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Releasing ceremony... 
Rexband - the music outreach of Jesus Youth – will release their latest album ‘SON RISE' on Friday, 27 th June 2008, 7PM, at Singapore during the first concert of their summer tour covering Singapore, New Zealand and Australia. This album is perhaps slightly different in its approach as they have tried to add more songs of worship and praise when compared to the earlier albums. Yet they are very much in the Rexband musical style, of fusing contemporary music and ethnic styles. An introduction on the album cover beautifully sums up what this album is all about - ”If the Son had not risen in our lives, our days would contain no joy, our voices would carry no music and our hearts would hold no love. We sing, dance, love and live because He arises every moment, dispelling the darkness with His eternal dawn. And every song in this album is a celebration of His radiant presence. Let the Son rise!” REXBAND SUMMER TOUR 2008 Rexband will kick off their Summer Tour in Singapore and will be performing more than 12 concerts across New Zealand and Australia, including 3 concerts at the World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney in the months of June and July 2008. For a detailed schedule, click here. To view the photos, Click below... Go to Videos,
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Video-4 The Jesus Youth South Asia Conference 2007 was held from 27th to 30th December 2007 at Bharata Mata College, Cochin, Kerala, India. More than 7000 participants from different states of India attended the conference. Delegates from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Maldives were present. This was a landmark gathering and the biggest (in terms of number of participants) ever organised by Jesus Youth in India. The Conference was inuagurated by His Eminence Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil (Metropolitan Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese). Other dignitaries who graced the conference during the four days included His Grace Abraham Viruthukulangara (Archbishop of Nagpur), His Grace Thomas Menamparampil (Archbishop of Guwahati), His Grace Mathew Moolekkat (Archbishop of Kottayam), His Grace Joseph Karikkasery(Auxiliary Bishop of Verapoly) and His Excellency Bishop Thomas Chakiath (Auxiliary Bishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese). His Excellency Christopher Prowse (Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne,Australia) was the main resource speaker for the event.
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Video-2 The Jesus Youth European Conference with a powerful theme 'Love beyond Borders" was an absolutely grace-filled event. Over 450 participants from UK , Ireland , Germany , Italy , Switzerland and Austria gathered at a picturesque venue of Cefn Lea Park , Newtown in Mid Wales from 7 th to 11 th September 2007 . This was the first ever event in the history of Jesus Youth where a programme was conducted in family and youth streams focusing on various relevant subjects. There was also a separate nursery for kids, so that parents could fully participate in the programme. The speakers for the event included internationally renowned preachers like Mark Nimo from Ghana , Michelle Moran, President – ICCRS, and Kristina Cooper, Editor - Good News, UK , along with other JY resource persons. Rt. Rev. Edwin Regan, Bishop of Wrexham celebrated Mass on the third day of the conference and spoke in his homily about the Holy Mass and the Sacrament of Reconciliation being the greatest sources of healing. He also shared examples of saints from England who found solace in Holy Mass and Sacrament of Reconciliation. The different input sessions and panel sharings conducted separately for youth and families, helped the participants to experience true ' Metanoia' – a change in thinking and a change of heart. Rexband ministered throughout the conference with their lively and soul-touching music. One of the other high points of the conference was a Rosary Procession to the Cefn Lea Hills. All the participants made a solemn procession reciting the rosary in different languages, following which, Rev. Fr. Sebastian Arikat (Pastor, JY UK ) led the group through a wonderful prayer session submitting every country in Europe to the protection of Mother Mary. The conference concluded with Holy Mass on 11 th September 2007 . Go to European Conference page, click here... Go to Photo Gallery, Click.. The Holy Land – the land where Jesus lived, preached, performed miracles, shed His blood on the cross and rose up from the dead in glory. This place has a special significance for all Christians and it remains a dream for most to visit this land at least once in their lifetime. Over 180 Jesus Youth from six different Gulf countries - UAE, Kuwait , Bahrain , Oman , Qatar and Saudi Arabia - realized this long-cherished dream as they came together for the JY Middle East Conference held at Jerusalem from 14 th to 20 th September 2007. The Pilgrimage A four-day pilgrimage on the Holy Land was organized before the three-day conference. Preparing themselves for this spiritual quest, all the participants underwent a 40-day spiritual preparation, which included fasting, intercession, reading and reflecting on the Word of God, and partaking in the Sacrament of Reconciliation before leaving for Jerusalem . Various reading materials regarding the holy and significant pilgrim places was prepared and widely distributed. Special preparatory programmes based on these materials were organised in many countries across the Middle East . The JY Middle East Team worked for over a year to organise this event. The days of the pilgrimage saw the group which included four priests (Fr. Varghese Chempoly , Pastor, JY UAE, Fr. Joseph Edappulavan , Kuwait , Fr. Andrews Francis, Qatar and Fr. Siby Puthiyodam, Dubai ) traverse through Mount Nibo in Amman , Jordan where Moses saw a view of the Promised Land, Nazareth and Cana . The participants attended Mass at Cana - the place according to the Bible where Jesus performed his first miracle - celebrated by one of the priests of the group. It was also a delight to witness a local wedding at Cana . During this Eucharistic Celebration, all the Jesus Youth couples renewed their marriage vows. The group had their share of fun too. Floating in the Dead Sea was an indescribable experience for many. On the third day, the pilgrims visited the Annunciation Church in Nazareth , the Sycamore Tree that Zacheus climbed to see Jesus and the Mount of Beatitudes. The group participated in a Mass celebrated here. One child participant was indeed blessed to receive his First Holy Communion at this hallowed place. A visit to house of St. Peter, a boat ride across Galilee, the Nativity Church at Bethlehem , the Assumption Church and visit to the river Jordan were also special moments of grace. One of the participants received the Sacrament of Baptism in the river Jordan . One of the most touching days of the pilgrimage was the one spent in Jerusalem City . As the group traveled through the Garden of Gethsemane , the High Priest's House, the steps where Jesus walked, the place of scourging of Jesus – the suffering endured by Jesus for us came alive for the pilgrims. But the true high point was walking the ‘Via Dolorosa' (the Way of Suffering). About 4-5 kms in length, it begins from the house of Pilot and cuts through a busy marketplace known for anti-social elements. As the pilgrims made their way to Calvary through this narrow path, they were shoved, stepped and hit upon by the crowd milling around them. This was a life-changing experience for many as the pilgrims got a taste of what Jesus would have experienced on the way to Calvary . Many could not control their tears as they reached the tomb where Jesus was laid to rest. The pilgrimage was a moving experience for all and it provided a high spiritual momentum for the Conference, which began that night with a Taizé prayer. The Conference The Conference took place at Hotel Bethlehem in Bethlehem . Salvatore Martinez, President of an Italian youth movement called ‘RnS', conducted the introductory session of the conference . Similar to the JY European Conference, there were separate sessions for the youth and the families. The sessions for families focused on inspiring them to become more missionary in their lifestyle and outlook. The youth were imparted different input sessions challenging them to make a deeper commitment to Christ in their lives. A separate session for children participating in the Conference was also held. The sessions on the second day of the Conference was dedicated to ‘Telling the story of Jesus in Asia in the context of Middle East '. A ‘Praise Night' led by Covenant Singers was a time to rejoice in the Lord and celebrate our faith. The resource team for the event included Rev. Fr.Varghese Chempoly OFM, Dr. Edward Edezhath, Manoj Sunny, Raiju Varghese and Renny Njarakulam. Apart from music and audio-visual presentations, there were also video presentations by country representatives to inform and update the participants about the JY activities in their region. Another notable event during the days of the conference was the re-constitution of the JY Middle East Team. After prayer and discernment, a new team was selected with Julius Antony from UAE as the Co-ordinator and Sebastian Joseph from Bahrain as the Asst. Co-ordinator. The new team was prayed upon and anointed during the Conference. The Middle East Conference has set afire the hearts of all the participants with zeal to witness Christ in whatever situations they are in, in spite of numerous obstacles and problems. Go to MEC 2007 page, click here... Go to Photo Gallery, Click.. Young Asians Exhorted To Live Full Life In Christ At Jesus Youth Conference BANGKOK (UCAN) -- The first in a series of international conferences launched by a Catholic youth movement got off to a rousing start, as more than 300 Asians sang, danced and listened to faith testimonies. "Most of you are here because of your zeal for Jesus, and you have taken a bold step today in being different from many of your peers," Thai Father Amnuay Yoonprayong told participants gathered on April 28 at Assumption University's Bangna campus, southeast of Bangkok. Jesus Youth, an international charismatic youth movement that started in 1985 in Kerala state, southern India, organized the Jesus Youth Southeast Asia Conference 2007. With the theme ‘Love Beyond Borders’, the four-day conference is the first in a series of six such conferences around the globe aimed at bringing young Catholics closer to Christ by challenging them to live radical Christian lives. Participants came from Cambodia, Congo, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. Father Amnuay, the Jesus Youth pastor for Thailand, urged the participants, mostly aged 13-35, to "constantly challenge yourselves ... to become explosions of love for Jesus." The first two days of the conference saw speakers affirming, encouraging and challenging participants to live a deeper life in Christ. Rexband, a musical group affiliated with the movement, led praise and worship sessions. Participants also watched skits and engaged in small-group discussions. Jude Antoine, a lay missioner from Kuala Lumpur, interpreted the word ‘Abba’, used by Jesus to refer to God the Father, as "my dearest daddy." "God is not far away somewhere," Antoine told other participants. "God loves you much more than your mind can understand." Esther Jimena, 33, from Iloilo, the Philippines, shared her experience of this love. She comes from a poor family of nine children. Her mother sold food on the streets everyday to feed the family. At the age of 22, Jimena was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and hospitalized. "God is love -- I believe that," she said. Nevertheless, she found herself asking, "If he loves me and my family, why was there so much suffering?" She recalled that she felt God telling her: "I love you and your family. That is why I made you suffer, because it is only through suffering that I can (reveal) my faithfulness, love and sacrifice to you." In another session, C.C. Joseph, a human-resources trainer from Bangalore, India, urged participants to "step aside" from following others by daring to be different in following Jesus. "It's not easy," he acknowledged, since friends, family and even "you yourself" may place obstacles in the way. The second day saw speakers focusing on sin, repentance and God's healing. Beena Manoj, a member of Rexband from Kerala, emphasized the need to first recognize sin in one's life, then to repent and forgive. A young Indonesian man working in Singapore shared how he overcame an Internet pornography addiction through regular sacramental confessions. During his university days in Singapore, he recounted, he was serving in the Catholic campus ministry, attending prayer meetings and Masses regularly, and even gave sessions on Jesus. "But when I came back to my room, I indulged in pornography, which is so free and available on the Internet." He said he started making confessions monthly. Six months later, he realized "that Jesus has set me free from this sexual bondage." Participants told UCA News they were deeply touched by their experiences. Prapassorn Pauntean, a second-year Thai undergraduate, told UCA News he liked the praise songs the most. "After these four days, I will share with the other young people in my church what I have experienced here, and about praying with sincerity of heart," he declared. Suryadi Azali, 26, an Indonesian engineer, found it "very edifying to see ... that young Catholics have a passion for God in the Catholic Church, and not just in the Protestant Churches." Three Church leaders attended the first two days of the conference: Redemptorist Bishop George Phimphisan of Udon Thani, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Thailand; Bishop Joseph Sangval Surasarang of Chiang Mai, Thailand; and Archbishop Abraham Viruthakulangara of Nagpur, India. The Jesus Youth movement now has 22 centers around the world, according to conference organizers. Chris Khoo April 30, 2007, UCANews http://www.ucanews.com/search/show.php?q=Jesus%20Youth%20Conference&page=archives/english/2007/04/w5/mon/AS02379Rg.txt To view conference materials, Click here.. This June, as we set out on our second tour of the United States covering the cities of Miami, Tampa, Dallas, New Jersey, Philadephia and New York, many of us in the Rexband, as usual, had just come into a time of ministry right from our tight work schedules and families. Yet, in our weaknesses, His strength and grace was more real than ever. And in the midst of the hectic schedules and the preparations of the concerts, the Lord renewed us with opportunities to grow closer to him. And these, I guess, would be some of the thoughts that we carried with us after the tour. To view the photos, Click here... To view and download the Trailor, click here... Date: July 10th to August 4th 2007 Venue: Garden of Peace Franciscan Retreat Centre Bangkok, Thailand Report- The second batch International Full timers' training started at Garden of Gospel Peace, Franciscan Retreat Centre, Bangkok, Thailand on 9 th July 2007 with 24 participants from 8 countries – Pakistan, US, UK, UAE, Germany, India, Thailand and Singapore. The first three days were a time of silent retreat; participants went through a time of purification and anointing by the Holy Spirit in the guidance of Fr. Abraham Pallivathukal and Alex Antony. While the days followed they had training by Dr. Edward Edezeth and Leo Thaddeus to find their self esteem and inner freedom. Now reaching the crucial part of the training, the participants had brainstorming sessions by Jude Antoine about the need and urgency of evangelization today in our daily life. To view the photos, click here...
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