The 19th Annual APDM conference was held at the Executive meeting center, the Double Tree Hotel, Somerset., NJ from Friday July 9th to Sunday July 11th.
The conference was inaugurated by the Diocesan Episcopa by calling the delegates to identify with God's interest in the people.
The theme was “Abundant Life” and the key verse was John 10:10. Mar Theodosius Episcopa reminded everyone that “Healing is a gift of God” and all are called to participate with God with responsibility.
Rev. Dr. Sham P Thomas was the chief guest and he gave two messages on healing. In his first talk based on Mark 1: 40-45, achen emphasized the need to share the divine compassion and divine indignation of Jesus Christ to provide holistic healing in the society. Like Jesus, we are to share the pain of the sick while showing anger at the social system and structures which make use of the sickness to dehumanize the sick people.
In the second talk based on Luke 15: 11-25, Rev. Thomas explained the need for healing of cultures. Even those who are ‘healers' of body and mind can succumb to diseased cultures and hence need a healing if they have to experience wholeness in life. Achen pointed out that a culture that prioritizes resources over relationships, exchange value over intrinsic value and quality of life over sanctity of life needs healing and transformation. A culture that gives prominence to property, power and pleasure has to discern the non-sense of life that it promotes and those who are addicted to such cultures should dare to return from it in order to experience life and life in its fullness. The life-oriented culture is that which shares resources to empower each other, seeks the least, last and the lost in the society.
Dr. Thomas Abraham gave an overview of APDM and recalled the growth of the conference through the years. Dr. John Abraham spoke on “Science and faith” where as Dr. Alex Thomas spoke on “Abundant life.” The conference at its business meeting decided to conduct the 2011 conference on the third week of September in NJ or Philadelphia. The conference concluded on Sunday after the Holy Qurbana service and concluding message by the Diocesan Secretary, Rev. Vinoy Daniel.
