Cathedral Chimes March 2026

Letter from the Pastor’s Desk

It is my immense joy Greetings to you in the Lord’s name!

God has granted us graciously another spiritual-spring season for our refreshment, reawakening, and renewal in our body soul and spirit! As we come nearer to the cross meditating on the suffering of our Lord and crucifixion leading to the glorious Resurrection. We are called not only to be His witness but also to be the participants in His sufferings, crucifixion, and burial so that we too shall be raised in glory to lead a new life with our Risen Lord!

Paul the Apostle writes in Philippians 3: 10-14 “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus”.

May God fill us with the singleness of mind to press on toward the goal ahead of us. This Lenten Wednesday we have embarked on the new series of mediations on “The Questions Around the Cross”. A time to reflect on the biblical questions to delve deeper into it’s meaning and it’s relevance to our own content!

I thank the medical mission for the fruitful medical check-up conducted for our members on 1st February. I thank all the members and the fellowship groups who took part in the Gospel work and the other team which assessed the place for community development for a holistic mission in Sanaputhur on 22nd February. I thank the Gospel team and the medical team for all your wonderful works.

I thank Mr. Joshua Madan for the rich contribution and organising the Couples retreat and the Youth retreat on 28th February organised by Youth fellowship. I thank Brother Freddy Baskaran for bringing a very challenging message on both the events.

I specially thank the youth fellowship for their involvement in gathering the food packets and distributing them to the poor in many areas in the city of Chennai on 08th March, 119 food packets were distributed. I thank all the donors and our youth fellowship for your beautiful work making our fast and prayer more meaningful and fruitful in this Lenten season.

“ If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Amen. Isaiah 58: 10-11

I am delighted to invite you to our Lenten Retreat on Sunday, 15th March, at Mirth Hall, ECR, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. We are blessed that our beloved bishop, Rt. Rev. A. Paul Francis Ravichandran, will be with us as the Special Speaker. I am confident this retreat will be a time of deep renewal and blessing for all.

We also look forward to the Passion Play, “Jesus”— a mega sound and light drama on the life of Jesus, directed by Mr. Sujit Martin. This will be staged on Saturday, 28th March at 7:00 p.m. at the Cathedral. Please spread the word and bring your relatives and friends to experience this powerful presentation.

I warmly encourage you to attend all the Lenten services with your family. We are grateful to our bishop, Rt. Rev. A. Paul Francis Ravichandran, who will share the message during Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Night Service.

This Lenten Season has been enriched with many programmes and services to strengthen our faith and draw us closer to Christ. I extend heartfelt thanks to our Secretary, Mr. Arun David Ambrose, our Treasurer, Dr. Mercy Rajasekar, and all the Pastorate Committee members for their dedicated support and cooperation.

May the Lord bless you abundantly!

Yours in Christ
Rev. Dr. A. Ruben Jayakumar
Presbyter & Chairman