October 2008

Dearly Beloved in Christ,

Onam is a national festival. Now it is celebrated all over the countries wherever the malayalees live. All celebrations end up in a dinner. It is good. It is a time of fellowship. Is the main intention of celebration is food, there is no meaning in celebrating it.

Onam is the remembrance of King Mahabali who was well known for his humility and righteousness. It is said in Malayalam “Maaveli Naadu Vaanidum Kaalam Maanusharellarum Onnupole”. That is what the Psalmist says How wonderful it is, how pleasant, for God’s people to live together in harmony.

Onam is not the festival of “Sadhya” (eating) it is the festival of the remembrance of an harmonious life. As one more Onam festival is celebrated, let atleast God’s people live together in harmony.

Absence of love takes away the harmony. “Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs.” (Pro.10.12) Paul says in I.Cor: Love keeps no record of wrongs. Apostle John says: God is love; if we love one another God lives in us. We are living in a world of atrocities and disasters. Because of God’s Grace only we live today. May the love and grace of God be manifested in us so that the world may see God in us. “Not by might, but by His Grace.”

May the almighty Lord be with 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