St. Mary’s Syrian Orthodox Church: Blog Posts

Food Drive for the Poor

Fr. Joy Kalappurayil

The youth members of our church is holding a food drive during the next few weeks to collect food for the poor. Please drop off your donations at church in the coming weeks (Nov 30, Dec 7 and 14).

Member List & Photos Sections Revised.

Linson Thomas

The Member List & Photos Sections have been Revised. The original scanned version of Member List -Sept 2007 has been replaced the last released version. Also some photo albums have been removed. Both by the members feedback.

Member List - Response.

Linson Thomas

1. Member Detail Listing: We had every member's details listed in the last release. Many member's feedback is that to keep only one head member from a family.
Suggestion:
- With the Head member's first name, add Spouse's first name also. Exactly as in the distributed and published list. Eg: Eldo/Bindu
- Register children/spouse also to the web site
Action:
-In the next release, we will try to add the names (instead of just the count) of the family members.

2. Family Photo: Every member should be able to upload or modify their own profile photo. Please click the "My Details" button after login from home page. It is upto the member to use it.
Note: There is a new feature added on "3/6/2008" for the members to add regular photos (not stamp size) to the site for other members to see. Please read the posting on this date.

3. BirthDay/Anniversary: After hearing the member's feedback on this, we can put it in the next release.

Member list

Eldo Daniel

Linson, thaks for the great job that you have done with updating the member list with photos and full details.

I have one or two suggestions.

1. Would it be good, if you can list all members in the same box like this:
Eldo Daniel
mail2eldo@yahoo.com
Bindu Mathew
mail2bindueldo@yahoo.com
Agnes Eldo
Annette Eldo
phone:
address:

2. Give a family photo, rather than the photo of the male only. If some one objects to that then only give male only photo or no photo etc..

3. I have talked to Achen about putting the wedding anniversary Month/Day and Birthday Month/Day (We don't want the exact year also).

Thanks,
Eldo

Members & Wellwishers(Sept 2007) List added into WebSite.

Linson Thomas

We have updated the 'Members' section in the Web site as per the Members & Wellwishers list published and distributed on Sept 2007 . Also we have added the stamp size photos to this list. Contact achen if you want to add or modify your photo in this list.
Members who did not Register in the web site for Login info, will be showing as greyed (grey color background/text).
Logged-in members can access this members contact details at any time instead of the published and distributed paper list copy.

Please let the achen know, if you need any modifications in the contact details or photos published in the Member section. Also please inform if there are any mistakes or omissions happened.

Logged-in members can request changes to your profile using 'Email Request' option inside the 'My Details' Button.

Happy Easter to all.

Linson Thomas

Web hosting for the church web site

Eldo Daniel

I was looking around for a nice web hosting for our web site and found the following decent offers. Since Linson is already hosting it using GoDaddy, going with GoDaddy is not a bad idea.

https://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/hosting/shared.asp?app%5Fhdr=&ci=5652#tabs
(12 months - $48.96 ($4.08/month))

http://www.planetsmb.com/win.php#hosting
($4.95 per month)

Thanks.

New Feature - "Member Albums" in Photos section.

Linson Thomas

Hi...
There is a new Member Albums Folder in the Photos section of the members only area. Members can request to get an album inside Member Albums for them. You can post request here or email Achen. After an album has been assigned to you, you can upload photos there.
-Web Admin.

A New Year's Resulution

Fr. Joy Kalappurayil

At this time of year, many people make New Year's resolutions. What exactly is a resolution?

1) an act of converting, process of being transformed; conversion into something different; transformation, substitution; and 2) act of resolving, determining, deciding. Therefore, a resolution involves decision-making. It revolves around a conscious choice.

Some possible New Year's resolutions might include: making more money; getting more sleep; getting out of debt; spending more time with the family; or spending more time reading the Bible and praying. Why are resolutions good to make? First, they cause self-examination. They can point out our weaknesses.

Are we satisfied with our Christian life? This is a good question that we can ask when we make a resolution for New Year.

Paul was never satisfied with his spiritual achievements. “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, 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,” Philippians 3:12-13

But many Christians are self-satisfied because they compare their running with that of other Christians. "I may not have done much for the Lord this past year, but I pride myself there was someone who did less than I did." You know something, if Paul had done that he could have boasted with pride. But Paul did not compare himself with others. He compared himself with Jesus Christ.

St Mary's Church Family Night - Nov 3, 2007

Fr. Joy Kalappurayil

The "Family Night Program" has been scheduled to hold on Saturday November 3rd 2007. Venu will be the same school where we had in past. Please plan ahead to attend this event. This year, We need to focus on preparing programs of more Christ centered so that it could bring some message to our kids. In addition, it will encourage our kids to do better performance in the next year sunday school competition.

Prayer Meeting at 6:30 pm at Shaji's residence

Fr. Joy Kalappurayil

Dearly beloved,

Prayer meeting for this month will be held at the residence of Shaji Zachariah on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2007 at 6:30 pm. Shaji's home address and phone number as follows.

2739 Sweet Clover Ct
Silver Spring, MD 20904

Phone:
202 657 7694

VBS :: Sept. 29

Fr. Joy Kalappurayil

Our VBS program will be held on Sept. 29th Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Encourage our kids to attend. This is the first time we are doing VBS in our church. Don't miss it !!

VBS - Date Change

Fr. Joy Kalappurayil

Hi everyone,
VBS will be on 29th Saturday. The proposed date was 15th but the facility is not available for that day.

VBS

Rajeev Padath

Is the VBS still scheduled for Saturday Sept 15th?

Our Perunal news in the Pathram ( Mathrubhumi )

Vipin Raj

In Mathrubhumi : http://www.mathrubhumi.com/nri/php/showNews.php?regid=3
Once you click the link, please scroll down.

Feast of the Assumption of St. Mary celebrations

Fr. Joy Kalappurayil

St. Mary’s Syrian Orthodox Church in Washington D.C. celebrated its annual Feast in the honor of patron saint St. Mary. The Holy Mass and the procession escalated this year’s feast an unprecedented level. Rev. Fr. Mathew Anathanathu was the chief celebrant. The church celebrates its annual Feast in connection with the Assumption of St. Mary.

New Web site for St. Marys Church DC Community.

Linson Thomas

Dear Friends,

This is going to be our new upgraded web site.

Main sections of this web site are:
1. Events - You can see the coming and past events in this section.
2. News - You can read the new information in this section
3. Photos - Community Photos (will be uploading soon).
4. Membership - Community members can register for site membership here.
5. Postings - After you became a member with approved membership, you can write letters, information, suggestions to others in the Online Posting section. Also you can comment on other online postings.

email if you have questions/suggestions to webadmin@stmaryschurchdc.com
Regards
Linson