The Mar Thoma ECHO - July 2015 by The Mar Thoma ECHO

July Edition 2015 Volume 2(2)

Table of Contents Message from Diocesan Episcopa................................ 3 Editorial ........................................................................ 5 Disagreement and Grace ............................................. 7 Ministry in a Digital World ......................................... 10 Silence of the Plant Kingdom ..................................... 12 Mission today: Five Key Themes ................................ 13 "Reaching Out – Sharing Faith & Meeting Social Needs”........................................................................ 15 The Mar Thoma Church: Gender Equality in the Sacred Space .......................................................................... 19 Lent Talks by Lord Leslie Griffiths .............................. 21 Repetition and Recollection ....................................... 23 News & Reports ......................................................... 25 Hermon MTC, Midlands, UK - Parish Day Celebration............................................................. 25

The COMPE Executive Committee President: The Rt.Revd. Dr. Geevarghese Mar Theodosius Vice President : Revd.Dr. Thomas Philips Secretary: 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

Golden Jubilee of the Ordination of Revd Dr. M. J. Joseph and ‘The Golden Beams’ ............................ 25 The First Mar Thoma Congregation in Wales ........ 26 Sinai Mar Thoma Church Sunday school VBS ........ 27

Cover Design: Revd. Jose Punamadam For private circulation only

Alisha – A Lighthouse of Faith ................................ 28 ECHO Garden ............................................................. 29 Appachan…..Now you’re gone ............................... 29

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.

Message from Diocesan Episcopa Outreach Ministry

I am glad that the Mar Thoma Echo is bringing out another publication on the theme: Outreach Ministry. Let us begin at the beginning; the establishment of the kingdom of God is the single purpose of God’s outreach programme, God’s mission (Missio Dei), from the beginning of time. The revelations of the Triune God in Jesus is the ultimate reaching out for inaugurating the kingdom, which is inclusive and integrated from the centre to margins and from margins to the centre of our existence. This is an existential reality of transforming from ‘being-for-itself’ into ‘beingfor others’ under the ‘costly grace’ of the Cross of Jesus Christ. How can we reach out to present this authentic truth to our contemporaries? Let us not get confused about phraseologies such as reaching out, outreach, witnessing, mission, ministry, and evangelisation. All these are expressions and variations of a central theme of reaching out to people with love to meet a specific need at a time and a place and to cultivate values of God’s kingdom. In his classical work on ‘Reaching Out’, Henry Nouven1 explained three movements of the spiritual life for the reaching out experience: reaching out to our innermost self from loneliness to creative solitude, reaching out to God in prayer, and finally reaching out to fellow human beings from arid self-centredness to selfgiving. The manifesto for the kingdom of God is set out in the Sermon on the Mount and in the reaching out Jesus had done during His earthly ministry and continued ever since through the Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The

life of Jesus became the good news that gave hope to humanity. People started to find a new way in their lives, opened by a gracious God. The mission that Jesus inaugurated has become the sole purpose of the Church. The early Church at the Pentecost became a witnessing community of God’s kingdom and hence, witnessing is reaching out to others to create an inclusive community. Jesus reached out to every section of the community, to Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, sick and healthy people, villagers and city dwellers, illiterate and scholars; no one was excluded from his loving attention and caring concern. He reached out and touched untouchables, His touch transformed water into wine, gave vision to both physically and spiritually blind people; His touch had the power of making the secular into sacred; people who were ‘living dead’ became alive under His gaze, and He made His disciples ‘fishers of men;’ such was the power of His reaching out. Finally, He reached out from the tomb on that glorious Easter Sunday to liberate people from shackles of oppression and every kind of bondage. He established a second exodus for all humankind. From the beginning Jesus sent his disciples into the world, as He had been sent by the Father (John 20: 21). From this stems Church’s responsibility of spreading the faith and salvation that comes from the redeeming and sanctifying actions of Jesus in His death on the Cross and resurrection. Even on the Cross He reached out to forgive and offer a place in the paradise to the thief on the nearby Cross. Therefore, God’s mission, kingdom of God, is reaching out to everyone at any given time or space, in ways only known to God. His outreach is limitless and His love and compassion flows and flows. It is our business to know ‘God’s ways’ for a particular situation in a given time through prayer and meditation. The Church is not God’s kingdom, but only a pilgrim body of people moving towards it under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. However, when the Church equipped with the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ to reach out to people, it has the beginning of establishing the kingdom on earth. We are in an ‘already, but not yet’ mode with respect to the kingdom. We have to commit ourselves to transform this world in collaboration with all people of goodwill through our ecumenical understanding.

With rising aggressive religious fundamentalism1, each religion thinks of itself as the only true religion. In a pluralist environment, the Christian witness embraces dialogue with other religions and cultures. When they meet for inter-religious conversations, there is usually a clash of absolutes rather than heart to heart dialogue, but the dialogue ought to continue, in spite of deliberate hindrances. Addressing other religious leaders in India in 1986, Pope John Paul II said; ‘By dialogue we let God be present in our midst; for as we open ourselves in dialogue to one another, we also open ourselves to God.’ This experience of God should empower us in reaching out to and with others to establish the kingdom values for the betterment of the whole created world. This understanding should challenge us to go beyond ‘fashionable and never ending dialogues’ to collaboration to create a better human community of freedom, fraternity, and justice. This is possible only if we listen well, live well and engage well with the rest of human society. Many countries are struggling with interreligious conflicts, religious radicalisation and violence, dehumanising poverty, and ecological issues. The gap between rich and the poor has become more marked even in the most economically developed nations. Man’s inhumanity to man has given rise to acts of terrorism and violation of human rights. Fanaticism and fundamentalism and activities against human dignity can never be justified in the name of religion. Therefore, reaching out for wider ecumenism is inevitable for our meaningful existence. The veil of the temple was torn from the top to bottom, symbolizing that the door of salvation is open for all who turn to God. Let our actions and traditions do not encourage us in mending the torn up veil and closing doors to strangers and the distanced. In doing so, we will be misunderstanding the heart of God and the Cross of Christ. We are called out to serve others and in doing so to recognise Christ in the least of our brothers and sisters (Matthew 25: 45). However, it is important to remember that exploitation of situations of deprivation and poverty has no place for Christian outreach ministry. Every human life has a value and something to contribute. Christians should denounce and refrain from offering prosperity

gospel in such situations, including financial incentives and rewards for ‘winning souls.’ It is good to remember the model of St. Paul’s ministry, “Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God” (2 Cor. 2: 17). In all aspects of life, Christians are called to follow the examples and teachings of Jesus Christ, sharing His love, giving glory and honour to God the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit. Watching the crucifixion of Jesus, a Roman centurion said, ‘This man is truly the son of God.’ When we reach out to people let others say that these people are true Disciples of Christ. “You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts” (2 Cor. 3: 3). The image of a living letter is that others might ‘read’ Christ in our lives, as His marks are imprinted on our hearts. Bearing witness to Christ is not just a matter of our words: we carry Christ with us, and the more His Spirit fills our lives, the greater the sense that God has turned up with us. In humility we will realise that it is Christ who is carrying us. It is not our competence that does this, but the Spirit’s work, if we allow Him to do so. Hence we need not be afraid of reaching out; the yeast spreads, the salt preserves and the light shines. May God’s grace be with all the faith communities for your outreach ministry in places and situations that you are placed. Mar Theodosius+

Henry J. M. Nouwen, ‘Reaching Out,’ Fount, Harper Collins, London, (1990). 1

Editorial

The theme for the current issue of the journal is based on the fourth letter of the title of the Journal, which is ‘O’ for outreach. Revd Dr. Valson Thampu says, ‘Outreach is the very nature of God.’ Regardless of the form outreach ministry takes, all Christians are called to share the Gospel, to reach out beyond themselves, their communities, and to serve those in need. Methods may vary, but the message is unchanging: Jesus Christ died for us, He rose again, and He lives for encouraging us to live, with the help of the Holy Spirit, by the values of the kingdom that he inaugurated. Methodists describe themselves as a ‘disciple movement shaped for mission.’ John Wesley in his “Rules for a Helper” reminded us that we are not to go to those who need us but to go to those who need us most. Are we shaped for such a mission? Every parish has the opportunity to reach out to spiritually blind people and those who live on the margins of the society in their parish and beyond its boundary. What kind of outreach ministries should a parish have? Do we have a clear vision before we start out this mission? How do we get the resources needed for a reach out mission? Who has the ownership of this outreach mission? It is obvious that no single parish or congregation can provide every type of outreach ministry. In His wisdom, God has uniquely gifted each congregation with those who excel in particular types of outreach ministry. There are a few types of outreach that every Christian should perform because there is no solitary Christian, and we are expected to share our life with others. Scripture is clear on how the church is to reach out. Jesus said, “Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as

you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:37-40). Ministry to the “least of these” must be part of every church’s outreach. Every Christian is called to reach out beyond his/her local community to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). Christians should be involved in telling others silently and actively about Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:15-16). Since most adults spend the majority of their weekday hours at work, outreach in the workplace offers connections to people the church might otherwise miss. This is an experimental theatre for working out the Gospel. Appreciating a God-given mandate, many forms ministries could be developed. Examples include the following: food banks, prison ministry, meeting the needs of the elderly and the sick. Serving those affected by disability provides life-changing help to those often neglected by others. Teenagers and college students represent a strategic ministry opportunity and they in turn may become agents of this ministry too.

There is a forward and backward movement in reaching-out. We should look within ourselves first and develop a relationship with the indwelling Christ before venturing to reach-out to others with our evangelistic vigour. Henry Nouwen2 wrote: “To live a spiritual life we must first find the courage to enter into the desert of our loneliness and to change it by gentle and persistent efforts into a garden of solitude. The movement from loneliness to solitude, however, is the beginning of any spiritual life because it is the movement from the restless senses to the restful spirit, from the outward-reaching cravings to the inward-reaching search, from the fearful clinging to the fearless play.” In the midst of a turbulent, often chaotic, life we are called to reach out, with courageous honesty 5

to our innermost self, with relentless care to our fellow human beings, and with increasing prayer to our God. A prayer- centred life is important for any type of reaching-out ministry. Nouwen wrote2: “A spiritual life without prayer is like the gospel without Christ.” A prayer-centred life helps us to find space for others in our lives. This gives us an opportunity for providing hospitality for others. Hospitality is not to trap and change people, but to offer them space and freedom where they can be transformed under the grace of God. An Irish proverb states: ‘It is in the shelter of each other that people live.’ Religious conversion and increasing the membership of the church should not be prime aim of the outreach programmes. It is often said, ‘Jesus came to disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed.’ In Ezekiel’s time, Jews who lived both in Jerusalem and also in Babylon had their own version of decadence and moral deprivation, and worshiped other gods as well. They continued to rebel against God’s prophets like, Isaiah and Jeremiah. Ezekiel reminded them of their false ways and errors. But they never listened as we are not listening today. There were so many gaps in their lifestyle, a chasm, between them and Jehovah. That is why God is asking Israelites through Ezekiel this question. Who will stand in the gap? Jehovah said to Ezekiel, “I looked for a man among them who will build a wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so that I would not have to destroy it, but I found none” (Ezekiel 22: 30). God is searching for people to stand in various kinds of gaps to create a seamless ‘big society’ or kingdom of God. It is up to us to understand what and where these gaps are, and to equip ourselves through the grace of God to stand in gaps or reaching out to build relationship and fellowship with God and God’s people. There are gaps between us and God because of our devotion and attachment to other things; this gap also creates gaps between us and our neighbour. There are many stories in the Bible about God finding people to stand in these gaps from time to time. Abraham, Noah, Joseph, Moses and many others stood in these gaps. We need people to stand in the gap to build our church; we need to

intercede on behalf of the needy, the helpless, the voiceless, the troubled, the sick, the mentally handicapped, and those who have lost their faith. Outreach is a ministry that never ends. Intercession is much more than a one-time event by which a conflict is resolved. There is not a moment in our lives without the need for mediation and intercessory prayers. God gave us the ministry of intercession through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Let us pray together to find these gaps and ask God for His grace to empower us to stand in these gaps. We constantly find ourselves looking for grand projects, and elaborate plans; we appoint committee and commissions, secretly hoping that this time it will be different. Sometimes in our enthusiasm for outreach ministries we may get burnt out. Jesus avoided this by His dependence on His quiet meditations and prayer. It is only when we take time to develop our inner spirituality and to become comfortable with who we are and be content with solitude, only after those primary steps are taken can we reach out to others in true love. Spirituality is a way of gaining perspective, recognising that our role in life has a greater value than just what we do every day. It can separate a person from dependence on material things and establish a greater God-given purpose. We simply must deal with our inner conflicts and needs before we can help and learn from others. We often reach out to others when we are confused with our inner self. We are afraid to deal alone with our needs. We are desperately seeking someone or something to drown out our own voice, to give us new answers. We watch television, listen to music, read books, and socialise; these are temporary escape routes. We are indeed God's children, and His Spirit is in us. When we learn to be still, we can offer that very stillness and peace to others. We can commune with God in prayer. We can break the illusions of busyness and activism by relying on God’s grace. It is important to realise that we cannot cash a cheque without having a bank balance. The lack of this inner strength causes moral bankruptcy. Therefore, we need to be in touch with our own reality and our relationship with God before reaching-out to others.

Henry J.M. Nouwen, Reaching Out, Fount, Harper Collins, London, (1990). 6

Finally, it is absolutely important to realise that it is God’s mission. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” ( Matthew 5:14-16). ‘Lighted to lighten’ is the motto of our church; therefore, reaching out is in our DNA. The miracle of digital technology allows us to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people across many boundaries. This online journal may help us to accomplish our mission of bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ to as many people in Europe.

Disagreement and Grace

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby

The Editorial Board

"Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ." Galatians 6:1-2

[At the National Leaders meeting of Churches Together in England (CTE), the Archbishop of Canterbury as one of the CTE Presidents, presented a reflection under the general heading 'Disagreement and Grace'.]

I want to say four things about graciousness and respect in disagreement. The first one is that disagreement is a reality; and when we deny that, ignore it, avoid it, pretend it’s not true, everything goes badly wrong. We all know that in a household or a community or a marriage if someone is looking sulky or saying very little, and you know there’s something wrong and they won’t tell you, it doesn’t help. When we look at the New Testament we see division and disagreement at every possible opportunity. Look at the beginning of both of Paul’s letters to the Corinthians, the first chapter of each of them. In 1 Corinthians he talks about a church entirely divided by people following one person or another; and in 2 Corinthians he talks 7

about being in despair because things were so bad. In Philippians, he calls for reconciliation between two members of the Church – and remember this was in the days when there was no good communication, and yet from a great distance he’d heard the row, and he knew there was something wrong and he had to deal with it. In the Gospels, we see the apostles and the disciples arguing about who is the most important, right up to almost immediately before the crucifixion. They waste all their energy on disagreements. The Church has historically always found it easy to divide, and we still do. And the issues which cause division are sometimes represented as principled issues, issues of theology – which is true; or they may be issues around discrimination against one group of the Church or another. I often think about the fact that in the 1960s when Afro-Caribbean people first came to this country they were not made welcome in our churches. It’s the reality; it was a sin, a very bad sin. Firstly, Division is a reality. Most of our divisions come down to issues of power and prestige. We dress them up in smart clothes around dogma and disagreement over doctrine; but at the very heart of them is very often a failure to be able to talk to each other, to communicate with humility that enables us to hear what the other one is saying. I’m an Archbishop; I know about the absence of humility. I struggle with it. Sometimes it’s about money, but it all comes back to Jesus’s parable of taking the best seats at the feast. Power and prestige; they get under our skin. We need first of all to recognise that we will disagree, we disagree, and therefore we need to be prepared and thoughtful about what is involved in disagreement. It is a reality.

Secondly, there is the question of reaction to disagreement. We need to start by recognising we are family. The reaction must be from within the knowledge that, not by our choice but by the will of God, we belong to each other. To put it crudely and in an unsophisticated way, as the saying goes: ‘you can choose your friends, but you’re stuck with your family.’ And my brothers and sisters, I hate to tell you this but I’m

family with you, and by the Lord’s grace, through the work of the cross, we are going to be in heaven forever. So we’d better start getting used to each other, because we’re stuck with each other permanently. That’s the work of God. It’s not our option to say, ‘well we can go off and not be family.’ We are always family. Thirdly, our response to division and this is where grace comes in. Transparency is an element of grace, because of course God in his grace to us is transparent. He doesn’t say, ‘well, I don’t really mind about sin’. He says, ‘I hate sin but I’ve given a remedy’. We know where we stand with God; there’s no messing about. Having reacted, how do we respond? One thing I want to say, and I’ve learnt this in Africa as much as anywhere, is we need to act to be gracious. Sometimes you have to do things in order to become them. If we’re going to be gracious, act graciously. Whatever’s in your heart, act graciously – and the grace of God will often transform our hearts so as we act graciously we become gracious. There’s a well-known story of Corrie ten Boom, the extraordinary Dutch evangelist and missionary. She was in her middle age, in her 50s, when the Second World War broke out. Her family sheltered Jewish refugees in Holland. They were betrayed by a collaborator, they were taken away to a concentration camp in Germany. Her whole family, apart from her, was killed; every single member. And after the war they were in Ravensbruck a really terrible camp, and after the war she was lecturing in Germany on forgiveness, and she gave her lecture and at the end she saw a man pushing his way to the front to come and talk to her. And she recognised him: he’d been one of the cruellest guards in Ravensbruck; he had tortured and beaten and assaulted and raped. He’d done terrible, terrible things. And he pushed towards her and – he didn’t recognise her – he said to her: ‘I was a guard in a concentration camp; I did terrible things. After the war, I found the Lord Jesus and He has forgiven me. I know you were in a concentration camp (she hadn’t said where), will you forgive me?’ And she said that in her heart was just hatred, but she stretched out her hand (I remember hearing her say this) and took it, and as she did so she felt the Holy Spirit dissolve the hatred in her heart and enable her to say with a full heart: ‘I forgive you’.

sacrifice. Now, forgiveness is not often that simple – let’s be clear, it may take decades, generations sometimes, we need to be honest about that. But we need to act in order to be. And when we disagree with each other there are moments when we need to act to be. We need to act to be. . . We need to pray so we can act. . . One of the top priorities for my time as Archbishop is a renewal of prayer and the religious life, the communities of prayer, without which there will be no renewal of the spiritual life in this land. Finally, reconciliation: Reconciliation between us as human beings is not agreement – it is learning to love one another in deep disagreement. That is genuine reconciliation. It is being different. God is so wonderful, we are so different. The miracle of the church is not that we agree and love one another; it’s that we disagree and, despite that, we love one another. That’s the miracle that the Holy Spirit brings. So what happens when we’re reconciled, when we demonstrate diversity in love? When we demonstrate that, we’re straight into the last seven or eight verses of John 17. And the world will see that Jesus is the Son of God, and they will believe. . . But reconciliation – I can tell you this after many years of working on it, both in myself and professionally in war zones around the world – comes with two s’s: service and sacrifice. If we’re going to have reconciliation, if we’re going to have graciousness and respect in disagreement, there has to be sacrifice. It is always costly to be reconciled. Within the catholic tradition I’ve learnt over the last ten years about the great sacrament of reconciliation: confession. It is enormously powerful and hideously painful when it’s done properly. . . It’s really horrible when you go to see your confessor – I doubt you wake up in the morning and think, this is going to be a bunch of laughs. It’s really uncomfortable. But through it God releases forgiveness and absolution and a sense of cleansing, a sense of knowing that we belong to him, that we’re his children. And if we’re to be reconciled to each other in CTE and across the church, and to see people come to faith and be disciples of Jesus Christ and to live out the transformation of our society to one of justice . . . we will see justice when we see a church that is alive in Christ and is calling with great power in the service of Christ. . . But that will take great

So, graciousness and respect in disagreement: the reality, the reaction, the response, the reconciliation - that we may maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

"When your mind and your heart are pure, then the divine will be open to you. The voice of your conscience is the voice of God.” Tolstoy

Dr. Zac Varghese, London

ministry for transforming cultural norms and establishing the kingdom culture. Jesus was not using theological jargons, but he used everyday examples to reach his audience and it made sense to them.

Most of us seem to be somewhat parochial in our outlooks, loyalties and concerns. Nevertheless, we appreciate the advice ‘to think globally and act locally.’ As stewards of a world created by a loving and caring God we have no excuse for not having a loving concern for people throughout the world, irrespective of caste, colour, and creed. The digital environment provides a huge range of opportunities for God’s mission. In a world where an ever increasing number of people are connected to the internet and mobile phones, the possibilities of reaching out to all sorts of people and generations are greater than they have been at any time in history.

Lord Donald Soper was a very effective Methodist preacher, in the second half of the twentieth century, at the speaker’s corner at the Hyde Park near Marble Arch in London. He encouraged his hearers to heckle him and he used that opportunity to reach out to the very same heckler and others around him because he understood and spoke the language, used their idioms, and engaged with the mood of his audiences. We are told over and over again that the young people of the Mar Thoma Diaspora communities are disenchanted with the church and its liturgical worship. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for our church to take this problem seriously and follow Paul’s example by studying the current, continuously changing, youth culture and searching for means and methods of communication, and applying the gospel to the prevalent culture. There is a huge gap in appreciating this urgent need in the ministry of our church. There is an urgent need for ‘churching the churched’ before going after the ‘un-churched’. Is it not important to keep the netted fish in the net and mend the holes before casting the net again for a new fishing expedition? We mostly depend on Sunday schools for post-baptismal faith formation. Are we equipping our youths with sufficient apologetics to cope with the demands and challenges of a university and social networking environment?

Ministry in a Digital World

It is interesting to note how St. Paul broke cultural barriers to reach out to intellectual giants, traders, and poor peasants of his time; he spoke to Jews, Greeks, Romans and Gentiles with relative ease. He used different skills in spreading the gospel of Lord Jesus Christ whom he met on the Damascus Road and his tent-making skills to support his mission. Paul’s ‘reasoning’, an ancient rhetoric method, to men of Thessalonica and of Athens in Act 17 is an ideal model for ministry even today. Paul starts with research of the prevailing culture (vs 16, 17) then he builds on that knowledge by making links from their culture to the gospel (vs 22, 23). He was taking the pulpit to the pews, to people where they assembled at synagogues and market places, where people found it easy to assemble; it is important to meet people in their cultural milieu and in their comfort zones. He respected his audiences’ history and culture because persuasion requires the active participation and even the heckling of audiences. As we know, Paul’s methodology was very effective. Jesus’ parables are prime examples of using cultural conventions and traditions in His

However much many of us resist, we need to make policies by taking into consideration not only the present realities of the world as it, but also the world we would love to see to be with kingdom values. Whilst we continue to use traditional methods and print media for satisfying the emotional needs of the older generation we should be mindful of the needs of the young people and use the digital media to reach them. It is gratifying to see that over the last two years the Mar Thoma Diocese of North America and Europe has embarked on using internet for sending daily meditations. These meditations are mostly written by young laypeople of the church. This is indeed a very praiseworthy initiative. Revd Dr. Thomas Philips, Sinai MTC, North London, is using web casting/ skype very effectively to conduct Bibles 10

studies for the young people; he is finding a day and time convenient to young people and using media with which they are comfortable and breaking into their comfort zones. A series of webbased seminars known as ‘webinars’ are organized by the World Council of Churches, in co-operation with the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, in consultation with the Canadian Council of Churches and with support from the United Methodist General Board of Disciples. This will set the scene for a major conference of mission professionals, academics and church leaders on “Reclaiming Evangelism: Celebrating Change and Collaboration.” These are good models, which others may be able to emulate. Doing gospel work online may seem a strange thing to begin with; it can certainly take you to new places and creates new relationships in the virtual space. However, such virtual ministry will never replace meeting people in person on Sunday morning worships or fellowship meetings. It has its negative side as well as we notice in TV evangelism and parading the Holy Communion on the box. We are in the middle of a digital revolution that will have an enormous impact on all our lives as the printing press (Gutenberg 1440CE) did in the 15 th century. Hence we need to be very careful and disciplined in using these new technologies for interacting with people and not exploiting people who are emotionally vulnerable. Anyone can post their thoughts on the social media and there is no clearly defined source of authority of a church or a bishop in that virtual space. In the post-modern world the interpretation of a text depends on the people who read it. For the postmodernists, every presentation is a re-presentation and every author of a book or article is dead, writer has no authority over the text once the text is in the public domain. It is the reader who interprets the text using his/her cultural context. The very foundation of authority is being challenged. Therefore, we can no longer enjoy on the privileges of respect and authority we have come to enjoy and respect. Hence we should be mindful of using the modern communication media.

time to consider the importance of the subsidiarity principles in the management and governance of the Mar Thoma Diaspora regions. At present, it is the young people and women who are marginalised and silenced through a top-down hierarchical hegemony. We must identity these margins and help to recover the agency of the margins for their growth and expression of their faith. It is refreshing to see how Pope Francis is effectively using twitter to reach his people and he is leading the way; he has a twitter account in nine languages with over 12 million followers; it is indeed an amazing transformation. We hope that our community will rise to the challenges of hyperconnected super highways of communication with courtesy and discipline. Being disciplined in using the digital communication may be counter cultural, but that is what the Christian message is all about; our involvement may bring the necessary discipline in propagating the Christian message of love under the grace of God. The internet-based applications including websites, blogs, facebook, podcasts, and apps are opening up new frontiers for church’s mission, ministry and pastoral care. Training in social communication is an essential area where more emphasis should be given if future ministers are to deliver their ministry effectively; it is time to float the pulpit to reach out to people. We also need to find ways for intergenerational communication that are creative, challenging and convincing. The challenges of today’s new globalized culture demand new and deeper efforts not only to read the signs of the times but also to see the challenges for being a new way of being a church in the digital age.

There are some positive things in the postmodern way of thinking as well. They argue that what is on the margins decide what is at the centre. Jesus cared for people on the margins of the society, so we should. Margins should help the centre to formulate policies and restructure the society. It is 11

Silence of the Plant Kingdom Rev Dr. M. J. Joseph, Kottayam

Repeat the words of the poet Keats: Truth is beauty, Beauty is truth Yes, truth does not shout, It is silent. Beauty does not die, It is immortal.

Silence is golden. The plants and the trees speak in silence. They pray in silence. They cook in silence. They flower in silence. How great is the silence of the Plant Kingdom! There is no violence in the Plant Kingdom. They depend on the Sun, the power of the Universe They get dew from above; They too smile, but the human eye is too weak to see. They too have hunger and thirst; The Creator takes care of their needs in a miraculous way. They don’t celebrate their birthday. They bloom where they are planted. They teach humans the ABC of forgiveness. They give shade to the wood- cutter till they fall on the ground.

"For even the son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" Mark 10.45

They call upon the tiger and the lion to give them shelter, They discover the depth of Mother’s bosom. There is bio-diversity under the earth, They put humans to shame by their pluralism under the soil! O my dear friends! You were not consulted when we were created by the Lord Do you know that we are senior to you in age! Why don’t you respect and learn from us? Do you know that you and I have one existence? Remember, you will not be able to live without us.

Mission today: Five Key Themes Revd Canon Philip Mounstephen

It’s a great pleasure to write this short piece for the Mar Thoma ECHO to help you reflect on mission and outreach. For reasons which will become clear I think this is such an important issue for members of the Mar Thoma Church to be considering. For myself I’m delighted to be in partnership with you and consider the calling to speak at the Maramon Convention to be one of the great privileges of my life. I want to help us think about mission by looking at six specific themes. Theme one is this: mission has been and always will be about people. It sounds deceptively simple, but it’s fundamental. Mission is about people. It’s not about technique or strategy – at least not first and foremost. Over the past 216 years CMS has enabled over 10,000 people to engage in the process of connecting person to person in all kinds of places, in all kinds of ways, in order to make Jesus known. Many early missionaries took their possessions with them in a coffin because they had no expectation of ever coming back, so committed were they to that encounter with other people. It is people, singular - and a people, plural – who the Lord chooses and uses to be about his mission. And the members of the Mar Thoma Church are amongst that people! Please never ask whether God has called you to engage in mission and outreach. He has. He has chosen you for that task. The question is, rather, are you obeying that call? Theme two: mission in today’s world is from everywhere to everywhere. Mission was once from ‘over here’ to ‘over there’, from North to South, from ‘the West to the Rest’. But now we are part of

a truly global family, so mission today is not just about people going from ‘over here to ‘over there’: it is ‘from everywhere to everywhere’. Mission today is not mono-directional and inflexible, but multi-directional and very flexible. And you are part of that changing scene. You are not where you are by accident. God has called you out from the ancient heartland of the Mar Thoma Church (where the gospel was preached long before it ever came to my country, to England). And he has called you out with a purpose, and that purpose is mission. You are part of his global people who he is deploying to make the good news of Jesus known across the face of the world. You are not here by accident, but by the calling of God.

Theme three is this: mission must take culture seriously. The best description of culture I know is this: culture is ‘the way we do things around here’. It’s the way we eat our food, live in our houses, lie down to sleep, go to work. It’s the way we go about the simplest and the most basic things of life. For mission to take culture seriously means that we don’t go to other people and say, ‘Come to us and be like us’. Instead we go to other people and – as far as we can – we become like them, because that is exactly what Jesus did. He became like us, that we might become like him. And that is the path we are to follow. We are to humble ourselves amongst others - not that they might become like us, but that together we might become like Jesus. God has spread members of the Mar Thoma Church across the world. But do you understand the place, and the people, to which he has called you? You need to make the effort to do so, if you are going to be effective in mission. Mission must always take culture seriously.

Theme four follows from theme three: Europe will be increasingly not the source but the focus of mission. This continent which was once the source of so much missionary activity now desperately needs to receive mission from elsewhere in the world. Europe is the exceptional continent: the one continent on earth where people consider having a religious faith to be strange, whereas in most of the rest of the world it is perfectly normal. So we desperately need to receive the gifts of the worldwide church that are already here amongst us. But let me be honest with you. The Church in the West has not been very good historically at receiving those gifts, perhaps because we’ve not always realised that we need them. But we do! So please don’t hesitate to reach out the hand of friendship to local churches around you. Ask how you can help them in their mission; how you can work together in mission. We need you so much.

Let’s move on to the final theme: mission is the heartbeat of God. In the last few years the Church of England has come to realise that, to quote the words of Tim Dearborn, ‘It is not the Church of God that has a mission in the world; but the God of mission who has a church in the world.’ There’s a huge difference between the two attitudes. In the first mission is just one activity of the Church: mission is smaller than the church. In the second it’s the other way round. Mission is much bigger than the Church because it’s not our mission, it’s God’s. Mission is God’s agenda, his heartbeat: the bringing back of the world to himself. If mission is bigger than the church, then it must change our perspective. The Church of God does not set the agenda for mission. Mission sets the agenda for the Church of God.

involved in the mission of God it is not only the world that will be changed. We will be too. 

Revd Canon Philip Mounstephen is the Executive Leader of the Church Missionary Society. He took up this role in October 2012 after five years as chaplain of St Michael's, Paris, a large multicultural church in the centre of the city. He described himself as "thrilled and delighted" to have been asked to lead the CMS community in mission. He is deeply committed to the church around the world. He is very much a 'people person' - his role at St Michael's Paris brought him into regular contact with everyone from the homeless to ambassadors. He was a speaker at the Maramon convention.

"Without truth there is no kindness, without kindness the truth cannot be told" Tolstoy

The challenge for the Mar Thoma Church, the challenge for every church is this: are we letting the mission of God set the agenda for the church of God? And if we are, just how will things change? For we can be certain of one thing: as we get 14

"Reaching Out – Sharing Faith & Meeting Social Needs” Revd Dr. Valson Thampu

Reaching out, or out-reach, is the genius of the biblical faith. It is the secret of its dynamism.

In the second model, the leader is marked by his outreach. He comes! Because he comes, there is the assurance of redemption and transformation. The Nazareth Manifesto (Lk. 4:18) for example, is ridiculous in respect of the first model. i. e. the ‘come-to-me, but touch-me-not’ model. Imagine a leader of the first model meeting with the woman of Samaria! (Jn.4) First of all, this is a logical impossibility. But, for the sake of argument, let us assume that such a meeting can take place. What would be the outcome? The woman, already fallen, will only be exploited and degraded further. I note this in passing only to underline the danger hidden in the ‘come-to-me’ model or the antioutreach model, which is the reigning model today. What is the rationale for outreach? Why reach out at all? What is the discipline of this outreach?

Out-reach is the very nature of God. Remember how Adam and Eve went and hid themselves, after disobeying God? They would have become anthills if God had not reached out to them! Each time the Jews reneged and slinked away from God, he reached out to them. This ‘outreach’ is a natural and necessary expression of the Creatorship of God. The Creator, unlike a curator, cannot but reach out, when any part of Creation is in peril or decay, just as the Good Shepherd, unlike the hireling, will reach out to the lost sheep (Jn. 10). Incarnation is a historical expression of this outreaching-ness of God. Jesus said clearly and emphatically that He came to seek and save the lost (Lk. 19:10). Given that that is the quintessential purpose of His coming into the world, we should expect that He will sent us out, if we heed His call and go to Him. It is, indeed, to send us out that he calls us to Himself. It is in this sent-ness that Jesus abides with us most powerfully (Jn. 15:4). There are only two models of leadership in the world. First, leaders who expect you to go to them. Such people will make it difficult for you to reach them, even as they expect you go to them! They want you to go to them, but they do not want to have you with them. They understand their importance in terms of this contradiction. Such leaders show off their importance or power in terms of their inhospitality and inaccessibility. This is inherent in the worldly idea of leadership.

Well, the thief also reaches out! So, not every instance of outreach is spiritually valid of humanly beneficial. Outreach has to be, as Jesus defines it, ‘like sheep among wolves’ (Mtt. 10:16). The wolf is a symbol of unilateralism. Outreach, when it is cast in the mould of unilateralism, becomes predatory. The corrupt politician reaches out to the electorate at the time of election. He is a wolf among lambs. The lamb is the symbolic opposite of the wolf. It is, symbolically, mutuality introduced into a world of unilateralism. The lamb will, hence, be at peril. It risks being ripped apart. But the lamb is, mercifully, safe against acquiring the nature of the wolf. The outreach of the wolf and the thief is marked by aggressive self-interest. They live in a world in which neighbours will be victims. You would recall that Jesus, while calling Simon and his brother Andrew, promised to make them ‘fishers of men’. They were, till then, ‘fishers of fish’. What is the difference between the two? Fishers of fish work only for their profit. They are, that is, unilateral. Do their ‘outreach’ results in pain and cruelty. Fishers of men reach out for the sake, and only for the ultimate good, of his fellow human beings. That is the hallmark of the Christian outreach. It is outreach of this kind that embodies the power and possibilities of the biblical faith. Though this has many aspects, we shall, for the time being, look at only two of them: sharing faith and meeting needs. Sharing faith……………… 15

The strategy of sharing faith is put incomparably well by John, the Evangelist: “the Word became flesh” (Jn. 1:14). It is inherent in the logic of outreach that the self (even the Self) changes. The willingness to change is basic to the wholeness of outreach. Hence it is that Jesus said, “He who wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up my cross and follow me.” (Mtt. 16: 24). Outreach, without the saving grace of self-denial, quickly degenerates into the “thief/wolf” model.

plane, we live, mostly, self-exiled. We are not in engagement with the world around us. We marginalize ourselves. Experientially, we live compartmentalized. Our professional life and our faith life are poles apart. Our week days mock our Sundays! What governs one is irrelevant, even incompatible with the other. We are splitpersonalities and there is, alas, no wholeness in us! How, then, can we share faith? We cannot ‘have’ faith, much less ‘share’ faith!

So the Word became flesh. Not that there was anything wrong with the Word! Even the Word has to change itself into something else to be an agent of outreach. If we are in Christ Jesus, we shall be a “new creation” (2 Cor. 5: 17). Or, we shall be ‘born again’ (Jn. 3.3). This is the essential precondition for our outreach to be conducive to sharing the faith. Else, our outreach is likely to discredit the faith. Our educational institutions, for examples, are embodied outreaches. At least they are meant to be. Through them we are in engagement with those outside of our community. Do they, as of today, share the faith or sear the faith? Why are they, if they are, stumbling blocks? Isn’t it because the discipline and strategy that God himself accepted are rejected by them? If the salt has lost in saltiness, it is good only to be cast out and trampled underfoot by others, says Jesus. If, as the administrator of a Christian institution, I do not deny myself and become something other than, or more than, ‘an administrator’ as the world understands this phenomenon, what earthly chance there is that I will share my faith, or may even want to share my faith, with anyone? A Christian Principal is one who is not a stereotypical Principal, but a missionary. To be a missionary in the domain of education, I have to deny myself as Principal. Only when I deny myself as Principal do I become a Christian Principal. To be a King one has to deny oneself. Only the Servant King can be a true King. All else are imposters and pretenders. Those who have ears to hear, let them hear. The second aspect of sharing faith is ‘dwelling amidst’ or ‘being with’. The Word, would have fallen short of the model of ‘sharing faith’ even if it had become flesh, but did not care to ‘dwell in the midst’ of people. “Abide in me, and I in you,” says Jesus (Jn. 15:4). This is an area of crippling weakness for us at the present time. On the social

The third aspect puts the spotlight on who we are, or how others experience us. We need to live in their midst “full of grace and truth”. Grace is that God-given quality in you which enables others to be reminded of the presence and authority of God in interacting with you. Showing the other cheek, for instance, is an expression of this grace. Staying focused on the purpose God has for us in calling us and sending us out –being good and faithful servants- is an aspect of this grace. How we deal with difficult situations, including trials and tribulations (Mtt.5: 11, 12), proves this grace. Sharing faith is not a walk in the park! It cannot be done with human abilities or enthusiasm alone. It has to be a shared labour. In sharing faith we are partners with Christ. This makes us a new Creation. It imbues us with grace and truth. It enables us to abide with people, with even the difficult ones. It enables us to endure. Endurance is the key to effectiveness. He who endures to the end, says Jesus, will be saved. He will be saved from futility and fruitlessness. Sharing faith is not a matter of Crusades and conventions! Remember what St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach by all means; use words, if necessary.” The simplest, and the most effective way of sharing is, in the words of Jesus, “Come and see”. This is a far cry from the predicament of Adam and Eve, who went into hiding! Where do we 16

stand today? Are we in a position to say to people at large, “Come and see!”? Or, do we have to go and hide and our heads in the bush of hypocrisy and playacting? Meeting needs……………….

is not ‘power’ but ‘strength’. Jesus was strong, awesomely strong; but he was powerless. (Characteristically this was lost on those who mocked the Crucified. They were blind to his strength. They clamoured for a display of power!) Power and strength seem, in this contrary world of ours, to be incompatible. Either you have power or you have strength. Power belongs to the order of Mammon and strength comes from the Lord. Strength is inner. Power is derived from external sources, means and institutions. What stands us in good stead is strength. The Holy Spirit is strength of that kind: the strength that transforms adversity into an advantage, pain into a profit, crisis into an opportunity. Any takers for strength?

What most people rarely realize is that meeting needs is the measure of our relevance. The needs all around us are pregnant with opportunities! They comprise the matrix of our relevance. If we do not, or cannot, respond to needs, are we not irrelevant? The fig tree sans fruit, that Jesus cursed? But to see and to respond to the needs of others, we have to bridle our desires, or overcome our covetousness. That is why the Ten Commandments contain the Commandment, “You shall not covet”. Covetousness, on the one hand, degrades us into wolves or thieves and, on the other, makes us blind to the needs of others. We remain so obsessed with our own wants and desires that are cruelly unmindful of the needs of others (cf. The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats). Clarity on the difference between needs and desires is basic to the discipline of being sent out in outreach. If we are not spiritually educated on this distinction, we will be no better, our good intentions notwithstanding, than ‘fishers of fish’. We may meet ‘needs’ if you like; but they will only be our own needs; or what we think are our needs, which may not be needs at all. How much land, Count Leo Tolstoy asks through a short story, does a man need? Enough to enable him to work and live? Or enough to make him collapse and die? Remember the Rich Fool? God has placed us in a world of needs. And what is more, we live in a world that denies needs and pursues desires murderously. There is mounting confusion everywhere on this count. Take an illustrative example. Most people covet power: the reason why we have kissa kursi ka. What we need

One of the basic needs that we have is the need to understand our needs aright. This is discernment. Consider the parable of the Lost Son. He thought he needed the licentious, riotous freedom of the ‘far country’. He learns the hard way that it is the love of a father that he needs. There is really no point in busying ourselves with meeting needs if we are not spiritually educated about what the ‘needs’ are and we do not share that ‘faith insight’ with others. That is why Jesus gave the mandate to his disciples, as he sent them out on their mission, to “preach and heal” (Mtt. 10: 7,8). Prophetic preaching sets people free from their slavery to the pattern of the world which is driven by the multiplication of desires and wants. The ‘pattern’ of the world is the substitution of needs with desires. All human beings have a fundamental need for God. Man cannot live by bread alone. But we cannot live without bread either. Hence Jesus’ instruction, “Give them something to eat”. Consider the profundity of this situation. It is the Living Bread, the Bread of Eternal Life that says, “Give them something to eat”! It is this balance between the eternal and the temporal, the spiritual and the material, the worldly and the other worldly, the intimate and the ultimate that we need. Nothing less will do. Remember Jesus on the Jericho road? He stops to ask the blind man, Bartimaeus, “What is it that you

want me to do for you?” What is it, in other words, that you need? Thank God, he was not confused. “Rabbi,” he cried out, “I want to see!” We have a

stand on. Seeing him boy stopped crying! That is the power, if you like, of the beggar’s outreach. How does it matter that it is accidental? The beggar ministered to the boy’s need better than his father did. Isn’t this splendid irony? How can we meet people’s needs, for God’s sake, when we are so confused about our own needs? Hence it is that Jesus exhorted his disciples, “Watch and pray!” * The Author is the Principal of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi.

need to have our eyes opened. Everyone! If only Christian education were to result in opening the eyes of the blind! It is not –pray don’t get me wrong- that material needs do not matter. They do. But material needs abound in the scope for misunderstanding. Take your ubiquitous cell phones. How often should you change your model? And how expensive need your phones be? If it is to meet your need to communicate? Is it, really? What is your need? Is it to communicate? Or is it to afford a vague feel-good-factor? Or, to show off? Or, to keep up with the Joneses? Or, is it to play mischief? If it is to communicate, is it necessary to invest in newer and more jazzy phones? Isn’t it more important to develop yourself so that you ‘have something to say’ when you use the phone? To become a person whose communication will enrich others? How will catching up with the latest model in the market help in this respect? What is the use in having the best communication instrument when you have really nothing worthwhile to communicate?

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" John 16: 33

It is through outreach that we learn to critique our needs and to discover the needs of others. This has a liberating effect on us. Often we remain grumpy just because we do not know the realities of the world we live in. We are like the boy in a poem from yester years who kept crying because the pair of shoes his dad bought for him was not to his liking, until a beggar came along who had only one leg to 18

The Mar Thoma Church: Gender Equality in the Sacred Space Jesudas M. Athyal. This article discusses the wider implications of a major milestone in women’s participation in the Mar Thoma Church (MTC). The denomination is part of the ancient Indian Church that traces its origin to the missionary work of Saint Thomas in south India during the first century AD. Today hundreds of congregations of MTC exist in the diaspora all over the world. The Church, while accepting at the theological level the full participation of women in all realms, has so far been reluctant to take administrative steps to include women in the pastoral ministry of the Church. MTC’s response to the “Lima Document” of 1982 entitled “Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry” by the Commission on Faith and Order, stated: “… the Mar Thoma Church presently has barriers due to custom, culture, tradition on allowing women to share in the ordained ministry of the church. It is earnestly hoped that these will break down as men develop greater consciousness of the change of times and women become willing and open to new challenges that God is opening before them.” Anitha Oommen at the high altar along with the chief celebrant, Bishop Theodosius, and others

women in the sacred space of the high altar was considered taboo. The event of January 4, therefore, marked a major step in the participation of women in the ministry of the church. While the question of women’s participation in all realms of the church seems to be a settled matter in most mainline Protestant churches, this continues to be debated vigorously in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches. Like the churches of Indian origin, the Catholic and Orthodox churches too do not ordain women as priests, though they follow a less rigid approach with regard to the presence of women at the high altar. Both the traditions have a long history of women serving as acolytes and, in certain cases, as deacons. According to the Catholic scholar Phyllis Zagano, women as deacons is not a concept for the future but “for the present, for today.” Pope Francis too has emphasized that understanding women’s participation in the Church cannot be limited “to the acolyte, to the president of Caritas [and] the catechist.” Instead, what is needed today, according to him, is “a more profound theology of women.” The Orthodox churches in many parts of the world, till a few centuries ago, had the practice of female deacons though, for a number of reasons, it fell into disuse. The practice, however, has neither been abolished by canon or a council nor completely disappeared. The Inter-Orthodox Theological Consultation that met in Rhodes, Greece in 1988 noted that deaconess were ordained within the sanctuary during the Divine Liturgy with two prayers: she received the orarion (the deacon’s stole) and received Holy Communion at the altar. The consultation affirmed the need to revive the practice of women deacons. Anitha along with the bishop and clergy

Under the reform movement initiated by Dr. Geevarghese Mar Theodosius, the current bishop of the Mar Thoma Church’s Diocese of North America and Europe, the Rev. Sam Panicker, the Vicar of the Carmel Mar Thoma Church (Hudson, MA) assigned Ms. Anitha Oommen, a member of the congregation, to be the Deacon for the Holy Communion service on Sunday, January 4, 2015. This was, perhaps, the first time that a woman served as the deacon (atmaya sishrushakan / lay minister) for the regular Holy Communion service in a parish church of MTC, as the very entry of

Even though the notion that women are inferior to men is a deeply rooted tradition in many parts of the world, modernization and secularization have challenged to a certain degree the patriarchal structures of the West. The waves of change have influenced the traditional patriarchal structures of 19

India as well, but religion there seems to be the last bastion of male dominance. On the one hand, under the impact of modernization and urbanization, many Indian women have moved out of the house and into the professional space. Women today enjoy an equal status with men in most areas of the secular life. The religious structures, however, is where the age-old traditions are reinforced and solidified. Even the Indians in the West, who lead highly successful

and professional lives in the secular world, are seen to fall back on tradition – translated here as casteist and patriarchal values – in the religious sphere. As George Zachariah put it, “the association between Patriarchy and Casteism based on notions of purity and pollution has influenced the doctrines and the ecclesial practices of the Indian churches.” [See the Keynote Address presented at the seminar of the American Academy of Religion in Chennai (India) on the theme, “Identity and Social Distinctions among Indian Christians, at Home and in the Diaspora: Some Theological Reflections," on July 19, 2014 (unpublished).]

much remains to be accomplished, this, truly, is a moment for celebration and thanksgiving. Jesudas Athyal is a Visiting Researcher at the Boston University School of Theology and a member of the Mar Thoma Church; he represents the Church in the Inter-faith Commission of the National Council of Churches. This article was originally published in patheos.com:

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/religionnow/2015/ 03/the-mar-thoma-church-gender-equality-in-thesacred-space/#ixzz3V9ExjbbS

“Be holy, because I am holy" 1Peter 1:15

What happened on January 4 was historic, at least as far as the Indian churches are concerned. The church in the diaspora has managed to pose a challenge, howsoever insignificant, to the age-old stranglehold of patriarchal supremacy in the churches of Indian origin. If the resistance of the Indian churches to gender equality in the sacred space is rooted more in the religious tradition of purity and pollution than in the reformed Christian values, does it also follow that the churches in the diaspora, that are at the intersection between the Eastern and Western values, can provide the favourable ground for a feminist reinterpretation of Christian ministry? Questions remain, but an important step in gender equality in the sacred space has been attempted and achieved. Though 20

Lent Talks by Lord Leslie Griffiths [Lord Griffiths was a past president of the Methodist Church and elevated to the House of Lords in 2005, and he sits on the Labour benches. The following is a summarised version of five Lent talks that he gave to the Churches Together Ecumenical body in North London in 2015. Dr. Zac Varghese]

The 2015 Lent talks were given by the Revd Dr Leslie Griffiths on the theme ‘I believe in One, Holy Catholic, Apostolic, Evangelical, Charismatic, Radical and Liberal Church’. The main thrust of the theme was that over the centuries various churches and groups confiscated and owned these Spirit-filled words for their own exclusive needs and for controlling members of the churches, and directing them in various ways. The five weeks’ journey with Lord Griffiths was an amazing liberating experience to realise that one does not have to move out of one’s denomination to declare without hesitation that one belongs to ‘one holy, catholic, apostolic, charismatic, radical and liberal church.’ On the first week, the discussions centred on: ‘One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church’. He introduced the Trinitarian, ‘differentiated unity’ of oneness and the unity in diversity. Disunity is a flagrant violation of our faith in Christ. We need to cling to everything that we have got. Church has not changed with ‘the change.’ There were seven Ecumenical Councils, but the model of the Ecumenical Council of unity is the Ecumenical Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15 when the need for circumcision was removed. We may have to give up something that we most cherish. Creeds excluded many more people than they included; creeds have

limits. There were linguistic issues in reaching consensus over the final agreements on the Nicene Creed. It may become more of a hindrance than a help. On holiness, he said that holiness is the right relationship with God. Holiness is an interior elated state; holiness is a set-apart sacred experience. But it has been thought of in other terms, too, such as standing out, chosen, not contaminated with other people, keeping distinct, racial purity and not intermarrying and so forth. There is a pejorative way of thinking of holiness, too, an elevated way having the pretence of purity, and having outward practices of devotion, to have certain purity laws. But holiness is not an outward thing; it is a sincere and humble relationship with God. It is being part of a holy people at the disposal of others, but not the membership of an exclusive club. The Methodist view of perfection, activists serving the world, was mentioned. Holiness also means one is called upon to serve. Moving on to the word ‘catholic’ he explained that when capitalized, Catholic refers to the Catholic Church. With a lower-case ‘c,’ catholic means ‘universal’ and ‘inclusive.’ When the early Christians used the term ‘catholic,’ they were not referring to any particular church, denomination, rite, or communion. They were simply referring to all true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. On the Apostolic Church, Lord Griffiths had the following to say: an apostle is someone who is sent. A missionary church is an apostolic church. Apostolic succession became an issue for many denominations to establish the validity of their three-fold ministry of bishops, priests and deacons. In the English context, bishops were ordained before the physical separation of the Church by Henry VIII. The apostolic succession continued. Reformation is not about establishing a new church, but going back to the origin of the Church in apostolic times. The second talk was about the Church being ‘evangelical.’ He quoted from William Blake, ‘The cistern contains; the fountain overflows,’ to emphasise the imperatives involved in the evangelical urge to preach the gospel of Christ, very much like a fountain that overflowing under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Evangelicalism varies with different confessions and denominations. He talked about various confessions, such as the 21

Westminster and Augsburg confessions of the Reformed and Lutheran traditions. He traced the problems of the inerrancy of the Bible and biblical literalism. God reconciled man through Jesus Christ and not the other way round; God is the one taking the initiative and ‘knocking at the door’, but the handle is inside the door as in the famous painting of The Light of the World at St Paul’s Cathedral. Some evangelical enterprises have a habit of making cost-benefit analysis in terms of money spent in terms of individuals saved. There is a certain danger in TV evangelism and in big crusades. Hell-fire preachers try to drive people to the arms of our Lord through fear. The emphasis should be on winning people and not driving them. We should think not only about the salvation of the individual soul but of the whole community. We should see the social need in the context of God’s unconditional love for all mankind. It is not about preaching the Gospel, but living it. Our neighbour will know whether we are a Christian or not.

The third week was about a ‘Radical Church.’ He described the difference between fundamentalism and radicalism. Fundamentalism is inorganic and it is set in stone or under concrete slabs with their inbuilt inflexibility and rigidity. On the other hand, radicalism is organic and it is a movement. He spent time on explaining the revival movement in Latin America and liberation theology. There are various types of Christian radicalism. Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s religion-less Christianity and his emphasis on costly grace is an important aspect of Christian radicalism. Pope John XXIII and Vatican II are important, too, in this respect. Radicalism is about going underneath, watering the roots, and transforming. Pope Francis’s approach in having a bias for the poor is also important. Radicalism should be rooted in the Gospel. A Gospel-centred watering the roots is necessary for Christian nurturing.

The talk on the fourth week was on the charismatic or Pentecostal church. Pentecostalism is a form of Christianity that emphasizes the work of the Holy Spirit, the gifts and fruit of the Spirit. He traced the history and development of Pentecostalism in Wales through the early work of Evan Roberts from 1904. He developed the practise of ‘hwyl’, which is ‘excited preaching’ in an emotional and engaging way to move and make people commit to God. 100 years before this James Buckley started a revival movement in Wales. Pentecostalism is a very successful and fast growing movement; more than 14% of Christians world-wide have Pentecostal/Charismatic affiliations. Speaking in tongues is considered to be very significant in the charismatic movement. St Paul gives guidelines about speaking in tongues and other the gifts of the Spirit in Romans, 1 Corinthians, Ephesians, and Galatians. One should consider the question: is there a floating authority for giving the Holy Spirit the authority for one’s own intentions and ideas. Sometimes people take things for granted and then there is the danger of mannerisms and traditions remaining after the power of the Spirit has gone. We should try to hang on to the timeless truth in our mainstream churches. Why do charismatic Christians feel compelled to leave the mainline churches to express their charismatic experiences? The final week was on the liberal church. He traced the historical development of Enlightenment and liberal thinking in Europe through the work of René Descartes; Descartes established ‘discourse method’ to explain realities with mathematical precision and scientific evidence. ‘I think therefore I am’ is his famous dictum. Physics replaced metaphysics. Alexander Pope said, ‘The proper study of mankind is man.’ The Church was against scientific innovations in earlier centuries; scientists were thought to be heretics. Pope Benedict XVI rehabilitated Galileo in 2008. The historical critical method of studying the Bible was discussed; there is also a liberal way of interpreting the Bible, but at times it can be risky position. He explained the JEDP way of studying the Pentateuch. Some errors crept into the Bible through copying errors. One should be careful about literal interpretation of the Bible, too. The capacity of the Bible to interpret itself was discussed, which is a surprising experience when studying the Bible. Sometimes for giving emphasis on a point, some selected references may be used 22

at the exclusion of others. To illustrate this point Lord Griffiths pointed out James, brother of Jesus, using the Greek version of Amos for supporting the stand of Peter and Paul on circumcision for the Gentiles during the Council of Jerusalem. Sometimes people are tempted to introduce personal bias into interpreting the Bible; this is one danger of becoming too liberal. One should be careful in preserving the timeless truth while adapting to the times.

Repetition and Recollection Dr. Zac Varghese, London

These weekly lectures were followed by searching questions and very rewarding answers. Attendance of kept on increasing from week one, which is a measure of the quality and satisfaction derived from these talks.

"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by good life, by deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom" James 2: 13

The title of this short meditation is based on a quotation from the Danish Philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard. In his essay on ‘Repetition’ he wrote: “Repetition and recollection are same movements, only in opposite directions; for what is recollected has been, is repeated backwards, whereas repetition (properly so called) is recollected forwards. Therefore repetition, if it is possible, makes a man happy, whereas recollection makes him unhappy.” This is not an easy quotation to understand because of the way it is constructed. The important aspect is the forward and backward movements of memory of various incidents in one’s life. Mere recollection is just a memory check, possibly a mental exercise. Forward movement of recollection is an active re-enactment of an experience long forgotten. What does this mean? One may have a recollection of one’s wedding on a wedding anniversary celebration, but it is a totally different experience to live out the moment of the very first meeting of one’s life’s soul mate and partner. Life would be amazing and magical if one can repeat and live out that beautiful, magnetic, emotional moment of that first meeting again and again. This may be also true of the birth of a child and such experiences. For few, it may be possible to remember the inexplicable joy of obtaining a perfect ten during a mathematical exercise or obtaining a first rank. Our inability to recollect these events in a forward movement is the beginning of a tension in many relationships.

God. It is to this heaven He always invites us to enter. He is at the door knocking to come in and share the experience of travelling forward with us. He is willing and ready to walk with, but are we ready and willing to walk with Jesus? This sort of awareness helps us to bring a new life and dimension into all relationships. This is the ‘Liturgy after the Liturgy;’ it is the Eucharistic experience of everyday living; it is simply and experience of receiving, thanking, breaking, and sharing. This is indeed the everyday theology of life. Recollection is a journey from here to there, in a backward direction, a return journey; but repetition is a journey from there to here and now; it is in the now we live and love and have our being. It is the magical transformation of ‘being-for-itself to ‘being-for-others’ experience. It is that momentous decision to live within the life of the other, a lifelong friendship of a divine kind. It is a forward journey; we are leaping back to the beginning of time and starting that journey again. Such experiences are not measured or remembered in chronological time, but they are timeless kairos moments. Greeks have two understanding about time, chronos and kairos; chronos is quantitative, measured in seconds, minutes, and hours; whereas kairos is qualitative; it is a timeless experience. We forget time when we have a really good time with a friend. Further, it refers to a right, perfect moment. We can become a timeless traveller through chronos time of traveling from here to those golden perfect moments in our lives. This is reliving in absolute joyfulness. This what St. Paul probably had in mind when he wrote to Thessalonians, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1Thessalonians 5: 16).

"You give them something to eat" Luke 9: 13

The point is that it is not possible to embrace the repetition of an entire life because there are situations and incidents we may want to forget or edit out. This editing out is repentance and kneeling on our knees and asking forgiveness to our God. The good news is that God in His abundant mercy is always willing to wipe out these transgressions; it is God who is in control of the delete button. The redness of our sins are wiped out with His blood on the Cross to make us as white as snow, and He gives us the freedom to start reliving all the golden moments under the grace of 24

News & Reports Hermon MTC, Midlands, UK Parish Day Celebration

Hermon Mar Thoma Church, Midlands, UK celebrated its 8th Parish day on Saturday 9th May 2015. The celebrations started with a Holy Communion service followed by a common meeting. The Vicar Rev.Vinoj Varghese in his presidential address, encouraged the congregation to uphold the spiritual nourishment in the journey of faith of our parish. The chief guest Fr. Joseph Mathew S. J. (Ignatian Spirituality Center, St.Beuno's Retreat Centre, North Wales) inaugurated the meeting by lighting the lamp. Throughout his inaugural speech, he emphasized that Jesus is our friend and that we must acknowledge this and use our relationship with Jesus to the full. It was an opportunity for our parishioners to come together in celebration. The Parish day report was presented by the secretary: Giboy George. The presentation by Sunday school children and songs by the church choir were highlights of the day. The trophies for the recently held ‘4th Hermon Mar Thoma Badminton

Tournament’, organised by the Youth Fellowship were also distributed during the meeting. VicePresident Dr.Sunny Thomas welcomed the congregation and Trustee Mr. Thomas Abraham gave the vote of thanks. An excellent lunch was shared by all at the end. Giboy George, Secretary.

Golden Jubilee of the Ordination of Revd Dr. M. J. Joseph and ‘The Golden Beams’ The Mar Thoma Church is grateful to God for the ministry of Revd Dr. M. J. Joseph for his ministry for the Last fifty years. His friends from all parts of the world have gathered at Valiakavu, Ranni, Kerala, on 28th June 2015 to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of his ordination and for releasing the Festschrift volume, ‘The Golden Beam.’ Many dignitaries spoke during the public meeting including Rt. Revd Geevarghese Mar Athanasius, Professor P.J. Kurien (Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha) and Justice K.T. Thomas and Dr. Mathews Chunakara.

‘The Golden Beams’ is a splendid Festschrift volume brought out to thank God for the ministry of Revd Dr. M.J. Joseph. It is interesting to look at the list of dignitaries who have contributed to this volume and their amazing insights on achen’s transparent life. We thank the editors, Professor Dr.J.Jegadish Gandhi and very Revd Cherian Thomas for their splendid efforts. He has God-given talents to diffuse into the lives of his friends and live within them; it is an ability to cross walls and boundaries without an effort. Dr. P. J. Alexander wrote: "When I look around today and see a jostling array of red belts, tired and retired, I wish we had the large heartedness to recognize Achen’s merit – unique and considerable achievements all round, and intrinsic finesse as exemplified in his job performance everywhere – even if seniority did not help his claims. Achen has stoically accepted the stark neglect, without trying to push his claim with his usual grace." Achen has faithfully accepted the motto of the church, ‘Lighted to Lighten’; he reflected the ‘Light’ that fell on him from a very young age. This book tells the story of how achen became a blessing for the church and for many others in the ecumenical and eco-spiritual arenas. A gift is not a gift if it is not shared. Achen happily shared his gifts and blessings generously. ‘The Golden Beams’ is a true record on how to do the servant ministry as a disciple of the Triune God. We recommend this book to our readers. May Achen continue to bring blessings to many and may achen and his family enjoy good health and happiness. This book is published by CSS, Tiruvalla, Kerala (Price rupees 300, $25) Email:csspublications@dataone.in

The Editorial Board

The First Mar Thoma Congregation in Wales The 1st of April 2015 will be remembered among the Marthomites in South Wales as a momentous occasion. It was on this day, with the blessings of Rt. Revd Dr. Geevarghese Mar Theodosius Episcopa, that the Cardiff Mar Thoma Congregation was officially declared an independent congregation within the Northern America & Europe Diocese. The inaugural service was held on the same day with the celebrant being Rt. Revd Euyakim Mar Coorilos Episcopa, who incidentally was also the celebrant for the first Mar Thoma Worship in Wales back in March 2008. Representative of Mar Thoma Churches from UK were represented in the inaugural service and conveyed their best wishes. The Cardiff Mar Thoma Congregation started out as a prayer group of the St Thomas Mar Thoma Church, Bristol. A few members would regularly travel to Bristol to attend the worship service there in the early noughties. A first prayer meeting was held in September 2006 with the vicar Rev Benu John presiding and since then prayer meetings have been conducted once every month in Cardiff. Sunday school, with a handful of students, and the first worship service in Cardiff commenced in March 2008 under the able leadership of Revd Dr. Abraham Mathew. Today the Sunday school has 30 students and is conducted regularly every Sunday. VBS has also been conducted with around 50 – 60 students participating over the last 3 years. A second worship service every month and divine service every other Sunday also commenced under the stewardship of Revd KP Johnson. The congregation presently has approximately 25 active families and meets at the Trinity Methodist Church, Cardiff for worship and other related activities. The members are also in close fellowship with the Methodist community and other ethnic minority Christians who worship at the same church. An active Sevika Sangham has also been in existence conducting regular prayer meetings once every week since the past 3 years. The congregation owes a debt of gratitude to the mother Parish, St Thomas Bristol and The Trinity Methodist Church, Cardiff for their support and nurture over the past years and most importantly, 26

to the Almighty for the abundance of grace received. The members request your continued prayers during these early and challenging days of its existence.

The VBS started at 9:30 am with Rev Thomas Philip Achen’s message on Samuels’s story where he mentioned to the children about how God

Report Compiled by Mr. Zac Abraham and Mr. Jaffey Chacko

Sinai Mar Thoma Church Sunday school VBS 2015 Harrow, North West London. Mrs. Jency Sharlay Varghese “Teach me your way Lord, I will walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name” (Psalms 86:11). The Sinai MTC Sunday School had the opportunity to organize its first one day VBS on 30 May 2015. The theme for the VBS was ‘One Direction’ which aimed at teaching the children that Jesus is the only way to God the Father. There were 30 children from various denominations who participated in the event. Each child was given t-shirts and Sunday school badges; these were designed by Mr. Santhosh and Mrs. Mini Santosh. The children were divided into 3 groups according to the age seniors, juniors and sub juniors. The groups were

led by Mr. Abraham Mathews, Mrs. Mini Santhosh, Mr. Ray Koshy, Mrs. Lindy Koshy, Mrs. Shiny Ashley & Miss Sonia Mathew.

speaks to them through parents, teachers, friends and family. He also advised children to allow God to work His ways in them. After Achen’s message the Sunday school teachers led the children with sing song session where the children were taught new songs including the theme song ‘We walk in One Direction’ which was composed by our parish member Mr. Sharlay Varghese. Children were then dispersed into their respective groups and had activities like role plays, drawing, storytelling, crafts, colouring, bible study, group discussion for senior groups. Lunch and refreshments were also provided by our parish members Mr. Saji Samuel and Mrs Liji Samuel. The session ended with children reflecting upon the theme. Overall it was a very fruitful and a blessed day for not only the children but was also encouraging for the parents who were able to the see their children full of energy and enthusiasm even at the end of the day. On Sunday 31 May 2015 after the service, the children presented an action song based on the VBS theme song ‘We walk in One Direction’ and also each group gave a report on the group activities during the VBS day. This was followed by prize and compliment distribution to the children to motivate and reward them for their participation. Everyone in the parish commended on the efforts of the teachers and children who participated in the VBS. Sinai Mar Thoma Church is grateful to our achen for his leadership, the teachers and volunteers for their efforts in making this first VBS a grand success. We thank God for our beautiful children.

Alisha – A Lighthouse of Faith Alisha, the daughter of Rajeev and Beena Jacob, members of the St Thomas MTC, Bristol, UK was called to be with the LORD at 12 PM on June 28, aged 12. She was their second child along with her sisters Amisha and Anisha.

the pain was unbearable and said, “Jesus suffered so much on the cross without pain killers.” She always greeted everyone with the most beautiful radiating smile even during her most painful times. What astonished anyone visiting was her incredible faith and love for Jesus, along with the faith of her family. She would boldly, without inhibitions encourage her relatives, neighbours, school teachers and friends to go to church and meet with Jesus! On June 25, she went into a coma, but came out of it the next day in the midst of much prayer. However once back, she wanted to see all her loved ones and friends and would repeatedly hug them while waving goodbye with both hands. For three days amidst prayer, she would sit late into the night and talk to those around her. The night before she passed away, she said to her father, “The angels are gathering all around!” On the morning of June 28, she had breakfast, drank water from her favourite school bottle and said she wanted to sleep. With no outward indication of pain or any discomfort she passed away in extraordinary peace.

She was diagnosed with cancer in September last year and was given two weeks to live in December. Amidst the prayers of many throughout the parishes in the UK and those around the world, she had an incredible encounter with Jesus alongside Michael, the archangel, where she was given a sword by the Lord to fight against a force of darkness that afflicted her. She recovered miraculously and started attending church and even went back to school. During the months that followed, she would have regular experiences of visiting heaven and being with Jesus. Having little prior knowledge of the Book of Revelation in the Bible, she described in detail the river of life that flows through heaven, language of the angels, the trees, flowers, animals, gates of heaven and the throne room. She recounted the incredible peace in that place and would say to her family that she wanted to be there. She explained how whenever Jesus came, numerous angels would gather in a train of pair formation, before and behind Him. He would always smile, hug and kiss her every time she met Him. He showed her His nail pierced hands and also revealed the Last Supper, and the times before His crucifixion. Such were her revelations that she refused to take pain killers till

Her incredible journey of faith and love with amazing revelations of Jesus and heaven stands as a towering testimony to this generation and is an inspiration to all whose lives, she touched, and continues to reach. May we one day join with her and with our LORD Jesus Christ! May her soul rest in peace!

Bristol Mar Thoma Church

ECHO Garden Appachan…..Now you’re gone Hannah Lydia Ord*

It seems so strange, now you’re gone, So quick, so fast, and now you’re gone.

How many times by the window, have I seen you say hello, How many times have I heard you crack jokes, before you had to go. How many times is it now, that I have seen you pray? As your body left your soul, on that sad and fateful day. It seems so strange, now you’re gone, So quick, so fast, and now you’re gone. How many times, have I seen your toothy smile? How many times now, have I seen your jumper style? How many times, have I seen you eat Ammachi’s curry? But now you’re gone , left us behind , in what seems such a hurry. It seems so strange, now you’re gone, so quick, so fast ,and now you’re gone. Death comes so quickly, and snatches cruelly, But I am happy for you, truly. As you stand, and watch me from above, Throughout your life, spreading laughter as well as love. At peace, at rest, with many others, Fathers, sisters, mothers, brothers

I say to you all, and all that can hear, My Appachan, he rests right here. A guardian angel for all to see, Up there in heaven, guiding me. It seems so strange, now you’re gone, Thank you God for his life, that’s been so loved, and long.

* Miss Hannah Lydia Ord is the granddaughter of late Mr. John Thomas (Johnny), she read this poem, most movingly, at the funeral service of Johnny. She is 12 years old and highly talented. She is in her first year at senior School. On April 9th Hannah won a Scottish BAFTA New Talent Award for Best Actress for a short film “Last Night in Edinburgh.” Mr. John Thomas (Johnny), who has died in March, in Harrow, London, aged 84, was a well-loved member of the Mar Thoma community in the United Kingdom. He was a pioneer, who contributed much for building a Mar Thoma Church in the United Kingdom. The church honoured him through the presence of Rt. Revd Dr. Euyakim Mar Coorilos, and the bishop spoke and highlighted his contributions. We had an uplifting funeral service conducted by Revd. Dr. Thomas Philips and other Priests of the Mar Thoma Church. Representatives from various parishes spoke of the generous contributions of this kind gentleman; it was a fitting tribute and memorial to him in the presence of a large gathering. We offer our condolences to Mrs. Kunjanjamma Thomas and the family and may his soul rest in peace.