November 2009

Dearly beloved in Christ,

Let us thank God for all the blessing that we have received during the last month.

God has enabled me and some of our Parish members to visit the Holy Land. Thank God for the special protection and guidance showered on us during those days.  First few days we stayed at Nazareth and then at Bethlehem. The distance from JFK to Tel Aviv Air Port is 5444 miles. We could see that Israel and Palestine is separated with stone walls and electrified fencing. At Jericho there is a board saying no Jew should enter Jericho. Such is the enmity with Israel and Palestine. We could visit several places in connection with the life and work of Jesus including the Sea of Galilee, River Jordan and Dead Sea. It is a great experience and I encourage everybody to go and see these places when we are able to go.

Our Parish Retreat will be on October 30 and 31. Mr.Thomas Kurien, a native of Tiruvalla and now for several years at New Jersey, and  a member of the St.Stephen’s Mar Thoma Parish is the leader. He will be with us on Sunday the first of November also. His personal experiences with Christ will be a challenge to us. Let us pray that God may bestow a spiritual revival among us. As the days go by let us come closer to the Lord.  Our Lord is coming soon. Be ready to meet him, as He may come at any time as the thief comes.” Amen, come, Lord Jesus”.

May the Almighty God bless each one of us.

Yours in His Mission,

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