Extravaganza Christmas celebration in Chicago by UTCC

By Asian Media USA ©

Chicago IL: In the momentous soul of solidarity, United Telugu Christian Community (UTCC), celebrated its Annual 2017 Christmas Carols by candlelight in collaboration with the Indian Christian Federation of Midwest, Indo-Pak Christian Community with carols, dance performances, and dinner on Saturday December 9th, 2017 at Croatian Cultural Banquet, 2845 W. Devon Ave, Chicago, Illinois.

 This Christmas occasion pulled in chapel individuals from different Telugu churches in the Chicago area who met up in incredible quality of solidarity to unitedly praise the Christmas season. The vital host coordinators of the event includes Mr. Vijender Doma, Mr. Johnson Sukka, Mr. Thomas Polepaka, Mr. Babu Varma, Mr, Sohail Bakshi and local pastors from North and South India of different denomination churches who participated in this successful Annual 2017 UTCC celebrations, which was attended by more than 600 people. They have worked enthusiastically to guarantee the occasion had every one of the components of festivities.

The night’s program started with a supplication offered by Rev. Thomas Polepaka, Pastor of Shekinah Evangelical Church, who welcomed all attendees for the evening of the UTCC celebrations. The opening prayer was offered by Rev. Swaraj Perumalla, Pastor of M.B. Israel House of Prayer. Rev. Thomas Polepaka, Mrs. Mahala Sukka, and Mrs. Joyce Doma emceed the proceedings of the event. Exceptional Christmas carols were displayed by choirs from different churches who sang sweet melodies.

The novel feature of the night’s festivals was all pastors, elders, and lady leaders who joined and lit candles for the UTCC celebrations. The message was conveyed by Rev. Dr. John Reynolds Ambati, guest speaker from Michigan State, who delivered a few huge components paving the way to the introduction of our ruler, Jesus Christ.

After the message, the UTCC youth group started by singing popular English Christmas carols with music by Jestin Katari and Joshua Mallela. Followed by the UTCC Telugu choir, Gujarati group, Pakistani group, Tamil group, and many other different local church groups.

Coordinators Mr. Vijender Doma, Mr. Babu Varma, Mr. Johnson Sukka and Mr. Sohail Bakshi along with Keerthi Ravoori, prominent Indian Christian and FIA leader introduced the distinguished guests for the event. Guests of Honor: Congressman Raja Krishnamurthy, Senator Ira Silverstein, Alderwoman Debra Silverstein, Mr. D. B. Bhatti. Consul, Consulate General of India, Chicago, Iftekhar Sharif, FIA, Asad Azharuddin, a rising cricketer of India, Congressman Danny Davis, MEATF representatives Mrs. Nazeema Chand, Dr. Zenoiba Sowell, Mr. Nagender Ravi Sripada, and other distinguished personalities also have graced the event. Congressman Raja Krishnamurthy commended the hard work of the coordinators.

Congressman Raja Krishnamurthy, Senator Ira Silverstein and Alderwoman Debra Silverstein were felicitated and honored with shawls presented by Ruth Varma, and Gulshan Bakshi, Joce Doma and Mahala Sukka. Congressman Raja presented the Award of Appreciation to the following outstanding people of the Indian and Pakistan Christian Community. Award of Appreciation were given to Mrs. Thara Chandran and Mrs. Suguna Vallabdas for their great dedicated services contributed to Indian Christian Community for over 4 decades in the Chicago land. More appreciation awards were given to Mr. Babu Varma, prominent Gujarati Christian Leader and FIA, to Rev. Thomas Polepaka for his dedicated service to the Indian Telugu Christian Community, to Sohail Bakshi for his dedicated service to the Pakistan Christian Community, to Mrs. Subhadra J Vipparthi for her church and women’s ministry among Telugu Christians, and finally to Dr. Regi Paul for his children’s ministry to the Indian Christian community.

2017 Community Awards were sponsored by Mr. Johnny Peddapati in memory of his wife Late Deena Peddapati. Highlights of the evening included, a team of young girls from Mount Prospect Dancing School performing a beautiful dance followed by a Gujarati group, led by Babu Verma, sang a Qawali song and the women presented a Garba Dance and a finale of ‘Silent Night’ which was effortlessly sung while the glimmer of the flame lights shone the congregation premises introducing the euphoric soul of Christmas.

Vijender Doma later called on UTCC core group, Johnson Sukka, Thomas Polepaka, Prem Mitra, Edward Jenner, Ramesh Goneh, Shyam Sunder, Raj Paul Maddela, Arun Paul Gorre, Augustine Gaddam, Enoch Raju, Myrtle Agepog, Shirley Kalvakota, Enoch Raju, David Thokkudubiyapu, Ebinizer Mangalshetty and other Coordinators Babu Varma & Sohail Bakshi to come on to the stage and expressed a vote of thanks.

 Benediction was offered by Archbishop Jayakumar Jacob Agepogu and Rev. Timothy Rathod, Senior Gujarati Pastor, led all the participants with the Lord’s Prayer and prayed for the food. After dinner everyone on the dance floor enjoyed Garba Raas.