November 2008

Dearly Beloved in Christ,

“The time is coming when I will send famine on the land. People will be hungry, but not for bread; they will be thirsty, but not for water. They will hunger and thirst for a message from the Lord. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken.” (Amos.8:11)

This year we had  the opportunity to hear the word of God lavishly. We are blessed with Parish convention, Parish retreat, Gospel convention, Regional convention, conferences and so on. The word of God is sowed lavishly and in plenty. But a famine is coming, when we hunger and thirst for the word of God. It is already started in certain places. The worship places are destroyed and burned. Gospel workers are persecuted. Before it comes to us make use of the opportunities that are available to  us now.

We have just celebrated the family Sunday. Family is God’s gift. In Gen: 2:18 we read “The Lord God said it is not good for man to be alone.  I will make a helper suitable for him.” The word helper does not mean that they are designated merely to be assistant to a man, but the word helper may more accurately mean strength or a power.  God designated woman for the man as his partner in life.

Let me thank God for all the families of our Parish. Psalms 68:6 says “God sets the lonely in families.” For people of Old Testament time large families were a sign of great blessings from God.  Here David says everyone in Israel is blessed because they are part of God’s large family.  Similarly in the New Testament people in the church become the part of family of God. (I Cor: 12:12-17) Let us give thanks to God for uniting us to His large family. Let me thank God for all the families in our Parish.

May the Almighty Lord bless each one of us.

Yours in His service,

Babu Achen

Rev. P. E. Mathew

Rev. P. E. Mathew (Vicar)

We are blessed to be under the pastoral guidance and leadership of Rev. P. E. Mathew as Vicar of St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church NY. Achen's native place is Kallooppara and Laly Kochmma is from Varikkadu, Tiruvalla. They have one son, Eby, who is finishing his BSc in Mangalore.

Achen and family had been in the Karnataka Missions Field (Hoskote, Mundugod, Sirsi Sankeshwar, Kunta) for several years and then served in Kerala. The last parish they ministered at was in the Sultan Bathery and Nilambur area.

email Rev. P. E. Mathew at
babuachen@yahoo.com 

Vicars of the Past Quarter Century
(including Vicars of the Mar Thoma Congregation of Greater New York)

Mar Thoma Congregation of Greater New York

Rev. Oommen Koruthu

(Student Achen later elevated as 
Bishop Zacharias Mar Theophilus)

May 1975 — Aug. 1975

Rev. K. S. Mathew 

(Student Achen)

Sept. 1975 – Sept. 1977

Rev. Thomas P. George  

(Student Achen)

Sept. 1977 – Aug. 1979

(Late) Rev. M. V. Benjamin  

Sept. 1979 – May 1981

St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church, New York

(Late) Rev. M. V. Benjamin

Co-Chairman Ad-hoc Committee Church in formation   

Oct. 1980 - Jan. 1981

Vicar                                     

 Jan. 1981 - May 1981

(Late) Rev. K. J. Philip

Co-Chairman  Ad-hoc Committee Church in formation

 Oct. 1980 - Jan. 1981

Associate Vicar                    

Jan. 1981 - Aug. 1981

Rev. N. M. Cherian

Vicar of all Mar  Thoma Congregations in New York

May 1981 - June 1983

Rev. Dr. T. Jacob Thomas    

(Student Achen)

Assistant Vicar

July 1981 - May 1983

Vicar   

June 1983 - Mar. 1985

Rev. George Varghese

Mar. 1985 - April 1989

Rev. Johnson Varghese      

June 1989 - May 1992

Rev. Dr. T. P. Abraham  

June 1992 - May 1995

Rev. P. M.  Thomas

May 1995 - April 1999

Rev. K. Y. Jacob         

May 1999 - June 1999

Rev. Thomas P. Chandy   

June 1999 – May 2002

Rev. Dr. K. A. Abraham     

May 2002 - August 2004

Rev. Jojan Mathews John

May 2004 - April 2007