Page 104 - Khabar Magazine (February 2020)

Around Town

In the sanctuary.

Christmas carols and performances livened

the Advent season for nine parishes

The Mar Thoma Church At- the sanctuary in a procession.
lanta (MTCA), located at 6015 The opening prayer by Rev.
Old Stone Mountain Road, Stone Skariah Varughese was fol-
Mountain, GA, welcomed the lowed by a welcome address
Advent Season on Saturday, by the Vice President, Ms. Ani-
December 21, 2019 with its first ta Ninan. The church vicar,
Christmas Service of Lessons Rev. Aju Abraham, gave the
and Carols held in this location. presidential address and invit-
MTCA, formed by the merger ed chief guest, Rev. Art Stans-
of Atlanta Marthoma Church, berry, Pastor of MC3 Church
Stone Mountain, and Hermon of Stone Mountain, to give
Mar Thoma Church, Lawrence- The orchestra. the Christmas message—MC3
ville, consists of over 200 fami- Church was formerly Mount
lies in the metro Atlanta area. Carmel Christian Church, which used to meet at this
The Mar Thoma Church, a reformed Indian very location.
church, traces its roots to 52 AD when St. Thomas, one The service was interspersed with beautiful
of the 12 disciples of Christ, sailed to Southern India to Christmas carols in Malayalam and English, conduct-
spread the Christian faith. ed by the Malayalam choir master, Mr. Santhosh Abra-
The orchestra began the service by playing a med- ham and English choir master, Mr. Abraham Ninan,
ley of Christmas carols, “The story of Christmas.” Then respectively, with Bible readings in English and Mala-
as “O Come All ye Faithful” was sung, members of the yalam. The service concluded with the full Choir hold-
Malayalam and English choirs walked to the front of ing candles and singing “Silent Night.”
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100 • FEBRUARY• 2020 KHABAR MAGAZINE