The historic Maramon convention is indeed a celebration of relationships in the community under the word of God. The three fold task of the church- koinonia (fellowship), diakonia (Ministry) and kyrugma (proclamation) makes the mission of the Church holisitc in each context. It is to be borne in mind that the word "Convention" as such does not carry any religious or even Christian connotation. The word "convention" simply means "an act of coming together", "conference of members of a society devoted to a particular purpose". Yes, the annual meeting of the peoples of God particularly the confessing group of the Mar Thomites creates a platform for all to celebrate relationship in the community for the glory og God, Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship. The preaching of the Word of God is expected to create a community of communities rooted in the love of God as reveled in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Word of God reads the peoples of God The Word of God is a powerful instrument. In Heb. 4:12 we read: "For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow and the thoughts and intentions of the heart". This is because "the Bible is the book that reads us" (John B. Rogers). The Word of God is the power of God for salvation (Rom.1:16). It can break false structures supported by concepts and notions. It is able to create authentic relationships in the community. The Word of God is to be considered as, as St. Paul puts it, "the weapons of warfare are not human, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds"> The preaching of the Word of God is meant to "destroy every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and to take every thought captive to obey Christ". The knowledge of God is to be communicated as "fragrance of Christ" to all. It provides a basis for the faithful in accounting for the hope with gentleness and reverence" (1 Peter 3:15,16). The knowledge of God is to be relevantly communicated with due respect for God's concerns for all humankind. Gospel is not the private property of any religious sect. As Raymond Fung puts it, "Gospel is not for sale, not because it is too precious. It is so precious that it cannot be bought or sold. It can only be shared freely". It is "good news for all people" on earth. The boundary of the gospel is not between religions, but between love and hatred, justice and injustice, truth and falsehood, When we understand the rooting of the knowledge of God in the message of the Kingdom, the direction of the communication of the Word of God takes new thrusts. God's kingdom as imbedded in the Word of God is indeed an enlargement of God's love on earth. It stand for the rule of justice and love (Lk. 4:18-19), search for new relationship (Lk. 15:3), restoration of peace in the community (Micah 4:3), creation of human dignity (Mk. 5:15), deep awareness of social issues such as food, drink and shelter (Matt, 25:35-40), raising of authentic questions of relationship (Mk. 3:4), and finally building up the quality of life for all (jn. 10:10). The Church must not only accept the Word of God written in the scripture, but also heart the cry of the poor being written in history. It is the Holy Spirit that makes the cry real to us. Do we have ears to hear and eyes to see the signs of the times?

In communicating the Word of God, we should remind ourselves that we are only His witnesses. We tend to take the place of a "judge" in the very task entrusted to us. As Ambassadors of Christ, the mission is to by fulfilled not in our own way but in Christ's way. It is found that we try to behave as if we are holier than Christ! It is indeed a pity. We are commissioned to live "as salt" and "as light" in God's world in Christ's behalf. The words of Archbishop William Temple is worth recalling. "If you have false idea of God, the more religious you (and for the church); it is better for you to be an atheist." Bishop Samuel Amirtham, while exhorting to the graduates of the Serampore University at the time of its Convocation (1989) makes mention of the "popular theologies!. There are two types of theologies! One type, theology oriented to success of properity oriented to success or prosperity. This can be called "insurance theology". Hiow can success be at the center when cross is the pivotal point of Christian faith? We need to remember that God's promise will be with us in and through all the joys and sorrows of life (Rom. 8:38-39). The second type, crusading theology. It speaks of an attitude to conquer and subjugate others. Gospel is basically an invitation (Mk. 1:15). :"Turn to God. Keep on repenting. Keep on rejoicing as God's people! What is required today is to get closed to the crusading mentality and to open ourselves to the crucified mind.. The time has come when we should cease to sing the age old hymn "Onward Christian soldiers marching as to war". Bonhoeffer is right when he writes, "It is not the religious act that makes, the Christian, but participation in the sufferings of God in the secular life. It is allowing on self to be caught up into the messianic suffering of god in Jesus Christ" the Kingdom of God ought to be the focus of Christian preaching. It represents " a new consciousness", as we find in the Magnificat, as new sense of values as we read in the parable of the workers in the vineyard, and a new sense of relationship as we find in Jesus' attitude to the "sinners and publicans". If such a theological attitude becomes the giding principle of he preaching of the Word of God, we are nearer to the foot of the cross. The nature of koinonia (fellowship) in Christ does transforms all structures of relationship in the community.

Maramon convention - the cradle of wider Ecumenism Ecumenism today is not confined to the unity of the Churches. It has its wider concerns Maramon convention even before the establishment of the World Council of Churches in 1948 began to appreciate the best in the traditions of other churches. Right from 1895 onwards the Mar Thoma Evangelistic Association initiated a great movement of Christian unity through the communication of the word of God. Eminent speakers like T. Walkers, Sadhu Sunder Singh, Dr. Kagawa, Dr. Bob Peirc, Dr. Paul Rees, Dr. Stanley Jones and several other Inidan preachers were invited to share the Word of God with people of different Churches and religions. The boundary of the Church was kept open to all. The Church was primarily concerned with the celebration of the Word in affirming the universal truths of the gospel. As the World wants to speak the language of the gospel love, compassion, reconciliation and hope- the communication of the gospel message by word of mouth is important. There is no option but to speak the truth of life revealed in the message of the gospel. The focus of the message is not simply to take people to heaven but to affirm life for all in the name of Christ as Jesus proclaimed in the Lord's prayer, "Let your Kingdom come on Earth as it is in heaven. .To be coworkers with God, it is the God given task of the Church to speak aloud God's Kingdom on earth through the two basic concepts of fullness of life on earth-food and for givens. Food and forgiveness create bonds of relationship in God's one world. The stewards of God's Word find a place in Maramon where their calling as preachers of the Word of God has been recognized by the Mar Thoma Church. The Church used to affirm that the "The word of God is active and alive, and is not bound (2 Tim. 2:9). The human agents are only instruments in God's hand. The ecumenical celebration of God's Word at Maramon means the koinonial aspect of God's Word. Its power should not b e limited to the Churches. As Ecumenism is a vision beyond one's own geographical and cultural boundaries, the celebration of the Word of God through God's servants made the Church rich in its heritage. This legacy of Maramon should be carried on to the future generation. Hiowefer, the times has come for the Church to look fo innovative methods to communicate the message of the gospel. The unity of the Churches is possible only by practicing it in its ethos. In a wider sense, it simply means the acceptance of "the other". As St. Paul rightly puts it, "Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God". The universal and the local find a fitting place at Maramon.

The other aspect of wider ecumenism today is to recognize the shift of mission paradigms. In Acts 16:6-8 we read that the Holy Spirit closes some roads and opens others. What does it mean for the mission of the Church today? It means the emergence of new mission paradigms such as partnership contextual theology and oikoumene of solidarity. Moreover, there is a greater recognition of plurality as integral to +Reality. The Church is to be regarded as a fellowship of seekers after truth. The recognition of unity of faiths takes seriously into account the meaning of "the other". A theological understanding of "the other" speaks of dialogic existence. There are "liberative streams" in other religious traditions and secular movements. As Gospel is a call to live as human beings, let us welcome all those who work for the liberation of the marginalized and the down- trodden. We needed to recognize the working of the Spirit of God in history to impart quality life for all. Let us not for a moment doubt that "the Lord works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed" (Ps. 103). There is no justification for us to think that those who do not belong to the fold of the Church are outside the salvific grace of the creator God.

Maramon Convention - a platform for inter-faith amity. There are several fixed features in the agenda of the Maramon convention. It is desirable to arrange a session for inter-faith meeting for the sake of communal harmony. God's live in Christ should prompt the Church to be bold in taking steps which would lead to religious tolerance in the country. There is no point in speaking about the fear of religious persecution in the country. In a world where religious fundamentals hold the fort, the Church has to pioneer movements which would take common concerns of justice, freedom and peace seriously. To listen to a religious leader other than a Christian preacher at Maramon might be regarded as against the accepted norms and practices. There are several common issue which require spiritual response from people of other religions. To listen to human rights activist like Sri. V.R. Krishnayaer or an ecological activist like Smti. Sugathakumari or a social reformer like Sri Sukumar Azhikode or a Hindu activist like Swami Agnivesh at Maramon will not be against the "good news" we propagate. Interligious dialogue at the national and global levels should find visibility in forging relationshiop of cordiality at the grass -roots level. It is the moral responsibility of the people of the country to safeguard th nation from the nation from the onslaughts of the religious fundamentalists. Religious fundamentalism is a militant form of affirming an ideology withour creating any space for dissent. This is to be defeated at all costs. Iter-faith platform is the best place to affirm that freedom of conscience whether in religious or secular spheres. Maramon convention shall become an effective platform to enhance religious and cultural harmony. Dr. S.J. Samartha is right when he says that "in the past energies are spent in strengthening the fence and guarding the gates rather that deeping the wells and tending the fruits trees". Now the time has come for us to realize that there will not be lasting peace on this globe until there is peace among the religions of the world. The words of Mahatma Gandhi written on the Railway tickets are not to be dismissed. "Let all of us Hindus Mussalmans. Parsis, Sikhs, Charistians live amicable as Indaians Pledged to live and die for our mother land". This creative vision should make us restless for peace and hamony in the country. We need to entertain a vision beyond the mandir, masjid and girja. The peoples of god are greater than their worshipping places!

In all our missiological pursuite we should be frank and credible As. Mr. Mathai Zachariah puts it is his book, INSIDE THE INDIAN CHURCH, "What we should fear in not the image others have of us but what we are in God's sight. Do we truly represent the truth as seen in Jesus Christ". The Maramon convention ought to raise this big question through its annual celebration of the Word of God. Let us therefore, look beyond and risk Christ for Christ's Sake.