The Church building in which I serve is one of three of the oldest buildings in the community Built in 1887-1888 it has seen its fair share of change and transition, yet this building has remained as a testament to the eternal hope and faithfulness of God The Church was built on a solid foundation, with purpose, love for God and for humanity.
My church’s history brings to mind Psalm 127 However, this Psalm speaks of a building that extends beyond physical construction to encompass all that was important to Israel It included family, work, city, government, the sense of identity and security and all human endeavors, emphasizing the importance of trusting in God’s sovereignty. The Psalmist understood that no family will flourish, no building will be sound, no city will be successful, and no work will stand unless the Lord is the one who establishes it
Without the wisdom and help of the Lord, the builder will find like the foolish builder in Matthew 7:27 who built a house on sand rather than on a solid foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ, that his labor was in vain. In Jesus’s words, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” When we put these words in practice we can face the storms of life’s challenges with confidence and stand strong!
Strong foundations allow for growth. I have witnessed our church structure evolve over the years, because it had the foundation to sustain growth To see strong families, churches, and cities we must build on the wisdom and integrity of God To experience success, we must align our personal plans with God’s plan for our lives. What are you building on?
Prayer thought: Lord God, Manifest your power and strength in me and establish the Work of my hand!
Reverend Sharon Atkins, Pastor of Bethany Memorial Reformed Church, RCA Minister of Word and Sacrament
One of the definitions of the word “mission” is, the vocation or calling of a religious organization, especially a Christian one, to go out into the world to love and spread faith
For as long as I could remember, serving God through ministry and mission was a big part of my life and my development into the Christian faith As a child of the Reformed Church in America (RCA), attending Grace Reformed Church in Brooklyn, New York, not only was the first Sunday set aside for communion, our first Sunday offering was dedicated to RCA missions The funds raised were sent to missionaries, or mission minded RCA projects that came forth locally or those across the waters To strengthen this call, the first Sunday bulletin insert was the monthly mission newsletter, which gave life to RCA missions one story after another
This foundation led me to become very aware and open to God’s calling and leading for us as the children of God, to bring forth provision for those in need Along with our first Sunday missions’ impact, in years to come, our church began the GRC Soup Kitchen, feeding program This initiative came out of an opportunity I received to volunteer at the Bowery mission in New York City where I taught English as a second language and participated in the evening feeding program My mother and another congregant of our Church joined me in this endeavor, and as this became a passion, the Grace Reformed Church Soup Kitchen Ministry came to life! This unique ministry moved all members of the congregation, from just money in the offering plate once a month for missions, to daily and weekly living out their call to not only feed the hungry, but also counsel and spread the will and love of God to all who came forth “Soup Kitchen” was an integral part of my life and it enhanced my desire to make local and global mission an important part of my ministry
Years later I would become the pastor of Bethany Memorial Reformed Church. Just like the obscure village that was nestled on the side of the Mount of Olives, Bethany Church is a house of revival and refreshment. Bethany Church is in the heart of the city with God’s “special calling” to keep the people of the city in their hearts. Bethany Church’s earlier location closer to the hospitals on the upper east side in Manhattan, and the availability to provide support and space for families of
“THE VELLORE CMC FOUNDATION’S DEDICATION TO SUSTAINING [DR IDA SCUDDER’S] VISION SERVES AS A REMINDER OF THE IMPACT THAT A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL, INSPIRED BY LOSS AND GUIDED BY EMPATHY, CAN HAVE ON THE WORLD.”
Although often difficult to know exactly what “good governance” is, it is easy to recognize when the day-today activities of a nonprofit organization (ours in particular) are going smoothly. Conversely, when things begin to unravel, the lack of good governance becomes readily apparent as well. The question we must face regularly is “how can our board of directors be sure the Foundation is governed well today, while also being prepared to handle any challenge that lies ahead?”
Good governance requires strong leadership, accountability, transparency, and policy adherence
Mindful of this, our board and staff have worked tirelessly to adopt good governance practices, while also diversifying the make-up of the Foundation’s membership The Foundation’s Board of Directors now includes meaningful representation from each of its major constituents, namely, CMC Alumni, the U S faithbased community, descendants of the Scudder missionary family, members of the U S medical community and individuals with unique personal connections to CMC Vellore
Now at the helm of this governance effort is the Foundation’s newly appointed Board Chair, Dr. Raj
“IN AN AGE OF GREAT POLITICAL TURMOIL AND CYNICISM IN THE WORLD, IT IS REASSURING THAT CMC HAS CONTINUED TO DO GOD'S WORK FOR 125 YEARS AND IS GROWING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH.” DR. RAJ NARAYAN, CHAIRMAN, VELLORE CMC FOUNDATION
connections to further support CMC I am deeply honored to have been chosen to serve as Chairman and will do my very best to give back my utmost to this special institution
In an age of great political turmoil and cynicism in the world, it is reassuring that CMC continues to do God's work as it has for 125 years and that it continues to grow from strength to strength As the Foundation rededicates itself to making a positive impact in this world, we welcome all to share their ideas on which best practices will allow us to excel in governance, stewardship and development ”
Dr Narayan is joined by several new and returning board members who were elected at the Annual Meeting on May 22, 2024 As the Foundation enters this new chapter under Dr Narayan’s leadership, its unwavering focus on governance and inclusivity positions it to face future challenges and continue supporting the vital work of CMC Vellore
A HAVEN FOR HEALING AT CMC VELLORE: BRIDGEHOUSE AT RANIPET CAMPUS
Patients travel to CMC from all over the country seeking health & healing. Life-saving treatments for children and adults can last from a few weeks to a few months. Families grappling with conditions like cancer and kidney diseases not only face these health challenges but also the added stress of finding affordable and secure long-term housing in Vellore. Bridgehouse is CMC’s dream to offer simple and safe accommodation for long-term patients to continue their treatment, recover, and regain strength.
