Mar Thoma Evangelistic
Association:
Until renewal took place in the Church, as a result of the reformation, there
was very little effort to take the message of the gospel to those outside the
Church. With the new life that came into the Church people began to accept the
call of the Holy Spirit to present the gospel to others. A small group of 12
persons,(Rev. Thomas Abraham, Kottarathil and 11 laymen) met for prayer in 1888
at Kallissery, near Chengannoor and they were urged by the Holy Spirit to take
up the challenge and they obeyed it by deciding to start evangelistic work among
non-Christians. The first place that they chose as their field was Othara in
Central Travancore. Rev. C. P. Philipose became the General Secretary of the
Evangelistic Association in 1890 at the age of 22 and he continued to lead the
Association in that position for 50 years. His wise counsel, deep faith and
untiring energy have helped to further the cause of evangelism. His Lordship The
Most Rev. Thomas Mar Athanasius Metropolitan gave encouragement to the infant
Association, although the Church was passing through a crisis on account of
litigation.
By 1894 four full time paid evangelists were appointed and four teachers worked
in schools belonging to the Association. By 1903 these numbers increased to 20.
The work expanded beyond Central Travancore and reached out to the sea coast and
North Travancore. By 1926, evangelists were sent to Palghat area. In spite of
opposition from some quarters, many received the gospel gladly. At Othara
itself, a group of 85 people were baptized in 1892. Gradually the work extended
to Wynad in the Nilgiri area and Gudalur. We praise God for Rev. P. I. Jacob,
and the untiring work he did in the mission fields of Central Travancore and the
Sea Coast areas till he became too old and weak to continue. Rev. C. I. Abraham
of Venmony worked with a band of zealous evangelists in North Travancore area.
The Palghat Ashram was established in 1924, under the leadership of Rev. P. John
Varghese, who later left the Church and became a Bishop of the St. Thomas
Evangelical Church. Work was started in South Travancore area under the
leadership of Rev. K. A. Varghese. Many people accepted Christ and new
congregations were formed as a result of the work in these areas.
North Kanara:
Any missionary effort undertaken outside Kerala by members of the Mar Thoma
Church is complex due to linguistic and ethnic differences. The first call came
from North Kanada (India) in 1909 and the work was started in 1910 in Karwar
District.Mr. P. S. Mathai (father of Shri. Samuel Mathai - who was Vice
chancellor of Kerala University), Rev. P. Varghese, Mr. K. K. Kuruvilla and Mr.
P. O. Philip were among the first to respond. By 1919, the High School at
Honavar was, handed over by the Basel Mission to the Evangelistic Association,
and Rev. M. P. Philipose took over as Principal. By 1940 the work extended to
Ankola and the Christa Mitra Ashram was established by Rev. P. J. Thomas and two
young graduates (Mr. Philip Oommen, now The Most Rev. Philipose Mar Chrysostom,
Mar Thoma Metropolitan and Mr. P. John Thomas, later Rev. P. John Thomas). The
Ashram started a hospital, a home for boys and girls, a destitute home and other
services. Now 76 people are working there.
Sihora:
Christa Panthi Ashram,Sihora was established in 1942 under the leadership of
Rev. K. T.Thomas, Mr. John Varghese and Mr. M. P. Mathew, who later became
ordained ministers of the Church. Now there are more than 40 members, including
permanent workers and volunteers. In addition to gospel work, the activities of
the Ashram include, hospital work, village schools, destitute home, agricultural
work and rural development program. A group of people from Abhani village have
accepted the Lord and a place of worship has been built for them. Mr. Juhan
Mishra from Sihora area who accepted Jesus Christ is working now as an
evangelist in that village.
Satna:
Christya Bandhukulam, Satna was started in 1952. A Group of 4 people from
Kaviyoor, near Tiruvalla, decided to work together in the State of Rewa. Before
the independence of India, Rewa was a small native state, into which Christian
Workers were not allowed entry. The four workers started work in Satna and
surrounding villages. Rev. A. T. Chacko and family were among the founders
working there along with others in evangelistic efforts and rural development
programs. There is a school up to the XII Standard (Grade) which has a high
reputation in the area, and provides means to reach many homes with the message
of the gospel. Many villages in the neighboring districts have been reached and
some have accepted baptism and membership of the Church.
Saidganj, near Bhopal:
The work was started among the village near Saidganj, about 25 km. from Bhopal
city, in Madhya Pradesh. In addition to evangelistic work, rural development
work is carried on and a school for village children is being run. Such work is
being extended to other neighboring villages also. The Bhopal Mar Thoma parish
actively cooperates with the workers in this area.
Tibetan Border work (Suvartha Premi Samithi):
Rev.A. K. George and two lady workers went all the way to Tejam and Munsiari on
the border of Tibet and started work among the Bhotia community. The Bhotias
used to carry on trade with Tibet till it was occupied by China. The
missionaries hoped to reach Tibet with the help of Bhotias.Some from the Bhotia
community accepted the gospel and congregations have been founded at Munsiari
and Tejam. At present two groups are working here. More workers are needed to
take over from the early workers, who are advancing in years. There is much
scope for mission work in these villages. In connection with the celebration of
the 50th anniversary of the reformation, more workers have gone there to help in
the work.
Vapi Mission:
Vapi is a developing industrial area, located in Valsad District, Gujarat. A
hospital which was started by an American Mission was handed over to the
Evangelistic Association, in 1968 as they could not carry on the work. The
medical work is being continued with the cooperation of the parishes of the Mar
Thoma Church in Gujarat and Bombay.
Hoskote Mission:
Hoskote is a Taluk headquarters, 25km. from Bangalore city. The work was started
there in 1946. Now there is a good congregation in Hoskote, a chapel and medical
work. Over 700 leprosy patients from the nearby villages are given treatment.
Six congregations have been developed in those villages and many more people are
showing keen interest in the gospel. The work was started by Rev. A. C.
Zachariah and Mr. M. T. Joseph. It developed further when Rev. E. J. George went
there and Dr. Mrs. Sophy George took over the medical work. One of the notable
feature of the work was that two Hindu Swamis accepted the Gospel and were
baptized and they spread the gospel with zeal and in a purely Indian Style. The
villagers responded to them freely, as their life style and way of preaching
appealed to them in a special way.
Santhi Mandiram, Secunderabad:
The only mission center of the Evangelistic Association in Andra Pradesh is at
Santhi Mandiram situated about 10 km. from Secunderabad city, very near the
military center.A school for the children in the village nearby was conducted at
Santhi Mandiram and the Gospel was presented to the community. Medical help for
the villagers also was given by doctors and medical personnel from the Mar Thoma
parish in the Secunderabad Hyderabad cities. AndamansThe mission work in
Andamans is done mainly among the colonies of settlers from the mainland, who
live in the scattered islands. Without proper attention and spiritual leadership
many of them were open to all types of temptations. By presenting the gospel to
them many have come to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and they now live
in fellowship and brotherhood.
Nepal:
Nepal is the only country in the world today ruled by the Hindu ruler with the
declared intention to keep it as a Hindu country. Preaching of the gospel is
publicly prohibited by law and anyone leading others to conversion from Hinduism
may be punished with imprisonment for six years. In spite of such rigid laws,
work was started there by a small group of young men of the Mar Thoma Church
under the leadership of C. K. Athiyal, who was later ordained as a minister of
the Church. The group approached people personally with the gospel and many were
attracted to Christ. The first Christian Church in Katmandu, the capital of
Nepal, was constructed by this group. Later the United Mission to Nepal was
started by missionaries from various countries, who made an undertaking with the
Government that they would do only social service activities. Now there are more
than five centers of Christian worship in the city, in spite of the legal
restriction still in force. The last worker there of the Mar Thoma Church, Mr.
K. S. Eapen, was held in jail for 27 days when it was found that baptism of
Nepali citizens have been conducted in our Church. He was however released from
jail and he had to return in 1984, and since then there is no worker from our
Church there.Still the believers come together for worship and Christian
fellowship in the Church building there. Other workers have to be sent to help
those who have accepted faith in Jesus Christ.
Port Swettenham in Malaysia:
A mission center has been started in Port Swettenham near Klang in Malaysia, by
the Diocese of Malaysia - Singapore of our Church. The work is done mostly among
Tamil speaking people and the Chinese, as Gospel preaching to Muslims is
strictly prohibited by the Government. Many young people come eagerly to study
the Bible and attend Sunday School classes organized by the Mission Board of the
Diocese. Sunday School classes have been organized for the workers in many
rubber estates where the Evangelists and those interested in the work go as a
team with musical instruments and audiovisual aids in a van bought for the
purpose.
The work through St. Thomas School in Singapore:
The Secondary School run by the Mar Thoma Parish in Singapore has provided
occasion for teaching the Bible to the kids in the School. More than a score of
students every year accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and are baptized. They
join the different Churches conducting worship in their language in the city. It
is mostly the Chinese young people who are coming to the Lord in this way.
Rajasthan Work:
A group was sent to Rajasthan in 1980 and when they started work they were
stationed in the capital city, Jaipur. In 1983 a property was bought near
Bhambhori village, 25 km. from Jaipur. A mission center has been established
there and work has been started in the villages nearby. The villagers come to
help in the agricultural work of the center and thus contact with them is
established. Literacy work is done among the illiterate people. Gradually the
gospel message is being presented to them. In 1985 the work was started in the
villages near Rawalpetta with the cooperation of the Parishes in Rawalpetta and
Kota.
Shadol and Siddhi:
Special effort has been made in 1986 to reach more villages in North India in
connection with the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Reformation. The
work has been expanded to the districts of Shadol and Siddhi in Madhya Pradesh,
with Satna as the center.
Congregations formed by Mission Work:
As a result of the work of the Evangelistic Association, 117 congregations have
been formed in various parts of Kerala. These remained under the care of the
Evangelistic Association. Under this arrangement, the congregations could not
get adequate pastoral care. So the Evangelistic Association decided to hand over
the congregations to the Dioceses in which they were situated. The Church gladly
gave them recognition as parishes in the Dioceses and appointed pastors in
charge of them. This was an important step taken in the year 1980. The new
Parishes have already shown signs of steady growth under the new system. The
parishioners are taking keen interest in the development of the parishes. The
Dioceses have resolved that each parish must have its own place of worship by
the end of 1986 as there are even now a few parishes who worship in schools and
other places since they don't have church buildings of their own. This project
is progressing satisfactorily with the help of the Evangelistic Association and
members of the Church.
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