Thursday, September 3, 2009

Tribute by Rev.P.S.Chelladurai - Founder , Apostolic Fellowship of India


Dear Pastor Stanley Vasu,


Greetings to you in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Let me congratulate the MPA Church on the occasion of your 75th anniversary celebrations. May God bless, prosper and make you a blessing to many more in the years to come, for His glory.


I am especially pleased to write a few words on this occasion about the life and ministry of the Late Rev. John Vasu since you are also celebrating his 100th birth anniversary along with the Platinum Jubilee of the MPA.


Rev. John Vasu was a pioneer of the pentecostal movement along with Pastor. Jacob of MPA. I had the privilage of knowing him closely over the years. He had a loving personality. He always encouraged young pastors in the ministry. He loved the people and was held in high esteem by the people.


The Government honored him by giving him the honorary post of Magistrate with magisterial powers to try petty cases. He was thus held in high esteem by the people of all communities in those days.


He loved me and honored me as a young minister. He invited me often to come and preach at his church during the sunday services. I particularly remember one thing that happened during that time. One sunday, after the service was over, he asked me to stay on for the baptism service.


I thought he just wanted me to be there for the baptism for some reason. But suddenly he asked me to give baptism that day. I told him that as a young minister, I had never given baptism to anyone before. He said that I should do it and declared that it was God's time for me to start doing it. Then I told him that I had not brought any clothes with me. He said "don't worry about that, because I will give you my clothes to wear".


Because of his encouragement I agreed to do the baptism on that day. Since I was a young minister those days, I had always told the Lord that unless a senior pastor asked me to baptize I would not start baptizing people. Therefore, I consider what took place there as a very special moment in my life. After that I regularly started giving baptism in the place where I was already conducting sunday services.


Pastor John Vasu made a mark as a Pastor and as a christian leader during his life time. He was a great man.


May God continue to lead and guide and bless the ministry which was pioneered by him.

With best wishes,

In Him,


(Rev. P. S. Chelladurai)

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