Mission News

Light to Life Pledge Form

Church, as a witnessing community is called to be the light of the world. Light to life is a social development endeavor of the Diocese of North America and Europe to ensure kids from poor communities get access to life’s essentials, provide them necessary facilities for education, and enable them to lead a life of dignity.

Mar Thoma Neighborhood Urban Mission trip 2016 held at Chicago

Neighborhood urban mission trip of Mar Thoma Church North Amenica and Europe Diocese held during July 11-15, 2016 at Inner city of Chicago. Participants to this mission trip came from 15 different parishes of the Diocese. Neighborhood Mission committee partnered with Mission Year Justice organization. Participants attended many activities that brought awareness to the root causes of violence, poverty, income inequality, inaccessibility to quality education, homelessness and injustice in the Urban cities of the United States. Diocesan Episcopa, Rt. Rev. Dr. Isaac Mar Philoxenos visited the mission participants and encouraged them to see the needs of the local neighborhoods of their parishes and respond to them in Christs love. Rev. Biju P Simon, Ms. Yasmine Karuvatteil, Mathew Thomas and Devin Abraham gave leadership for this trip. Rev Chris Daniel and Rev Sonu Skariah led mission presentations. For more information, visit http://www.mtcurbanmissions.org                             

 Rev. Biju P Simon

Convener

India Mission Trip 2016

India Mission Trip 2016 organized by the India Mission Sub Committee was held from August 1 to 15. The India Mission Team consisted of 11 youths (7 from Canada and four from US) and two council members. The trip was organized under the guidance of Rev. Gigi Varghese. The Missionary Achen is in charge of 11 mission fields, eight evangelist looking after 70 villages and 13 tuition centres. The mission trip started from Nallur, Pollachi, Tamil Nadu and visited the following mission fields and places: Jeevoli Boys hostel Nallur, Vadakepalam Mission, the Snehalayam where there are 83 mentally challenged inmates, Amaigoudallur, Vanjiyapuram, Kotoor, Anamalai, Ngrputhur, Saralapthy Mission, Valparai Mission center and at Jeevanam palliative Care Center, Udumpalpat mission, Puthupalayam, St Thomas Marthoma Church, Kuruvakalam mission Center, the Anpinkaram project of the Chennai Bangalore Diocese that give care and support to the people living with HIV/AIDS and the children affected by it, Anpinkaram Old Age Home, St Thomas English Medium School, Madathikulam center and Kozhumon Marthoma church. The team Participated the mission day program and Holy Communion by Makarios Thirumeni at Dindigal Mission at Oddanchatram on its mission day and attended Holy Communion service conducted by Makarios Tirumeni.

Following mission centers in Keralawere also visited:  Marthoma Vayojana Mandiram at Kattakada, Snehatheeram at Manjalamoodu, a project that supports 166 families with HIV/AIDS. Later in the evening, Barnabas Thirumeni hosted dinner for us at his Aramana and we thank Thirumeni for spending time with us. The team participated in the Holy Communion service at Jerusalem Mar Thoma Church, Nanthencode and interacted with the youths. There was a video presentation of Gajulapally Mission activities and Nanthencode youths shared their mission experiences.

The team visited ‘Dynatheeram’, Perumgalam and had an interactive session with Theodosius Tirumeni and also visited Timotheos Tirumeni, Coorilos Tirumeni and Barnabas Thirumeni in their Aramanas. The trip was a blessed experience to the participants.

George Mathai

Mariamma Abraham

Conveners

2016 Mexico Mission Vacation Bible School Report

The 2016 Mexico Mission Vacation Bible School was conducted on July 15-17th. Forty-five volunteers from across the Diocese traveled to Mexico to conduct VBS. This is the largest group of volunteers we have ever taken to Mexico for VBS. Over seventy local children and adults attended the three day event. The theme of the VBS was Sorpresa! El camino del perdon (Surprise! The Path to Forgiveness). Three vans with volunteers reached the mission site by Friday, July 15th 3pm and began VBS, which is all conducted in Spanish under the leadership of Rev. Johnson Unnithan and family. The VBS started with a singing session, then two lessons and craft time were conducted.

On Saturday, the second day of VBS, three lessons, crafts, and singing sessions were all conducted. In addition to the VBS activities, the volunteers painted the outside fence of the mission field, conducted praise & worship sessions in Spanish, beautified the grounds, taught a class on the Mar Thoma Church to adults, and created marketing materials for the mission. Lunch was provided to both the residents and the volunteers. The day ended with recreation activities where both the volunteers and VBS attendees participated. On Sunday morning, the team conducted a praise & worship session, read lessons, conducted the kauma in Spanish, and one of the volunteers shared the word of God. Lunch was provided to the residents. Overall, the mission trip was a successful event. The residents and the volunteers felt that the VBS was a blessing. Special thanks goes to the Arlene Mathew (Immanuel-Houston), Arun Varghese (Immanuel-Houston), and Shawn Varghese (Trinity – Houston) who were coordinators with me for this mission trip.

Sini Jacob George Convener, Mexico Mission

PATRICK MISSION PROJECT

The groundbreaking ceremony for the first phase of the Patrick Mission project construction was held on August 13, 2016 at Broken Bow, Oklahoma. The Diocesan Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Isaac Mar Philoxenos Episcopa blessed the foundation stone and laid the same. The ceremony began with prayer by Rev. Shaiju John, Vicar of St. Paul’s MTC, Dallas and the Vice- President of South West Regional Activity Committee (RAC). Mr. Philip Thomas, CPA, diocesan treasurer who serves as the convener of the project gave an overview of the project and welcomed all to the ceremony. Philoxenos Thirumeni, in his address remembered Patrick Marithimoottil and his commitment for the mission among Native Americans in Broken Bow, OK., who was taken to glory in 2013. Thirumeni emphasized that a Church without mission is inactive and that mission is an obligation, not an option. Rev. Randy Jacob of McGhee Chapel for the Native Americans in his address thanked the diocese for our dedication and commitment for the mission activities in Oklahoma. Rev. Saji P. C., Vicar and Rev. Mathew Samuel, Asst. Vicar of MTC Dallas, FB also participated in the ceremony. Mr. Jojy Koshy, Vice President of Cross Way MT Congregation, Dallas, who is also in charge of the design and construction of the project served as the master of ceremony. Many members from Mar Thoma parishes in Dallas and Oklahoma and members from Choctaw Presbyterian churches were present during the function. Lunch was served to all those who attended and Mrs. Betty Jacob, the coordinator of Choctaw Presbytery coordinated the lunch arrangements. Mr. Zachariah Mathew, diocesan council member and treasurer of Southwest RAC expressed vote of thanks. The ceremony concluded with prayer by Rev. Thomas Kurian, Vicar of Oklahoma MTC and benediction by Philoxenos Thirumeni. The estimated cost of phase one of the project is about $100,000 for a built in area of about 1,000 sq. ft. Contributions can be made through https://www.gofundme.com/7dn8gaes.

Philip Thomas, CPA, Diocesan Treasurer

Dallas

Church, as a witnessing community is called to be the light of the world. Light to life is a social development endeavor of the Diocese of North America and Europe to ensure kids from poor communities get access to life’s essentials, provide them necessary facilities for education, and enable them to lead a life of dignity.