Sri Lankan Guest Speaker July 19, 2009

Shemu N Ariyasivam, an international student from Sri Lanka majoring in applied physics at California State University, Chico will be the guest speaker at Faith Community Church on July 19th.

Sri Lanka, is an island just off the Indian coast. Buddhism is the state religion country with seventy percent of the population being Buddhist, 15% Hindus, and then Muslims and Christians. All religions are encouraged to live in harmony with each other, but Christianity is seen as a threat to that harmony as adherents stop participating in the Buddhist or Hindu religious activities. Christianity is being accused of forcefully converting people into Christianity in such ways as using western money to bribe people into accepting Christ. Often times in certain parts of the country pastors, their families and believers alike face persecution for being a Christian, ranging from isolation (cutting them off from the village or family) to burning churches or death threats.

Shemu says that it is “very ironic that pastor’s kids don’t turn out to be like their parents”. Shemu was not an exception. He was known among his class mates as the guy you need to go to get things done, yet almost like a supplier but the opposite of what his dad supplied in church. Shemu goes on to say that his first greatest, annoying and unpleasant surprise was that God had a calling in his life to be a full time minister and missionary. As much as he didn't want to do it, he was unsuccessful at fighting God.

Shemu plans to go back to Sri Lanka after completing school and what God has for him to learn hear to serve the Lord in whatever and wherever He wants.

Faith Community Church meets at Mountain View Middle School, 675 Shasta View Dr, one light south of Simpson University. Church Service begins at 10:30, with age-appropriate Bible Studies at 9:30.
Please visit www.Faith-Redding.org or call the church office at 246-4517 for more information!