Grace Counselor

We give thanks for ministry meetings this month, including MUST Workers, Interserve Fellowship, EGF, and a Community Leaders event.

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Praise the Lord that after one year of confinement to home due to sickness and implantation of Pacemaker in January at CMC Vellore and with limited travel to GCI Centre, Kottayam for Counselor Training in April, God led, in a unique and unexpected way, without advanced planning, for John Zachariah to be in Hyderabad from 19th to 24th July to conduct five programs.

On 20th we spent a day, sharing the Exchanged Life Message, at the SHAMMAH International Ministries Church Centre (of Rev. Dr. Joel Gummadi), with 4 eminent senior Pastors from 4 churches, one coming all the way from Warangal. Joel shared that after a long time he was listening to a message for the whole day while he does international ministry. The interactions were very much encouraging.

On 21st at Sharon Church, Ramanthapur, Hyderabad organized by PEACE PRAYER FELLOWSHIP TEAM with Pr. Satym as President and Pr. Frederick Desouza as Secretary, the Exchanged Life Seminar was conducted, attended by about 50 pastors and lay leaders. One of the participants Pr. Preethamkumar is deeply interested about attending the GCI Training Institute and working with GCI along with his ministry in Hyderabad.

On 22nd an introductory session was held at Andhra Christian Theological College attended by about 180 students in the a. n. Rev. Issac Nirmal Kumar Sreemanthula has shared the possibility of getting  opportunity in the Bible School for short term ELS for 3 to 5 days for all the students.

On 22nd night in a Youth meeting from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. for 20 (students, working people and 4 Pastors) a talk on Natural Identity & Identity in Christ (with Integrity, undivided) was given at Hyderabad suburbs. This was the most challenging Group than those attended the Pastors Conference. Praise the Lord. Pray for the follow up ministry. Two Pastors are professionals, one working in Air India & the other resigned his Engineering job. Pr. Raja Sekhar of Air India arranged the program.

The Exchanged Life Seminar for the members of St. Thomas Evangelical Church, Hyderabad was conducted from 6 p.m. on 23rd to 5 p.m. on 24th organized by the pastor of the Church Rev. Dr. Augustine Koshy. 40 attended the Seminar and 28 prayed the Selfer’s prayer. The Group discussion on practical Christian life, meditation and dedication was a great encouraging session

These programs were coordinated by Rev Dr. Augustine Koshy & Mrs. Sophie Varghese (working with OM) and Bro. M Augustine of Viswa Vani, who helped in the programs conducted with Charles R. Solomon and Peter Frey when they visited India in 2006. Sophie Varghese was working during 1982- 1984 with UESI Kerala and GCI in the office during the time John Zachariah was working full time with UESIK.

In spite of physical discomforts during the period, God enabled us to do the Seminars. In most of the sessions I could talk only sitting. Once during the meeting I was exhausted and had to take rest. Praise the Lord and pray for the utilization of the opportunities ahead

Boaz John, just finished MBA (grandson of my very close associate in Christian ministry since 1966) traveled with me as I was advised not to travel alone and assisted me in the arrangements of the programs. During his travel to Hyderabad he read through the Handbook to Happiness and the booklet “The Ultimate Makeover”. Earlier in June he attended my sessions on “Relationship to Oneself” in the UESI Kerala Graduating Students Teaching Program. He is a potential person to be trained and mentored in the Exchanged Life Counseling Ministry.

Exchanged Life Seminar

Four couples, pioneers of UESI Ministry in Kerala, met together at Pilgrims Retreat, Vagamon, Kerala (owned by former State Secretary of UESI Kerala) for a time of vacation, sharing and fellowship from 2nd to 4th May 2016.

More such opportunities are expected in the coming days in UESI and STECI forums.

Praise the Lord
– John Zachariah

God did wonderful things during April 2016 in and through Grace Counseling India, PRAISE THE LORD.

1. GCI TRAINING INSTITUTE – April 13th to 29th at GCI Centre, Kottayam

7 attended the 1st Module of 1st phase (of Basic one month Institute) and 2 attended the 1st module of 2nd phase (specializing on Family Counseling). One of the participants of the First phase attended the Exchanged Life Seminar from 9th to 11th March at Oddanchathram in Tamil Nadu. One couple brought their five children to stay through the Training Institute.
 
The two (a couple from IEM) who attended the second phase were trainees in the first phase of one month held in April 2014. 
It was unique that the age of the participants ranged from 15 years to 60 years but were found to belong to a family atmosphere of understanding and acceptance one another in Christ.

10 members of faculty lead the various sessions, namely Capt. Cherian Thottathil, Evangelist Sam C Samuel, Thomas Varghese, Preetha Thomas, Mary Philip, Merry George, Sam Mathew, John Zachariah, Cherian Zachariah and Deepak Ranganathan.

2. EXCHANGED LIFE SEMINAR at GCI Centre, Kottayam – April 13th to 16th

Five attended (two couples and one single) the Seminar along with the 9 others of the Training Institute. One couple is among the faculty of GCI Courses.John Zachariah and Cherian Zachariah lead the sessions.

3. EXCHANGED LIFE SEMINAR at Christu Jyothis Animation Center, Kottiyam, Kollam – April 21st to 23rd.

The Seminar was organized by the Discipleship and Mentoring Department (DMD) of Ministry of Revival and Empowerment (MRE) of St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India (STECI). 19 attended the Seminar with the leaders Bishop M K Koshy (Chairman, DMD), Rev. C K Jacob (Director, DMD) and Prof. John Zachariah (General Coordinator, MRE) as the members of the faculty.

Some of us had health problems,  yet God enabled all of us to be healthy enough to be involved in the ministry. Praise the Lord.

Deepak was working hard all these days for the best conduct of the programs. George Paulose was behind the scene in all these.

We really missed P P Thomas and Alex Mathew in these programs. Yet we praise the Lord that He helped them through their sickness.

We pay respects at the passing of Mr. S. B. Jacob and Mr. Varkey M. Cherian, both were living in Chennai, our former Board Members for a long time. Jacob was also the Editor of Grace Counselor from 1989 for 19 years. Continue to pray for their leadership in GCI ministry.

All glory and honor to our great God
– John Zachariah

Oddanchathram MUT Seminar
GCI had a second program in MUT from March 9-11. It was conducted by Deepak R., Cherian Zachariah, Mrs. Mary Philip (Chennai/Delhi), and John Z. Both seminars were very challenging exposures and of deeper experience for the participants.
Potential ministries
These events opened new doors through the missionaries who attended the Seminars from different States. We have invitations to conduct programs in Trichy, Nagercoil, and Gujarat through these programs.

We have invitations and possibilities of running ELS and Training Programs in Chennai (through Capt. Cherian Thottathil, GCI Board member & Mary Philip), in Bangalore (Through Alumni Immanuel & Myra Theodore as well as my son Joesam John Zachariah) and in Mysore (through Mrs. & Mr. Mohana Krishnan, in Delhi (through EGF including my son Joezac John Zachariah & Mary Philip), in Mumbai, Pune and North East India through our EGF friends.
John Zachariah’s improved health should allow him to join Cherian Zachariah (GCI Executive Secretary), Deepak, Capt. Cherian, Mary Philip, Immanuel Theodore, Mohana Krishnan and others for the ministry in these areas. GCI plans to organize and conduct programs in these areas appointing these as Regional Organizers.
Cherian Zachariah in full time ministry
The GCI Board has appointed Mr. Cherian Zachariah to work full time along with his church and local responsibilities and on payment of a monthly allowance. He takes care of the GCI Centre in the Administration and Management with the assistance of Deepak Ranganathan. GCI is trying to raise the funds needed for his support and other programs at the Centre.
Deepak Ranganathan
Deepak has expressed his plans to move from GCI Centre, Kottayam to Wynad (North Kerala) to be involved in the outreach evangelistic ministry from June 1st 2016. But he will be available for the GCI ministry ahead, especially in organizing.  We expect one of our faculties (like Capt. Cherian) to stay at the GCI Kottayam Centre and manage the affairs Deepak was caring and to assist Mr. Cherian Zachariah.

Praise the Lord for all the blessings of the past and pray for the future plans.

The pastors and lay leaders conference for St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India was held May 18-21, 2015 in Vagamon, Kerala. It was hosted by the Indo American International School. Audio recordings of the speakers are available for listening online or downloading. Visit our Audio Messages page here. We give thanks to the Lord for His blessing on the event.

fellowship during meal times

The recent Training Institute at Grace Counseling India concluded on May 16th. On May 15th additional guests were invited for an overview of the GCI model presented by Dr. John Woodward.

GCI class, May 16

May 15 group

PDF copy is here