PV Colony

One last trip – or is it? For my last Sunday in India I traveled with Bishop Devamani and his wife to PV Colony. He kept describing it as “the other end of his diocese”. I think he is referring to my first trip to Khammam because both Narsapur (Holy Trinity) and Kothagudem (St. Andrew’s) are in this direction. (We went around Kothagudem because it is a big town with lots of traffic and we passed the turn to Narsapur; Narsapur is about two hours down a road to the right.) On the way Rev. Christina (the bishop’s wife) made a reference to mother’s day. I had not said anything because on my Scouting trips to Canada (as a teenager) they didn’t seem to know about mother’s day or father’s day so I had presumed they were only US holidays. 

The trip took a little longer than expected so we didn’t stop at a parish along the way even though several members of that congregation were standing alongside the road trying to get the bishop to stop so they could greet him. This parish was not a scheduled visit for this trip; they just want to show how much they appreciate their bishop. Can you imagine the members of each parish in the US standing alongside the road (please understand there are no freeways in the area covered by the Diocese of Dornakal) trying to get the bishop to stop so they can say hello whenever he passes by in route to a visit at another parish? After they completed their service some of the members of this parish made the trip to PV Colony and joined the line of people recognizing (greeting) the bishop and his wife with shawls and flowers just before the passing of the peace. (The service at PV Colony started later because there was the traditional greet the bishop on the road several kilometers before arriving at church and then a procession to church. This procession was different, we didn’t get out and walk – it’s too hot – instead there was a procession of vehicles.) 

 

The clergy and the men typically go first (hence the previously presented shawl on the chair to the left and the flowers already on the table). It was during this time that a member of the congregation offered to take pictures for me (I am behind the lady presenting a shawl to the bishop), so I don’t have pictures of the first couple of presentations. Bishop Devamani kept me close by because (when I traveled with him) he used this break in the service to introduce me and to explain the relationship between the Diocese of Dornakal and the Diocese of Olympia. 

The cake on the table is for the bishop’s birthday which is coming up on the 20th of May.  We were there on the 9th of May;  however, that is as close as the people of PV Colony will get to being able to recognize the bishop’s birthday so they took the opportunity. 

Speaking of taking the opportunity – this coal mining and company town also celebrated the rededication of their church exactly one year before. (I have the impression that Bishop Devamani doesn’t get to visit to many parishes two years in a row.) (Note: I said their church because throughout the service the names used were PVC – CSI church and PV Colony – CSI church because they recognize their relation to the diocese / regional church (Church of South India) and their ministry to PV Colony. Later I learned that they also are known as St Paul’s.) It was a busy visit because we also broke ground and laid a foundation stone for a new parsonage see below. Ground had already been broken for the new home to be built for the sexton so we just laid a foundation stone there.  

 

St. Paul’s (PV Colony – CSI church); the future parsonage is approximately 15 meters to my right. The future sexton’s house is also to the right of the picture; however, it will be at the back of the church instead of the front. As you can see from the church clock, the service finished around 1:30 and we were setting foundation stones until shortly before 2 o’clock. Yes, there was a lunch at the current parsonage with the church leaders afterwards.

Following lunch and meetings with the parish leaders and a few of the youth we visited a lay missionary who is working with the IMS (Indian Mission Society) in a hamlet along the route back to Dornakal. The lay missionary has a new born daughter and had asked for a blessing.

Advertisement