November 8, 2004

Dear Family and Friends,

Two seasons have passed since I last wrote, summer and monsoon. In the clear, cold days of autumn here, the snow peaks of the Himalaya are visible again and we often ask each other, “Have you seen the snows?”

We have just completed two major school events. The first was our “Activity Week.” This year I took another group to Allahabad, as I did two years ago, to the Non-Formal Education Center of the Agricultural Institute. (Photos of the last excursion to Allahabad are in my photo album here. The idea of the excursion is to expose our students to rural development. This year I had mostly boys in my group, aged 15-19. It changed the dynamic considerably! The students did field work early every morning and in the evening they taught child laborers. We also visited several villages and their projects. A highlight was harvesting a plot of rice, doing the cutting, bundling, carrying, and threshing. This helped students become aware of the value of a grain of rice. One wrote: “After we cut the crop, I went back to the field and I started to pick up the leftovers. I don’t know why I went back and picked them up, but I did not want to waste a single grain of rice. At the spot I made a promise to myself that whenever I eat, I will finish every single grain of rice on my plate.”

Together, alumni, students, staff, administration, sang “Of the Father’s Love Begotten,” “When Morning Gilds the Skies,” and “O, God Our Help in Ages Past” and participated in a beautiful responsive reading that had parts for alumni, staff, students, and the community. Together we entrusted Woodstock’s work to God’s hands and to the leading of the Spirit.

One of the elements of the worship service was a song in Hindi, “Saari Shrishtee Ke Maalik” (“God Almighty, Creator of the Universe”) by the Hindustani Church choir. The Hindustani Church, which has long been a part of Woodstock School, started sometime in the 1870s. It is one of three CNI (Church of North India) churches in Mussoorie. As the name suggests, the services are for local people and all in Hindi. The other two CNI churches, St. Paul’s and Christ Church, have services in English and have been places of worship for Anglo-Indians and the English-speaking community, both foreign and Indian, since the 1800s. It was moving to have all three churches participate, the whole CNI Christian community, together in our school service reminding me again of how Woodstock in these 150 years has been an important and integral part of the larger community here.

The Church of North India was so named in the 1970s, when several Protestant mission denominations came together to form the Indian denomination, Church of North India here in the North. In south India, the Church of South India was formed at the same time. These denominations are PC(USA)’s partners in India. Here in Mussoorie, we were fortunate to have assigned to our three-church parish the Reverends Anita and Eric Templeton. They came to us from the diocese in Agra and have been shepherds of our very mixed community for several years. They have revitalized the Hindustani church and have begun many programs from that little congregation: a choir, regular weekly services, programs for young people, and developing leadership in local Christians. They are equally comfortable with the congregation at Christ Church. St. Paul’s has many nationalities and they lead there with aplomb. Aside from this, having a woman “padre” is an important step for the CNI and India. The Reverend Anita Templeton is very active in diocesan and other CNI committees. We are blessed to have this couple working here with us.

Anita gave the invocation at the Woodstock 150th anniversary worship service and Eric led the Hindustani Church choir. Our school chaplain gave the benediction, and Bob Alter, retired Presbyterian missionary and past principal of Woodstock, gave the message. The 150th anniversary weekend brought together not just past and present students and staff, but also the connections between PC(USA), CNI and Woodstock.

Let me take this opportunity to let you know that I will be on furlough from January 2005 and on Interpretation assignment. Peter Kemmerle and his office in Louisville are arranging my itinerary for interpretation in February and March. If churches are interested in hearing more about our work here or the work of the Worldwide Ministries Division, do contact me or Peter. I would be happy to see as many of you as I can. For family and personal friends, I will be in St. Paul, Minnesota, and hope to hear from you.

When I return here in April for another four years, it will be as academic dean of the school, a new position that I am looking forward to developing. I know it will be challenging in many ways, but the change will be good, as will the opportunity to work with my colleagues in a new role. Thank you for your prayers for Woodstock and for me.

Rejoice that you participate,

Kathy

The 2004 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 197