CMTC News Letter – January 2016

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LECTIONARY
Date
Lessons
3 Sunday
467 River
Road
Hudson
Phone: 978
567 1015
E-mail:
revdennyphili
p@yahoo.co
m
Acts. 26:19-23
Acts. 16:6-10
St. Luke. 10:1-11
Vicar :
Vicar :
Rev. Denny Philip
Rev. Denny Philip
Vice President:
Vice President:
Dr. George Abraham
Dr. George Abraham
Secretary:
Secretary:
Mr. Philip John
Mr. Philip John
Trustees:
Trustees:
Mr. Abraham Thomas
Mr. Abraham Thomas
Mr. Thomas Varghese
Mr. Thomas Varghese
“Be Holy” (Temperance Sunday)
Deut.7:1-11
1 Pet. 1:13-19
Eph. 5:15-21
St.Luke.6:43-45
17 Sunday
1 Cor. 12:14-20
Eph. 4:1-7
St. Mat. 16:13-19
24 Sunday
Monthly Newsletter of the Carmel MarThoma Church, Boston
‘One Body and One Baptism’
Hos. 11:1-11
Eph. 3:1-7
1 Cor. 1:10-18
St. John. 15:11-17
Dear friends,
Lord: Worthy of Adoration
Exo. 15:1-18
Phil. 2:1-11
Rev. 7:9-12
St. Luke. 10:21-24
Vol2 No1
January 2016
From The Vicar
United in Christ’s Love (Ecumenical Sunday)
Deut. 4:1-10
31 Sunday
Sunday
Sunday School 9.00 am
Holy Communion
10.00am
Divine Revelation for Salvation (Outside Kerala Mission)
Exo. 3:1-17
10 Sunday
MA 01749
Epistle-Gospels
Date
Assisting
Lessons
3
Bobby Simon, Sahya Kunnenkeri
Vivek Cherian
10
Abraham Thomas, Roy Varghese
Solomon Philip Simi Solomon
17
Anitha Oommen, Sarah Varghese
Tinku Alex
Tina Suraj
24
Rajan George,Koshy Cherian
Joseph Kurian
Ammini Jacob
31
Abraham Cherukara,
Nixon Mathew
Tiny Mathew
Rachel
The sudden departure of our
Zacharias
Thirumeni
has clouded the last days of
2015 with grief. It is now
that we realize that he had a
space in the heart of every
one of us and hence we feel
the vacuum. He was a great
visionary who flew ahead of
time. He tried to make the
church contemporary and
relevant by integrating into
his ministry the insights he
gathered from his wide exposure and travel. He had
the heart to feel the need of
the world, had the farsightedness and courage to make
it a project, strength of relationship to tap the resources
and had the skill to drive it
to the heart of the people so
that they own them. He also
flew above the Mar Thoma
Church not only to the ecumenical horizons but also to
the people of other faith by
extending his caring hands.
The Diocese of North America and Europe is indebted
to his as he has laid its foundation as the first resident
bishop here. He is familiar
to early Marthomites in Boston as he did his Doctoral
studies in School of Theology at the Boston University
during 1974-76. I remember
his encouragement during
my ministry in Chenganoor-
Mavelikkara diocese and my
higher studies. A personal
advice he once gave me reverbs in my ears “be useful
to people …”. We, as church,
can be proud of him and celebrate his life, a life lived its
fullness
We have entered into a
new year. Deut. 8, a n exhortation to Israel as they
are about to enter into the
promised land, is relevant to
us at this moment. The content is to “Remember the
long way that the Lord your
God has led you these forty
years in the wilderness “.
They are asked not only to
remember what God has
provided but the ways in
which he provided. Through
his providence in the wilderness God intended to teach
Israel a way of life as they
are about to be exposed to
prosperity. The focus of
memory is shifted from
what they have received to
what they have been taught.
The manna which was not
the result of human efforts
signifies the providence of
God beyond human potentials. It was for each day
taught the Israel to have a
faith in God who will provide tomorrow. The resources that God provides is
not to be accumulated instead for the daily suste-
nance. The unworn cloths
indicate the cultural ethos
and values they have kept
intact in the wilderness
journey. They have to hold
on to it as they are exposed
to prosperity. Unswollen
legs shows the care and protection of God. As we enter
into a new year, let’s remember the ways in which
God has lead us and submit
ourselves to walk with him
in the coming year.
Loud applause to all those
who labored hard to make
the Christmas carol service a
blessing. It was well organized harmonious and close
to perfection. I also appreciate the participation of our
young folks who attended
the training for altar
boys and covenant girls.
I pray that they make use of
this opportunity to serve the
parish and grow spiritually.
Episcopal visit is sch eduled for the first week of
February. Details will be announced later. Lets pray that
the visit of our Thirumeni be
a blessing to the parish.
Wishing you all a blessed
and happy 2016.
Denny Achen
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Up Coming Programs
CARMEL MAR THOMA CHURCH
BOSTON
Memorial Service
Rt Rev Dr Zacharias Mar Theophilus Suffragan Metropolitan
St. John’s Mar Thoma Church, New York on January 12 th, 2016 at 7.00 pm.
Centre B Edavaka Mission Call Conference Prayer
Jan 7 Thu 9pm
Sevika Sangham Meetings
Jan 10, Jan 24
Fasting Prayer
Jan 13 10.00am
Sunday School Teacher’s Retreat
Jan. 10 Sunday 2pm –4pm
Lay Training
Jan 31 Sunday 12.00 pm
Edavaka Mission Prayer Jan 2 Sat 3.30pm
Vijoy Abraham & Manju, 36 Blanchard Street, Andover, MA 01810
Area Prayer Meeting Jan 9 Sat 6pm
Eapen K Koshy, 39 Pelham Island RoadSudbury, MA 01776
Young Couple Fellowship
Jan 9 Sat 10.30 am Bible Study at the Church
Youth Fellowship
I have fought the
good fight, I have
finished the course, I
have kept the faith...
Jan 3, Jan17
Sunday School
Classes on Sundays 9 am
Mid Term Exam: Jan 10 9am
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Christmas Message
It is an honor to be among you this
evening. As descendants of one of the first
Christian Communities, you carry very
awesome traditions of our faith. I am honored to be here to share these enriching
traditions. This year we will be focused on
the Gospel of Luke. Scholars have determined that this Gospel was written about
90A.D. to bring the word of God’s Son to
the wider world. The readings we have
heard today are based upon the accounts of
eye witnesses and servants of the Gospel.
Rev. Dr. Ruth H. Bersin
Birthdays
5
6
6
7
8
8
11
11
14
15
19
19
20
20
20
23
24
24
25
25
30
called upon the life of Jesus as an example
which bids us to stay faithful, even under
attack. This means that we focus on the
issues of justice, welcome and forgiveness
and grace. We are called to maintain the
integrity of our own faith, even when we
might want to behave as the enemy is behaving.
As I think back over the years, my
own journey and inspiration was the Civil
Rights movement. I was hesitant, at first to
get involved, Slowly, I joined the struggle.
The importance of this writing is to As I realized that if my neighbor is not free
show the importance of the inseparable
or may co-worker cannot eat in a restaunature of the legends about the Historical
rant, then I am not free either.
Jesus and the Christ of faith. Luke brings
together a narrative which unifies the stoIn the summer of 1963, I was
ries of eye-witnesses that are treasured
working in a church on the lower East Side
about the life of Jesus Christ.
of New York, and part of my job was to fill
“It was the history of him who
a bus for the March on Washington. As
came to be the Christ, reveler of God, reour buses arrived in Washington, D.C.,
deemer. Luke was writing to tell of a career people ran out of their homes to greet
that transcended all ordinary categories and them. There had been rumors that it could
brought not merely information to the
become violent, but it was a sunny day and
minds of human beings, but transformation the atmosphere was as joyous as a Church
to their souls.”
Picnic. I think the moment the crowd
hushed and The Rev. Martin Luther King
As we travel through this liturgical stood to speak, was a high point in my life.
year, we will be immersed in the journey of I also think it helped to define for me what
faith and of history. This journey translates it meant to live a Christian life. We must
into our own faith and history as we live
work for justice if we are serving Jesus
our lives in obedience to the life and exam- Christ.
ple of Jesus Christ, the son of God. We see
in the narrative of Luke, 2nd chapter, the
Since that time, there have been
birth of Jesus who was born in Bethlehem, many other demands for justice with varyrather than in his own home town, due to
ing degrees of success. Now we are at anthe registration process.
other juncture when many are uprooted by
wars over religion, and we have to ask if
The Gospel of Mathew has a story religion is the real cause or is it injustice
about the family’s flight into Egypt to es- and inequitable distribution of wealth.
cape the murderous tirade of King Herod. Where are we called to stand, as Christians
From this story we see this family subject in the present turmoil?
to the travel, the fear, the loss of country
Here I refer to Mathew 25:
that is experienced by many of the people When I was hungry you gave me food.
reaching this country seeking safe harbor. When I was thirsty, you gave me drink.
As we study each Gospel we see the essen- When I was a stranger you took me into
tial call to us as followers. We are see in
your home,
the life of Jesus and example of faith and
When naked you clothed me
faithfulness. We find across these writings When I was ill you came to my help,
the call to Justice, the call to faith, forWhen in prison you visited me.
giveness, the giving of grace and welcoming for all people.
It is important that we, as a community,
find ways to respond to all of these needs.
We are standing at time in history It is also by working as a community that
when these guidelines are needed more
we are able to give the greatest reassurance
than ever. For decades we have faced isto those who have lost their communities
sues of war, or justice and the accompanying protest, political struggles and concerns. At each of these times, we have
Neethu S P Korah
Mani Mathew
Sahya Koruth Kunnenkeri
Susamma Samuel
John Abraham
Annie Athyal
Benjamin George
Reji Mathew Varghese
Tina Suraj
Cherukara Robin Mathew
Oshin Deena Mathew
Diana Susan Sebastian
Neha Mathew
Aleyamma Ninan
Binu Sajan
Tiny Nixon
Lijo Varghese
Nathan Jacob George
Nixon Mathew Sam
Annie E Easow
Mariam George
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