Illuminating the "Healing Ministry of Christ" through CMC
A PUBLICATION OF THE VELLORE CMC FOUNDATION
EDITION NINE | MAY 2025
IN THIS ISSUE: NEW DOVER DASH-OR-DALLY - 1
CITY OF EDISON, NEW DOVER UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AND VELLORE CMC FOUNDATION PARTNER TO BRING HELP AND HOPE TO THE CHILDREN OF INDIA
DEVOTIONAL - 1 FROM SILICON VALLEY TO THE JAWADHI HILLS: A JOURNEY OF FAITH AND COMPASSION - 2 PARTICIPATION OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH IN THE TEACHING AND HEALING MINISTRY OF CHRIST- 4
John Riehl, President & CEO, Vellore CMC Foundation
The Vellore CMC Foundation is excited to announce its inaugural New Dover Dash-or-Dally 5K, a 5-kilometer Walk/Run event scheduled to take place on Saturday, September 6, 2025. Organized in collaboration with the City of Edison, NJ and the New Dover United Methodist Church, the New Dover Dash-or-Dally 5K offers people of all ages – and all fitness levels – the opportunity to come together in support of a most important cause – providing high-quality, affordable healthcare for South India’s most underserved women and children. Hosted by the New Dover United Methodist Church (in Edison, NJ), this event will help raise funds to support India’s leading private healthcare institution, the Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore in India, in its mission to care for India’s most marginalized urban and rural populations. To commemorate its 125-year anniversary, CMC Vellore has re-dedicated its resources towards strengthening and expanding community health services, addressing India’s most urgent needs with integrity, compassion and excellence. CMC Vellore’s key community health programs include: (1) treatment of pediatric diabetes and other endocrine disorders, (2) cervical cancer screening and early treatment for women, (3) nursing and community health worker scholarships for poverty-stricken young girls, and (4) day care centers for the elderly. www.vellorecmc.org |
INSP I R I N G
BRIDGE HOUSE – A HAVEN OF HEALING AT CMC - 5
DEVOTIONAL “When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, ‘Who is this?’” (Matthew 21:10 NRSVue) J. Jayakiran Sebastian, Presbyter, Church of South India and H. George Anderson Chair and Professor of Mission and Cultures at the United Lutheran Seminary | Gettysburg + Philadelphia
Sometimes when texts are read on a particular occasion, like Palm Sunday, we address the text and set it aside till the next year. However, I believe that we need to learn from the Bible “at all times and in all places” and here we see the people of Jerusalem encountering the strange sight of a man entering Jerusalem seated on an ass, accompanied by a foal, with other folk laying down their outer garments in front of this man and waving branches, asking “Who is this?” This is a question that we too are constrained to ask, “Who is this?” Are we prepared to welcome this man seated on an ass and join people in shouting “Hosanna?” Many of us would prefer Jesus to be a bit more restrained and exhibit “proper and correct” behavior and not draw attention to himself by seemingly making a spectacle of himself. We want things to be done in an orderly and reasonable manner and this passage seems to be one where events unfold in unusual and peculiar, almost bizarre, ways. But this is what our Lord awaits from us – are we prepared to welcome this Jesus right now, right here, and respond in faith to the ongoing question “Who is this?” Who is this man from Galilee who comes into our midst, shaking up things that seemed to be neat and tidy, not least in the church and church institutions, who questions simplistic ways of keeping things well-ordered and ship-shape, explainable and appropriate to fostering good order, and startles us, forcing us to respond afresh to the call to follow Jesus anew, right here and right now, in our ongoing journey of faithful discipleship.
EMPO W E R ING
TRAN S F O RMING
PASSAGES | Pg. 1