Abraham Malpan society is the cultural wing of the Mar Thoma Theological Seminary. It is the only association in the Seminary which is known by the name of the great Malankara Church reformer Palakunnathu Abraham Malpan. This society is guided by a committee including a faculty representative, representatives from each B.D class and a secretary from B.D 3rd year. This association helps the students to explore their skills and talents. It helps them in the process of the theological formation. It also helps the students to look into the social contemporary challenges of the society and to respond to these challenges positively.
1. Current Issue Column: The Current issue column of the society helps the student to voice their views about social concerns through art and literature which leads to further discussions and debates.
2. Onam Cultural Programme: The Onam cultural celebration helps the seminary community to participate in the cultural festivity of the land. The cultural programme is organised by the 1st year B.D students.
3. Musical Night: Music plays a vital role in the formation of a person. Recognising the formative role of hymns and music, the Abraham Malpan society in association with the Seminary Choir holds a musical night to nourish the musical skills in the students. This programme is organised based on different themes relevant to theology and contemporary society. The songs are written and composed within the seminary itself.
4. Christmas eve: This is one of the important events of the seminary that is led by Abraham Malpan society along with the musical committee. Each year a drama will be staged based on Christmas related theme. Through the drama the audience is challenged to take up social actions. The songs sung in this programme are written and tuned by the members of the Seminary family. These songsportray the relevance of Christmas in the contemporary society.
All the activities help in the formation of sound theological formation and holistic development of seminary community. It also develops a sense of responsibility towards the society among the students.
The choir aims to lead the congregation in making a joyful noise to the Lord, as a community. The choir consists of twenty singers, among which some enhance its music by their abilities with musical instruments. The Joy of praising God through music is celebrated by the seminary choir especially at the worship services and the programmes like Music Night, the Christmas Carol Service, etc.
Held in collaboration with seminary's Abraham Malpan Society this programme is one of the favourites on campus with special performances led by the seminary choir, M.Th/D.Th students, students from the NorthEast of India, the faculty and their family, Seminary's kids, each of the BD classes, and the unforgettable performance by the jovial "Nonaccepted Singers Association" (NASA)! What makes this programme delightful is that nearly all the songs sung at the programme are written and composed by the various groups themselves. It is a tremendous opportunity for students to explore their creative musical talents and use it for the glory of God.
The Christmas Carol Service at the seminary has three core elements: the Carol Singing, the Christmas message and the Christmas Drama. The choir holds the responsibility of ensuring that the singing is a meaningful, melodious and transformational experience. Here too, the songs are written and composed by the students themselves, making it refreshingly new and different.
Churches near and far are invited to the seminary to celebrate the joy of singing at this event, held in the loving memory of Late Mr. Georgie Anil, a former student of MTTS, an avid music lover. The event is scheduled to be held in January.
The Seminary's informal cultural programmes are organized by the Cultural Programmes Committee, chaired by the Hostel Warden and an elected student from the BD Final Year batch.
Cultural programmes of this nature are usually held twice a year, that is, once a semester. These events present a platform for the students to exhibit their varied talents such as monoact, mimicry, dance, singing, etc. Class wise presentations are also conducted. These programmes are not limited to the BD Students but involve the whole of the seminary community including M.Th and D.Th students, faculty members and their families.
These programmes are thoroughly enjoyed by one and all and provide the entire community with an opportunity to break free from the daytoday routines of seminary life and provide lasting memories that will be cherished by all.