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200 Columbus Avenue
Valhalla, NY 10595
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MOTTO 2008:
""Commit your way to
the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this."
(Psalm 37: 5)
Welcome
Established in 1994 as a Church
of South India
(CSI)
congregation and also a member of the United
Church of Christ,
we are located in Valhalla, New York, a small village in lovely Westchester
County. You are warmly invited to come worship with us!
Upcoming
Events (see events page for more info)
April
13 (Sunday) -
Parish Day Service, 10 AM. 14th anniversary of the congregation.
19 (Saturday)
- Cottage prayer meeting at the residence of Mr. Philip Itty, 6:30
PM.
From the Presbyter - April 2008

Dear brothers
and sisters in Christ:
Greetings to you in the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Every Easter reminds us of the fact that Jesus is risen. Appearances of
the risen Jesus were important events in the life of the early Christians.
The risen Jesus' encounter with two disciples in St. Luke 24:13-35 has
many distinctive features. Let us draw some insights on the manner in
which the risen Lord's encounters us.
Emmaus was a small village 8 miles northwest of Jerusalem. The two men
walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus were discouraged ordinary people who
followed Jesus, who had no reason to be discouraged. They had heard the
reports of the woman and the disciples that the tomb was empty and that
Jesus was alive, but they did not believe them. The risen Christ appeared
directly to the ordinary people who followed him. The risen Christ revealed
himself without any mediator. Even today he is walking with us.
The two disciples did not
realize the risen Christ who appeared to them as their fellow traveler.
They did not expect to meet the risen Christ on the road to their village.
But the risen Christ chose to encounter them in most unexpected time and
place. The real problem was not in their heads but in their hearts. What
they need was a fresh understanding of the word of God and Jesus gave
that understanding to them. Today we need a fresh understanding of the
scripture and the risen Lord is giving it through different means. Are
we able to listen ?
The risen Christ who was with
them interprets the scriptures to them yet they could not realize the
risen Christ. They were able to identify the risen Christ only when he
took the bread blessed it and broke and gave it to them. Their eyes were
open only when they found the connection between the earthly Jesus who
gave his life for others and the risen Lord before them. The two men immediately
left Emmaus and return to Jerusalem to tell the believers that they had
met Jesus. The best evidence that we have understood the Bible and met
the living Christ is that we have something exciting to share with others.
What a difference it would make in our church services if everybody who
gathered came to tell about meeting the living Christ. If our services
are dead it is probably because we are not really walking with and listening
to the living Christ.
Let's be sensitive to the
risen Lord, who walks with us and talks with us and enlighten us in our
faith journey.
Yours in His service,
Shajanachen
(Rev. Mathew P. George)
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