First Convention.
The first convention was held for 10 days from March 8 to 17, 1895. The venue was the vast sand-bed of the Pampa River next to the Maramon church. The parishes in and around Maramon – Kozhencherry helped in making a very large panthal (tent) to accommodate about 10,000 people. The main speakers were David and Wordsworth. On an average 10,000 to 15,000 people attended these meetings. On the last day almost 25,000 attended. There were no proper roads during those days. So nearby houses accommodated the people from far away places. Some of them came in boats and used them as their shelter.
Convention these days.
Maramon Convention is held for eight days during the first week of the Great Lent that usually falls in February. The tent has a seating capacity in excess of 160,000 people. They are seated on the dry sand bed. Old and weak are given chairs to sit on. There is also a smaller tent erected next to the larger one for people with infants and with children below 5. All around the tent there are temporary sheds and tents for various purposes related to the Convention. Stalls for the sale of religious literature, church offices and restaurants are allowed to operate in the vicinity of the tent under the strict control of the Church authorities
Programme.
The Maramon Convention is pre-eminently an assembly of Christians who once a year come here for listening to the Word of God as read and expounded by leaders of Christian thought from all over India as well as abroad. Preaching and Bible study occupy the major part of the convention programme. In the morning there will be separate Bible study classes for Men, women, youth and children conducted by specially invited leaders. In the mornings and afternoons there are general meetings and in the evening, meetings for men. Though the choir leads the singing the whole gathering joins in singing. A hymn book with 101 hymns including 16 new ones are printed every year for the convention use. Everyday half an hour is spent for intercessory prayer. Also there are family gatherings, youth meetings and special gatherings after the afternoon session.
Leaders.
In addition to the Metropolitan and Episcopas of the church, distinguished world renowned speakers addressed this convention. Rev.Thomas Walker, England (1900-1912), Sadhu Sunder Singh, Punjab (1918), Dr. G.Sherwood Eddy, (1919) Dr. E. Stanley Jones, USA (1920-1968), Dr.Toyohiko Kagawa, Japan (1938), John R. Mott, Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1946 and President of World Alliance of YMCAs., Dr. Bob Pierce, Founder and president of World Vision (1964 & 66), Astronaut Coln.James Irwin, who spent a few hours on the moon, (1985), Dr.John Haggai, founder president of Haggai Institute (1973), Bishop Donald Jacobs, Mennonite church (1974), Rev.Dr. Robert Runcie, Arch Bishop of Canterbury (1986), Rev.Dr. George Carey, Arch Bishop of Canterbury (1995), Dr. Samuel Kobia, WCC General Secretary (2007), Rev.Dr.A.B.Masalamani, Rev.Dr. Sam Kamalesen, and a host of others.
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