Third  Diocesan  Youth Conference

The third Diocesan Youth Conference took place at the Hindustan College of Engineering in Chennai hosted by the Chennai Centre Mar Thoma Yuvajana Sakhyam from May 29 to June 1, 2008. 248 delegates from various parishes and youth centers attended this conference named as Cedar’s 08. The theme Rooting for Fruiting was expounded by Rev. Abraham Skaria and the Bible studies were taken by Rev. Vinod Victor of CSI.

The key verse was chosen from Ps1:3,”And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither and whatever he does shall prosper”. Welcoming the delegates Rev. George Thomas Adyar said: ‘I hope and pray that this conference will enable us to be a fruitful community by placing our roots firmly in the Word of God.’

The Diocesan Episcopa raised the concern of uprooted ness of the modern society.’ In the modern world, uprooted ness happens in all realms of life. In the name of globalization many are uprooted from the context in which they had been planted. The scars remain deep in the minds of such people and the future appears bleak. The modern youth is not able to stick to one place including their homes and its results in being rooted out from the Bible, religious practices, beliefs and customs of the Church. It creates a vacuum in their mind and they are rendered fruitless. Human lives are meant for rooting and fruiting. Therefore it is the need of the hour to ponder on the theme. Are we rooted in Christ and fruitful in society?

 The conference decided to have the 2009 conference at Coimbatore and 2010 Conference in Bangalore.