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October Edition 2016 Volume 3(4)

Table of Contents
Message from Diocesan Episcopa......................... 3
Editorial ................................................................ 5
Preserving the Timeless while Adapting to the
Times..................................................................... 7
Onam ripples .......................................................11
Eucharistic Life: An Invitation to Preserve the
TIMELESS .......................................................... 12
Young Mowglis of the Pack ................................. 15
Book Review........................................................ 16

The COMPE Executive Committee

President: The Rt. Revd. Dr. Issac Mar Philoxenos
Vice President: Very Revd. V. T. John
Secretary: Mr.P.M.Mathew
Treasurer: Mr.Jaffey Chacko

The Lives around us ........................................ 16

Mar Chrysostom: A Book Review.................... 17
Reports ................................................................ 18
The Second Mar Thoma Youth Conference .... 18
Mar Thoma Family Conference 26th-28th August
2016 ................................................................. 19
Career Advice ..................................................... 20

Editorial Board of the Mar Thoma Echo

Editorial Director: Dr. Zac Varghese
Chief Editor: Very. Revd. V. T. John
Mr. Sherry Mathews
Mr. Oommen Abraham
Mrs. Geena Ajay

Photo Gallery ......................................................23

For private circulation only

Disclaimer: The views published in this journal are
those of its authors. Editors or the COMPE do not
endorse the contents or views expressed and they are
not liable for the contents or views in any form.
Send your articles- compe.echo@gmail.com

Message from Diocesan

Episcopa

O Give thanks to God for His mercy endures for

ever. With thankful hearts, we go forward as a
faith community, in our witness and service to the
Lord Jesus Christ. Often we ask the question,
How far we use the enormous gifts that God has
bestowed on us in a proper manner for the benefit
of all with whom we associate in our living
context. The recently held Mar Thoma family
conference of UK and Europe was another
expression of the oneness of the Mar Thoma
community in this region. It also provided an
opportunity to reflect on the God given gifts and
possibilities, to promote life in keeping the
richness that we received through the Word of
God, and the inspiration to involve in mission
with an openness to receive the guidance of the
Holy Spirit to broaden our understanding of the
other and to bring changes in our perspectives.
We are very happy that those who participated in
the conference including children and youths
have experienced the joy of fellowship and felt the
need to continue our coming together in order to
regain spiritual strength and develop personal
relationship as a community. I appreciate the
efforts taken by the Sinai Mar Thoma church and
the support and contributions of the members of
various Mar Thoma parishes in the U.K. The
participation of all priests of the Mar Thoma
Parishes in this region, along with their parish
members made a difference in the conference.
The speakers of the Conference Rev. Dr. Lord
Leslie Griffiths, Rev. Dr. John Perumbalath, and

Mr. Rod Gilbert, could keep the gatherings alive

with their insightful messages.
The theme of the conference Preserving the
Timeless while adapting to the Times was
relevant in todays fast moving world. It calls for
the understanding of the present and our
concerted efforts to keep what is vital for the
beauty of life. Yes, we are living in revolutionary
times. We all know the changes happening in the
world. It has been noted that over the past 100
years, technological innovation in the developed
world has dramatically changed the way the
human community interacts. Previous to the era,
geographical isolation and simple distance
enabled cultures to retain unique languages and
cultural norms that had developed over millennia.
The development that humanity achieved through
modes of transportation like ships, railroads, cars
and airplanes brought us closer together. In the
modern age, the technological innovations
associated with the internet have made it possible
to join our cultures and communities in the
virtual space so that very few cultures remain
isolated from the impact of outside social forces.
The Word of God and the Christian faith based on
the word is timeless and God-given. However, its
theological and contextual relevance changes
through new interpretation, taking into
consideration the change in time and social as
well as cultural settings of the people. The truth
remains the same while the virtues as well as
Divine nature are unchanging. The challenge we
face today is, how as a faith community we can
adapt the richness of our spiritual heritage in a
changing world. It is our task to interpret the
Gospel to make it more relevant to all generations
and to make the tradition that we follow alive in
the given context.

The Council of Mar Thoma parishes in Europe, is

given the responsibility to organize the family
conference in 2017. During the year, we will be
celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of the Mar
Thoma Community in the UK and Europe.
Various programmes are planned, and I hope
with the collective wisdom of our members from
all parishes, the celebrations can be a time to
renew our commitment to the expansion of our
mission in concrete forms. It is my prayer that
God may continue to guide the Mar Thoma
Parishes in Europe region to live and serve the
Lord meaningfully with renewed vision.
Prayers and regards,
Rt. Rev. Dr. Isaac Mar Philoxenos

Editorial
Preserving the Timeless while adapting to
the Times
For God so loved the world that he gave
his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have
eternal life (John 3:16, New International
Version, NIV).
Lord Griffiths told us at the 34th Mar Thoma
Family Conference that the above biblical verse
was one the favourite verses of his congregation at
the Wesley Chapel when he was selecting a theme
for a sermon on the Pentecost. He asked his
congregation to repeat this verse from their
memory in different native languages, and it was
Pentecost once again with different tongues. In
the King James Version (KJV) we see the phrase
everlasting life and this phrase is commonly used
in our worship services. What does eternal or
everlasting mean?
Ravi Ravindra, a professor of Physics, Philosophy
and Comparative Religion, who wrote a
significant commentary on St. John s Gospel
(The Yoga of Christ), says: Eternity does not
refer to an extension of time or an everlasting
continuation of time; it pertains to timelessness,
to a dimension of being, of consciousness and
perception, which is outside time. Everything that
can be specified and defined belongs to
dimensions of time and space. In TS Elliots
poetical imagination this timelessness is an
occupation for saints:
Mens curiosity searches past and future
And clings to that dimension, But to apprehend
The point of intersection of the timeless
With time, is an occupation for the saint?

Thus the point of intersection of the timeless with

time is eternity. The search in time for a state that

is a free of time is a mystery and the saint, who

searches for this mysteryGodis the one who
enjoys the timeless eternity. The point of
intersection of timeless eternity with time is in the
now; it is in the now we live and have our being
and it is in the now we live and love (Eckhart
Tolle). The timeless truth or wisdom itself has
been at the point of intersection with time. We
often search for eternity without knowing that we
live in the timelessness of that truth. Therefore,
the awareness of eternity does not have to be an
after death experience. God so loved the world
and he sent his only Son so that we have eternal
life. We need to live in that reality, preserve that
truth at all times.
The experiential reality of the Christian faith is
timeless, but its intellectual expressions may
change with the passage of time and cultural
contexts because thought forms, expressions,
presuppositions and suppositions of one age may
be different from that of another. The
fundamental truth of the Christian faith has
survived after two thousand years of living and
testing. Certain aspects and emphasis of
Christianity need to be reformed in order that
Christianity is meaningful and credible today.
Reformation is a continuous process in the flow of
time and it must not be assumed that one aspect
of reformation or one emphasis is meant to be the
ultimate word in our faith journey and the
experiential understanding of the mystery of God.
We should be open to Gods revelations to us in
our time and also should have the humility to
admit that the human expressions of that may
vary and we should be willing to accommodate
and respect such possible variations. What Hans
Kung had to say about this in his book, On being
a Christian, which Lord Griffiths thought as one
of the top ten books, is very significant: Every
formulation of faith, whether made by an
individual or the whole Church, remains
imperfect, incomplete, unclear, partial and
fragmentary, This was also St. Pauls experience
of looking through a glass, darkly: For now we
see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face:
now I know in part; but then shall I know even as
also I am known (I Cor 13:12).
We cannot verbalise or write the whole truth of
our experience of God. We must have the humility
to realise this because when we live in a particular
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country we inevitably see a certain cultural

expression of the truth and miss others. Later
generations may correct our vision in some
respects, but could even be mistaken in some
other aspects. However, despite the limitations of
any attempt to re-state the Christian doctrine,
there is an urgent need for this to be done for our
own intellectual integrity as well as to explain our
Christian faith to others in the society without
hurting their religious sensitivities. It is important
to remember that all our formulations and
understanding of doctrines are partial and
provisional and it is not by these our neighbours
will know that we are Christians. It is by our life
that we make our ultimate statement about our
creator, reconciler and redeemer. Gary Grants
testimony was moving and he showed how he
could live out his Christian faith at the cutting
edge of the business world and help may
unfortunate people in the community.
Rt. Revd Dr. Isaac Mar Philoxenos Episcopa
addressed the conference with the following four
questions. 1. How do we connect ourselves with
the given situations of the world? 2. Why are we
here? 3. How do we understand God? 4. How do
we see God in our lives? Thirumeni spoke of a life
in relationships, a life worthy in the sight of God.
Abraham was challenged to go from the known to
the unknown; he took the challenge with faith and
he was blessed and he brought blessing to others.
Abraham built altars wherever he went; he
thanked, worshipped, and gave glory to God.
Giving glory to God should be our ultimate
concern in all our affairs. Living with the
Kingdom values is the challenge, along with a
longing for justice and love. We should be people
who journey together for justice and peace. The
Church is a pilgrim community. Accompanying
the other is a process of pilgrimage. Scripture and
tradition should help us on our way, but each one
of us is conditioned by our religious and cultural
backgrounds. We will be celebrating the 180th
anniversary of the reformation. Reformation is a
painful process of preserving the timeless while
adapting to the times. We are a reformed and
reforming church.
Lord Griffiths told us many stories relating to his
early life, his life as a Methodist missionary in
Haiti, his work as a Methodist Minister at the
Wesleys Chapel in London and in the socio-

political arena, which showed us a living faith

with hope and charity. He intuitively picked up
three words, Faith, Hope and Love, from the back
of a T-Shirt of a young man and related it to the
theme of the conference. He spoke of having
hope, the feeling of empathy and compassion, in
the suffering of others. He said that we should get
a kick in our stomach when we see the suffering of
others. Internalising the pain of others is
important in our Christian living. He could feel
Gods amazing grace working in the everyday
interactions with the poor peasants of Haiti
during his pastoral ministry there in the
Seventies. He learnt from them and this helped to
make or reformulate him as the man he is today.
How could we ever forget the new life of grace
given to Colbair, the boy born with a congenital
cataract or the escape and transformation of
Loui from gang violence of the inner city life of
London, and in his work in the field of education
for uplifting the under privileged children of the
East End of London or in the House of Lords to
represent people and speak on their behalf with a
Christian understanding and spirituality? Here we
see a priest who is a minister in the church for
50% of his time and an advocate for social justice
outside the church, as an educator, and in the
political arena with the other 50%. He shows us a
way of refocusing our transforming relationship
with God and with one another in the community.
Lord Griffiths took us on a journey of faith, hope
and love and his journey thus far was grounded in
humility and radical love. This is indeed a way of
preserving the timeless, while adapting to the
times. Certainly, God is not a noun, but a verb.

The organisers of the conference deserve or

thanks and praise; they young people of the Sinai
Mar Thoma Church with no previous experience
in organising such a conference did well through
the grace of God; we are very proud of them and
thank them. It will be the last time a single parish
would be expected to bear such a huge
responsibility, from next year the responsibility
would be with all of our parishes and
congregations through the Council of the Mar
Thoma Parishes in Europe (COMPE).
6

Preserving the Timeless

while Adapting to the Times
Revd Dr. Lord Leslie Griffiths*
[The following is a sincere effort in putting
together my understanding and appreciation of
some of the important aspects of Lord Griffiths
three talks at the 34th Mar Thoma Family
conference. This is not exact transcripts of his
talks, but this is what I thought I heard. Lord
Griffiths should not be blamed in any way for
any unintentional inaccuracies occurred in my
reporting of his talks. I very much hope that this
would help to reignite the memories of those who
were at the conference and also of help to those
who could not attend. Lord Griffiths ministry
over the last fifty years, in the postmodern era,
shows how to face the postmodern challenges; he
adapted his ministry to fit the needs of different
cultural contexts and times. His ministry is also
an example of keeping the church and the affairs
of the state in the right balance and not
separating them into watertight compartments.
The theme of the Conference is of special
interest because it was the theme of the
first FOCUS seminar at Santhigiri, in 1999
under the leadership of all the Bishops of
the Mar Thoma Church. I offer this
transcript in memory of Rt. Revd Dr.
Zacharias Mar Theophilus Suffragan
Metropolitan. Dr. Zac Varghese]
Lord Griffiths opened his talk on the above theme
on the morning of 27th August by describing how
he met one of our young people, Ray Koshy, at the
breakfast that morning. Ray was a member of the
Boys Brigade, Lord Griffiths is its president, and
as such they have an oblique connection. Ray gave
Lord Griffiths a copy of a daily Bible study that his
grandfather had owned. Lord Griffiths referred to
the meditation assigned for 27th August in that
spiritual guide, which said, What meanest
thou, O sleeper? Wake up. With that he
asked the audience to wake up and listen, which
they did quite attentively. He then described how
he came across a few members of the Mar Thoma
Church at an ecumenical gathering, for Lent talks,
at Harrow in 2014 and another member in a
meeting at Chesham.

From that he went on to describe the young

reception committee that he had met at the
conference when he arrived, and about another
young man who guided him to his bedroom at the
centre. This was none other than our brilliant
Tarun Alexander, who was walking in front of
them with their luggage and talking continuously;
therefore, Lord Griffiths and Lady Margaret could
not see Taruns face but noticed the three words
on his Tee-shirt, Faith, Hope and Love. This
amazing speaker organised his discourse around
these three words and opened up the theme:
Preserving the timeless while adapting to the
times.
He spoke about the Wesleys Chapel, built by
John Wesley, where he works as a minister and
the congregation, which is made up people from
55 national backgrounds with 24 languages. His
work at the Chapel demonstrates that
multiculturalism is possible, and there is an
abundant opportunity to share the culturalspiritual-capital available there. It is also a place
of pilgrimage for 70 million Methodists worldwide.
He talked about his early life in a Welsh village in
a single parent family with his mother and
younger brother. His mother was not a chapel
goer, but she sent her two children to Sunday
school. His mother said, she is not going to be the
reason for the preacher to preach. She was the
best mother and the best person in the world for
Leslie and his younger brother. She cared for an
Irish lady, Mrs. Readie, who was a widow and
poorer than her, and invited her for Sunday tea
every week; in that hospitable gesture she used up
the entire butter ration available for the week;
Mrs. Readie was treated like a princess. He
recited William Blakes poem on Garden of love
to show how churches have done well in
controlling people, it also depicted the chapel life
in which he grew up.
I went to the Garden of Love,
And saw what I never had seen:
A Chapel was built in the midst,
Where I used to play on the green.
And the gates of this Chapel were shut,
And Thou shalt not. writ over the door;
So I turn'd to the Garden of Love,
That so many sweet flowers bore.
7

And I saw it was filled with graves,

And tomb-stones where flowers should be:
And Priests in black gowns, were walking their
rounds,
And binding with briars, my joys & desires.
Blakes protest to the repression of desires as
operated by conventional Christianity meant that
chapel doors are shut to their real needs, and
people are not free to act. The images of graves
and priests wearing black dress patrolling the
chapel yard provided an image of prison and the
lack of freedom. It is now time to wake up from
this oppression.
When Leslie passed his Eleven Plus exam, not a
mean task, thirty poor working class mothers of
the chapel community decided to put away one
penny a week each to support the young Leslie for
his Grammar school education. From there he
went to Cambridge and to Haiti, a wretched
nation on the earth, as a Methodist missionary,
then a Methodist minister and became its
president and then a member of the House of
Lords. He mentioned so many fascinating stories
during this journey, which had a bearing on the
theme and how Faith, hope and love sustained
him from the beginning.

Faith: He spoke of the meaning, qualities, and

necessities of faith hope and love in a bewildering
world of no faith; we live in a world of no faith.
We live in a secular and materialistic world.
Materialism is like a drug. Flight from faith is
quite considerable. As faith is declining, it is

important to reclaim faith. This is a moment of

challenge for the faith community to show what it
means to have faith. Faith is the risk that you
take in your life. He gratefully remembered
how his wife helped him in his faith journey.
Hope: What is hope in a world which is
despairing? What is hope in a world of despair?
How can we watch this? Is there any hope for
human existence? The killings in the city of
Aleppo and other Syrian cities and Iraq are
horrible. The resultant refugee crisis in Italy and
other Mediterranean countries are difficult to
sustain. He then talked about a Greek word used
in the New Testament, which describes hope in
terms of pity, empathy or compassion, which is
used 12 times in the New Testament; we see this
in connection with the story of the Good
Samaritan and the Prodigal Son. Jesus had this
compassion. We use the expression: you are
bowels of mercy when you feel someones
pain. You feel that you are kicked on your
stomach; it is a physical pain that you feel when
you see someone in distress. We should feel in our
guts the pain of others and have compassion. Let
there be no compassion fatigue. The doctrine of
hope is this compassion.
Love: Love is like a penny if you spend it,
you end up having more. Today, love has
become a romantic fantasy; it is self-gratification,
people meet in the internet and immediately
develop a sexual relationship without really
knowing the other person. Real love is rooted in
the interest of the beloved. Prioritising the
interest of the beloved is at the heart of a loving
relationship. Love that comes your way when you
love others is amazing. This is the programme of
what it is to be a Christian. God did not love one
particular group of people, he loved the whole
world. Gospel imperative is love and that is what
the faith all about.
Hans Kungs book On Being a Christian; was one
of the books that he read when he returned from
Haiti. This led him to speak about his experience
of Haiti. The 2010 earthquake in Haiti killed
274,000 people; it is one of the poorest countries
of the western hemisphere. Although it got
independence in 1804, other countries rejected
them and it never developed; yes, the People of
Haiti were poor, but not poor in Spirit. They had
8

humour, resilience and courage. Roman Catholics

in Haiti had a version of the Liberation theology.
It was not the polished theology sent from Rome.
Liberation theology starts with the Bible, people
and priests; it is the theology of the people and
not of the church. It empowers people in
theological understanding: it is a bottom up
theology. Cambridge theology that he learnt was
different; it was about methodology, original
texts, interpretations, and philosophy.
The
Liberation theology is about giving people tools to
sort out their day to day problems. It is doing the
gospel and not theorising. Hans Kung in On
Being Christian talks about the theology for
educated people. Educated people go out on an
intellectual search for building truth foundations
and formulae. We should not be treated like
children, but as adults, not to impose beliefs and
punishments. Theology is about doing things and
doing the things the right way and with right kind
of tools. People should behave as grown up and
have a grown up faith. Faith is about achieving
the best from the information that you have. Faith
is the risk you take in your life. Faith is an
empowering agent. Faith is a way of life leading to
and eternal existence.
The Second Talk: He started his second talks
by stating the circumstances of his appointment
as a lecturer at Lampeter, a new college under the
University of Wales, in Medieval English.
Inadvertently, he became a mentor to students
and a sort of unofficial university chaplain for
their spiritual needs, which led him later to
Methodist ministry. But he was not an ordinary
domestic chaplain; he spent of 50% of his time as
a conventional parish priest and the other 50%
representing people as their spokesperson in the
outside world for highlighting and assisting them
to achieve social justice.
At this time, he became a colleague of Revd Dr.
Donald Soper who used to speak regularly at the
Speakers corner at Hyde Park. His advice was,
when you are out there making it look like
as if you are enjoying it, otherwise the
English people will have the decency to
make you suffer. Lord Soper also told him that
that the job of a preacher is to keep the Bible in
one hand and the daily newspaper on the other,
and relate what is in the newspaper to the Bible
and what is in the Bible to the newspaper.

Then he talked about his outward facing ministry,

political involvements and how he managed to sit
on the labour benches in the House of Lords.
Politics is too important to leave to the politicians.
He talked about the importance of the voluntary
work in the UK, but governments should not take
advantage of them. He facilitates people to
understand how democracy works by inviting
people to meet him at the Lords. Politics and
religion are not separate entities. He explained
how he engages people through radio through
religious programmes. It allows him to offer a
spiritual view through Radio 4 and Radio2. He
presented the Thought for the Day for seventeen
years, Daily Service, and such programmes.
Brian Redhead of the Today Programme fame
once told him that he is reaching out to more
people in one broadcast than John Wesley did
throughout his life. You need different voices to
reach out to people because the audiences and
their tastes are different.
Education: He spoke about his role as the
chairman of Central Foundation School for boys
and girls in Islington and Tower Hamlet;
Islington had a very poor record for GCSE
examination results, but pass rates continued to
increase over the last three years; in 2016 it was
almost equal to Eaton and Harrow, but it is a local
state school. In the Tower Hamlet schools for girls
he has taken steps to avoid, Islamic radicalisation.
Haiti experience: He and his wife, Margaret,
went to Haiti in August 1970. They worked
initially in Hong Kong for few months. Then the
call came for them to work in Haiti, he thought
his French may help him, but later found out that
the peasants in villages did not speak French. He
had to learn their lingo. The experience he gained
over ten years in higher education in England did
not help him much. He had talents and abilities,
but the job in Haiti disempowered him, but this
disempowerment was the secret of his success in
subsequent life; it helped him to build a new way
of relating to people. Initially, he was clever and
arrogant, but was not able to do anything. The
poor people in Haiti taught him humour, their
culture and their way of doing things. They put
him together and made him whole again. He said
in utter humility that Haitian peasants showed
him the way; they reunited him with the poor boy
that he had been in the beginning of his life in
9

that Welsh village. He continues to help people of

Haiti in many ways because of his position in the
House of Lords, re-establishing diplomatic
relations and so forth.
Youth Work: He also helps young people
because the post war generation have done away
with many opportunities for the young people,
and disinherited them, particularly with the
Brexit success. Brexit was a kick in the stomach
of the young people. He became the voice of the
marginalised people; his words are heard in
places where others cannot reach. He spent 50%
of his time representing his people in the outside
world, the other he spent for the routine parish
work as expected of a priest. We are not listening
to the young people. There is a wedge between
socio-political and the religious world, we must
get in there and engage them.
Wesleys Chapel:
He ended the talk by
describing the stories of Joseph from Sierra Leon
and Christine from Rwanda. These two young
people were caught up in tribal wars and
genocide. Christine lost all her family including
her infant son. They became peace workers for the
United Nations and they met in London became
members of the Wesleys chapel. They decided to
get married; then they visited Christinas home
town in Rwanda and by a miracle she was able to
get united with her ten year old son, whom she
thought had died. He was brought to London and
baptised in the Wesleys Chapel. The whole world
is indeed his parish at Wesleys Chapel; these rich
and varied experiences demonstrate how a
personal faith helped him to help a little bit in
making this world a better place.
The Third Talk: Our young people also joined
for his 3rd talk on Sunday and he told many more
stories. In January 2013 he went to Haiti for the
40th anniversary of his ordination. He spoke about
his ordination on 21st January 1973.
His
experiences brought our attention to those things
that you believe in matters. He talked about the
events of his ordination in Haiti. Many people
blessed him by laying-on-of- hands from many
countries and many rites. It was the week of
prayer for Christian Unity. Secretary to Papal
Nuncios was there too. He jokingly established
that his ordination is valid and possibly more
valid than many others, including the Mar Thoma

Church. The two leading clerics who

recommissioned him were his students, it gave
him great pleasure. Then he explained his joy in
meeting Colbair; he was a little boy that he picked
up from the street, when the boys mother died,
he was blind with congenital cataract. He
arranged surgery and then he gained eyesight.
This boy lived with Griffiths family for a while.
He is now a successful business man with a family
and he came to pay his respect and gratitude for
the new life they gave him.
The talk ended with another memorable story
about inner city black boys from East London. He
talked about educational programmes and
scholarships for inner city boys, who always
exchanged expletives because of limitations in
language skills, to go to posh public school. He
talked about philanthropists who are truly men of
God whose right hand does not know what the left
hand is doing. He described the educational
problems of black inner city kids. Then he talked
about Loui, who had witnessed murders and gang
fights. One night Loui and his friend were
attacked; Loui escaped, but his friend, Esai, died.
Loui had to identify the perpetrators of this crime
to the police and also in the court, he was
frightened. Lord Griffiths visited Loui the next
day. Lord Griffiths was about to leave after
exchanging few comforting pastoral words, then
the telephone rang. Loui said to his friend on the
other end of the phone, ye man, call me later.
I got my reverend with me now; he is the
man I need now. That was an amazing
moment; sometimes, it is the young person who
teaches an older person manner. Loui said, You
are going to say prayers with me arent
you? After three weeks Loui came back to the
chapel, marching down, with 30 young people
singing the gospel songs all the way. He read
Psalm 121: Lift up my eyes to hillswhere
does my help come from? The Lord will
watch over your coming and going both
now and for ever more. There were tears all
around when he finished, but through the tears
they could see the rainbow. How can we see the
Lord when we cannot see our neighbour?
Lord Griffiths talks and stories have timelessness
and it will stay with us for ever. It was a joy to
share his fellowship, kindness and humility. The
Mar Thoma community is grateful to Lord
Griffiths and Lady Margaret for all they have done
10

for us. May God empower them more and more

for their very special kind of ministry.
LORD LESLIE GRIFFITHS

Lord Leslie Griffiths, Baron Griffiths of Burry

Port, (born 15 February 1942) is a Methodist
minister and life peer in the House of Lords,
where he sits with the Labour Party. Griffiths
became a local preacher in the Methodist Church
of Great Britain in 1963. He completed a Master
of Arts in Theology at Fitzwilliam College,
Cambridge in 1969, while training for the
ministry at Wesley House. He spent most of the
1970s serving the Methodist Church of Haiti,
where he was ordained, before returning to
Britain to serve in ministries in Essex and
Golders Green. In 1987 Griffiths completed a PhD
from the School of Oriental and African Studies,
University of London. He served as President of
the Methodist Conference from 1994 to 1995.
Since 1996 he has been Superintendent Minister
at Wesleys Chapel, London.

Onam ripples
Rev. Dr. M. J. Joseph, Devalokam,
Kottayam

Onam is not a religious

festival.
So it does not divide people in the name of
religion.
Onam is a social event rooted in the Mahabali
myth
Onam is an eco-friendly celebration of Gods own
country.
Onam is my grand Pas and grand Mas seasonal
game for longevity.
It takes them every year to a swing to learn the
rhythm of life.
Onam is the time to make merry with all people
on earth.
It does not take the life of any creature for
feasting.
The Pampa and the Vembanad boat races are
symbols of social amity.
The Pulikali (Leopards play) at Trichur is
nothing but the fulfillment of Is.11:6.
The arrival of Maveli echoes the coming of
Christmas Father to the crowd.
It is the time to transcend the barriers of creed,
code and cult.
To sing and dance with the festive greetings of
love and justice.
Onam is the time to meet the dear and the near
ones in gorgeous attires.
It is the time to garland them with the message of
unity.
Onam is the season for festivity for the old and
the young alike.
It embarks upon a divine call to forget our birth
tags.
In a plural world, Onam speaks aloud from the
sky above.
It is a call from the cave of the heart to live in
fraternity.
It beckons us to join the chorus for a life before
death.
It holds the baton for meeting and eating on
plantain leaves.
It is a call from the Garden of Eden to lead an
eco-friendly life.
11

Eucharistic Life: An
Invitation to Preserve the
TIMELESS
Rev. K. Jameson, Ireland
I Am the Living Bread which came down from
heaven; if anyone eats of this Bread, he will live
forever. He who eats My Flesh and drinks My
Blood abides in me, and I in him.(St. John 6:5158).

E.H Carr, one of the eminent historians of the last

century, in his notable book What is History
defines history as a continuous process of
interaction between the historian and his facts, an
unending dialogue between the past and the
present. As we are reflecting on the theme
Preserving the timeless while adapting to the
time, it is important to consider the role of
history in the affairs of human life. History is all
about facts or incidents of the past in which
persons and consequences connected to it may be
considered. Approaching facts of the past with
right perspective and interpreting it with possible
evidence determines the reliability of historical
facts. It is the attentiveness and perception of the
historian that makes facts in history into
historical facts.
As we all know, Jesus is a
historical figure. His life, words and deeds became
the centre of attraction throughout the centuries,
which still motivate and give hope to millions of
people. The whole Church, including preachers,
teachers and the faithful Christian community
celebrate and interpret the life of Christ
unceasingly from generation to generation.

Although, when we admit the historical

importance of the person of Jesus, the aspect of
faith in Christ is a matter of discussion. There is
a big gap between the person of Jesus in History
and the person of Christ in faith. Only through
the prism of faith one can affirm and proclaim the
divinity of Jesus. Jesus in history and Christ in
faith is an appealing slogan for New Testament
theologians but experiencing Christ every day is
the task of Christians in the midst of their
ongoing daily struggles. The Church interprets
and proclaims the life of Christ through the prism
of faith. Without faith one cannot comprehend
the divine mission of Jesus Christ.

Immediate Context
This passage reminds the importance of
faith in understanding the life and mission of
Jesus Christ. This discourse happens when Jesus
was in a synagogue in Capernaum, in the settings
of a Jewish worship centre under the background
of the discourse of Jewish Passover tradition. The
Gospel writers, especially John considerably uses
signs and symbols like door, sheep, light, salt, etc.
to describe the life and mission of Jesus. In this
passage, Jesus himself helps us to understand his
identity through symbolic representations. In one
sense, with the help of signs and symbols the
Church preserves the timeless truth about Christ
and continues to adapt to the teachings of Christ
through the very act of faith every day especially
through the celebration of Eucharist.
In this Eucharistic passage, the author is
working at two levels. The main thrust of the
dialogue is to point Jesus as the revelation of God,
the true bread from heaven, the bread of the
manna. As the ancestors of Israel were nourished
by the heavenly manna, Jesus nourishes the
whole world with the gift of his body and blood.
In this passage Christ offers himself as spiritual
food through the symbols of bread and wine.
Bread is an essential thing in the physical world in
the same way as a spiritual food. Jesus gave
himself to the whole world as the spiritual food
and exhorts us to experience him in our daily
lives. Christ offers himself as life giving bread.
Christ became bread in order to give us life and
life in its fullness.

12

Secondly, the writer points out that the

Eucharist is a place where one comes to eternal
life. But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my
blood has eternal life. Through his body and
blood he offers us eternal life from within us.
Through this spiritual food, the faithful enters
into a life which is transformative and qualitative.
They experience a mystical fellowship which is
salvific and eternal. They enter into a relationship
which is fruitful and motivating. Here the term
unless has a specific meaning. It is something
conditional. A strong Greek term ean (Ean m
phagte) if not you shall have eaten- is used
here to assert the specificity. It is a conditional act
which refers to a real experience of eating. As
Jesus lives because of the Father, the believer
lives and will live because of Jesus.

To eat living bread means to accept

Christ into our lives and become united
with him. We are united with Christ in two
ways: 1. by believing in his death and
resurrection; 2. by leading a Eucharistic
life everyday (liturgy after the liturgy) by
the power of Holy Spirit.
1. By believing in Christs death and
resurrection, we enter into a deep relation with
him in faith. Faith in the death and resurrection
of Jesus is the perfect core of our relationship
with God and each other. We accept Christ as our
personal saviour and affirm our intimate
relationship with him. By believing in his death
and resurrection we experience Christ through
our participation in the holy mysteries. This belief
is a life changing experience which helps us to
grow in the nature of Christ. This belief enriches
us with spiritual strength and cultivates new hope
and courage.
Nevertheless, faith in the death and
resurrection of Christ is not the answer for all our
problems of the present. It may not change our

present pathetic condition, but it can change our

attitude towards the problems. Faith in Christ
enables us to live with hope in the midst of our
struggles and sufferings. This faith gives us the
strength to accept the realities of the present and
motivates us to look beyond the challenges of the
present age. This faith helps us to be vulnerable
towards the needs of others. Faith in the death
and resurrection of Christ may not solve the
present pain and pathos. But it helps us to face it
courageously. It strengthens us to encounter the
challenges of the present with the spirit of Christ.
Faith in Christ helps us to understand the
clutches of sin and death and sustains us to be
brave in our spiritual battle. Faith in Christ is not
an easy task. It demands a lot. It does not
guarantee everything, but gives assurance in his
overflowing, abundant grace. As Bonhoeffer says,
it is a costly matter. It reminds us that the
presence and grace of Christ is sufficient in all our
situations.
2. We are united with Christ by leading a
Eucharistic life with the power of the Holy
Spirit. Eucharistic life means a life centred on
the experience of Eucharist. This experience is a
mystical reality which is very subjective. The
effectiveness of this experience is expressed
through our fruitfulness and productivity. When
we lead a Eucharistic life we enter into a
communal relationship with the Triune God by
the power of the Holy Spirit. The following points
are important when we consider the term
Eucharistic living.

A) Eucharistic living means a life lived with

gratitude and praise. It is a life lived with
utmost gratitude to the Triune God for the
fullness of life through Christ. The term Eucharist
refers to an act of thanksgiving. When we
participate in Holy Qurbana we thank God
almighty for the gift of Jesus Christ and his
13

salvific life. It is an attitude of adoration and

praise with the heart of gratitude. Here
thankfulness is the deep, contented breath of
peacefulness. Eucharistic living means a life lived
with contentment and hope. We find peace and
joy in the presence of Christ. It is not temporary,
but an eternal reality. A heart of gratitude
strengthens us to lead a hopeful life which
motivates us to be channels of peace and justice.

B) Eucharistic living means a life lived with

compassion and hospitality. Without a
compassionate heart one cannot become a true
Christian. Christ moved with compassion
throughout his life. Today the church is a
wounded community. Our wounded healer
Christ is the model in this situation. Only a
wounded community can know the wounds of
others and participate in the healing process. The
Year of Mercy proclaimed by Pope Francis is
relevant in the current situations of refugee crisis
and religious intolerance. As a Eucharistic
community our wounded world expects more
kindness and mercy from us. Where there is no
justice, there wont be peace. If there is no peace,
we cannot experience the kingdom of God.
C) Eucharistic living means a life
centred on sacrifice and self-abasement.
Eucharist is all about the other which means it is a
willingness to break, willingness to share,
willingness to be part of the life of others as a
bread. Without breaking there is no sharing at all.
But breaking is a painful experience. Eucharistic
living challenge us to give life for others, help
others to find the fullness of their life.
Communion is about the sharing of life. It is
about knowing others and about caring and being
cared for on a deep and personal level. And, when
we participate in the Lords Supper, we should
reflect the life we share with one another because
the life of Christ is active in our hearts. Our

communion with Christ should compel us into

communion with each other. By offering himself
to us he teaches the message of sacrifice and selfabasement. It is only through an act of selfsacrifice, one can lead a Eucharistic life.
Very often in the midst of our abundance
we are satisfied in our own comfort zones. We
conveniently forget or ignore the real needs of our
brothers and sisters. We are reluctant to express
our Christian identity and responsibility. The
phrase Frozen Christians is sometimes very apt
to describe us. Situational theology and an
attitude of compromise and justification makes us
irrelevant. We despise our Christian identity by
our own selfish agendas and actions. If our faith
in Christ is not challenging us to lead a
responsible Christian life, it is meaningless. If our
faith in Christ is not helping us to extend our
hands to neighbours in their needs, it is in vain. If
our Christian identity is not helping us to
understand the plight of others, it is futile and
extraneous.

In this passage, Christ teaches us to cling

on to him every day and to be nurtured through
our active participation in his holy body and
blood. When we participate in this spiritual act we
submit ourselves to grow in his nature. It is an
expression of our faith and affirmation of our
identity in Christ. Through this great act we are
united with Christ and experience him mystically.
It is an invitation to preserve the timeless truth
for the salvation of all.

14

Young Mowglis of the Pack

Rod Gilbert*
Young Mowglis of the Pack Im writing this on a
plane over the middle of Central Asia somewhere,
and have just nished watching the new Jungle
Book lm, based on the Rudyard Kipling book of
the same name written about a young Indian boy,
Mowgli, brought up by a pack of wolves. I feel a
bit like Baloo the Bear! How could he ever
understand that the so called tricks Mowgli was
up to, were the signs of his natural humanness;
the signs that marked him out as an essentially
unique creation from all the other animals in the
jungle. And thats just about how I felt at the
Swanick Mar Thoma Conference, amongst the
youth! An old bear amongst a pack of young
man/girl cubs on the cusp of adulthood! What a
privilege to sense the potential uniqueness of each
one. And to sense that, like Mowgli, they were
discovering the joys and pains of living
meaningful Christian lives in the new worlds they
were growing into. Also like Mowgli they are
young people from one world, living in another
and neither fully from either. We talked about this
together and I felt a great empathy with all of
them as I also had moved from India as a young
13 year old to live in Britain feeling like neither an
Indian nor a Brit! A tough world to face as a
teenager! We took the lives of Daniel and Malachi
from the Bible, and Ande in a video clip, and the
real life of Gary Grant from his unscheduled
evening with us, to discover together some of the
essential life skills we had to learn. One particular
life skill that came out several times and also in
the informal chats we had together, was the
importance of being accountable to other friends
and family. It is all too easy to try and go it alone
in the wild jungle of life out there. Like Mowgli,
we can survive by our own wits up to a point, but
the jungle of life will soon consume us, if we do
not have the Baloos and Bhageras who can stand
by us at the crucial times of life. Another life skill
we learnt was that of being committed. Not only
committed to each other and to the fellowship of
others in our churches and youth groups, but also
committed to our one true Friend - the Lord
Jesus. Gary Grants testimony showed us how his
own hugely successful life, took on a whole new
dimension when he committed himself and his
business and family life, totally to the Lord Jesus.

It was awesome to watch scores of the young

people staying until 2.00am on the last night to
pray with Gary and recommit their lives to Jesus.
As I talked and interacted with most of these
young people over the weekend, I was excited to
discover the unique gifting and opportunities
these TCKs (and if you dont know what that
stands for, ask your teenager!) had to offer to a
world opened up by a life committed to Jesus. The
sky is truly their limit, and us who might feel we
are the old Baloo bears, need to remember - as
the Bishop reminded them - our ceiling is their
oor. It is our constant prayer, that all these
young mowglis pictured below, will experience a
year of amazing surprises and miracles as they
discover the new world of living for Jesus in the
unique way they have been made to be.
* ROD AND RUTHIE GILBERT

Rod and Ruthie Gilbert or Steve & Christie

Rod was the leader for the Youth group at the
34th family Conference. Rod and Ruthie Gilbert
have a wealth of experiences and adventures in
mission for over 30 years. In 1995 they
established Scripture Union Family Life CentreCornerstone House, at Mahabalipuram, South
India, and the Avalanche Adventure Camp
Centre. They brought up their 5 children in India,
now ranging in age from 32 to 16. They have
four lively grandchildren. Rod was Principal of
Hebron School, Ooty, India, and latterly Trinity
College in Sri Lanka. Ruthie is a qualified
counsellor and together they worked with
Bethany Ministries, Hong Kong, as the Pastoral
Couple for Mission Life Coaching.

15

Book Review
The Lives around us
(Daily Meditation for Nature
Connection)
By Dan Papworth, Published by Christian
Alternative, Winchester, UK, 2015

The Lives Around Us

by Dan Papworth,
Published by Christian Alternatives, (2015),
12.99, pp214, ISBN 978 1 7835 256 0 is a series
of daily meditations; this book covers a variety
important living issues and connecting human
lives to other living life forms around us. The
basic proposition is that God has given us two
books: one is the Bible and the second is Nature,
the created world of animal and plants, which is
Gods green book. We may learn about God from
both. The living world around has the ability to
express gratitude and a sense of profound respect
for what God has done for this earth and all who
live in it. These reflections remind me of Charles
Kingsleys words that he expressed during his
nature walks: I am immersed in the infinite

ocean of God. Jesus taught in parables, which

reached people in different ways, and these
methods of parables and story-telling are still
highly effective even today. These meditations are
a kind of parables and the readers are drawn to
concrete examples of animals and plants forms
they meet everyday life with which they can
identify.
This book highlights that human existence is a gift
from God and stewardship entrusted to mankind
of the created world is a privilege and hence it is
important to respect the fact that all created
things have their rightful place in maintaining
bio-diversity and ecological balance. Sometimes, a
feeling of superiority over other creatures around
us whether they are wildlife, pets, trees, or weeds
can easily get out of control. Subjugation of
others may be deep within our psyche; a restless
spirit needs self-control, but it is not easily
attained when the surge of activity springs from
within. These mediations would help us to calm
down and find our rightful place in the created
order.
Each chapter starts with the description of a
specific animal, plant, fungus or mineral followed
by thoughts about how we can help them. This is
followed by a relevant Bible reading, reflections
and prayer. I have come across many living forms,
which I did not know existed. It is a helpful book
to create an ecological awareness; practical
suggestions for conservation and what we can do
maintain the bio-diversity which is so important
for maintaining the ecological balance. I
recommend this book for personal mediations
and group studies.
Dr. Zac Varghese, Sinai, Mar Thoma Church,
North London.
14 September, 2016.

16

Mar Chrysostom: A Book

Review
Dr. Zac Varghese, Sinai, MTC
On 16th July 2016, I had an amazing opportunity
to visit Emeritus Metropolitan Mar Chrysostom at
his retirement residence at Maramon, overlooking
the fast flowing and very beautiful Pampa River. I
am very grateful to Rev Saju Papachen who
arranged this meeting. There were three other
people, one lady from Houston and two others
from Bangalore. Thirumeni recollected the time
he spent at Canterbury in 1954 for studies
immediately after his consecration. He also
reminded of
the need for
a Mar Thoma
Centre
in
London for
greater
exposure of
our Church
in Europe.

At the end of
this meeting
Thirumeni very kindly gave me a copy of his book
on his life story, Athmakatha. The following is
my immediate, inadequate, short reflection on
this book. I finished reading this book at one
stretch in one day, often with tears in my eyes. My
immediate reaction was that the book should be
translated and made available to a wider
readership because it is not like any other
autobiography. In this book Thirumeni is giving
us a guided tour of his spiritual journey so far. He
describes amazing people that he met thus far and
how through various incidents he was able to
experience the presence of God in his interactions
with people and nature.
One amazing reflection on Mar Chrysostom by
Rev VP Mammen summarised the life of this
great bishop for me. Rev Mammen was
interviewing him for the missionary work in
Karnataka in 1939 (Page 95). He was not very well
because a fever on the day before the interview;
therefore, his father informed the interview panel

that he is not physically fit to attend the interview.

Then he was challenged by an experience (from a
newspaper report) of Subash Chandra Bose (a
national hero of Indian Independence) attending
a crucial public rally against doctors advice. Mar
Chrysostoms thinking simply was that if Subash
Bose could do it then young Philip Oommen (his
given name before becoming a bishop) also could
face the interview panel with his fever. Rev V. P.
Mammen during the interview made the following
comment on Mr. Philip Oommen, When we
see God of the Church, Philip Oommen
sees God through ordinary people and
their day to day existence. At such a young
age Thirumeni could see the difference between
the God of the Church and the God he saw in
human situations and interactions. This is the
man who became a bishop of the Mar Thoma
Church in 1953 with the name Mar Chrysostom.
This is the measure of the man who has been
ordained as a priest on 3rd June 1944 and a bishop
of the Mar Thoma Church on 23rd May 1953. By
the grace of God Thirumeni is continuing his
priestly ministry actively in his 99th year. This is
indeed an amazing life, and I once wrote an article
on him entitled Peoples Bishop. He experiences
God in everyday interactions with people from all
walks of life: intellectuals, illiterates, theologians,
politicians, porters, field workers, social workers
and reformers, priests and missionaries, rich and
poor people. He is not the bishop of an
institutionalised Church and transcended all
those restrictions and he is an amazing free spirit.
It is this free spirit that we meet in this book.
On seeing a photo of Gandhiji with CF Andrew, he
told a friend in Karnataka that CF Andrew loved
people first and then preached the Gospel.
Thirumeni is very critical of our mission strategies
of preaching the Gospel and then trying to love
those people after their conversion. Thirumeni
throws many such challenges. He sees humour in
many situations in life and he has the amazing
ability to express them with deep reaching
theological insights. People often get carried
away with his jokes, but here is a very serious man
behind those jokes who studied human nature
and it vulnerabilities. There is an urgent need to
translate this book into English and I very much
hope that Thirumeni would take necessary steps
to do so.

17

Reports
The Second Mar Thoma Youth
Conference
"Remember your creator in the days of your
youth.
Subin Mathew Parayil (Secretary of the Youth
Fellowship)

and Worship, Devotion, talk for younger youths

(13-under18) and Talk for older youths (18-35);
we also had group discussion, games, testimony
and Camp fire. On the third day we had the Holy
Communion Service lead by Rev Jaisen Thomas
achen; then we had singing, Inbox and Outbox
(Q and A), talk on Mar Thoma Identity, Reflection
and Conclusion Session.
With the grace of Almighty the conference was a
blessing and we would like to thank our previous
Diocesan Bishop and present Diocesan Bishop for
their support and prayers. Thanks to the
President and the committee members and the
host parish.

It gives me immense pleasure to inform you that

the 2nd UK and Europe Region Mar ThomaYouth
Conference was a blessed conference for all the
youth participants. We had participation from 11
parishes and 2 congregations out of which there
was participation from 2 youth Fellowship outside
UK namely Nazareth MTC Dublin Ireland (1st
time participation) and Switzerland congregation.
WE had participation from Vicars and families
from most of the parishes and had almost 170
delegates for this conference. The venue for the
conference was Ashburnham Christian Trust,
Ashburnham Place, Battle, East Sussex, TN33
9NF, United Kingdom and was held from 1-3 July
2016. The host of this years conference was St.
James MTC, London.
The theme of the conference was "Remember
your creator in the days of your youth
Ecclesiastes 12:1. The speakers for the conference
was Rev Jaisen Thomas vicar St. Thomas MTC,
New York and Mr Daniel Kalta a youth missionary
with Youth with a Mission (YWAM). The
conference was inaugurated by Very Rev V T
John, who also addressed the gathering.
The first day consisted of the inauguration, ice
breaker session and Talent night for all the youth
participants. On the second day we had praise
18

Mar Thoma Family

Conference 26th-28th August
2016
The 34th mar Thoma Family Conference was held
during 26th-28th August 2016 at Hayes Conference
Centre, Swanwick, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55
1AU.
In 2012 the challenge was for Sinai MTC to host
the 2016 Conference. At that time we were a
budding Mar Thoma parish and had doubts and
anxieties in our ability to rise to the occasion. The
theme that we selected for the conference was
Preserving the Timeless while adapting to the
Times. The topic was a result of our observations
that mans reliance and commitment to God
Almighty was on the decline in the
institutionalised-Churches all around the world.
However, there were occasional spurts of growth
in newer Churches. We wanted to find out what
needed to be done to revive the dedication and
devotion of our parents and forefathers. We
started to look into ways of making the Church
Services and activities more meaningful for the
new generation to motivate them to return to the
Church.
Approximately 400 delegates from across Europe
attended the Conference. Our Diocesan Bishop,
Rt. Rev Dr. Isaac Mar Philoxenos, led the
conference. It was his first conference in Europe
after taking charge of North America and Europe
diocese.
The Adult group was led by Lord Rev Dr Leslie
Griffiths, the superintendent Minister at Wesleys
Chapel, London and a lifetime peer of the House
of Lords. He captured the attention of the group
and inspired them in an amazing way revealing
the Divine truth. His own testimony was an
inspiration and instilled hope with the choice that
one makes in testing times. The post conference
responses from all the delegates were that they
wished he never stopped telling those amazing
stories. They were in absolute admiration of the
messages and his delivery with plenty of humour.
He was indeed a blessing!

The Youth group was led by Rob Gilbert who has

had a wealth of experience in his mission for over
30 years, which was mainly in India. Having been
the principal of Hebron School, Ooty, also a
qualified
councillor,
and
having
heavy
involvement with Maramon in the Youth Couples
fellowship, he turned out to be the most suitable
person to talk to the youth. He inspired the youth
with practical and contemporary life situations
and many were touched and they dedicated their
lives to Christ.
The Sunday school children were split into two
groups under 6s and 5-12. They were ably led
by group of volunteers from our parishes. They
had a marvellous time which reflected in their
presentation on the final day. There was so much
of energy and enthusiasm in their presentation.
We believe that they will cherish the memory and
experience for years to come.
The Venerable Rev Dr. John Perumbalath, who is
one of Arch Deacons of the Anglican Church, led
the Bible Study. The fluency and delivery of his
talk was admirable. There was lateral thinking
and he revealed the Bible with a new perspective
with absolute conviction. His talk was very rich in
material and thought. People wished he would not
stop. What a blessing!
Gary Grant, a very successful business person and
the proprietor of the biggest independent toy
retailer in UK, The Entertainer, was the speaker
at the testimony session. He does not just talk the
talk, but walks the walk. He does not open his
stores for trading on Sunday in spite of it being
the busiest day of the week when he can rake in a
fortune. He is a man of true conviction. His talk
gave hope to one and all that a hard and difficult
start in life can be turned around to realise the
Glory of God. From virtually being an atheist he
rose to be a Fisher of Men after his Damascus
Road Experience. He touched the youth in a
mighty way and prayed for them on an individual
basis. Many went forward for his personal
prayers for them. They were emotionally moved
and gave their life to Christ. It was a transforming
experience for many young people.
Next year, 2017, is the Diamond Jubilee year of
the Mar Thoma Church in the UK and Europe. At
the Conference there was the inaugural launching
19

ceremony conducted by our Philoxenos

Thirumeni in the presence of the Organising
Committee.
The venue was extremely convenient and
comfortable. The choice of food was varied and
catered for all special needs too. The staffs at the
venue were superb. From the onset our
apprehension and anxieties were put to rest by
the assurance from all the Mar Thoma parishes in
the UK that any help we needed, we just only had
to ask. Sinai Mar Thoma Church realised that we
were strong now because we were being carried
on their shoulders. For us it was no more a Sinai
MTC event, but a total Mar Thoma Church event.
We were inundated with help and suggestions,
and we saw Christian brotherhood in action. We
were a divinely inspired Team. The Choir was
amazing with the support and leadership from
several of our parishes.
Overall it was a blessed Conference and there was
untold Guidance and Grace from Heaven above.
Sinai MTC will eternally be indebted to all the
Mar Thoma parishes and Congregations in
Europe for blessing us to conduct a very
successful Conference for the year 2016. May All
Glory be to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We
were certainly blessed!
With Prayers,
From the Conference Committee

Career Advice

Abraham Varghese, Hermon Mar Thoma

Church
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is
honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if
there is any excellence, if there is anything
worthy of praise, think about these things.
What do you want to be? is probably the most
frequent and common question you would have
faced if you are a high school student, and you are
in conversation with an adult. And you are forced
to make a response; the first thing that used to
come to my mind (and this was many decades
ago, mind you) was to say I wanted to be an
engineer. When I was growing up in Kerala, there
were three professions I knew something about: a
doctor, and engineer or a teacher. I chose the
second, because my father was one, and
engineering sounded like something interesting.
And also because many of the figures in the news
back then seemed to have something to do with
engineering: the Tatas (iron and steel), Neil
Armstrong (Appolo 11), the Iyengars (of TVS
Group) and so on. It didnt occur to me then that
an engineer could end up spending hours making
Power Points for the management and
shareholders of a company, many of whom
havent the remotest idea what engineering is.
Dont get me wrong, I do enjoy what I do; theres
plenty more to engineering than power point
presentations.
So what DO you want to be? It is a question you
will (and should) spend time mulling over and
reading up. Its a question you should be
discussing with your parents, school authorities
and others who can guide you. And above all, its
a question you must pray about. Im sure that is
the case with most, if not all, of you. The Bible has
many striking verses that come alive in the
context of this question; I have chosen one 20

Philippians 4:8, written above. What should one

do with ones life? What better answer can you
think of, than these words: ..whatever is true,
whatever is honourable, whatever is just,
whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if
there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy
of praise.., thats what you should do with your
life.
So whats the Bible trying to tell us about careers
here? There is no help here to choose between
being a pilot or a chef, an actor or a scientist. This
is very much a matter of your education, your
skills and talents, the opportunities available to
you and your inclinations (and in some cases,
those of your parents as well!) and your capability
for perseverance. Remember, Jesus was a
carpenter; he chose for his companions people
from varied walks of the society of his time
fishermen, tax collectors, zealots etc. Jesus was
equally at ease with the typical homemaker
(Martha of Martha Mary sisters) as well as the
educated elite (Pharisees and Sadducees) in his
society. In the 1st Century AD, ones station in life
was pretty much determined by the family into
which one was born. And Jesus, the Son of God,
respected each of them for what they were. Today,
most of you enjoy a lot more choice than the
people in Jesus time; and I believe God will
respect the choices you make, provided they are
genuine choices. By that I mean a wilful choice,
keeping in mind your talents and possibilities,
and not something chosen to rebel against society,
or your family.
How do you weigh up a career choice? This is
where the Bible verse above shines light into the
dark, often forgotten, overlooked corners of
career guidance.
Liverpool and Tiruvalla are places known to us;
how many of us are aware that there is a
connection between the two? The Nicholson
Syrian Girls School, which has been part of
Tiruvallas educational scene for more than 100
years, was founded and nurtured by two ladies
from Liverpool, a city in the north-west region of
England.
Generations of girls from central
Travancore and beyond have been educated there
intellectually, spiritually and culturally. The
founders, Mrs. Nicholson and Ms. McKibbin,
were not interested in becoming wealthy or

making waves in social circles with the

institution; their aim was to provide education
without the practice of segregation and privilege
but with social equality in all possible aspects of
living in a residential environment. A true and
honourable aim for ones life -one that God
blessed abundantly, one that has been a blessing
for a society far away from where the founders
came. Ask yourself - what is your motivation for
the career you are interested in? Is it true and
honourable, one that will contribute to society or
one that will exploit those around you?
Lets explore the verse further. What kind of
decisions will you make while doing your job and
progressing in your career ? Decisions are
important, and as you grow up, you will have to
make decisions of more and more significance. In
positions
of
large
responsibility
and
accountability, the decisions you make will affect
the lives of many others. It is true whether you
turn into a civil servant, an entrepreneur or a
scientist. Decisions must be fair and just, taking
into account all aspects and everyone involved,
says the Bible verse; you must be able to look at
your face in the mirror the next day without regret
or stress. Decisions must be commendable, as the
verse says praiseworthy, exemplary they must
stand the test of time. For me, the prime example
of decision making is what goes on in the Courts
of Law across our nations, what the judges and
juries strive to achieve every day. Earl Warren
was the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
from 1953 to 1969, and was the author of many
landmark decisions in the history of the country.
Three of the most well-known ones are Brown v.
Board of Education (1954), which banned
segregation in public schools; Miranda v.
Arizona (1966), which required that criminal
defendants be informed of their rights to remain
silent and to be represented by a lawyer; Loving
v.
Virginia (1967),
which
struck
down
prohibitions on interracial marriage. The
decisions, which affected the lives of millions in
the U.S. have stood the test of time, and have
proved to be a positive force in society. Not all of
us will have the privilege of such a role in society;
but every role in society is important, big or small.
Furthermore, a just society requires justice every
day, in every place, in every interaction however
small or large. Respect the job and the context

21

that God places you in and make graceful, fair and

commendable decisions.
The verse mentions the word excellence and I
think a very significant aspect in weighing up
ones career. Lego toys are commonplace today in
most homes with children; it is a safe and sure hit
with most kids and even older teenagers as
presents birthday, Christmas, anytime! Have
you wondered why Lego is so popular? For this
you dont need to look any farther than the
company motto, which they follow in spirit and in
letter: only the best is good enough. There is a
story behind the motto, and it goes like this: Lego
started its life in 1932, when a Danish carpenterentrepreneur, Ole Kirk Christiansen, started
making and selling wooden ducks as toys.
Needless to say, Ole was a very clever man with
skilled hands, and the toys were the visible
expression of his love for children and his belief in
the value of play. He soon turned his tools from
making ducks to wooden bricks when he decided
that the best kinds of toys are those that can be
built, and then rebuilt again and again.
Stimulating creativity and imagination, they help
develop character, he believed. One day, Ole's son
and employee Godtfred proudly announced he
had cut costs for the company by dispatching a
consignment of wooden toys he had painted with
only two coats of varnish, rather than the usual
three. Far from pleased, Ole sent his son back to
the train station to retrieve the toys and finish the
job. The motto that now formed in Ole's mind was
wholeheartedly accepted by Godtfred when he
inherited the company's helm, and it is still used
as the Lego Group's slogan: 'only the best is good
enough'. The same guidance comes to us in the
Bible verse: if there is any excellence, if there is
anything worthy of praise... In every job, in the
various tasks and responsibilities that will come
your way in life, there will be plenty of
opportunities to cut corners, to take the easy way
out. As Christians however, we are expected to do
our best, whether there is anyone to watch over us
or not because we do everything as if we are
doing it for God. When you go to the hospital for
a surgery, what do you expect from the surgical
team? Will you be happy with anything less than
the best from each member of the team, from
start to finish? Well, the world and God
expects the same from you, says the Bible verse.

So there you are, at the gates of your career,

armed with the best guidance the world can
provide, because it comes from the Bible. The
world is in dire need of young women and men of
character those who will aim for something true
and honourable, who will fight for justice and will
pursue excellence every step of the way. Are you
ready?

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