36 CHALDEAN NEWS <strong>SEPTEMBER</strong> <strong>2008</strong>
a soulful experience ECRC presents second spiritual conference BY JOYCE WISWELL Awake My Soul, a weekend of spiritually and renewed commitment to Christ, is being offered by the Eastern Catholic Re- Evangelization Center (ECRC) September 26-27. This is the second time the ECRC is presenting its spirituality conference. The last one, in 2006, was at St. Thomas in West Bloomfield; this year’s event takes place at St. Joseph in Troy. It is sponsored by the Chaldean Diocese in Detroit. “We felt like we did the West Side but we haven’t done the East Side yet,” explained ECRC Director Neran Karmo about the venue change. Some 2,700 tickets were sold for the 2006 conference, and organizers hope for at least 3,500 participants this time. The cost is only $10 for both days. The event kicks off on Friday at 5 p.m. and most activities that day are in English, including a skit by CLC (Chaldeans Loving Christ) and a keynote speech by Bishop Daniel Flores of the Archdiocese of Detroit. “He is a really good speaker both locally and nationally, and he’ll speak about renewing your faith,” said Karmo. A highlight that night will be a concert by Tony Melendez, who has performed before Pope John Paul II. Born without arms, Melendez plays the guitar with his feet — a profoundly moving sight that Karmo says lifts the heart. “He preaches the Gospel with his toes,” she said. New this year is an outdoor Eucharistic Procession led by Msgr. Zouhair Toma (Kejbou) beginning at 10 p.m. Friday. Karmo said as many as 1,000 people will join in the procession along Big Beaver Road. “There will be incense and candles, and it’s really something to be a part of,” she said. Afterwards, the church will be open until 2 or 3 a.m. for Eucharistic adoration, with priests available to hear confessions in English, Arabic and Chaldean. Saturday begins at 4 p.m. with Mass and includes some events in Arabic and Chaldean. There will be Faith Group activities for men, women, teens and children before a keynote speech in Chaldean from Bishop Ibrahim Ibrahim. Afterwards, Nabiha Yakbeck, the popular singer from Lebanon, performs a concert in Arabic. The conference has been in the planning stages for six or seven months, Karmo said. “There is a Tony Melendez, who "preaches the Gospel with his toes," performs on September 26. great team putting it together,” she said. “We have 100 volunteers working that weekend.” Karmo hopes many in the Chaldean community, particularly young people, take advantage of the conference. This is the opportunity for people to come and feel the strength of the community of the faithful,“ she said, “and to see that our faith is alive and important to us.” Learn more at www.ecrc.us or call (248) 538-9903. <strong>SEPTEMBER</strong> <strong>2008</strong> CHALDEAN NEWS 37