panic and rest at His feet, not only for us but for our church families and for the world continually.
LTCC has chosen to have regular Evening prayers via Zoom for an hour with our families and friends.
Many have shared their joy of this gathering together as families and friends via Zoom on every evening. Family gatherings and Choir members’ gatherings for evening prayers enrich their fellowship and caring for one another in this strange situation. Every fortnight Youth members are gathering for Bible studies on Psalms and once a month Cottage Prayer Group meetings in 3 different areas are organised by the Prayer Group Coordinators to study the book of Philippians via Zoom. These provide enthusiasm among our members in connecting with one another and sharing one another’s love and prayer support.
There is no doubt that our time together via Zoom in the weekdays and the worship videos on Sundays through LTCC website makes a big difference in the worshipping life of LTCC. Each Sunday different videos are prepared by our members and uploaded by Diluxion Jeyakumaran and the Website Team. I much appreciate the Amazing team-work that is going on for Sunday Worships. These worships are strengthening our connections with our Lord, with one another and getting rid of our loneliness, and increasing our faith and Hope on Christ.
Every day Bible lessons are given for the evening prayer which is circulated among the members by email. This has made a big impact on the members. These resources are being used creatively by our members among their families, friends and choir members. Knowing these faithful gatherings among our members and their families brought me a real joy for the God-given mission with LTCC.
Many times I was able to understand your pain and your joy which emerged in this lockdown situation. Porthahar and I regularly hold you all in our thoughts and prayers which also pave the way for us to know you even better through your painful situations.
I appreciate all your desires and efforts you have taken in this new situation to pray and learn and study together the Bible lessons for your spiritual journey.
I heard from some of the members that the Evening prayers in this Lockdown paved the following ways for them:
- To begin with, COVID 19 gave us all a strange and unimaginable lifestyle as we all entered the lockdown situation, but when we started praying and praising God’s mercy and deliverance from this situation through “Zoom”. It has made a big difference in our lives!
- The evening prayer enables us to connect with our families who live in another part of the world and we worship together as families and that makes a big difference in our lives.
- We have learned over 50 Psalms and Paul’s missionary journey in great detail.
- All of us feel the time we gather together daily is inspirational and food for our souls as we experience how close we are with our Saviour. Without fail every day for the last 3 months we have met regularly in the evenings.
- We sing solo every day, and how amazing it has been to listen to a variety of old and new songs which we don’t normally sing in our worship times. Again, very confidently, everyone is singing with passion and devotion.
- We thank God daily for listening to our prayers and giving healing for the sick, peace for the lonely, and protection for everyone we pray for.
I take this opportunity to thank all those who journeyed with me in the past and in the present as different responsibility holders in the worshipping life of LTCC, such as Presidents, Secretaries, Treasurers, LTCC Council members, Stewards, Choir Leaders, all Musicians, Junior Church Co-ordinators, Sunday School Teachers, Prayer Fellowship Co-ordinators, Contributors in the worships as Bible readers, Intercessors, Welcomers, Hospitality providers in our 3 Worshipping Centres and particularly those who have contributed to the worship videos during this pandemic crisis.
May the LTCC’s New Year bring a new vision and mission to build God’s kingdom amongst us and through us elsewhere in the World!
I wish you all a blessed and fruitful spiritual journey individually and together as a worshipping community.
God bless you all and your families!
In His Mission
Revd Jessie Anand
Minister, LTCC 28th June 2020