February 2007

Dearly Beloved in Christ,

Greetings to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We have entered the Season of The Great Lent.  This year the Lent Season, or “Valiya Nombu” begins from February 18th.  Lent is an amazing, and in its own way, delightful faith, hope, and charity.  That’s pretty much Lent in a nutshell.  Lent invites us to remember that what its’ all about in the Love of God and neighbor, the only source of ultimate meaning and purpose.

The Spirit of Lent invites us to “unself ourselves” to become more oriented to the love of God and neighbor.

Lent reminds us that we still have a way to go in accepting the gift of God reconciling love.  We prefer to be fearful and anxious.  We prefer to cling to our money and possessions.  We prefer comfort to freedom.  We’d rather have our prejudices and opinions than be open to the truth.

There is no escape clause here.   As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are absolutely obligated to forgive others, no matter how they may have hurt or offended us.  There is just no getting around it.  Lent is the ideal time to face up to our failure in this regard.  Indeed, this issue has not only personal but social and political implications.  Imagine if forgiveness became the priority of the day, everyday.  Imagine if “getting even”, “punishment”, and “revenge” became politically incorrect.  We can’t change the world, of course.  But we can change ourselves.

I pray that this Lent we can take a few more steps towards………..

Let us always be happy with the Lord.

May the Lord’s blessing be with you all.

Yours in Christ’s Love,

Jojan Achen

Rev. Jojan Mathews John (Vicar)

We are blessed to be under the pastoral guidance and leadership of Rev. Jojan Mathew John as Vicar of St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church NY. Achen's mother parish in India is Kuttapuzha Varicadu Sehion Mar Thoma Church located inThiruvalla. Achen attended college at Mar Thoma College, Thiruvalla; completed his M. Phil. from Bombay and received a Bachelors in Divinity from Mar Thoma Theological Seminary, Kottayam.

Rev. Jojan M. John was ordained as a priest in the Mar Thoma Church on July 6, 1994 and has served as Vicar previously at Trivandram Quillon Diocese (Kovilloor , Mezhacodu, Melpalai and Kuttamala[Kulasekharam Center] ) for five years and Mar Thoma Church Thane, Mumbai for five years.

Jojan Achen was the convener for Land for Landless project and council member of the Trivadram Quilon Diocese. He served also as the president of the 35th Western India Youth Conference in 2001, Mumbai. In his many roles Achen has served very well as an administrator, organizer, and is also a talented singer.

Achen's wife is Mrs. Susan Mathews John BSc, BEd, and children, Vishakh John Mathews, age 5, and Vrindha Chinnu Mathews, age 2. Achen's father, Rev. V. K. John, is a senior priest of the Mar Thoma Church.

Jojan Achen's Address in India is:

Varikkamakkal House

Chumathra P.O.

Kuttapuzha, Thiruvalla 689103

Phone: 0469-2601424

email Jojan Achen at
revjmj@yahoo.co.in 

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 - Present