Keerthi Ravoori
CHICAGO: United Christian Cultural Association [UCCA] hosted a Christmas Carols Nite Banquet brimming with melodious carols, colorful dances, skit, inspiring yuletide sermonette – all that was significantly enhanced by a singer/ composer Quincy Chett who enthralled the guests with his distinct melodic compositions evoking ovation. This interfaith and inter-denominational celebration was held at the Monty’s Elegant Banquet in Bensenville, a Chicago suburb, drawing over 300 guests.
Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi was the Chief Guest of Honor ad he heaped compliments on the leadership team of the Association for hosting Christmas celebrations. He highlighted the significance of Christmas and said Christmas is a time of coming together of all religions and added, we should walk humbly, do justly and love mercy in this season. He added while Christmas is dear to Christians, but it remains special to the people of all faiths, as Christmas is largely a set of ideals that symbolize the birth of savior Jesus Christ who is revered as the prince of peace and concluded that we should not preach sermon, but live the essence and ideals of sermon.
UCCA women’s team Havilah Maddela Devarapalli, Ujwala Neela, Saritha Pasumarthi, Persis Dadepogu, Sujata Pulikuri, Margaret Sanyogita Charles and Dr. Ramya Joshua all dressed in resplendent colors took to the stage to honor the Congressman and Dr. Priya Krishnamoorthi with Shawls and flower bouquets in appreciation
T D Bhutia, Deputy Consul General of India offered special greetings on behalf of the office of the Consulate General and thanked UCCA team for hosting Christmas celebratory event.
Earlier, Dr. Heyer Paul Devarapalli welcomed the guests and outlined the mission and purpose of the Association. He emphasized that UCCA is deeply committed to advance the culture and faith of the Christian community and added UCCA has conducted several charitable mission drives including hosting Health Fair for the underserved families. Keerthi Kumar Ravoori, Director in his remarks said Christmas is largely celebrated as a universal festival all across the world and added Christmas represents Peace, Joy and more importantly, it offers an opportunity to foster an interfaith harmony in a largely polarized world.
Rev. Dr. Peter Pereira, in his yuletide sermonette, presented the contemporary vision of Christmas and said Christmas is timeless, and the same message is still relevant today. In fact, the central story of Christmas has a lot to say about the world we live in today wherein the birth of Savior Christ gives us hope to the entire world, said Rev. Pereira.
Raju Pasumarthi Enoch, UCCA President, said that UCCA has been initiating innovative programs to empower the Telugu Christian community to make a difference in the lives of the people. UCCA Vice President Emmanuel Neela outlined the vision statement of the UCCA and spelled out its future programs, which includes music festivities, cricket tournaments, and family retreats.
The event was attended by a large number of Christian families, complemented by the presence of representatives from the Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh communities. There was a large Telugu organizational leadership had presence.
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