Kuwait Mar Thoma Sunday School
Kuwait Parish, P.O. Box: 20130, Safat, Kuwait

"Train up a child in the way he should go: 
and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22: 6

Senior Conference'99

“Into a New Millennium with Jesus Christ: Challenges and Possibilities”
9^th, 10^th, 16^th & 17^th Sept, 99.

Rev. Dr. T. J. Thomas, Leader, Senior conference 99.
Director, Mar Thoma Hospital Guidance and Counseling Center, Trivandrum

It is a united effort from our side to make our children aware of the world around them, lead them in the right way and prepare them to face the various challenges of life in the future. This Conference, for four days, is being organized keeping in mind the fact that our children miss the opportunity of participating in the various conferences held in Kerala by Mar Thoma Sunday School. Hence, we urge all parents to send their children to this conference and make use of the opportunity to listen and learn from one of the leading personalities of our Church. We solicit the wholehearted co-operation and prayers of all the parents and students, to make this conference a blessing.
Headmaster
19 May, 99.
Date 9th, 10th, 16th and 17th September 1999
Time Thursdays: 8.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. Fridays: 10.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
Participants All Students in Intermediate I, II, & III and Senior-I, II, & III
Reg. Fees KD: 2.000 /=
Refreshments Breakfast, lunch and snacks served.

Theme Song:

Enter the new Millennium (Theme Song)
(Composed by A. A. George)

Enter the new millennium,
With Jesus Christ our Lord,
And share the love of Jesus,
Share His love, share His love.

So many people suffering,
So many die in pain,
So many live in darkness,
So many lives unsaved.

So many people hopeless,
So many live in fear,
But you can make the difference,
With all the love you share.

Enter the new millennium,
With Jesus Christ our Lord,
And share the love of Jesus,
Share His love, share His love.

You can make a difference,
If you open up your heart
And share the love with others,
Share His love, share His love.

Talk-1: Self-Esteem

Self-Esteem
· Key to happiness.
· Corner stone of success.
· Inner-feeling of self worth.
· Self-Confidence.
· I am unique by birth, even in my work.
· I have my own abilities, knowledge, talents, skills etc.

Lack of self-esteem brings:
Inferiority complex, superiority complex, insecurity, jealousy, envy, worry, anxiety, anger, depression, finally leads to suicidal tendency

How to develop self-esteem?
· Derive it from your work
· A well-done job leaves an inner glow of satisfaction
· Trust in God
· Accept your uniqueness
· Ready to take risk
· Ready to face vulnerability
Self-esteem demands practice
When you practice:-
· Greet your co-workers, friends, parents, boss & subordinates with a smile,
· Be pleasant at work and smile with your voice,
· When you answer the phone, be pleasant and identify yourself to them by name,
· Learn to say thank you,
· Never accept the labels others try to give you,
· Never seek the sympathy of others instead, radiate your joy to others,
· Begin your day with a feeling that "I am a most valuable person".

Talk-2: Jubilee 2000

Leviticus -25

a. Jubilee as Sabbath
· Time for praise
· Time for thanks giving
· Time for celebrations

b. Joy of Freedom
· Freedom from suppression
· Freedom from poverty
· Freedom from Tensions and Turmoil
EpI: 6:5, Is: 24:5,19, Gen: 2:7, Gen: 1:26

c. Jubilee and Christians
· God gave us authority and right to rule.
· Right points to the responsibility.
Ps: 100: 3, Ps: 115:16, Gen: 2:15

Talk-3: Effective Learning

1. Begin your day with God
2. Find out a good goal in your life
3. Tell yourself that I want to study and it is my need.
4. Trust in your abilities and talents. Never say "I can't" or "I?t is too much"
5. Fulfilling the goal should be a real challenge for you.
6. Never wait for someone (parents or others) to tell you to study.
7. Never wait for a better day or time to start your studies. Every day is a good day and every moment is the best time.
8. Never compare yourself with another person, better to develop a competitive spirit in your life.
9. Never postpone or procrastinate your studies. You make it sure that your daily studies are complete on the same day itself.
10. Prepare a good time table for your studies and follow the time table everyday.
11. Learn to love all the subjects and respect all your teachers.
12. Give equal time to all subjects but you should find extra time for weak subjects
13. Read, understand, remember and write should be the system of study.
14. When you read make it sure that you can hear your voice clearly.
15. Loud reading gives you the ability to read clearly, spontaneously and meaningfully.
16. Writing will help you to achieve the following things. (i) Cement your knowledge (ii) Good hand writing (iii) No spelling mistakes (iv) Speed in writing
17. Don't depend on others for everything. Seek the help only when it is too essential.
18. Don't be afraid of the failure because the fear itself may bring you the failure
19. To fail or to pass is the job of the examiner and they are paid for it. You study well and write well during examination.
20. Monday-Friday are the days for studies but Saturday and Sunday are the days for revision.
21. Never lie down and study because that posture will tempt you to sleep so fast.
22. Better not to close the door of your room in which you are studying.
23. Your room should be airy and it should have enough light.
24. Take enough rest after your studies. But don't take rest all the time.
25. Don't wait for someone to wake you up in the morning for your studies; remember that it is your own job.
26. Use all your senses while you are studying.
27. Don't depend on God without doing your responsibilities.
28. Be ready to accept and respect the corrections of your parents and teachers.
29. Repeating the same mistakes will give you continuos failure.
30. Be ready to follow the success formula:
Dream (Goal) + Motivation + Action + Continuos Hard Work + Excellent Discipline = Success

Talk-4: Challenges & Action

Daniel: 1-12

Call for a mission
1. Faith of the young men
Trust in the Lord.
1. Challenges with God
2. Proclamation of the word of God through their life
3. Intervention of Jesus Christ in every action

Ex. Christ and St. Paul Acts 26:16
Christ and Zacchaeus Lk: 19:1-10
Christ and St. Francis of Assisi

Ways to Put the Challenges into Action
1. Develop the self-respect
2. Be aware of your responsibilities.
3. Seek for the opportunity
4. Learn to co-operate
5. Take risk in every action

Making Changes are Challenges
1. Understand the self
2. Learn and accept your weakness
3. Look for an alternative with a sincere heart
4. Be ready to practice the new alternatives in your daily life
5. Evaluate it and correct it if necessary.

To Stay with Challenges and Action
1. Be ready to accept you as you are with your limitations
2. Learn to live on today
3. Never respond to the games played by others
4. Never leave your responsibility into the hands of others
5. Don't Discount yourself
6. Learn to respond from facts and realities
7. Start doing things instead of trying
8. Be authentic and assertive
9. Life is to live not to blame or to grumble
10. Life is to celebrate not to suffocate

Talk-5: Career Development

1. Set your Goal
2. Find out your potentials
3. Never over-estimate or underestimate your abilities
4. Never stay in the "Average" rut
5. Make use of the opportunities to test your abilities
6. Learn to enjoy your work
7. Do everything with joy and happiness
8. Develop good interpersonal relationship
9. Learn to thank God for everything in life
10. Experience the presence of God in all your actions

Some Blocks to this Achievement
1. Untapped resource
2. Laziness
3. Fear - Inability to take risk
4. Poor self -esteem
5. Making excuses and procrastination

Talk-6: A Goal for Life

1. Write ten things you plan to do in your life
2. Write ten things you plan to do for the next three years
3. Suppose you have only 10 years more in your life to live, what all things you want to accomplish within those 10 years.
4. Write 10 things you want to do (It is OK to have repetitions)

Guidance for Parents

1. Who is a Good child?
2. Expectations of parents
3. Injunctions given by parents
4. Don't be the teachers
5. Don't be doctors with children
6. Comparison and competition
7. Attitude towards faith and practice
8. Give strokes
9. Punishment and discipline
10. Availability
11. Expression of Love
12. Sympathy and dependence
13. Never hurry up to correct the children
14. Be good Models
15. Freedom to fail. (Understand failure as part of growth and development)

Last year's Senior Conference 

Junior Conference 99

Theme: Watch and Be Ready (Mathew 24: 42)

Date : 21st May 1999
Time : 9.00 a.m to 4.00 p.m.
Registration Fees : 500 Fills
Participants : All Students in Primary I, II, & III and Junior-I, II, & III

Highlights · Theme Exposition,· Representation of theme (Skit/Play), · Activities (Quiz, Discussion and Games),· Singing Session,· Sharing, etc.

Junior Conference' 98

 The conference for the year 1998 was held on 21-May-98 with 350 students participated in this blessed program. Details as follows:
Theme: Armour of God (Eph. 6: 11)
Venue : NECK (Church & Parish Hall)
Date : 21st May 1998
Time : 8.30 a.m to 1.30 p.m.
Registration Fees : 500 Fills
Participants : All Students in Primary I, II, & III and Junior-I, II, & III
Refreshments : Breakfast and lunch was served.
Highlights: · Theme Exposition (Rev. K. Ninan George, Mrs. Anna Ninan),· Representation of theme (Skit/Play) Mrs. Wincy Job, · Activities (pencil, colors, eraser, scissors etc.),· Singing Session,· Sharing, etc.
Information: For any further information regarding the conference, please feel free to contact: Mrs. Wincy Job (Convener) Tel: 5617472 (Res.)

Senior Conference'97

The Sunday school organized a one-day conference for the students of Intermediate and senior classes on 16th October, 97 at the NECK church and parish hall under the leadership of the eminent speaker Dr. George Samuel. The speaker exposed the theme "Growing in Christ" to the participants followed by a group discussion on the topic. 180 students, divided into 14 groups, later presented their conclusions derived from these group discussions. The evening session was interesting due to the active participation of the students who engaged in an intense debate on the topic "Freedom for teenagers" moderated by Rev. George Varghese. The session concluded by 4.00pm with the prayer and benediction by Rev. K. Ninan George .

Teens Meet'97

A special one-day teenagers camp was organized by the Sunday school under the leadership of Rev. Joe Joseph Kuruvilla, Gen. Secretary of Mar Thoma Sunday School Samajam for the teenage students of our Sunday school on 13th July 97 with the theme "Unique Life". Further, the students were given teenage counseling on the topic: Love, sex and marriage. One of the main program of the day was the Question and Answer session, were Ache answered various related questions and doubts raised by our Sunday school students.

Medical Class'98

The Sunday School organized a medical class for the children of 14 to 16 years of age, on 29th January 1998 at United Indian School Abbassiya. Eminent doctors Dr. Ninan, Dr. Kiran, Dr. Mini and Dr. Mary of our parish were invited to provide effective classes on various topics such as Male and Female Anatomy and Physiology, Body abuse, substance abuse, health and hygiene etc. Rev. George Varghese and Mrs. Manna George provided overall leadership to these lectures by co-ordinating and presenting the medical and spiritual aspects of these topics. 180 children attended this meeting.

Feedback from the Students