Friday 22 March, 2013

Live streaming of UTC Valedictory dinner and service


The United Theological College Valedictory dinner and valedictory service for graduating students will be held on March 23 and 24, 2013. The valedictory programme and dinner on Saturday March 23 will begin at 6:30 P.M. Indian Standard Time. The Valedictory service and awarding of college diplomas for graduating students on Sunday March 24 will begin at 5:00 P.M IST. The programmes on both days will be shown live (live streaming) on the internet @ http://www.ustream.tv/channel/newsport  . We invite all alumni, associates, friends, churches and well wishers for the dinner and valedictory service in the UTC, Bangalore. Those of you who cannot join in person are invited to join us online and be part of these very important events.

Rt. Rev. Dr. John S. Sadananda, the Master of the Serampore College (University) and the bishop of the Karnataka Southern Diocese will be the chief speaker for the graduation day and Most Rev. Dr. G. Devakadasham, the president of the UTC Council and the moderator of the Church of South India will give away the diplomas.

Tuesday 19 March, 2013

Ms. Geetha Basappa




Ms. Geetha Basappa joined UTC as English teacher in April 2011 and has never stopped feeling happy and grateful that she made this decision. Her 3 great joys are the students and staff of the UTC, the Library and Archives, and the beautiful campus.  She has been a teacher for 34 years, ever since she started her career when she was 23 (a very long time ago!), although never before part time, or in a church related institution. She has an MA and a B.Ed, and received the gold medal in her year. She lives with her family, made up of  her husband, who is a peace activist and businessman, her daughter who is studying for her Masters Degree in St Joseph’s College, her parents, and her cat.

Geetha madam or Geetha ma'am as she is fondly called by students handles the English and Study Methods courses for 1 BD during the term, and the course in Language and Writing over the summer for the MTh class. She proofreads any publications of the college when asked. She does not, however, proofread and edit theses!!

She hopes that the English course at UTC will soon be spread over 2 years instead of just 1, and that she will very soon be allowed to set up the UTC Writing Centre to facilitate all programmes and classes on campus. She feels that the opportunity to continue learning how to communicate effectively must be open to everybody on campus, particularly for pastors, since she has always sat on the ‘other’ side of the pulpit, and has felt the effects of several sermons on sleepy Sunday mornings.

Besides teaching English, Ms. Basappa’s other great research interest is Culture Studies (she was for 15 years the Director of the South Asian studies centre for Long Island University), particularly the part that food and customs play in lives around the world. She also loves to garden, and feels strongly that we at UTC should grow and use our own organically grown vegetables, using our own compost from our beautiful campus. This will give us cheap, healthy food as well as exercise and stress release!

Finally, when she has the time, she is trying to define the figure of a personal, Indian Christ in painting. She will inform this blog as soon as she has it!

Monday 18 March, 2013

Fr. Jerry Kurian Kodiattu



Fr. Jerry Kurian is a priest of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church and an alumnus of UTC. He did his BD studies during 1997-2001 and MTh in Communication during 2002-2004 in UTC. He is currently completing his doctoral research in the department of Communication as a registered candidate of the Gurukul Lutheran Theological College, Chennai. He joined the United Theological College as lecturer in the Department of Communication in May, 2011.

Jerry Kurian taught at the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Theological Seminary (MSOTS) for a period of five years before joining for his research. He has many years of pastoral experience as well. Jerry is now sent by the church to teach in UTC. He functions as the acting chairperson of the Department of Communication.

His research interests include new media, the internet, public speaking, drama, film analysis, communication and mission, alternative media, alternative journalism, traditional media, social networking, blogs, communication and women's liberation and communication and climate change. He is married to Christiane Zidek, who is doing her doctoral research in the Department of Religion and Missions in Heidelberg University. They have a two year old daughter Daya.

Fr. Jerry is serving as priest in the St. Ignatius Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, K.R. Puram, Bangalore. He believes his calling is to teach and pastor towards an inclusive society where everyone will be a part of our spiritual expression and everyone will benefit from the liberative gospel of Jesus Christ. He believes Orthodox Christianity has many things to offer in the diverse ecumenical and religious environment of India. He affirms that proper Communication can lead to a just society.

He worked on the design and implementation of the college web site and is presently maintaining the web site @ http://utc.edu.in/  He also designed and is maintaining and updating the college blog @ http://www.utcbangalore.blogspot.in/ 


Publications and presentations


Asia Communication Sunday worship order for the WACC Asia Communication Sunday booklet June, 2010

Presentation on ‘God’s providence and the youth in the church’ in Yercadu on July 24, 2010.


Meditations for Gurukul Daily Devotion 2011 submitted in October, 2010.

‘Rights of (Vulnerable) Children and the New Media: Challenges for the church in India’. Paper presented in the seminar on ‘Children and their rights: A Theological exploration’, Chennai on November 15-17, 2010.

‘Examining the claims of the Information Revolution: Social Revolution or Knowledge Capitalism’. Published in KCC magazine, November, 2010.

‘The woman and Jesus. A bible study on Luke 7: 36-50’. Presented for the NCCI workshop on ‘Daring to study scriptures publicly and sensually’ on 5-2-2011, Chennai. This was later published by NCCI.

‘The essence of Lent: Learning and struggling to bend our knees, mend our hearts, and lend our hands’. Published in CSI Life magazine, March, 2011.
 
Co-edited the WACC Asia Communication Sunday booklet June, 2011.

Poem/song on “Vulnerability in the midst of Climate Change”, p.8 in Asia Communication Sunday booklet, Communicating Climate Justice, WACC-AR, June 26, 2011.


Co-edited the Asia Communication Sunday booklet, 2011.

Bible study for the BTESSC-UTC workshop on “Online Training Techniques and Different Possibilities” on August 30, 2011.

“Media Ethics, the main line media and new (social) media: A case for alternative people’s journalism”- paper presented for the UTC alumni meeting in October, 2011.

Meditations for the Gurukul Daily Devotion, 2012, GLTC, Chennai, 2012, “Neighbourly Relations and Christian discipleship”, pp. 289-296.

Article on “Christ the Revolutionary” published in Assisi Magazine, February-March 2012, Vol.58, Issue 2, Assisi Ashram, Bharananganam, Kottayam, Kerala, pp. 20-22.

Presentation on “Bollywood and the Construction of Masculinities” in the WCC-SCMI gender training workshop on March 20, 2012 in UTC, Bangalore.


Article on “Alternative Media and Journalism as a framework for Communicating Peace” published in the Clark Journal Of Theology (Theological Reflections on Peace building), Vol. II. No. 1, January- June, 2012.

Article titled “The Church, Human Sexuality and Challenging the Unchallenged” in the Gurukul Journal of Theological Studies (Human Sexuality: Theological and Biblical Reflections), Vol XXIII, No. 2, June, 2012. This was published in December, 2012.

Presentation on “Forms of spirituality” to 50 ordained pastors from CSI Rayalaseema and Nandyal Dioceses on July 3, 2012 at Vishranthi Nilayam, Bangalore.

Presented a bible study on Genesis 4:3-9 titled “Am I the reason for the divide” (A bible study on the digital divide) for the SCMI Centenary Bible Study workshop on September 6-8, 2012. This was later published by the SCMI and released during its centenary celebrations.

UTC alumni refresher course presentation on “Lord Renew the Church: Begin From Me. Empowered by the Spirit of Renewal: People of God as the True Agents of Change. Internet as a catalyst for building an alternative community for church renewal” in October, 2012.

Class for youth of Mumbai diocese of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church on November 16, 17 and 18, 2012 on “Who and what am I for God”.

Took sessions on “Media and Leadership” and “Cyber ethos and internet de-addiction” for the Fest Zoe 2012 (Ecumenical Youth Leadership Training Camp) with the theme Beyond Globalization, Youth Culture, Mission and Leadership on November 14, 15, 2012. It was conducted by the The CSI Department of Pastoral Concerns and the Department of Ecumenical Relations & Ecological Concerns in the CSI Synod Centre, Royapettah, Chennai.

Presented a paper on “The Internet and Alternative Media for Communicating Peace” for the Faculty Research Seminar in the UTC on November 28, 2012.

Recorded a Jacobite Syrian Orthodox worship liturgy cd in English on November 29, 30, 2012. The CD was released on May 5, 2013.

Did a presentation on “Christian Communication, internet and alternative Communication” and helped in the sessions on “Reporting and Editing” in the workshop on “Communicating Ecological Justice”, held at CSI Synod Guest House, 5, Whites Road, Royapettah,  (opp. Express Mall), Chennai from 3rd to 5th Dec 2012. It was conducted by WACC and the CSI Synod.

Took a session on “Exodus: A journey to Togetherness” for the youth of the Bangalore diocese of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church on January 26, 2013.

“Lord Renew the Church: Begin From Me. Empowered by the Spirit of Renewal: People of God as the True Agents of Change. Internet as a catalyst for building an alternative community for church renewal” done for the UTC alumni refresher course was published in the latest issue of the Masihi Sevak, UTC.

Initiated the discussion for Dr. Joseph George’s faculty research seminar paper on “Changing patterns of Relationships in the Cyberage: Challenges and Directions for Ministry in India” on February 27, 2013.

Attended the NCCI sub committee meetings on March 6, 7, 2013 in Gurukul, Chennai. Apart from the Commission on Communication, was also nominated to the Centenary Celebrations sub committee to prepare a documentary on the NCCI.



Paper presented on “An Ecumenical View on Churches View of the Eucharist. A Critical Discussion” for theologians across India in the Ecumenical Christian Centre (ECC), Bangalore on May 15, 2013.

Presentation on “Church: The Sacramental Sign of Hope. The church and internet: Hope in the New Age” for the CSI Central Kerala Youth Pre Assembly in May, 2013.

Presentation on “Media values in India” to a study group from Edinburgh University in June, 2013.

Retreat for teachers of the CSI Institute of Technology, Nagercoil on July 8, 2013.

Presentation on “Women and Migration” for a CSI Synod programme in Vishranthi Nilayam, Bangalore in July, 2013.

Article on “The Internet and Alternate Media as Christian Communication” published in the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) review in July, 2013.

Skit direction and presentation for the National Council of Churches in India- World Council of Churches pre assembly seminar in Bangalore in August, 2013.

Presentation on “Blogs and writing” and “The Spirituality of writing” in the Writers’ workshop for pastors conducted by the United Basel Mission and UTC in Mumbai YMCA on September 16, 2013.

Scripted, directed and edited a documentary on the United Theological College, Bangalore in October, 2013. This was screened in the World Council of Churches Assemby in Busan, South Korea.

Part of the NCCI centenary documentary team working on a documentary for the NCCI.

Presentation on “Living with God in the Contemporary World” for the Tangkhul Christian Fellowship, Bangalore on November 1, 2013.

“Media, Culture and Religion: Alternative Media as a New Religious Expression in India.” Paper presented to the St. Olaf College, U.S. students in the Ecumenical Christian Centre, Whitefield, Bangalore on November 5, 2013.

“Christian perspective on media and youth advocacy for social change.” Paper presented to college students from all over India at the Student Christian Movement India Centre in Bangalore on November 15, 2013.

Paper on “Orkut, Facebook, Tumblr: What next?” presented for the National Ecumenical Youth Pre-assembly of the NCCI in Goa via video conference on Nov 18, 2013.

Chapter on “Media Ethics” in December, 2013 for Sunday school students of the Kottayam diocese of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church in their book for senior Sunday school students.

Presentation on “Atrocities against Women” in ECC, Bangalore on Feb, 2014.

Article on the Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas titled “Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas: The Equinox on which the Church rode three decades” published in the Malankara World Journal in March, 2014.



Paper presented on “Ecclesiology in the Cyber Age” in the NCCI seminar held in Bangalore on June 26, 2014.

Paper presented on “Informed Prodigy or Juvenile Criminal” in the National workshop on Crimes by Juveniles in India on July 30, 2014.

“Theatre as a pedagogical framework for theological education”. Faculty seminar presented on October 29, 2014.

"Media, Culture and Religion". Presentation in ECC for the St. Olaf Seminary students on November 6, 2014.

Main speaker for the District Youth Conference of the Marthoma Church in Bangalore on May 14-17, 2015.

Paper presented on “Media and Spirituality: A journey of the church into the lives of people”  on June 27, 2015 in the Marthoma Seminary, Kottayam, Kerala.

Paper presented on “Religion in the Market Place: The Changing environment of Women in the Church” in the National Seminar on Role of Women in the Christian Church: An ecumenical perspective, conducted by BTESSC and the MSOT seminary in the MSOTS, Ernakulam, Kerala on July 14, 2015.

Presentation made to St. Olaf students on "Media and Spirituality" on October 26, 2015 at the Ecumenical Christian Centre, Whitefield, Bangalore.

Main speaker for the Marthoma Church Regional Youth Conference, Delhi on November 10-13, 2015.

Produced and acted in the College play "The Nation of refugees" on December 3, 2015 in UTC.



Paper titled “Religion in the market place: The changing environment of women in the church” published in the Bangalore Theological Forum, Bangalore, Vol. XLVII, No.2, December, 2015.

Produced and acted in the play “The Nation of the Refugees” in an entire new location and format on March 4 and 5, 2016. 

Paper titled “Theatre as a pedagogical expression for theological education” published in the Hekamtho Theological Journal Vol 1, No. 2, MSOT Seminary, Ernakulam, Kerala in March, 2016.

Presented a paper on “The Theatrical expression of the Eucharist” in the National seminar for Theological Students in ECC, Whitefield, Bangalore on May 18, 2016.
 

Has been writing quite regularly in a personal blog on social, religious and cultural affairs @ www.jerryachensworld.blogspot.in

Doing research, writing and editing for the college blog www.utcbangalore.blogspot.in 

Webmaster, researcher and updater of the new UTC college website www.utc.edu.in


Pastoral duties
Priest in the St. Ignatius Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, K.R. Puram, Bangalore. Responsibility includes leading worship, preaching and taking classes for the youth on Sunday. Has also been taking sessions on “Communication in the family” for the pre-marriage counselling courses held by the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church diocese in Bangalore”.

Phone: +91-9483966951
E mail: jerryachen@gmail.com


Worship CD in English




The Nation of Refugees




 









Sunday 17 March, 2013

Rev. Dr. Santosh S. Kumar




Rev. Dr. S. Santhosh Kumar is a Presbyter of the Church of South India and Professor of Liturgy and Music in the Department of Christian Ministry in the United Theological College. He did his M Th in Liturgy and Music from the Asian Institute for Liturgy and Music, Manila and Doctor of Theology from the Melbourne College of Divinity, Australia. 

He published two books last year 
1.  Modes of Indian Classical Music for the Moods of Christian Worship, exploring the Raga-Rasa Theory of Indian Classical Music” (March 2012)
2.  A Guide to Inclusive Language” (June 2012)
 
He presented three papers in ECC. They are
1.      Christian worship and wider ecumenism.
2.      Towards the development  of an inclusive Eucharistic liturgy of Church of South India.
3.      Liturgy and Music as tools of peace and reconciliation in a religiously pluralistic context.                         

Classes in UTC in 2012:
1.      Introduction to worship and Liturgy – BD II
2.      Introduction to Christian education – BD II
3.      Liturgical text and Musical Composition – BD III
4.      Christian Education and Social Changes – BD IV
5.      Basic Musicianship – BD IV
6.      Leadership and Pastoral Administration – BD IV
7.      Institution of Christian engage – MTh II
8.      Outline of Christian worship – MTh II
9.      ID- 1, MTh ID coordinator   

Music Class:
             He takes music classes for those college students interested in classical music. This is on every Tuesday and Thursday 4.15-6.30 pm. 

Upcoming Projects
-    His next book is almost finished and it will be published most probably in April. The title of the book is “Towards developing in-culturated liturgies for the Churches in India.”
He has an invitation from Melbourne College of Divinity where he has studied, to do a research on “Christian Worship: A Channel of Religious Harmony and Peace.
   He has a plan to write a book on the topic of “History of Christian worship.” This book is for BD students and BTESSC has agreed to publish the work.
-   He has a paper presentation at Weusburg Germany on September 2013 on the topic “Societias Liturgica” 

Prepared by Sibin Paul, BD III

Mr. Sibin Paul, BD III

Saturday 16 March, 2013

Rev. J. Jeyakumar

The Rev. J. Jeyakumar
The Rev. J. Jeyakumar is assistant professor in the department of Biblical Studies, New Testament. With his specific ministerial and theological openness, he has challenged the student community. He is a person with deep Christian commitment and openness. 

Theological Education Ministry
After his Post Graduation in Theology, he taught in South India Biblical Seminary for one year. Since 1993 he is teaching at the United Theological College. From 1993-1996 he worked as a part-time faculty and in 1996 he became a full-time faculty. He is engaging himself in teaching the basics of New Testament Courses and Greek Grammar to the Bachelor of Divinity students. He serves as the Secretary of the United Theological College Society. During his sabbatical leave, he involved in Laity Theological Education which is an interest for him from the very beginning of his pastoral ministry.

Pastoral Ministry 

Rev. J. Jeyakumar is an ordained minister of the Methodist Church in India. He served as a pastor in Mumbai in the Tamil Methodist Congregation for five years and engaged himself in slum ministry. He organized and encouraged an inter-faith dialogue with Muslim friends. In Bangalore he is usually invited to preach in CSI and Methodist congregations. He actively involves in the outreach work of the East Parade Tamil Church and helps the church planting ministry in Kammanahally. He is also invited to conduct retreats for pastors of CSI Karnataka Central Diocese in the City Area, Evangelists of CSI Madras Diocese and pastors of CSI Kanyakumari Diocese.

Bible Translation Ministry

He was invited by the Bible Society of India to help the ecumenical Bible Translation in Tamil language and served as a co coordinator with a Roman Catholic Biblical Scholar. As a translation committee advisor he conducted workshops on translation and trained many for Bible translation. He checked the Bible translation in many tribal languages for the faithfulness of translation. He took initiative for the Kashmiri common language Bible translation.


His Family’s Contribution to Ministry
Rev. Jeyakumar and his family are committed to Mission and Evangelism. His wife is the daughter of  Rev. Dr. Yoke Fellow Elias, the founder missionary of the Diocesan Missionary Prayer Band of CSI Kanyakumari Diocese. She completed her Bachelor of Divinity and actively involves in Mission and Evangelism activities. Rev. Jeyakumar is blessed with two daughters and the elder daughter married a missionary and both of them are doing mission work. His younger daughter continues her studies and she involves herself in children ministry. As a family they are involving in various mission activities.

His Recent Contributions

Recently he presented a paper on “The Impact of the Bible Translation on Indian Languages and Literatures”, organized by Department of Comparative Literature, Central University of Kerala.
This year in the UTC, Alumni meeting he presented a paper on the “Use of Bible in the Renewal of the Church”.

Prepared by

Duds Gnana Roby,

BD III

Dud Gnana Roby, BD III


 




Friday 15 March, 2013

Mr. George Varghese



Mr. George Varghese, YMCA director

Mr. George Varghese was born in Chirayarambu,Maramon, Kerala. At present he is serving as the Director of the YMCA Training Department in the United Theological College and as faculty for the theological students. His family includes his wife Susan Varghese and two sons Subin and Reuben.

Mr. George is a graduate from St.Thomas College,Kozhencherry. He has a post-graduate degree from the University of Madras in Physical Fitness, Exercise Rehabillitation and Nutrition therapy and a P G Diploma in Management from the University of London.
 
He started his career as a training secretary in Thrissur and later served as Secretary in Salur(Andhra Pradesh), Quilon(Kerala), Hyderabad, Assistant Administrative Officer in YMCA Physical Training College, Chennai, Project Co-ordinator at the Gandhidham Earthquake Rehabilitation Project,Gujarat, Regional Secretary of the Central India Region in Nagpur, and Assistant General Secretary in Indian Students Hostel, London. From 2008 he is serving as the Director of the YMCA Training Department in the United Theological College, Bangalore.

His engagements in the past few years
Lead sessions in the Training Programme For YMCA leaders in Kohima, Nagland.
Presented a paper on ‘Leadership’ in the Christian Leadership Programme with Leadership matters,Bangalore.
Attended the training programme on Resource Mobilisation at Pune with the Asia-Pacific Alliance of YMCA`s.
Lead sessions in the Training Programme for Honorary YMCA Secreataries at Vishakapatnam, Pune & Alwaye.
Took class on motivation for Sunday School Teachers at Queen`s Road Jacobite Church.
Preached at the St.Thomas Centre, Bangalore and at Chirayarambu Immanuel Mar Thoma Church on Good Friday.

Articles
Working with Young People: A New Perspective in the Youth of India (National newsletter of YMCA) June-Septmber 2012. 
YMCA Membership: A Call to Participate in God`s Mission in Youth of India (June 2011).
He says that YMCA is one of the important organizations where we mould future secretaries with right skills and technologies. The National YMCA needs to concentrate more on understanding the mission of YMCA which may lead the members and leaders to involve YMCA with right perspective and understanding.

Church & YMCA
YMCA is a good platform where all can come together and involve in society for making a change. Theological education is needed for YMCA secretaries. It gives the right Christian perspective for YMCA secretaries to involve in society with Christian values & principles.

United Theological College is a fantastic theological institution with more than a century of historical importance and existence and has moulded 1000`s of church leaders with an ecumenical outlook.The existence of YMCA training department at UTC is of great importance for both YMCA and UTC. The training in UTC introduces the YMCA secretaries to an ecumenical world which gives secretaries a proper outlook for their work.

Mr. George Varghese's wife Susan Varghese works as creche in charge in Raman Research Institute in Bangalore. His elder son Subin George Varghese works as System Analyst and  younger son Reuben Mathew Varghese is a 1st year degree student.

Phone: 9902479450, 23549497
E mail: gvget@yahoo.com, ymca_trg_india@rediffmail.com

Prepared by Mr. Vinod Babu, BD III