St. Peter’s Mar Thoma Church Issue No.36

East Area London, UK

NEWS LETTER

Place of Worship Vicar: Rev. Vinoj Varghese St. Luke’s Church 58 Cobham Road, Seven Kings Baxter Road Ilford IG3 9JP

Ilford Phone: 020 8491 4049- 07825 988 500 Essex IG1 2HN Email: vinojachen@gmail.com

A Parish of The Mar Thoma Syrian Church in the Diocese of North America and Europe

Member of the Churches Together in England Member of the Churches Together in Britain and Ireland

Registered Charity No. 1123807

(For private circulation among members only)

http://www.marthomachurchlondon.com

MERRY CHRISTMAS

& HAPPY NEW YEAR

Regular Programmes

Sunday school - All Sundays after Worship Service.

Youth League - meetings are held after Church Service on Sundays.

Choir - practices are from 2.00 pm on all Sundays.

Sevika Sangham - meetings on First Sundays after Worship.

Fasting Prayer - 1st Saturday of every month. Review of Activities

Evening Dhyanayogam : Organised by Sevika Sangham was held 5th & 6th September 2014 at St. Lukes Church. We were blessed with the presence of Rev. K.P. Johnson Achen, Vicar of St. Thomas Marthoma Church, Bristol. Sevikasangam Day was celebrated on 07th September 2014. On the same day a special dedication services was held for Student education. Youth Sunday was celebrated on 26/10/2014 a special dedication service was held for the youth. World Sunday School Day: A Special dedication service was held during the services and Sunday school children sang beautiful songs. Family Sunday was celebrated on 30thth November 2014. George Varghese Achen from Dublin, Ireland lead the service and delivered a wonderful message about family.

Vicar’s Message

“For unto us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9: 6).

Christmas season is a time of preparation. Preparations are an important part of any celebration. Preparations add meaning and life to the festive season. Different people prepare differently. At Christmas time, we are reminded of the preparations made by Zechariah and Elizabeth the priestly couple and Joseph and Mary. They prepared their hearts to receive the good news of the birth of God’s only Son, the Saviour of the world.

At the same time we see that the inn keeper and King Herod were not prepared to accommodate this new born King. Worldly powers tried to stop the joy of Christmas. But God in His mercy intervened and made arrangements to save and protect the new born son, thus enabling a great multitude to rejoice at His birth.

This Christmas as we get busy buying materialistic things to decorate our homes, are we actually prepared to receive Christ in our hearts? Are we prepared to make room for the Saviour to be born? Are we prepared to join the angelic chorus in singing Glory to god and peace to all men?

Christmas remains a meaningful experience when we offer our hearts to the new born King.

We are at about to bid farewell to the year 2014 and welcome another year. This is a time to reflect upon the “spiritual balance- sheet of this year”. It is a year of the Lord, a year of grace, even a year of growth in our personal lives, even if we did not perceive this, because it is in our weakness that God's strength must triumph. And so at the end of the year we can all truly praise God and thank and glorify Him, for He is good all the time and His mercies endures forever.

Let us thank God for giving us blessed bishops in our church and for their leadership. Let us especially thank God for our Diocesan Thirumeni for completing 25 year as Shepherd in our Church. Let us pray for Thirumeni’s ministry.

As you are all aware, we are planning to buy a new parsonage. Barclays Bank is ready to give us a loan for the same. Now the ball is in our court. I request each member to pray for this need of ours and act according to God’s will and guidance for the fulfilment of this dream.

Wish you all a blessed Christmas and a Christ Centred New Year.

With love and Care

Vinoj Achen

Highlights of Harvest Festival – 2014

Well done Convenors: Anil Cherian & Skaria George

CULTURAL PROGRAMME PHOTOS

Special Thanks to Convenors: George Verghese & Gigi Benoy

World Sunday school day celebration.

21st DECEMBER 2014 X’ MAS CAROL

SERVICE @ 3 pm

MESSAGE: REV. FR. JACOB ANISH VARGHESE. (Asso.Vic. St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox Church, London

25TH DECEMBER 2014 JOINT SERVICE WITH ST LUKE’S

CHURCH @ 10.00 AM

27th DECEMBER ECUMINICAL CAROL

SERVICE AT ST. JOHN’S MTC HOUNSLOW.

31st DECEMBER 2014 WATCH NIGHT

SERVICE @ 10PM AT ST. LUKE’S CHURCH

MESSAGE : Rev. K. Jameson, from Dublin

CHURCH SERVICE SCHEDULE

DATE DAY SERVICE/PRAYER IMPORTANCE MESSAGE BY:-

DECEMBER

JANUARY

07/12/2014 Sunday Holy Communion - Malayalam

14/12/2014 Sunday Divine Service - English Roshen George

21/12/2014 Sunday Holy Communion- English

28/12/2014 Sunday Divine Service - Malayalam Suraj Alex

31/12/2014 WEDNESDAY Holy Communion - Malayalam 10.00 PM Rev. K. jameson

04/01/2015 Sunday Holy Communion - Malayalam

11/01/2015 Sunday Divine Service - English Rogin George

18/01/2015 Sunday Holy Communion - English

25/01/2015 Sunday Divine Service - Malayalam Adesh Reji

HOUSE TO HOUSE CAROL VISIT SCHEDULE FOR – 2014

SUNDAY 30-11-2014 - SLOUGH

FRIDAY 05-12-2014 - NORTH LONDON

SATURDAY 06-12-2014 - CHELMSFORD

SUNDAY – 07-12-2014 - EASTHAM/BARKING

SATURDAY – 13-12-2014 - ROMFORD

SUNDAY – 14-12-2014 - ILFORD

FEBRUARY

Epistle reading portions for Sunday worship

DECEMBER

JANUARY

01/02/2015 Sunday Holy Communion - Malayalam

08/02/2015 Sunday Divine Service - English Melvin Thomas

15/02/2015 Sunday Holy Communion - English

22/02/2015 Sunday Divine Service - Malayalam Emil Eaby

DATE DAY ASSISTING EPISTLE FIRST SECOND

READING READING

07/12/2014 Sunday Skaria George 2 Cor. 1:3-11 Gen.18: 1-16 2Tim. 4:9-18 Binu George Shiju Thomas Mary J. Julie

14/12/2014 Sunday Anish John 1 Gal. 1:11-17 Isa. 55:6-13 1 John. 5:13-20 Kiran Blessan Alen Alex Cyril Alexander

21/12/2014 Sunday Sibin Philip Phil. 4:4-9 Isa. 40:1-11 Acts. 20: 17-25 Neil A. Varghese Mathew Mathai Mary Mathai

Sunday Benoy Peter Rom.1:8-16 Isa.11:1-10 1 John. 5:1-12 28/12/2014 Eaby K. Baby Sibin Philip Shilpa Sibin

Binu George Reji Thankachen Heb. 13: 7-11

1Sam. 7: 5-17 Hansen Raj

1 Pet. 5 :6-11 Anish John

31/12/2014 Wednesday

Sunday George Verghese Acts. 27:18-26 Isa. 61: 1-11 Revel. 5: 1-10 04/01/2015 Alex Lukose Jensen Mathew Deepti Jensen

Sunday

Rijo Koshy Adersh Reji Gal. 5: 16-24

Prov. 20: 1-11 Sibi George

Roma. 6: 12-21 Siny Benny

11/01/2015

18/01/2015 Sunday Ephes. 4: 1-10 Numb.11: 23-30 John1. 3: 1-11 Mathew Mathai Santosh George Jyothi Santosh

Rohit George Sunday James. 5: 13-18 Gene. 18: 19-33 1peter 4: 7- 15

25/01/2015

Thomas

Alexander Shinu Varghese Elizabeth Varghese

Reji Thankachan

FEBRUARY

Area programmes

Romford, Dagenham and Chadwell Heath

Prayer Meetings Every Tuesday at 7.30 pm

Chelmsford

Holy Communion Service

3rd

January one day retreat from 9.00 to 4.00pm – Main speaker Rev.K. Jameson

Prayer Meeting

Ilford

Prayer Meetings Every 3rd

Fridays at 8.00 pm

Eastham

Prayer Meeting:

North London

Prayer Meeting

01/02/2015 Sunday 2 Cori. 12: 1-10 Job 42: 1- 12 Revel. 22: 1-5 Sam P. George Daniel Samuel Omna Daniel

Kurian John

08/02/2015 Sunday Ephes. 1: 3-14 Gene. 1: 24-31 Acts. 10: 9-16 Sajin George Shibu Abraham Mini Varghese

Alen Alex 15/02/2015 Sunday 2 Cori. 5: 16-21 Gene. 45: 1 - 15 Ephes. 2: 11-22

Rijo Koshy Blessan Abraham Molly Thampi

Melvin Thomas

22/02/2015 Sunday Binu George Daniel Samuel Rom. 15: 7-13 2 Kings. 5: 1-10 Hebr. 13: 7-17

Manoj Philip Anju Rajan

DECEMBER Date Name Area 2 Anu Thomas East Ham

7 Koshy Abraham

Hainault

12 Alice Lukose Chelmsford

15 Ashly John Edmonton

16 Ryan Leenas

South end

17 Jimmy Jacob

Romford

23 Nidia Jaison Chelmsford

24 Cyril Alexander

Ilford

24 John Philip Dagenham East

26 Jigi Jeejo Kent

28 Joshua Cherian

Ilford

29 Anju Rajan Chadwell Heath

FEBRUARY Date Name Area

4 Anil Cherian Walthamstow

6 Shinu Varghese East Ham

7 Asha Kurian Chelmsford

10 Mariamma George

Slough

11 Sherin M. Sam Newbury Park

12 Leah Sunder Liverpool

12 Susan Alexander

Ilford

13 Sujeet Mathew Chadwell Heath

14 Omna Daniel East Ham

20 Samson Abraham

Chelmsford

20 Jeejo Philip Kent

22 Pretty George Walthamstow

22 Alan Alex Chelmsford

24 Mary Mathai Barking Side

24 Varghese Mathew

Chelmsford

25 Skaria George East Ham

26 Mary George Ilford

27 Jacob Abraham Sydenham,Croydon

28 Sajin George Newbury Park

28 Kevin Kurian Chelmsford

JANUARY Date Name Area

4 Holy Mariam Pretty

Walthamstow

5 Saramma Jimmy Chadwell Heath

8 Sthuthin m. Varghese

Chelmsford

9 Sibin Daniel East Ham

10 Binu George East Ham

12 Mini Eaby Chigwell

16 Jonathan George Ilford

16 Denzil Mathew Chelmsford

18 Daniel Samuel East Ham

20 Caroline Benoy Dagenham

21 Roshen G.Varghese

Slough

23 Saramma Thomas

East Ham

23 Simmy Daniel East Ham

26 Kurian John Chelmsford

27 Mathew Chacko Chelmsford

31 Suraj Alexander T Ilford

December

Date Name Area

2

Thomas Shiju &

Mary Julie

Dagenham

9 Shekhar Ambekhar

& Susan K. Joy

Chadwell

Heath

12 Gibi Philip & Mitu

Varghese

Barking

30 Jensen Mathews &

Deepthi Mathews

Barking

30 Sibin Philip &

Shilpa Sibin

Chadwell

Heath

31 Mathew Mathai &

Mary Mathai

Barkingside

January

Date Name Area

1 Sibi George &

Siny Benny

2

Sunsy George

& Priyanka

Sunsy

3

Santosh

George &

Jyothi

Santhosh

Eastham

4 John M. John

& Saro John

East

Barnet

5 Shinu K.

Varghese &

Elizabeth

Varghese

Eastham

10 Jacob Mathew

& Smitha

Jacob

Chelmsford

12 Jaison Mathew

& Neetha

Jaison

Chelmsford

22 Daniel Samuel

& Omana

Daniel

Eastham

Hearty Greetings to all those who are celebrating their Wedding Anniversaries. May

God Bless you in the New Year.

February

Date Name Area

3 Shibu Abraham

& Mini Varghese Eastham

4 John K. John & Omana Mathai Edmonton

12 Blessan Abraham & Molly Thampi Enfield

19 Bibin Christopher & Roji Davidson Scotland

26 Maoj Philip & Anju Rajan Chadwell Heath

We would like to

welcome new

members: Mr.

Jeejo Philip & Mrs.

Jigi Jeejo to our

church .