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Table of Contents

Message from Metropolitan ..................................... 2

Editorial ........................................................................ 4

Message from Archbishop of Canterbury  .............. 5

Rt. Revd Dr. Geevarghese Mar Theodosius - A

Leadership worth Imitating .......................................... 8

Theodosius Thirumeni - A Bishop for our times ........ 10

Mission at the Frontier: The Ministry of Dr.

Geevarghese Mar Theodosius ................................... 12

The Fellowship of Mar Theodosius ............................ 14

Reflections on Mar Theodosius ................................. 15

Mar Theodosius - An Immense Legacy ...................... 18

Rt. Rev. Dr. Geevarghese Mar Theodosius ................ 20

The Christian Priest Today ......................................... 22

Mar Theodosius –

 A Bishop with a Different Vision .. 26

Goodbye to Four clergy from Europe Region ............ 28

News........................................................................... 29

Foundation Courses for Church Treasurers 2016 ... 29

Workshops for Church Treasurers 2016 ................. 29

 April Edition 2016 Volume 3(2)

Honouring and Farewell to

Rt. Revd Dr. Geevarghese Mar Theodosius,

Diocesan Episcopa

 For private circulation only

 Disclaimer: The views published in this journal

are those of its authors. Editors or the COMPE do

not endorse the contents or views expressed and

they are not liable for the contents or views in

any form.

 Send your articles- [email protected] 

Message from Metropolitan

The COMPE Executive Committee

President: The Rt. Revd. Dr. Geevarghese Mar Theodosius

Vice President: Revd. Dr. Thomas PhilipsSecretary: Mr. P.M.Mathew

Treasurer: Mr. Jaffey Chacko

Editorial Board of the Mar Thoma Echo

 Editorial Director: Dr. Zac Varghese

Chief Editor: Revd. Jose Punamadam

 Mr. Sherry Mathews

 Mr. Oommen Abraham Mrs. Geena Ajay

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

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Editorial 

Changes and Challenges

This issue of the ECHO is a farewell edition to

remember the ministry of Theodosius Thirumeni,

and for thanking God for everything that he has

done for the Diocese of North America and

Europe. It is also for praying individually andcollectively to God for empowering him for the

ministry again in India. It is a time of changes and

challenges both for Thirumeni and for the

members of the Diocese of North America and

Europe.

Change is rarely easy and it is often costly; it often

requires great courage and an inner God-given

strength. An amazing truth about our lives is that

 we are caught up in the bigger purposes of God;

our lives are part of the bigger picture: our place,

colour, line, shape, texture, light, value, and

emphasis on the canvas is for God to decide; wemay even be a microdot, but even as a microdot or

as a grain of sand we have a purpose in His design

for us. For God to do everything for us as we

desire ‘right now’  just wouldn’t work. Other things

often have to fall into place first before things can

 become clear to us. In the end we have to face the

fact that for now, we only know in part (1

Corinthians 13:12). Some people love change,

others hate it and hang on to status quo. Some

changes come out of the blue; other changes areentirely predictable or slow to come about. But

anyway, we can’t ignore it. Good organisations

put effort into forecasting and planning; wiser

ones patiently wait to know God’s plans. God

never starts from the unknown. Patriarchs of the

Old Testaments had to wait for long periods for

realising God’s Promises to them. The book of

Joshua is first and foremost a historical account

of how God kept His promise to bring his people

into the Promised Land, but it has much to say tous today. It is meant to be a means of

encouragement to Christians, so that they do not

miss out on all that God means them to have.

 Although Joshua is speaking of military battles,

 we can apply the principles by which God worked

there to the spiritual battles we face today. We do

not have arms and ammunitions or trumpets in a

literal sense to fight these battles individually or

collectively, and this realisation should be the

 beginning to approach God for His involvement in

every aspect of our lives. We should start from our

 weakness or emptiness and God’s abundant grace. 

St. Bernard said: “If you want to be a channel, you

must first be a reservoir.” This is indeed one of the

important challenges facing churches today.

Many fundamental aspects of ‘faith and order’ are

questioned today. Before we interpret and

propagate our faith, we must first possess it. In

our earlier history, those who stood witness to

their faith were those who had the faith in

abundance; they encountered suffering and

 volunteered martyrdom for expressing their faith.Now we see a gap between what we preach and

 what we do. There is a perceptible attitude of

indifference, an attitude of anything will do. There

is also a tendency to move into a sophisticated

attitude of attaining individualistic form of

spirituality, the weakening of faith expressions

through the lack of real Christian fellowship,

parish life, and a decline in religious practices.

This results in a total disengagement in

transmitting or infusing faith to youngergenerations; there is lack of covenantal

relationships between generations. As a result

theological understanding of our faith is lagging

 behind cultural developments; we are no longer

able to communicate within the cultural pluralism

of our young people. Sometimes church is like the

proverbial ostrich which buries its head in the

sand and deludes itself that these problems do not

exist. Thirumeni, on the other hand, understood

this need and tried his very best in bringing theright kind of clergy for our parishes, and organise

many conferences and conversations to address

these issues facing our parishes of this Diocese.

However, we should realise the historical truth

that the growth of the early church or our own

church after the reformation of 1836 was not

created by priests and bishops but rather by

laymen and women who were caught up by the

reformation spirit, the gospel and God-given

faith; they had that all important reservoir offaith. Laity will have to play an important role in

the ongoing reformation and developing the Mar

Thoma community in Europe and outlive the

narrow parish- based loyalties.

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 Various articles in this issue reflect on how God

used Thirumeni for building His church in this

 vast Diocese. In his quiet and reflective ways, he

saw the needs and addressed them imaginatively

for God’s glory. The Editorial Board thanks all

contributors to this issue. God’s purpose for His

church does not stop with this assignment, it

continues with Thirumeni to new territories andnew challenges. Thirumeni came to this Diocese

seven years ago, he saw and conquered hearts and

minds of our people and led them to a glorious

future. However, as some wise person once said,

‘Not until the looms are silent, and the shuttles

cease to fly will God unroll the pattern and show

the reason why.’ Therefore, let us continue the

 work of weaving the amazing tapestry of life

according to God’s amazing design and keep

looms running and shuttles flying for the work inhand.

ECHO itself is a creation of Thirumeni, as a part

of the decentralisation of the Diocese; he gave us

COMPE first and then the Mar Thoma ECHO, a

space for expressing our identity, views, and

reporting our activities. His messages for the Mar

Thoma Community in Europe were meaningful

and uplifting; he highlighted challenges facing

this region and encouraged us to face thechallenges for new forms of liturgy and ministry

for the needs of children and young people.

In the festschrift volume, in honour of Thirumeni

–  edited by Revd Dr. MJ Joseph, late Zacharias

Thirumeni used an expression about Thirumeni,

‘the best is yet to be’; this is our expectation and

appreciation too for Theodosius Thirumeni. We

have witnessed amazing development in the

Diocese such as decentralisation ofadministration through ‘Regional Activity

Centres’, empowering women and young people,

neighbourhood mission, development of lay

leadership and many more. The world-wide Mar

Thoma Communion is facing many changes and

challenges as alluded to earlier on. Theodosius

Thirumeni is well endowed to tackle these

problems. The experiences that he gathered in the

Diocese will stand him in good stead when the call

comes for him one day to assume the mantle of

the Metropolitan. During the last three years

Thirumeni had to face some health-related issues,

 but Thirumeni trusted in the sufficiency of God’s

abundant grace to carry on the ministry with great

success. He was available day and night to

address the issues raised by clergy and laity.

The Mar Thoma community in Europe thank God

for Thirumeni’s ministry. May God’s name be

glorified through the Episcopal ministry of

Theodosius Thirumeni. We offer our good wishes

and prayers.

Message from Archbishop of Canterbury

“Farewell, farewell the heart that lives alone

Housed in a dream, at distance from the kind!” 

William Wordsworth

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Rt. Revd Dr. Geevarghese

Mar Theodosius - A

Leadership worth

Imitating

 Rev. Dr. Philip Varghese, New York

First of all let me thank the Editorial Board of the

ECHO for giving me an opportunity to note down

some of my reflections about the exemplary

leadership of Geevarghese Mar Theodosius

Thirumeni in the Diocese of North America and

Europe for the last seven years.

Even though we knew each other, it was only after

coming to the USA, in 2009 that I got a chance to

closely associate with Thirumeni and work under

him in the Diocese. It was an enriching

experience.

 A Bishop True to His Calling:

In the eastern tradition, a bishop is a sanyasi, a

celibate. Celibacy means chastity in thought, word

and deed under all conditions. Pope John Paul II

has said that the vow of celibacy is a matter of

keeping one’s word to Christ and the Church, and

a duty and a proof of the priest’s inner maturity; it

is the expression of his personal integrity. A

 bishop has many roles to play such as spiritual

father, teacher, shepherd of the shepherds and

administrator. He practices what he preaches. He

lives a simple life and his needs are limited. He

doesn’t teach for money, fame, or influence, but to

impart eternal knowledge. These are quite true in

the case of Theodosius Thirumeni.

One of the main factors which help us to live a

disciplined life is the environment in our homes

and the training we get there in our childhood.

Being born and brought up as the son of an army

medical doctor who was a devout Christian,

Thirumeni could grow in an environment of

discipline, prayer and worship. It helped

Thirumeni to have a deep faith and strong

commitment to God and to choose Christian

ministry as his vocation.

 Watchful eyes and Listening ears:

Even though Thirumeni may appear to be

reserved, he is a keen observer. His eyes are

 watchful and if there is a need or if people are in

distress Thirumeni responds very positively. He

has listening ears and a loving heart for his people

and he prays and works for their redemption. His

responses to natural calamities, refugee crisis, etc.are praiseworthy. Realizing the lack of basic

amenities for the residents of ‘Colonia Mar

Thoma’ in Mexico, Thirumeni took   steps to

provide for their needs. To lift the people from

poverty and malnutrition, the ‘Manna Project’ was

introduced whereby nutritious food and other

essentials are given. The residents are encouraged

to improve their hygiene and to find jobs.

Educational help is given to children in the

campus. So, now we have a doctor, engineer,paramedical staff, etc., from among the residents.

Thirumeni felt the need that the Church should

live according to its motto, ’Lighted to Lighten’.

So he encourages the parishes to start

Neighbourhood Mission and to be actively

involved in helping the poor and the

marginalized.

Steward of Time:

Thirumeni knows the value of time and makes the

maximum use of it. Laziness and procrastination

are not in his agenda. Thirumeni spends most of

the time within the Diocese and makes it a point

to visit as many parishes as possible every year.

He has to travel frequently from one continent to

the other and is in different time zones almost

every week. He plans every detail well ahead of

time. Every moment is utilized meticulously. Only

 when he goes to India for important Synods or

Mandalam and Maramon Convention, for a few

days that he visits parishes outside the Diocese on

a Sunday.

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Moving ahead of Time:

He love books, buys them and has a good

collection of books. He encourages achens to read

and buy books and be relevant to the times that

 we live. He makes use of the modern techniques

in his ministry. The sermon points, messages,

orders of worship for special occasions, etc. are

communicated through digital media with thehelp of IT Fellowship. In one of his books

Thrirumeni says, “Living the normal life with a

sense of commitment with God is alien to many

people in this era”. So to bring the people back to

God and to love the word of God Thirumeni

introduced the ‘Word for the Day’ program

through which thousands of people read and

meditate on the word of God online. The program

follows the Church calendar, which makes it more

meaningful and relevant.

In order to get the young generation involved in

the local parish, the Altar Boys and Covenant

Girls programme was introduced. LEAD classes,

DVD’s and other materials are used to teach about

the faith and practices of the Church. Realizing

the difficulties of the younger generation in

following the liturgy in Malayalam, the ‘Order of

 Worship for Divine Service, Holy Qurbana and

Other Sacraments & Rites’ in English werepublished. These books are well accepted and

used by other dioceses too. The formation of the

Cross Way Congregation in Dallas is a new step to

prevent the Mar Thoma youth from going to non-

denominational churches and help them to follow

our faith practices and to stay loyal to the

Church. Recently, the Holy Communion liturgy

 was translated to Spanish and now it is followed

in our service in the Mexican mission field.

Thirumeni is a lover of nature. He has a well

maintained vegetable garden in Sinai Centre at

New York. He helps in preparing the land,

planting, manuring and weeding. He encourages

achens and parishioners to grow vegetable

gardens. The ‘Going Green Project’ was

introduced during Thirumeni’s Episcopal Jubilee

in 2013 to motivate people to keep the

environment clean.

Thirumeni is well aware of the struggle the early

settlers had to undergo and the sacrifices they

made in establishing parishes and finding places

of worship. Now they are retired and cannot be

active as in the past. So steps to start Senior

Fellowship units were taken to keep them

involved in the local parish. Thirumeni exhorts

members to give more representation to women

and young people in parish committees. His

 vision helped the formation of’ Young Family

Fellowship’. 

Steps were taken to plan and implement RegionalProjects through ‘Regional Activity Committees’.

The formation of COMPE is an important step in

this direction.

In order to help the citizen clergy to undergo

advanced theological training, a scholarship fund

 was instituted.

Transparency and Integrity:

He is impartial in his dealings and does not show

any favouritism. When a case is brought beforeThirumeni, he won’t jump quickly to any

conclusion. He will go through the details

thoroughly before making his decision. He lives a

simple life and avoids luxury. He wants to be

transparent in his financial dealings. So every

penny is properly accounted for.

Let us thank God for the leadership and guidance

 we got from Thirumeni and wish him well in the

days ahead.

“Everything that lives, lives not alone, nor for

itself.” 

William Blake

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Theodosius Thirumeni - A

Bishop for our timesThampy Kurian, Boston, USA*

“With upright heart he shepherded them and

guided them with his skilful hand.” This verse

from Psalm 78 applies very well to TheodosiusThirumeni.

It was a great pleasure and privilege to have

Thirumeni as our diocesan bishop for the past

seven years. We experienced tremendous growth

during these years and we are grateful for his

service. Though late Zacharias Thirumeni formed

our diocese, Theodosius Thirumeni built up its

formal structure. Being the son of a militarydoctor, he shepherded the church with good

discipline. 

Many have written about Thirumeni in the

January 2016 Messenger, a quarterly publication

of our diocese. Over and over they convey his

incredible passion to make our diocese its best,

and his deep-seated belief is that the diocese can

make a positive impact for the world-wide Mar

Thoma Church and that good leadership canmake members stronger in all aspects. The

changes he made were timely and important.

I was looking through the photos in a section of

fond reflections in our January Messenger. The

first is of the reception of Thirumeni at Kennedy

 Airport in 2009. It is amazing how seven years

have gone by so quickly. In that time, he has done

an excellent job leading the Diocese of North

 America and Europe, with its 72 parishes, seven

congregations and 8,478 registered members. Hismodern, progressive and visionary style of

management of the dioceses was a good fit for the

current times.

 Is Thirumeni a quiet person?   Some people

say he is limited in his talking. But if asked about

his vegetable garden, his face brightens and the

quiet Thirumeni will share his wealth of

gardening knowledge. We can see his expertise

each summer at the Sinai Centre vegetable

garden, captured in photos in the January

Messenger. One “padavelanga” in a picture is astall as Achen’s daughter. It is very clear that

Thirumeni has green fingers. His green initiative

led to planting trees in various church grounds. I

 believe that people who love nature also love their

professions. This is very true in the case of our

Thirumeni. Last year he visited 60 out of 72

parishes and four out of seven congregations in

our diocese. During visits, he meets with various

committees and members of different age groups,

engaging in creative conversations. We have been blessed by Thirumeni’s thought-provoking

sermons and communications with our members.

Thirumeni has a heart for the youth. At the

 youth leadership conference hosted by our Boston

parish in January 2015, I observed Thirumeni’ s

interaction with our youth, not only giving

spiritual guidance, but instilling in them the God-

given responsibility of leading the Mar Thoma

Church through 21st century. Thirumeni alwaystries to engrave in the minds of our youth that

they are called to be missionaries in our church

and in our community.

 At the closing of this youth program on Sunday,

January 4, 2015, history was made when for the

first time a female youth was chosen to assist at

Communion service in the Madhbaha. This was in

answer to the long-standing question of why

 women are not allowed to assist in the MarThoma Church. I am glad that Thirumeni took the

responsibility for our church to move with the

changing times and accommodate the new ideas

of our younger generation. We want to keep the

 younger generation in our faith and culture. The

Boston parish will therefore go down in the

history of Mar Thoma Church for this reason.

 Another of Thirumeni’s initiative is the Altar Boys

and Covenant Girls. The Boston parish started

 with three Altar Boys and three Covenant Girlsfrom the youth. Now that number has grown to 14

 youths. This has helped the youth become more

interested and involved in our church.

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Thirumeni was instrumental in getting six

second-generation council members elected to the

current diocesan council. These six second-

generation members have been given significant

responsibilities in building up the future of our

diocese. He has given them immersive,

experimental learning opportunities that advance

their leadership by putting them in real-world

settings and requiring them to integrate theirideas. Examples include initiating the Layperson

Education and Development (LEAD) program

and standardizing the curriculum for youth

leadership conferences. The recent translation of

our liturgy to Spanish, approved by the Episcopal

Synod, is one of the results of these initiatives.

The youths also play a major role in running our

diocesan mission programs under Thirumeni’s

leadership.

Thirumeni is a very responsive person,  a

quality I really admire. You will get an immediate

reply to any text or email message sent to him,

 wherever he is. This comes from his love, care,

and concern for people.

Thirumeni is a good listener. On my many

 visits to Sinai Centre Thirumeni, even with his

 busy schedule, found time to talk to me. If it is

mealtime, he always insisted on us being servedfood. (Of course this was more work for Achen

and Kochamma.)

Thirumeni is a true leader,  serving our

church with true dedication. He also served as a

member on the governing board of National

Council of Churches of Christ in the USA,

represented our diocese in the Canadian Council

of Churches and in Churches Together in Britain

and Ireland. He has made significantcontributions to these organizations.

Thirumeni anticipated the needed growth for our

dioceses and implemented the changes. For

example, Regional Action Centres (RACs) were

formed to decentralize the programs of our

diocese. I was fortunate to experience his

leadership in working with him as Sabha Council

and Mandalam member, as treasurer for the

Northeast RAC and the 2015 Family Conference,and in the Vaidika selection committee of this

diocese. With Thirumeni’s initiative we were able

to select a candidate for priesthood last year. He

identifies and fosters talents among Achens and

lay members.

Thirumeni is a philanthropist. He gives

away his income for various causes. He

established an endowment fund of Rs. 2,464,400

in the name of Episcopal Silver Jubilee Fund–

2014. The interest from this is to be used for

higher education of Mar Thoma clergy. Last yearThirumeni also gave a large sum to Dharma

Jyothi Seminary in Delhi Diocese.

Theodosius Thirumeni will be remembered as a

caring bishop who made progressive changes for

the growth and better future of our diocese. I will

remember him as a smiling bishop, a quality he

says he acquired after coming to America.

 As he moves on to his new assignment, I pray thatGod continue to use him in amazing ways for His

glory.

* Mr. Thampy Kurian is the Sabha Council

member (2014-2017) and he is a businessman

and a philanthropist.

“But what is freedom? Rightly understood, 

A universal licence to be good.”

Hartley Coleridge

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Mission at the Frontier:

The Ministry of Dr.

Geevarghese Mar

Theodosius Jesudas M. Athyal, Boston, USA 

 As Dr. Geevarghese Mar Theodosius, the senior

Episcopa of the Mar Church, completes seven

 years of fruitful ministry in the Diocese of North

 America and Europe and leaves the Northern

hemisphere to take charge of yet another diocese

outside Kerala, the immediate thought that comes

to one’s mind is that his Episcopal ministry can be

described as mission at the frontier. Practicallyduring the whole of his episcopal service of the

last twenty six years, he has served in dioceses far

removed from the Central Travancore belt, the

traditional base of the Mar Thoma Church. As a

 bishop among the socially and economically

 weaker sections of North Kerala and South

Travancore, Theodosius Thirumeni focused on

programmes aimed at the holistic development of

the total community. He subsequently moved

outside Kerala. He described the Chennai – Bangalore Diocese where he served as a “mission

diocese” because, except for the urban

metropolitan areas there, practically all the

parishes and congregations were formed as a

result of the mission initiative of the Church. The

North American and European context, on the

other hand, provided him with ample

opportunities to locate the Church in the context

of the global Christian map, and also explore

contextual forms of Christian mission. This period

also provided Thirumeni with the opportunity to

strengthen the Church’s ecumenical relations atthe global level. As he prepares to take over the

responsibility of the Mumbai diocese which is a

mix of urban metropolitan areas and rural villages

in Western India, we can be certain that he will be

the right person for the right ministry at the right

place.

In the backdrop of Theodosius Thirumeni’s

mission and ministry, this short article will

address his vision of relevant patterns of Christian witness in our times.

In the book, ‘Churching the Diaspora,

Discipling the Families (Tiruvalla: CSS, 2013)’

Mar Theodosius deals with the topic human

migration and the challenges of this for the

Christian Diasporic communities. He reminds us

that it is important to rethink our understanding

of the migration process, to understand new

forms of mobility and integration, particularly when people live in the midst of transnational

communities with multiple identities. As a bishop

of the Mar Thoma Church, he specifically

addresses the challenges before his own Church.

His concern is to look for ways to respond to the

imminent questions of how to set the goal of

reaching out to the Marthomites in order to equip

them to adhere to the positive aspects of their

tradition and culture even as they live in a

different geographical and cultural context.

 According to Mar Theodosius, in the twenty first

century as the Mar Thoma Church is becoming

 well established outside its traditional stronghold

of Kerala, the challenges and possibilities that we

face needs to provide the context for our

discussions. The argument that we will accept the

educational and professional opportunities of the

 West but will reject its cultural and social aspects

is totally untenable. The younger generation isunlikely to be swayed by such piecemeal and self-

serving approaches to the Western life! The fact is

that the migration to the West brought

irreversible and fundamental social changes

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 which are being consolidated with every passing

generation. And the traditional support structures

of India –  the extended family ties and proximity

to the church and pastors –  are no longer

available for us in the diaspora. In his address at

the Mar Thoma Theological Seminary, Kottayam

last year, Theodosius Thirumeni stated: “Change

is a reality and that is to be accepted. The

traditional living space in a family set up haschanged. The traditional ordering has been

shattered. A new domestic space is emerging.”

 When our people migrated out of Kerala, we

 brought with us our values and lifestyle as well. In

particular, Indians in the West are generally

known to self-segregate into linguistic and caste

associations. Marriage alliances outside the

denomination and ethnic community are

generally frowned upon. Even occasions such asfamily conferences and youth conferences are

seen by some as places to facilitate matchmaking

 without disrupting the caste codes. As George

Zachariah put it, “The traditional family values of

the Indian Churches and the patriarchal theology

of American Christian Right groups provide

theological sanction to patriarchy among the

Indian Christian Diaspora in the US. Hierarchy,

patriarchy, and casteism are ingrained in the DNA

of the Indian Diaspora, and people faithfullyinternalize them and transmit them with religious

zeal.”

 According to Mar Theodosius, today we face

questions that concern our very own identity: on

the one hand, the meaning and relevance of the

term “Syrian” as part of the identity of the Church

and on the other, the Kerala-oriented

administrative and ecclesiastical structures of the

Church. We know that the dominant Christians ofKerala are called “Syrian” primarily because they

follow the Syriac rite in religious services.

However, the caste-connotations of this usage are

unmistakable. While it is true that the term

“Syrian Christians”  is popularly used in a

sociological sense, it is also important to note that

the Mar Thoma Church has consciously been

struggling to overcome ‘the upper-caste

connotation’ of the term. The very principle of

Reformation that led to the formation of theChurch involved a commitment to mission and

outreach which were understood by the Church as

transcending the barriers of caste, race and

language. There is a long history to justify such a

commitment. The mission work of the Mar

Thoma Church among the Dalits and the other

marginalized communities for over a century,

 both within Kerala and outside the state, resulted

in tens of thousands of people from non-Syrian

 backgrounds accepting the Christian faith. It was

clear that the vision of the gospel prompted the

Church to reach out to people beyond its

traditional geographical and cultural comfortzones. More specifically, the commitment of the

Mar Thoma Church to review its Syrian heritage

emerged from a concern to remain true to the

spirit of Reformation that led to the formation of

the Church. In the book, Churching the Diaspora,

Discipling the Families, Geevarghese Mar

Theodosius challenges the popular notion that the

church is an ethnic community. He warns us of

the danger of clannishness that can erode the

spirit of the original Reformation. According tohim, when a community withdraws itself and lives

like a caste or communitarian group, they are

making the Church insulated and isolated and

thereby taking away from the spirit of

reformation.

Theodosius Thirumeni repeatedly returns to the

question, is the ethos of the church conducive to

the evolution of local expressions of faith and

 witness? What should be the language, cultureand the very identity of the church in the

diaspora? Will the diaspora communities ever

 become the local communities? It is in wrestling

 with these questions that we seek relevant

patterns of Christian ministry in our times. Today

 we are experiencing the reality that the traditional

and prevalent patterns of ministry have become

largely irrelevant to the changing needs and

context of the people. An average Achen is unable

to enter into the life of his parishioners becausehe is not trained to do so. While the world around

us has changed drastically, our ministerial

training has hardly changed thus leading to the

irrelevance of not only the Christian ministry but

also the church. People are disinterested not

merely because the liturgy is boring but because

they don't find any relevance in what is said in the

church.

One reason for the alienation of the people is thatthe geographical parishes have become radically

different in the diaspora. In Kerala, our

forefathers and foremothers would listen to the

ringing of the church bell heralding the beginning

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of the worship service and they would walk to the

church located in their neighbourhood. The

church and the parishioners shared the same

community. The situation in the diaspora is

drastically different as the lives of the people are

far removed from the location of their sanctuaries

and Achens. The members of our Boston parish

are spread across four states! Under such

circumstances, our traditional notions ofcongregational life and pastoral care will need to

undergo radical changes. Theodosius Thirumeni

 believes that today we need the vision of

alternative ministries. He recognizes the reality

that along with the ministry of the ordained

clergy, the ministry of the laity too must be

recognized, and that the priest should relate

himself/herself to the lay people who are deeply

involved in the world, in the events of the world.

He is convinced that the clergy and the laitytogether should be able to review and revise our

traditions. It is only when our practices are

questioned that they become meaningful and

relevant.

Mar Theodosius makes a unique contribution by

helping us understand the imperative link

 between the heritage of the Mar Thoma Church

and the globalized context where it is placed

today. He points to how the positive aspects of theancestral faith and culture of our people can

translate in order to address the challenges of the

 West so that these values become intertwined

 with the local cultures and practices, leading to

the evolution of a synthesized tradition relevant

for our times. His reading covers not only

Christian literature but also current academic

discussions on migration, locality and the

evolution of diasporic communities. As Thirumeni

moves on to a new context, we can be certain thathe will continue to meaningfully relate his vision

in addressing the challenges and possibilities of

the society where he is placed. We wish him all

the best and God’s blessings. 

The Fellowship of Mar

Theodosius

 Rev Abraham Kuruvilla, Princeton, USA

It was a cold winter night of December. I and my

 wife were in Princeton probably not enjoying asmuch as we used to enjoy Christmas. We were all

alone at Princeton seminary. Definitely we had

family around but the greatest gift of being an

achen is to have the fellowship of your church,

i.e., the members, or the achens and their family,

or the bishop. We missed this fellowship. Amidst

this void that we were feeling we checked our mail

 box. We had received a Christmas greeting from

Theodosius Thirumeni with a cheque to help us.

The joy was not in getting the cheque but in thefellowship that was expressed by this gesture of

Thirumeni. It was a gesture of love, care, and

concern that is characteristic of the Church. This

is the fellowship that we and all genuine member

of the Church crave for. Thirumeni was an

example of this fellowship. It is a fellowship in

action.

My acquaintance with Theodosius

Thirumeni have been little, but it has being moreso in the recent two years. I have always known

Thirumeni as an “iron man.” Resolute and

credible in what he does. When I first came here

and met Thirumeni, one of the first opinions he

asked me was about the youths from the United

States coming for Theological studies. He had a vision of at least 15 youths coming for the

ministry in the next 10 years. Some people are

looked upon as visionary either by sheer luck or

 by their calculated attempts to achieve a

particular good for the larger community in which

they stand. Thirumeni comes in the latter

category. This vision of having 15 youths from this

Diocese starts with the initiative of “altar boys and

covenant girls.” I believe that this initiative of

Thirumeni systematically builds up the youngminds of our Church in their love to God and

Church. This is compounded by Thirumeni’s

attitude of reaching out to the youths in their own

“It is almost the definition of a gentleman to say

that he is the one who never inflicts pain.”

Cardinal Newman 

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 way, on their own terms. Oh, don’t get me wrong.

It does not mean that he says “yes” to whatever

the youths have to say. Thirumeni’s is a strict

disciplinarian approach, but nevertheless,

reaching out in love and compassion in the way he

talks to them, relates to them, reaches out to

them. For example, I have never seen Thirumeni

smile so much as when he is with the youths of

this Diocese.

In this smile there is the pain of helping

the youths and people of this Diocese find

themselves amidst revolving identities of being a

Malayalee, an Indian American and also an

 American. It covers different cultures, languages,

peers and friends, different worship patterns,

faith challenges etc. Thirumeni’s smile is that

smile that continues to smile amidst facing the

challenges with his flock. Thirumeni’s sustainedefforts towards educating the diaspora

community about their identity and challenges

are evident in his study of that topic in this

Diocese over the past seven years. This Diocese

has seen the evolution of youths from mere

spectators to leaders thanks to the opportunity

provided by Thirumeni for the youths at various

levels to preach, to lead, to take bible studies, to

lead Sunday school and VBS ministry etc. This is

 very risky for a shepherd to venture into. But hey,Jesus entrusted His Gospel to few unlearned and

reckless bunch of people and the rest is history.

It is this essence of trust in the Spirit’s

leading that was reflected in Thirumeni’s effort to

renew the liturgy in terms of making it more

musical. This was another brave effort by

Thirumeni, which took into consideration the

future of this Diocese. I end this short

reminiscence by remembering a moment whenThirumeni put his hands on my shoulder and

asked me, “do you want to be part of the family

conference?” I had no means to be part of the

conference as I was a student. Those words were

the words of fellowship. It is a fellowship in

action. It was a privilege to be a part of it.

Reflections on Mar

Theodosius Rev. Dennis Abraham, USA*

Our Diocese has been blessed with the servant

leadership of His Grace, the Rt. Rev. Dr.

Geevarghese Mar Theodosius Episcopa.

Thirumeni began his ministry in this Diocese in

January 2009. This diocese has gone to greater

heights, amidst the various cultural, contextual,and global challenges faced by the church,

particularly here in North America & Europe.

Thirumeni’s ministry has not only had an impact

on the Mar Thoma Church, but also on the

universal church as a whole. In this article, I

 would like to highlight a few aspects of

Thirumeni’s ministry. 

Pastoral Ministry & Spirituality  

Thirumeni has deep love and care for the

people of God. When Thirumeni visits the

parishes, he spends time with the clergy, office

 bearers, members of the various organizations,

and the worshipping community as a whole.

During various Episcopal visits, I have seen

Thirumeni visit the sick and pray for them. He

has also visited areas where people have been

affected by natural disasters. He also cares for the

poor and needy.

Thirumeni excels in theological reflection.

This is well exemplified in his sermons, which are

simple and clear, yet profound. Sermons are

carefully and prayerfully prepared, with much

care & seriousness, in advance. Thirumeni posts

his Sunday sermon outline on the Diocese’s

Facebook pages weekly, for the spiritual nurturing

of all. Each Sunday, Thirumeni preaches a fresh

sermon, based on the contemporary malaise and

spiritual needs of the flock.

On a Diocesan level, Thirumeni has

initiated the revision of the language of the Holy

Qurbana liturgy in English, along with the release

of e-newsletters, e-devotions (CEF), and the

release of publications & DVD’s which aim to

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strengthen the spiritual foundation of the faithful,

communicating through information technology.

Thirumeni emphasizes the need for basic

theological study on the part of the lay, and the

development of LEAD testifies to this fact.

The Pastor of Pastors 

Thirumeni has been a Spiritual father for

the clergy of the church. I only got to knowThirumeni after I was ordained in 2011. By the

grace of God, I got the privilege to be ordained by

Thirumeni, along with Joseph Mar Barnabas

Episcopa as a  Kasseesa of the Mar Thoma

Church. Since then, I have gain new insight about

pastoral ministry. Thirumeni has advised me on

 various matters during my time serving in this

Diocese. For the clergy serving in this diocese, we

can look up to Thirumeni for advice on any

matter. Thirumeni’s answers to our questions andadvice for our concerns are direct, clear, and a

result of much thought and prayer. The clergy

conferences we have had under the leadership of

Thirumeni (regional / diocesan), are filled with

 various lectures and workshops which enable us

to have a critical reflection of our present

ministry, and foster the development of a deep

 vision for the future of the ministry, particularly

here in this Diocese. Thirumeni encourages us to

read on a regular basis. Thirumeni is a scholar,and he encourages the clergy to engage in

academic scholarship in order to broaden the

horizon of their pastoral ministry. He encourages

us to be active beyond the parish, especially in the

ecumenical sphere, and to have a wider vision

about our pastoral ministry. Thirumeni is active

in the ecumenical sphere, and as a result, the Mar

Thoma Church has had a greater presence and

 bond with many other churches, particularly in

USA, Canada & Europe.Thirumeni’s concern about the ministry of

the clergy serving in this Diocese is inspiring. We

now have orientation programs for clergy joining

this Diocese in Kerala, in the month of February,

and in June, after the clergy have joined the

Diocese. These are initiatives to provide a smooth

and successful transition to the ministry here.

 AdministrationOur Thirumeni is well known for his

administration. Thirumeni’s  administrative

capacity is unique in that there is a systematic

approach to his work and ministry. All tasks are

completed on time, no matter how late. I

remember at times, Thirumeni’s email from the

office or Blackberry arrives late at night or early in

the morning. Thirumeni is working and

responding to emails on the road, at the airport,

or even in the plane. Thirumeni’s travel is intense.

He crosses time zones regularly. However, he is

still up to date with all matters. This systematic

and focused approach has resulted in efficiency when it comes to Diocesan matters. This is

important as there is such a demand and high

 workload at the Sinai Mar Thoma Center in New

 York. His decision making is extraordinary, which

is always preceded by sharp thinking and

prayerful meditation. Thirumeni holds the church

constitution in high regard, and decisions are

made in the best interest of the church; even if it

challenges the status quo, tradition, or popularity.

The RAC (Regional Activity Committee) isin its infancy, but is a clear example of how

Thirumeni wants the mission of the Diocese to be

prevalent even on the local community and

parishes. This move emphasizes the need of the

parishes to own the church, even on the local

level, through outreach, witness, and mission.

Historical Moments in the Diocese

Thirumeni has led this Diocese through its

Silver Jubilee celebrations. Thirumeniemphasized that it was not only a time of

celebration, but of reflection; looking into the

future of the church. He coined the term “Beyond

the Diaspora,” reminding us that we are now a

part of this land, and our mission and vision

much be oriented in such a way, being able to

share the gospel to the people in this soil, which is

our Christian responsibility. The conversation is

not on our existence as a Diaspora community,

and to think beyond that identity.The Altar Boys & Covenant Girls ministry

started in conjunction with the Silver Jubilee of

the Diocese of North America & Europe of the

Mar Thoma Church. The program is a vision of

our Diocesan Bishop. The goal of this ministry is

to encourage our children and youths to (a) learn

more about our church, faith, heritage, tradition,

(b) to grow spiritually, and (c) to be well equipped

to be a leader in the church. The vision and goal of

this ministry is to encourage, build up anddevelop future leaders and mentors in the church,

and to be strong in their Christian faith & witness.

This is also preparing them for them to be

mentors, and to lead in bible studies in the

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colleges where they attend. The ministry has been

 well received and implemented in many of the

parishes, and has helped the younger generation

to develop an ecclesiastical belongingness.

 Youth Generation

I truly believe that one of Thirumeni’s

greatest strengths was to establish a great

dialogue and relationship with the youngergeneration. Ministering with Thirumeni in the

Diocesan Youth Fellowship, I understand the time

Thirumeni takes out of his schedule to spend with

 youths / children. During the days of many of the

 various conferences, Thirumeni blocks his

schedule and makes it a point to be there, even

though there is limited time. From Q & A at

conferences to barbecues, from town hall

meetings to lunch time at the conferences; they

have all shown how Thirumeni is ready to listenand attend to the concerns of the youth. The

 youths have nicknamed Thirumeni as “Theo,” and

they consider him as their own bishop. We know

the youth are the present and future of the

church. Thirumeni’s concerns about the future of

the church, communicated through his messages

and dialogue with the youth have built a stronger

 bond between the youth and the diocese, and the

church as a whole.

Through the DYF, many things have been worked through and implemented in the youth

ministry in the diocese due to Thirumeni’s vision.

Thirumeni highlights the importance of more

“home-grown Achens,” and the need for youth

from this diocese to take up the call for God’s

ministry in the church. Because of Thirumeni’s

initiative, the Episcopal synod is now permitting

 youths from this Diocese, who have God’s call,

and who are interested in ministry, to be able to

study at synod-approved seminaries, here in thisland. This is a landmark decision and shows the

movement of the church in the present.

The Diocese has also seen a growth in the

 youth ministry. The development of the Youth

Conference & Leadership Conference is quite

immense. Youths from all over the Diocese are

now regularly attending these conferences.

Thirumeni harbours youth leadership. At one of

the Leadership Conferences, Thirumeni stressed

the importance of being an active leader in theparish, as opposed to being passive. The start of

the Crossway Mar Thoma Congregation in Dallas

speaks volumes about the younger generation’s

desire to lead in the church and to reach out to the

local community. It further speaks about the Mar

Thoma Church’s positive and creative response to

the needs of the younger generation.

Mission

Theodosius Thirumeni is not only a man

of vision when it comes to spirituality or ministry;

he also has a deep love for mission. The mission

 work of the Diocese (Native American Mission,Mexico mission, Neighbourhood mission, & India

mission) has developed well during the past seven

 years. Through Native American mission, we can

see the increased involvement of the church in

ministering to Native Americans in Oklahoma,

 Alabama, and relief work in Louisiana through

 VBS programs, mentoring, work camps, etc. In

Mexico mission, we can see progress and

increased presence of our church, especially

through the Manna project, visits, VBS, etc. Thededication of the Jubilee Chapel is a big step

towards the formal organization of the

 worshipping community in Mexico. The

translation of the Holy Qurbana service into

Malayalam was his vision, as he took the

challenges of linguistic barrier into consideration.

Neighbourhood mission thrived during

Thirumeni’s tenure, and we can see the increased

participations of churches in local mission &

ministry in the local community, and the beginning of the Diocese’s initiative in urban

mission.

Thirumeni does not employ conventional

methods for ministry all the time. Instead, he

deeply studies the needs of each mission field,

and gives advice and makes decisions according

to the needs of each particular field. Thirumeni

reminds us of the fact that mission is beyond the

geographic, cultural, racial, boundaries.

Diocesan Council

I consider it a great privilege to serve with

Thirumeni through the Diocesan Council, and to

 work with Thirumeni with regard to the mission

and ministry of the Diocese. The council has been

a learning experience from me. It has enabled me

to understand the ministry and witness of the

Diocese as a whole, and has given me a privilege

to lead in some of the missions & ministry work of

the Diocese. The experiences through theDiocesan Council are invaluable. Thirumeni is

 well prepared for all meetings, and he expects the

same from all Council members. His continued

persistence and commitment amidst some

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physical limitations is inspiring. Thirumeni is

organized, prepared, meticulous, and does much

thinking and prayer, before taking any decision.

The name Theodosius  is derived from the

Greek language, which means “giving to God.”

Truly this name befits Thirumeni, as he has fully

committed his life to the Lord, and continues to

give to the Lord through his life, ministry, and

mission, through the church, and to humanity.Let us thank God for Thirumeni’s fruitful

ministry here in this diocese for the past 7 years.

May God bless Thirumeni as he ministers in a

new diocese, and continues to lead the church and

society in the days to come.

* Youth Chaplain Southeast Region &

 Diocesan Council Member

Mar Theodosius - An

Immense Legacy Dr. George Jacob, New Jersey, USA*

It is a great honour to write an article about our

 beloved Theodosius Thirumeni in the Mar ThomaECHO journal. First of all let us thank God for the

Mar Thoma Church in North America & Europe,

and for the selfless pioneering Bishops, clergy and

parishioners who worked tirelessly to establish

the parishes within this diocese and various

missions.

 We are very fortunate to have had our former

leaders, who by their devoted spiritual and

sacrificial labour laid a strong foundation for this

diocese. In January 2009, we had the privilege of

having Theodosius Thirumeni join this

extraordinary group, as our resident Bishop. Our

Bishops have the task of handling many of the

obstacles that arise in our diocese. Theodosius

Thirumeni is a man of action with a vision of

 where he wants to lead our church. The

foundation of his being is rooted in the soil of his

own traditional church, while at the same time

having a global outlook for the future. Our Mar

Thoma Diocese is comprised of not only the

immigrant members but also their second & third

generations. This creates a lot of challenges to

deal with, especially the culture shift as folks

arrive from Kerala. When we think about the

future of the diocese 25 years from now, a couple

of issues come to mind. Personally, I have been

living in the United States since 1970, and have

 been following the traditions and worship format

of the Mar Thoma Church. However, I have

 witnessed our younger generations finding it

difficult to connect with these same traditional

 worship formats. We have to think seriously

about the transition to the new generation

“If all the good people were clever, 

And all the clever people were good,

The world would be nicer than ever

We thought that it possible could.

But somehow, ‘tis seldom or never 

The two hit it off as they should;

The good are so harsh to the clever,

The clever so rude to the good!”

Elizabeth Wordsworth

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especially as fewer immigrants take leadership in

the evolving churches. Thirumeni once said the

following, “A large majority of our Achens are

from Kerala and some of them encounter

challenges posed by the culture shock. Many of

them lack adequate technical, cultural, and

communication skills.” Our Thirumeni is leading

the efforts to solve diminishing attendance from

our second & third generations.

I had the opportunity to work with Theodosius

Thirumeni during my time as a Sabha council

member of North America & Europe from 2011-

2014. On many occasions, I engaged in wonderful

conversations with Thirumeni on various

subjects. He is a great listener and his responses

are always thought provoking and enlightening.

In 2014, Thirumeni asked me to present a

resolution at the Sabha Council meetingrequesting to print the updated version of the

Sabha constitution in English, in order to help the

new generation take up the administrative

responsibilities in our parish and diocese. It was

also recommended that the Mandalam reports

and Metropolitan’s message be published in

English, so that the youngsters can follow along

 with what’s going on in the Church. With the

support of our Thirumeni, I was also able to

present a resolution before the Sabha Council andMandalam to establish the third Sunday in

November of every year as a Diaspora Sunday, A

day to give thanks to God for providing us the

 World Wide Diaspora community.

Theodosius Thirumeni leads a devotional and

prayerful life. Thirumeni’s life has been an

inspiration to many and his messages are deep in

 biblical knowledge and reflect the love of Jesus

Christ. Thirumeni is a good scholar, a vibrantleader and an eloquent speaker. Thirumeni’s

 biblical and spiritual knowledge have proved to be

 beneficial to the society and his church members.

 As a spiritual leader, Thirumeni always

encourages the parishes to continue to grow and

fulfil its true potential as a faithful community. He

challenges the congregation to look towards the

future and take the necessary steps to cater for the

 younger generations. Thirumeni’s vision for the

 youth of the diocese is that they be transformed by the love of Christ so they can shoulder the

responsibilities of leading the church. His works

didn’t just stop with sharing his vision. He has

helped them build organizations, inspired

movements, and pushed the fellowship towards

new technological and professional groups in the

church.

Being young at heart, Theodosius Thirumeni

motivates the youths of our church in community

related activities. He said “The church is an

expression of God’s Covenantal grace. The very

nature of the church demands renewal. It is thereforming church that expresses her life and

dynamism through her mission and ministry.” He

encourages our members of the diocese to make it

a point to attend the conferences which allows

fellowship in studying the Bible and experiencing

the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Theodosius Thirumeni has been instrumental in

setting up a theological program for the clergy

originating from the diocese. He sees possibilitiesin every crisis. Thirumeni is also an ecumenical

theologian, deeply interested in interfaith

concerns of the church. The Mar Thoma Church

has been dynamically involved in the socio-

cultural settings of North America and Europe

under his leadership. He always takes tremendous

care to establish good relationships with other

denominations. These initiatives have opened up

new dialogue leading to mutual growth and better

understanding of the culture and values betweendenominations.

Theodosius Thirumeni is a good administrator

 who strictly follows the Mar Thoma Church

constitution and his decisions are always of clarity

and well thought-out plans. Thirumeni’s

systematic approach to the issues brings people to

the point of action, not passiveness. His

leadership and administrative capacity is

outstanding and commendable. WheneverThirumeni has been in crucial or difficult

situations, he has exhibited the most diplomatic

 behaviour. He has resolved many issues without

much dissent among the people involved, making

a collective decision in favour for the betterment

of the church. Once he chaired a public meeting

 where there was a complete division among the

people and a multitude of problems amongst

them. He listened to both sides very carefully,

answering all the questions with wisdom andunderstanding and then came to a solution which

 was agreeable for all. His actions and decisions

always take into account the bigger picture,

keeping in mind the benefits to the whole church

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and diocese. What’s truly impressive is the lasting

truce he creates after such sessions between the

parishioners.

Theodosius Thirumeni is known as the IT

Thirumeni. He is always trying to incorporate the

latest technologies available for the betterment

and improvement of diocese. It is our Thirumeni’s

aspiration that inspired the development of a video conference system for exchanging

communication between clergy, council members,

etc. Thirumeni also pushed for the development

of a blog for daily meditations, knowing fully well

the power of social engagement amongst our

 youths.

 At the end of December 2015, our Theodosius

Thirumeni completed his tenure in the Diocese ofNorth America & Europe. After seven years of

diligent and selfless service to this diocese,

Theodosius Thirumeni is leaving this diocese in

 April 2016 to take up his new assignment as the

Diocesan Bishop of the Bombay Diocese. I take

this opportunity to wish and pray for our beloved

Thirumeni to have a long period of Episcopal

Ministry in God’s vineyard. May God continue to

elevate his ministry.

 At the same time, we welcome our newly

appointed Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Isaac Mar

Philoxenos to this diocese. May God Almighty

guide and strengthen him to continue the great

 work that Theodosius Thirumeni had begun.

*Dr. George Jacob of St. Peter’s Mar Thoma

Church, New Jersey, was a member the Sabha

Council (2011-2014).

Rt. Rev. Dr. Geevarghese

Mar Theodosius Professor Titus Mathew, Calgary, Canada

The Mar Thoma Church in North America and

Europe has become well established. It had

outstanding leadership in the people, who servedas bishops, priests and lay leaders. Rt. Rev. Dr.

Geevarghese Mar Theodosius is the third resident

 bishop of the diocese serving from January 2009

to the end of 2015. These were years of growth

and consolidation of parishes in United States,

Canada and England, now numbering over eighty.

 We have acquired Churches, associated buildings

and land in many cities. The membership has

grown to more than eight thousand families.

Organizations such as Sunday school, YouthFellowship, Mar Thoma Voluntary Evangelistic

 Association, Suvisesha Sevika Sanghom, Young

Family Fellowship and Seniors Fellowships have

 been established virtually in every parish and are

functioning very well. After completing seven

 years of efficient administrative and pastoral

service in our diocese Thirumeni is preparing to

take up his new assignment in India shortly.

Thirumeni used to visit us in Calgary from time totime when he was a student at McMaster

University in Hamilton, Canada, from 1980 to

1984. At that period he was also the vicar of the

Toronto parish as well as the priest in charge of

the Mar Thoma groups in Western Canada. From

the very first time I met him, I was very impressed

 by his loyalty and commitment to our Church.

My respect and admiration only increased over

the years since he became our diocesan bishop.

The Silver Jubilee of the diocese was celebrated

throughout North America and Europe in 2013.

He is leaving behind a well-organized and

administered diocese. Thirumeni have mastered

modern technological devises for efficient

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administration of the diocese. Thirumeni

outlined his vision of the diocese in an article,

 which appeared in the January 2014 issue of the

Mar Thoma Messenger, the official quarterly

publication of the diocese.

 A revised and shortened version of the liturgy for

 worship in English for both praise and worship

services and Holy Qurbana has been published.Regular publication of study materials and

articles including the Mar Thoma Messenger,

Besorah a monthly newsletter, and digital video

discs were also part of such work undertaken. At

the end of the Silver Jubilee celebration of the

Diocese published four books authored by

Thirumeni: “Church Journeying with Christ”,

“Beyond the Diaspora”, “Churching the Diaspora,

Disciplining the Families” and “Focus on the

 Word”, a series of bible studies. The  first two books give a very good portrait of the diocese and

the third is an ‘encyclical’.

 Annual leadership conferences under the auspices

of Lay-Person Education and Development

(LEAD), family conferences and zonal

conferences of different associated groups were

held every year. Missionary activities in four

areas which include work in Matamoros, Mexico,

 work among the Native Americans in Oklahoma,New Orleans and Alabama, mission work in the

neighbourhood of our parishes in USA, Canada

and Europe and mission assistance to various

mission fields in India were also undertaken. A

diocesan website with online devotions, a

Facebook page, video conferencing and social

media websites were also made available to

enhance communications.

From the above list of activities it is obvious thatThirumeni had a very successful and profound

ministry. The secret of that successful ministry is

nothing but his personality itself. He is a person

of prayer, humility and self- discipline. He works

hard, starting his day at 5 AM and not going to

sleep until 11 PM or when the day’s work is done,

 whichever comes last. He prepares for meetings

and for every gatherings, large or small, well

ahead of time. He is a voracious reader and

naturally a good scholar. He is a keen observerand lover of nature and has a passion for

gardening. He uses technology effectively to

manage the affairs of the diocese and to stay in

touch with people. Those who have worked

closely with him have great respect and

admiration for him.

Thirumeni’s ministry is comprehensive and very

 broad based. In his previous dioceses he was

engaged in development work as part of

missionary work. He has special interest in

education of the poor. He has initiated many

projects to help the poor. In North America hehas extended the missionary activities

emphasizing the neighbourhood mission for every

parish. Thirumeni has a very good grasp of the

state of the diocesan affairs and has clear views of

 what challenges it is facing in the immediate

future. He has taken several initiatives to make

the church life and affairs more meaning full for

the younger generation and enhance their

participation. Thirumeni advocates the use of

English in our worship services for the benefit of younger members. He introduced the concept of

altar boys and covenant girls to encourage young

people to get more involved.

Thirumeni has a loyalty and dedication to Mar

Thoma Church, which is unparalleled. He has a

clear vision about our diocese, our Faith and

loyalty to the Church. He thinks our members

should develop a passion for the Church; church

life is essential for a person’s life and religiouscommunity. Church should make its pulpits more

powerful. The liturgy should be amended to

eliminate unnecessary repetitions and incorporate

contemporary prayers, which are meaningful and

relevant for the worshipers. There should be

more emphasis on our responsibilities to our

neighbours and should have an active

neighbourhood mission. Bible study, education

about environment and involvements in

ecumenical activities should be encouraged in ourmembers

In the span of seven years as Diocesan Episcopa,

Thirumeni has transformed the diocese.

Through his systematic planning and personal

supervision he has impacted all areas of ministry.

Thirumeni has made new strides in the mission of

the Church through his direct involvement and

initiatives. He is truly a Bishop of great vision,

loyalty and commitment. It is my prayer and wishthat the Lord Almighty continues to guide and

 bless him with many more years of fruitful and

faithful service to God, our Church and people.

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The Christian Priest

Today Dr. Zac Varghese, London

 [As Theodosius Thirumeni is leaving the

 Diocese of North America and Europe, he

will be facing many changes andchallenges. Challenge of priesthood is one

such important challenge facing the

churches everywhere. Thirumeni has been

an ideal priest and bishop – an overseer of

ministers and ministries in being a 

watchman, interpreter and a weaver. I

offer this article in appreciation of

Thirumeni’s ministry. May God empower

Thirumeni to do great things for our

church and humanity.]

Background:

Some years ago, I

came across a very

interesting book by

the late Archbishop

of Canterbury,

Michael Ramsey,

under the title: ‘The

Christian Priest

Today.’ Archbishop

Ramsey had a very

impressive physical

and an amazing

spiritual presence; he

is a greatly respected theologian of the 20th 

century. He was the 100th Archbishop (1961-

1974), and he died in 1988. This work was

considered to be the most treasured book that he

ever wrote. Although the book was written in the

seventies it has a timeless quality, and it is quiet

relevant for us today for our faith formation and

for developing both ordained and lay priesthood.

The challenge for the future:

It is not in the Mar Thoma tradition to question

the priesthood in our Church; its function and

 validity are taken for granted. However, it is well

 worth asking the question, what is the type of

ordained ministry the Mar Thoma Church require

to address the problems facing our church and

particularly in its diverse Diaspora regions? But it

may be equally or even more important to find

out what God requires of the priesthood in the 21st 

century. There should not be any conflict between

these two positions, and we should prayerfully

remove any contradiction between these two

requirements. The Archbishop points out that we

are in trouble if we are to start thinking that the

ordained ministry is an idea developed by the

ecclesial authorities to run the affairs of thechurch smoothly.

 Appointment and selection process:

 Although now it is a requirement to have a job

description for the Mar Thoma clergy for

obtaining visa and other travel documents for a

posting in one of the parishes in North America,

Canada and Europe, we do not take these things

seriously and often are not sure what to put insuch a job specification. These job descriptions

are mostly about conducting worship services,

prayer meetings, counselling, finance, and

administration as the representative of the

Diocesan bishop and the Metropolitan. However,

at a deeper level in working out what God requires

from a priest for his parish is totally different. The

matching these two requirements are very

important. It is perhaps quiet easy to compare it

to the Old Testament or Apostolic models ofpriesthood. But we need to investigate it further

in our current contexts. The life of a parish

 between one vicar and the next (interregnum) is a

time for reflection and prayer for finding these

requirements. In the Church of England, when a

 benefice is vacant the responsibilities normally

 borne by the vicar (incumbent) is transferred to

the churchwardens and to the rural or area dean.

The PCC, churchwardens, archdeacon, diocesan

officials and the bishop are involved in theselection and the appointment of the new priest.

The preparation of the parish profile is an

important aspect in this procedure and it is the

place where the requirement of parish becomes

apparent to select the right person. Such an

appointment often takes a very long time; this

absolute and total engagement with various

people in the local parish and the Diocese is of

great interest and necessary in the 21st  century

context and for the Diaspora community.

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Engaging the parishes in this reformation

process:

 Whose responsibility is it to ask what a particular

parish requires in the Mar Thoma Church? How

do we find this out? We often assume God’s will in

the process of discovering what parish needs in

terms of its growth, sustainability, integrity,

financial commitments and mission. Are suchassumptions enough to have a meaningful

ministry according to God’s requirement? The

question in Micah (Micah 6: 8) of ‘What does God

requires of you?’ should be in our mind and in our 

prayers when we wait for a new priest after every

three years of their ministry in a particular parish.

Often it is a lottery; there is no measuring,

cutting, matching and fitting. Parishes are never

asked to provide a parish profile with their needs.

Parishes accept gracefully what is imposed uponthem by the Metropolitan and the Episcopal

Synod. Parishes are painfully cut down to a size

and style to fit the newly appointed priest and his

coat. What in fact needed at the local level ought

to open up the whole theological reflection of

 what God require for caring for His community of

 believers? Should we be able to do this without

pointing fingers at each other? I write this for a

serious and open discussion because the future of

our church depends on such honest discussionsand procedural reforms.

 An alternative and supporting role:

It is also an appropriate moment to think about

the pastoral needs of parishes in the Diaspora

regions. Placing an inadequately-matched priest

in a parish abroad causes problems for both the

priest and his family also for the parishioners.

Therefore, it is worthwhile considering the modelof ‘Non–Stipendiary Ministry (NSM)’ of the

Church of England. NSMs are lay people

frequently in paid secular employment as

teachers, engineers, doctors, businessmen etc. on

a full-time basis, but sometimes they are in part-

time, self-employed, or retired; they have a short

period of training before ordination and licensing

as priests. They are also known as ‘Self -

Supporting Ministers (SSMs).’The idea of clergy

maintaining secular occupations is not a modernphenomenon. It can be argued that in the early

church those who ministered maintained their

livelihoods; St. Paul allegedly insisted on being a

tent maker for his sustenance and was clearly a

self-supporting apostle. Archbishop Ramsey

 wrote: “I regard the contemporary development

of a priesthood which combines a ministry of

 word and sacrament with employment in a

secular profession not as a modern fad but as a

recovery of something indubitably apostolic and

primitive ...What we call our 'auxiliaries' today

 belong most truly to the apostolic foundation, and

 we may learn from them of that inner meaning ofpriesthood which we share with them.” It is

 worthwhile to think of this model in a serious way

through the appointment of a small theological

commission. However, there may be many

hurdles to jump, and hence it is important to

consider all pros and cons.

 Apparent lack of a democratic

administration:

Such a radical change is not an easy task for an

Episcopal Church like the Mar Thoma Church and

the existing clergy may oppose such a move

 because of the constraints it may place upon them

for a foreign posting. As we are a reforming

church such a move may be acceptable to satisfy

the pastoral needs of our people. Laity often has

 very little say in these things in spite of the claim

of being a Church with a democratic

administration. Most of the times instructions arehanded down from the centre, we somehow do

not appreciate the subsidiarity principle of having

a real movement of views and idea from the

periphery to the centre, from grassroots to the

central administrative body. I have been a

member of the Mandalam for twelve consecutive

 years and also for three years in the Diocesan

Council and, therefore, have experienced, first-

hand, how the lack of democracy operates. Our

members have an unquestionable loyalty to our bishops and priests and therefore, generally

speaking, no body effectively and creatively

questions the way the Church is being managed. I

have seen people arguing for hours in the

debating chamber, but at the end of the day

people accept the position of the hierarchy, they

 withdraw their motions, revolutionary proposals

or critical appraisals. Though the system worked

for us since reformation, it may be prudent and

timely to review and consider for the sake of ourfuture Diaspora community to have an open

discussion of these issues as they may not

appreciate this age-old traditional blind loyalty.

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The essence of the Church:

The Church is essentially a group of like-minded

people who have something in common called the

Christian faith and they get together to share it

 with each other and communicate it to others

outside their faith community. It is important to

think of it as a God-given and grace filled faith. It

is a place we are invited to be, the place occupied by Christ himself for healing the fractured world.

If we forget this fundamental reality then we are

stuck with what an individual leader decides and

 what goes on inside his and his associates’

intentions. We should learn to forget the phrase ‘I

decide’, and instead should learn to remember the

phrase: ‘we decide.’ But the Church is much larger

than this; it is a divine mystery under the

guidance of the Holy Spirit. This mystery is its

strength and we should respect and maintain it. We should hear echoes of God’s meeting with

Moses and Joshua and asking them to take off

their sandals in recognition of the holiness of

their meeting. Right worship is the preparation

God requires from the Church. Before anything

else, worshipful obedience must also be our

preparation for anything we propose to do in

God’s name. 

Being in the Church is being in the middle of

God’s sacrificial atoning action, the act of Christ'sgiving; it is being in the tradition of the landscape

of priesthood of all, the royal priesthood. We are

called to celebrate a Eucharistic life on Sundays

and every day of the week. This is what is given to

us under ‘costly grace,’ but we are rather

incompetently trying to find words and structural

forms for fitting it into our daily life as a human

institution. The Church is never left to reimagine

itself or reshape itself according to its own

priorities of the moment or based on fancifulsituational ethics and popular liberal attitudes.

 What does this mean for the priest today?

The person exercising that ministry has one

fundamental task which breaks down into a

number of different responsibilities. The

fundamental task is that of announcing in word

and action in the middle of the community what

the community is and where it is in relation toother communities and faith groups. The priest is

therefore in the business of immersing in Christ's

actions: the gifts, prayers and love of human

 beings. In all this, we can perhaps see why and

how the Eucharist is the central identifying act of

the Church. This self-giving ‘liturgy after the

liturgy’ should become the lifestyle of the priest

and the parishioners.

For this to happen in the ministerial life,

according to Archbishop Ramsey, the priest has to

 be a  watchman, interpreter and a weaver. 

These three functions make an ordained minister. 

The point of being a watchman is that one

has an opportunity of seeing what others

don't see.  This has two possibilities: one of

seeing dangers and warning the people of the

risks and safeguarding their interest; the second

of seeing possibilities and encouraging the people

to take risk for the sake of the Gospel. In some

sense it is a prophetic role like some of the

prophets of the Old Testaments. Both Habakkuk

and Ezekiel used the term ‘watchman’ for their

roles as prophets. This means a priest having the

right information about issues affecting the

community and ability to speak to congregations

and age groups in languages and styles they

understand. They should become a listening post

to pick of vibes from within the community and

 without. The authority for this role should be

given to them by the local community, the parish.

This local authentication is an important, but

often forgotten, aspect of the priesthood; he is

indeed the priest and the mediator of the

community before God for the community. He

should not have the attitude and arrogance that

he is appointed by the bishop and he can do what

he wants. Parishioners should have the absolute

humility to accept the role of the priest as a

 watchman, a watchman of our whole moral and

ethical conduct, and furthermore our relationship

 with each other. He should have the antenna to

pick up cracks in relationships.

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The second role is that of an interpreter.

This is a bidirectional interpretation; it is of

interpreting the prevailing culture and cultural

conflicts to the members of the church and to

explain the Gospel teaching to the parishioners

and the world outside the church. He also should

have the practical theological knowledge to

contextualise difficult biblical texts and make it

easy for people to follow. The Christian faith isGod-given and grace filled, and there is no need to

make it more complicated with difficult

theological constructions, incomprehensible

 words, Greek and Hebrew phrases, and

interpretations. A simple and humble approach is

the ideal one than scholarly reviews. Jesus used

parables to explain many things to His audience.

 A priest should be able to read the signs of the

time, his parishioners’ moods and modes, whims

and fancies, weaknesses and strengths. It is in thisunderstanding that he becomes an interpreter. In

this, he also has an opportunity for seeking out

the capabilities and talents of his parishioners and

uses them effectively as partners in his ministry.

Building this partnership is an important measure

of success. In the context of conflict within the

Church, the priest as the leader charged with

making a particular decision should remain

neutral as far as it is possible. These controversies

are mostly about liturgical symbolism andlanguage, between conservatives and liberals,

 between young, the senior-established people,

and could even be on financial management.

Traditionalists often do not want to see any

change, but young people may be interested in

more vibrant singing and clapping. The priest has

to remind everyone involved in such disputes of

 what and where they are on a particular issue in

the context of the Gospel, and seek compromise

through prayer and meditation. This is part andparcel of interpretative skills; it is making

everyone understands the issues involved and the

consequences of divisions. Most of the valuable

time of priests and bishops are wasted for settling

disputes or creating more disputes in the process.

Conflict resolution is an important skill to

acquire.

The third role of a priest today is that of a

 weaver; it is a term from the industrial past as weaving is an ancient skill because it is now

mostly automated and computerised. The

Christian ministry is a ministry of reconciliation.

The priestly task is a making of connections at

many levels and bringing the alienated to meet

each other. The priest may be connecting visio