Greetings to you in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
I thank and praise God for the privilege to serve Him. I thank Him for watching over us all these years and helping us in growing both spiritually and in numbers. Praise the Lord for His continued blessings. Our regular worship services have been a great blessing to many. We are privileged to hear the word of God through our honorary Pastor and guest Preachers.
Apart from regular Sunday worship services, we had special services on Christmas, New Year Eve (Watch Night Service), Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Easter, Thanksgiving, Mothers Day, Fathers Day and UECF 15 Years Celebrations. On the scheduled Sundays, Sr. Honorary Pastor Rev. Dr. David Ravinder shared the God’s Word and spiritually encouraged us all through the year. We are also blessed to hear the Word of God through many of the guest preachers from India and around New Jersey. The guest preachers for the year 2012 included the following eminent servants of God: Rev. Dr. Daniel Akumarthi, Rev. Gene Donahue, Rev. Timothy Kollabathula, Rev. Dr. Isaac Simon, Rev. Dr. Vijaya Kumar, Rev. Peter Sanfilippo, Rev. Devadanam Gummadi, Rev. Joseph Theophilus, Bro. Sunil Robert, Rev. Amoon Sharon, Rev. Dr. Joshua Jude Gandi, Rev. Edward Kuntam, Rev. Dr. Samuel Mohanraj, Dr. Vijay Benedict, Rev. Dr. Kishore Dorega, Bro. Deevanaiah, Bro. Bhogi Shanta Rao, Rev. Moses Katuri, Dr. John Wesley, Rev. Ravi Prakash, Rev. Dr. P. J. Stephen Paul, Rev. Dr. John Moses Doosi, Bishop Daniel Kalyanapu, Dr. Vasantha Rao Chilkuri, Bro. Herford Urlica, Dr. Joe Madhu Payarda, Dr. Jessi Veena Payarda, Rev. Solomon Raju Kunchanapalli, Rev. Dr. Rajashree Tuluva, Dr. Ramesh Richard, Bro. Kamal Manik, Bro. Prasanna Kumar Devarapalli
Our special meditation programs included the Cottage Prayer meetings during the 6 weeks of Lenten season. UECF participated in New Jersey, Virginia and Connecticut annual family conferences.
UECF 15 Years Celebration: We thank the Lord for the blessing UECF ministry for the past 15 years. On December 1st and 2nd UECF has celebrated its 15th anniversary. UECF was privileged to have Dr. Ramesh Richard as the keynote speaker. The main emphasis was on reaching out to Hindus and other unsaved people in the community. Some people accepted Christ as their personal Savior and others recommitted their lives to Christ. Overall, it was a fruitful and spiritually profitable celebration and we thank and praise the Lord for this opportunity to celebrate 15th anniversary in a meaningful way. We thank everybody for volunteering their time and efforts to make it a big success.
Missions/ Outreach Ministry:
UECF goal and purpose is to participate in the great commission given by our Lord Jesus in Mark 16:15 ‘Go ye into the all the world and preach the gospel to every creature’. In 2012 we were able to reach out to unsaved and unreached through witnessing, tract distribution and DVDs of Jesus film. In 2012 our Lord has given an opportunity to have 4 special Gospel/ Revival meetings, and some people accepted Christ as their personal Savior, we thank and praise the Lord for this. So many people have been touched by UECF music ministry, so many people testified that some of the songs have been encouraging to them and using our songs in other ministries. We thank and praise God for our musicians and singers. UECF is also fulfilling the mandate given in Acts Ch: 8
‘Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and all Judea and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth’. Based on the scripture Romans 1:16 ‘I am not ashamed of the gospel’. UECF wants to do more things in Outreach. We thank and praise the Lord for all those who have participated through giving, spending time and sacrifices made.
UECF is supporting missionaries who are doing missionary service for the spread of the Gospel primarily in India where many people do not know Christ. UECF supported Emmaus Ministries, Rev. Sama Sunder Saripalli, Saviors Heartbeat Ministries, Gethsemane Prayer Fellowship, AEL Revival Forum, Pastor Jarugumala Israel, Rev. GCR Arun Rao, Bro. J. Prem Kumar, Pastor N. Sudhakar Rao, Bro. Sudheer Meriga, Bro. Joseph Dawson, Dr. Augustine Pagolu, Bro. Moshe Dayan, Lutheran Boarding Home, Partners India International, Paniel Church, New Jerusalem Church, Followers of Christ Ministries, Rev. David Raju, Bro. Boaz Kommuru as part of missions support. Thanks for your prayerful financial support. UECF participated in India Day parade and distributed tracts and Jesus DVD movies and also reached many people on Oak Tree Rd and visited and shared gospel to the old people in the nursing home on monthly basis.
Music Ministry: Praise time has been a vital part of our Sunday Worship Services. We had the opportunity to sing praises not only in English but also in the regional languages like Telugu and Hindi. I thank and praise God for giving UECF an opportunity to reach millions of people worldwide through our special programs in Aradana, Subhavartha and Miraclenet TV channels. God has given UECF choir an opportunity to lead the praise and worship in Virginia and TTCA, CT conferences. Thanks to the Praise Team and to Mr. Samuel Sudhakar Chilaka, Mr. Josiah Srigiri, Ms. Yuko Unehara, Mrs. Suneela Ponnapalli for using God given musical talents and Mr. Clarence Ponnapalli, Mr. Joshua Shaik, Mr. Kiran Devabattula, Mr. Paul Gummadi, Mr. Anand Devi, Mr. Praveen Charles, Mr. Clement Myla, Mr. Samuel Rapaka, Mr. Ajai Jammula, Mr. Prasad Mare, Mr. Manohar Pitta and Mrs. Satya Srigiri for Photography/ Videography support.
Sunday School Ministry: We thank the Lord for UECF Sunday School Children for participating in all special occasions with their individual talents, Dramas and group dances. Thanks to Sunday School teaching staff Mrs. Emily Myla, Mr. Louis Dundi, Mrs. Kavitha Shaik, Mrs. Preethi Pilli, Mrs. Sunita Saripalli, Mrs. Evelyn Dundi, Mrs. Olives Rapaka, Mr. Charles Praveen, Mrs. Pavithra Charles and Mrs. Sushma Pitta for encouraging children to exhibit their talents and nurturing the children with the Word of God.
Junior Bible Quiz(JBQ): - JBQ ministry that was launched last year has now grown into a full
stream of activity with more than ten kids participating the New Jersey league. The teams are named UECF slingshots and these kids represent our fellowship and have now emerged among the top quizzers in the state. One of our team 9 (girls) stands second and the second team (boys)
stands 4th and almost all the quizzers are in the top twenty quizzers. HANNAH AND LIKITHA ARE AMONG THE TOP FIVE QUIZZERS and the rest also feature among the top twenty individual quizzers in the state. Hannah Bolleddu, Likitha Kambham, Ashley Rapaka, Sanya Ravoory,
Tabitha Charles, comprise the girls team this year and the boys team consisted of Williams Pitta, Ivan Yeddu, Immanuel Charles and Rishabh Kambham. The peewees team (younger kids aged 5-7) of Rishabh, Evelyn,Tabitha and Sheena also did well in both the meets and they now are getting ready for the NJ finals. Sushma Pitta and Jason Pitta along with Aman Vuppula serve as official coach and assistant coaches respectively. This ministry is focused not on teaching bible trivia but to teach vital skills like team play and leadership right from a very tender age. Some of these
kids will now graduate to the next level and hopefully serve as officials in the NJ league in future.
If any family would like to enroll their children in this ministry please contact one of the parents and discover how JBQ impacted not just their children but the entire family as well. We are thankful to all the parents, Bolleddus, Dharas, Ravoorys,Yeddus, Pittas and Vuppulas for their desire to train the kids in Gods word. The entire UECF family is proud of our kids. Thanks to Mr. Sunil Robert and Mrs. Prafulla Vuppula for initiating this program and coaching our children.
Youth Ministry: UECF Youth Group activities are conducted regularly to both Middle School and High School age groups( From ages 12 and up to 19 years). UECF Youth Ministry is highly relational and conversation driven and is fully focused in preparing youngsters of our congregation for deeper spiritual formation and faith development and also in developing their gifts of music and appreciation for the arts. UECF Youth Group enthusiastically participated in UECF's Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year Services bringing their inner talents through Singing, Christmas Skits, Dancing and through playing Musical instruments. Please remember UECF Youth Ministry as it continues to be the spiritual companions to awake Youth to God's Presence. Thanks to Mr. Paul Joseph Gummadi for leading the Youth group.
Married Couple’s Ministry: The Married Couple’s meeting usually held on the 4th Saturday of every month in various homes that are pre-decided. Couples discussed and debated on various topics that are very practical and tried to use the Bible as a guiding tool. Thanks to Rev. Dr. David Ravinder & Mrs. Sarita Ravinder for leading this ministry. Thanks to Mrs. Asha Chakravarthy and Mr. Kanthi Paul Rapaka for coordinating.
Bible Study: UECF monthly Bible Study has been a blessing to many of the members. Thanks to the efforts of Mr. Josiah Srigiri and Mrs. Satya Srigiri for taking lead in conducting the Bible Study. In the topic of Biblical basis for Evangelization, we have discussed various sub topics: Jesus is Gospel, Pre Fall of Man, Origin and Manifestation of Sin in Humanity, Cross, Uniqueness of Jesus and Complete Salvation, Benefits of Salvation. By God’s grace, this year 2012, we wish to cover the topic ‘The Basic Bible Doctrines’ which will give us great insight into the scriptures.
Christmas Carols: As we do every year, we participated in Carol rounds during the Christmas season. In the year 2012, we had visited 51 families as part of our carol rounds and received prayerful gifts.
Picnic: Last year, we had an Annual Family picnic at Merril Park, Iselin. Rev. Dr. David Ravinder shared the word of God during our picnic time. Many families have actively participated in various items of the picnic.
Fellowship Hour: Many of our members have volunteered to host Fellowship Coffee hour after each Sunday service while celebrating their Birthdays and anniversaries. I thank all the congregation members for keeping the sanctuary and the fellowship hall clean and neat after the usage.
Women’s Prayer Fellowship: UECF monthly Women’s Prayer Fellowship has been a blessing to many of the members. Thanks to the encouragement of Mrs. Shanthi Bhaskar and Mrs. Udaya Pulipati, Mrs. Grace Tsappidi, Mrs. Helen Patta, Mrs. Nirmala Gummadi, Mrs. Vasantha David, Mrs. Satya Srigiri, Mrs. Preethi Pilli and Mrs. Harathi Devabattula for leading the fellowship and Mrs. Preethi Pilli for co-coordinating these prayer meetings.
Men’s Prayer Fellowship: UECF monthly Men’s Prayer Fellowship has been a blessing to many of the members. Men’s Prayer Fellowship meets every 4th Friday.
UECF.NET: The presence of UECF is known all over the world through this web site. Many visitors have attended our worship services and testified that they came to know about UECF through the website. Some such visitors started attending regularly.
Many guests have visited us and worshipped with us during regular Sunday worship and other Special services. Mr. Joshua Shaik as a Stewardship Coordinator has helped to reach out the visitors and ensured they signed the Guest Book with their addresses, also thanks to Mr. Praveen Charles, Mr. Nagesh KolaSiva and Mr. Sunil Pagadala for auditing the UECF finances.
I am thankful to the Executive Committee Mr. Samuel Sudhakar Chilaka(Vice President) and Mr. Anand Devi(Treasurer) for providing their continual cooperation and support. I also thank the Board of Trustees and Pastorate Committee, Coordinators and all the members of UECF for their cooperation. I express my thanks to our Pastor Rev. Dr. David Ravinder for ministering to us. Thanks to Rev. Peter Sanfilippo and Board of Trustees of Reformed Church for their continued support.
I am extremely happy to inform you that the Lord has blessed UECF ministry with wonderful messages by Pastors and other eminent Servants of God, Praise and Worship, Offerings, Children activities and Bible Studies and Outreach and our Lord’s name was glorified.
In Him,
Joshua(Phani) Pilli 27- Jan- 2012