Practice in Private results in Public Rewards
This phrase is very familiar to all of us. Many people in history and in the present who stand in top positions and influencing positions, are the result of their private practices. For Instance, hardworking students getting good ranks and entrance into reputed colleges; everyday practicing sportspersons getting gold medals in the Olympics.
We see David who killed Goliath and has gained applause and praises in the public. That day, his killing of Goliath with stone in a sling was not a one-day act. It was his private practice, during his shepherding time as to how he dared and killed a lion and a bear, even when nobody was watching him. This had given him this courage to face Goliath.
The secret lies in our daily routines and our routines add up to big results. It’s by our everyday practices that we grow little by little to attain huge results. Somebody’s good physique is a result of that person spending hours and hours for days and months with a healthy diet and regular exercise.
We can’t reap what we do not sow. If we invest and sow our time, energy, efforts and work hard with dedication in private, surely God makes sure to reward us in public, just as how he prepared and rewarded David in public. Let’s not neglect our private practices, lest we miss the great public rewards.
Ministry
SPONSORSHIP
We are thankful to God for the chance to help students succeed academically.
- Muskan: She wrote her Formative Assignment-2 exams this month and is waiting for the results. She’s been attending classes regularly, though she missed one day before the exams due to health reasons. A donor has generously sponsored her fees from October to January, and the fees have now been paid.
- Naga Prabha:She is preparing for midterms, and she has completed second unit tests, and she is attending college consistently. ₹10,000 has been paid towards her fees, with ₹20,000 still outstanding.
- Ashok: He achieved 96% in his midterms last month and is preparing for internal exams next month. The full fee must be paid by next month to allow him to sit for the exams. ₹4,000 has been paid, with the remaining balance due by the first week of October.
“We deeply appreciate your contributions to our students’ academic success. If you’d like to get involved more, please feel free to reach out.”
SEMINARS
Conscientia
The seventh monthly seminar under the banner, ‘Conscientia’, was based on the topic ‘Boundary Management’ and it talked about making and maintaining boundaries in one’s relationships. Given that it is very difficult to establish margins in a relationship without either or both the parties getting hurt, we decided that this is an important topic that our audience should know about.
The speaker for the session was Dr. Soumya Moguram, who specializes in anesthesiology and is currently doing her Senior Residency at NIMS hospital, Hyderabad. From her past experiences and the knowledge that she has gained from various workshops, ma’am decided to give a talk on this topic.
The session began with the speaker defining what a boundary is in a relationship in a broad and psychological sense, and what it meant to have a boundary for oneself. The speaker then moved on to address what boundaries are like in different areas of one’s life, and why people generally fail to develop boundaries for themselves. After this, the consequences of failing to develop boundaries in relationships were outlined such as ‘Codependency’, ‘Depression’, ‘Identity Confusion’ etc. This was followed up with suggestions on how to naturally develop boundaries as your relationship grows, and steps to learn setting boundaries in all of one’s relationships.
Overall, the session was highly useful and well-attended, experiencing a count of 27 participants throughout.
Small group retreat
On September 29, 2024, a meeting was held at the East Anandbagh office, bringing together the groups: Army of God, Chosen Ones, Truthseekers, and ACTS. The focus was on strengthening relationships and fostering unity. The event featured worship, icebreakers, trust-building games, and group sharing, all which aimed at enhancing communication and understanding. John Srikanth facilitated a growth reflection and Bible study session, led discussions on spiritual growth and on living a Christ-centered life. The meeting concluded with prayer and a fellowship dinner, leaving members feeling connected and eager for future gatherings.
SMALL GROUPS
In the month of September, the group Chosen Ones, conducted a monthly seminar on the topic ‘Boundary Management’. As the title suggests, this session covered the importance of maintaining boundaries in a relationship and how to set them peaceably, which the team believed was a crucial skill that all young people should learn. Other than this, they also continued their book reading of the book SHAPE, learning more and more about discovering one’s purpose, and also attended a fellowship meet with other small groups of SoN. Their Friday morning prayers were also organized every week, where they learnt and prayed about each other.
This month, they did not hold any physical or virtual meetings for various reasons, but they maintained person-to-person contact. They are also planning to start reading the SHAPE book, written by Erik Rees, to help the group members in their personal development.
The SHAPE book provides a unique framework for discovering one’s spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences. By exploring these elements, individuals can gain deeper insights into their purpose and how they can contribute meaningfully to their communities. They hope to that engaging with that material will empower their team members to better understand themselves and serve others more effectively.
The team praises God for enabling them to start their weekly sessions on missions, facilitated by John Srikanth. These sessions have been enlightening, helping us understand and reciprocate God’s love and compassion. They continue to grow closer through both online and offline sessions. The team members are enthusiastic in planning and executing all their meetings. They had the privilege of meeting with the Chosen Ones and Army of God on the 29th, where they shared their learnings with each other. They are planning to introspect and improve their group for the glory of God.
- Group 1:
The recent PBYP session they had was on 8th September and managed to complete half of the 7th chapter, with three members joining for this session. However, due to various commitments, everyone had been quite busy with their work lately.
- Group 2:
The group has completed 10 lessons from the PBYP workbook and is on track to finish by October 2024, despite some missed sessions in September. Each meeting covers a new section of the workbook, followed by open discussions that promotes personal growth and community development. Participants have reported significant personal and spiritual development, and the collaborative atmosphere has strengthened relationships within the group.
God gave them opportunities to meet despite very tight and busy schedules. They could meet offline with group 3 members for the ‘Sexual Relationship’ topic where the members could learn that sex is designed by God and it is a gift which needs to be cherished within the boundaries of marriage. The 2nd group members met online and could discuss the ‘Parents and In-laws lesson’ in intense depth regarding the family of origin. Both the group members are growing and learning.
Testimony by HrithikaThis is the testimony of one of the participants of PBYP, in her words: The PBYP platform enabled me to learn many aspects of life and not just the topics of pre-marital counselling. It has made me realize how even small changes in day-to-day life create a great impact. Topics such as decision-making, budgeting, financing, communicating ways, apology languages and many more, strengthened me both physically and emotionally to have a better relationship with everyone around me, especially with my parents and friends. They were practically applicable and sound. I started to deal with my daily routine and challenges in a more matured way by implementing them.
I started sharing a few topics with my parents, such as being vocal about our needs, apology languages and how to resolve conflicts. They felt it was challenging in the beginning, but later they shared that it is worth practicing. The discussions and fellowship with the fellow believers added better understanding of the topics in different aspects as well. Blessed to be a part of the group.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
| Sl No. | Name of Program | Date | Place |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
PBYP Gathering |
6th October 2024 |
Stewards of Nations, Training Hall @ Malkajgiri. |
|
2 |
Non-Strategic Managment @WISPAD |
7th,8th and 10th,11th October 2024 |
KCP, Mercury Hotel @Punjagutta |
|
3 |
Human Resource Managment @WISPAD |
14th,15th and 17th,18th October 2024 |
KCP, Mercury Hotel @Punjagutta |
|
4 |
Conscientia |
21th October 2024 |
Stewards of Nations, Training Hall @ Malkajgiri. |
ADMINISTRATION
Board Meeting Report: On Sunday afternoon, September 15th, a board meeting was held at the Stewards of Nations Training Hall, attended by all board members and two invitees. The meeting began with lunch, followed by a welcome from the Vice-President and a presentation by the Director, which included summaries of recent seminars, financial reports, and plans for the next three months.
The Director provided updates on governance, focusing on fundraising strategies, market expansion, and vision sharing. Strategies for reaching out to unreached youth groups were discussed, with questions addressed for clarity. Two policies were proposed: the Posh policy, which was confirmed, and the Leave policy, which was postponed for further discussion in the next meeting.
Additionally, two new board members were proposed for invitation to the upcoming meeting, which concluded with a prayer.
Training Hall Development of Stewards of Nations: We give thanks to God for blessing Stewards of Nations with the resources we need. Our training hall is steadily being filled with the equipment necessary for our training activities. God understands our needs and is fulfilling them piece by piece.
Another update is regarding the AC units. One of our donors has generously contributed funds for one air conditioner. We plan to purchase two AC units for our hall, as having both is essential for its proper functioning.
MIP Conference: Mrs Hepsiba and Mr John Srikanth attended a Management Improvement Program on Leadership Development and Team Building from September 23rd to 25th, 2024, in New Delhi. The program provided valuable insights, including the importance of finishing well in leadership, as exemplified by Saul and David. They learnt that character is crucial for overcoming leadership challenges and discussed how to build high-performing teams by fostering a supportive environment. The DiSC profile analysis helped them to understand different personality types, allowing them to tailor our leadership styles accordingly. Additionally, they focused on time management strategies to enhance productivity for both individuals and the team.
DISC: Mr John Srikanth recently attended a DiSC Profile Workshop on 28th September 2024, where he gained valuable insights into understanding different personalities and working styles. His DiSC assessment revealed that he falls under the Moderate Dominance(D) style, increasing his self-awareness in areas like assertiveness and leadership. The workshop also provided tools to better understand his colleagues’ work styles, enabling improved communication and collaboration. A key takeaway was the value of all DiSC styles in fostering team cohesion. He plans to adapt his leadership and communication strategies to enhance teamwork and productivity within the organization.
FINANCE
| Sl No. | Description | Amount (Rs.) |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Administration (Office Rent – 10k, Salaries – 13k, Maintenance – 6k like WIFI, Current Bill, Refreshments, Stationery, lights and Electrical appliances) |
29,000 |
|
2 |
PBYP Gathering (Food & Refreshments – 3000, Stationery – 500 and Honorarium – 1000) |
4,500 |
|
3 |
Travel to KCP Hotel (Management Training – WISPAD) |
400 |
|
4 |
Sponsorship (Ashok – 20,230 and Naga Praba – 20,000) |
40,230 |
|
|
TOTAL |
74,130 |
Total Expenses for the month of October 2024 – Rs.74,130/-
Please pray for the amount and if God inspires you then feel free to support, every rupee is important.
Our UPI ID is 8886668052@hdfcbank
PRAYER NEEDS
- Growth and expansion: Bless our organization to grow and expand Your kingdom.
- Financial stability: Grant us financial stability and resources to meet our needs.
- Success of plans: Guide our plans to success and bring glory to Your name.
- Additional AC and curtains: Provide the necessary funds for an additional AC and curtains for our training hall.
- Pray for the health of our students, who are impacted by the effects of climate change.
- Pray for our students’ ongoing success and readiness for their studies.
- Pray for the financial well-being of our students’ families.
- Pray for the people who are supporting these sponsor students financially for their health and well-being.
- Pray for a spirit of unity and cooperation among us, that they may work together harmoniously towards our goals. May their fellowship be a source of encouragement and support for all.
- Pray for a vibrant and enduring connection with Christ for all of them.
- Pray that God guide and strengthen our small group leaders, and may they continue to grow spiritually in their relationship with you, our supporters.
- Pray for each member’s spiritual growth, deepening of faith, and emotional and mental well-being, finding peace and strength through their faith.
- Pray for guidance in preparing the materials for the program.
- Pray for small group members to attend Discipleship training and start investing in other small groups.
THANKSGIVING
- Thank God for the successful Board Meeting and small group retreat.
- Thank God for giving us the opportunity to develop us.
- Our gratitude for a safe Journey.
THANKS FOR JOINING WITH US FOR THE KINGDOM WORK