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467 River

Road Hudson

MA 01749

Phone: 978

567 1015

E-mail:

revdennyphili

p@yahoo.co

m

Sunday Sunday School 9.00 am Holy Communion 10.00am

LECTIONARY

Date Lessons Epistle-Gospels

3 Sunday Divine Revelation for Salvation (Outside Kerala Mission)

Exo. 3:1-17 Acts. 26:19-23

Acts. 16:6-10 St. Luke. 10:1-11

10 Sunday “Be Holy” (Temperance Sunday)

Deut.7:1-11 1 Pet. 1:13-19

Eph. 5:15-21 St.Luke.6:43-45

17 Sunday ‘One Body and One Baptism’

Hos. 11:1-11 1 Cor. 12:14-20

Eph. 4:1-7 St. Mat. 16:13-19

24 Sunday United in Christ’s Love (Ecumenical Sunday)

Deut. 4:1-10 Eph. 3:1-7

1 Cor. 1:10-18 St. John. 15:11-17

31 Sunday Lord: Worthy of Adoration

Exo. 15:1-18 Phil. 2:1-11

Rev. 7:9-12 St. Luke. 10:21-24

Vicar :

Rev. Denny Philip

Vice President:

Dr. George Abraham

Secretary:

Mr. Philip John

Trustees:

Mr. Abraham Thomas

Mr. Thomas Varghese

Vicar :

Rev. Denny Philip

Vice President:

Dr. George Abraham

Secretary:

Mr. Philip John

Trustees:

Mr. Abraham Thomas

Mr. Thomas Varghese

Vicar :

Rev. Denny Philip

Vice President:

Dr. George Abraham

Secretary:

Mr. Philip John

Trustees:

Mr. Abraham Thomas

Mr. Thomas Varghese

Date Assisting Lessons

3 Bobby Simon, Sahya Kunnenkeri Vivek Cherian Rachel

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

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Dear friends,

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 ex-posure and travel. He had the heart to feel the need of the world, had the farsight-edness and courage to make it a project, strength of rela-tionship 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 ecu-menical horizons but also to the people of other faith by extending his caring hands. The Diocese of North Amer-ica and Europe is indebted to his as he has laid its foun-dation as the first resident bishop here. He is familiar to early Marthomites in Bos-ton as he did his Doctoral studies in School of Theolo-gy 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 re-verbs in my ears “be useful to people …”. We, as church, can be proud of him and cel-ebrate his life, a life lived its fullness We have entered into a new year. Deut. 8, an ex-hortation to Israel as they are about to enter into the promised land, is relevant to us at this moment. The con-tent 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 wilder-ness 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 poten-tials. It was for each day taught the Israel to have a faith in God who will pro-vide tomorrow. The re-sources that God provides is not to be accumulated in-stead 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 pro-tection of God. As we enter into a new year, let’s re-member 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 orga-nized harmonious and close to perfection. I also appreci-ate 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 sched-uled for the first week of February. Details will be an-nounced 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

From The Vicar

Monthly Newsletter of the Carmel MarThoma Church, Boston Vol2 No1 January 2016

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CARMEL MAR THOMA CHURCH

BOSTON

Youth Fellowship

Jan 3, Jan17

Sevika Sangham Meetings Jan 10, Jan 24

Sunday School Teacher’s Retreat

Jan. 10 Sunday 2pm –4pm

Up Coming Programs

Memorial Service

Rt Rev Dr Zacharias Mar Theophilus Suffragan Metropolitan

St. John’s Mar Thoma Church, New York on January 12th, 2016 at 7.00 pm.

Sunday School Classes on Sundays 9 am

Mid Term Exam: Jan 10 9am

Fasting Prayer Jan 13 10.00am

Young Couple Fellowship

Jan 9 Sat 10.30 am Bible Study at the Church

Area Prayer Meeting Jan 9 Sat 6pm

Eapen K Koshy, 39 Pelham Island Road Sudbury, MA 01776

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

Centre B Edavaka Mission Call Conference Prayer

Jan 7 Thu 9pm

I have fought the

good fight, I have

finished the course, I

have kept the faith...

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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 hon-ored to be here to share these enriching traditions. This year we will be focused on the Gospel of Luke. Scholars have deter-mined 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.

The importance of this writing is to

show the importance of the inseparable nature of the legends about the Historical Jesus and the Christ of faith. Luke brings together a narrative which unifies the sto-ries of eye-witnesses that are treasured about the life of Jesus Christ.

“It was the history of him who came to be the Christ, reveler of God, re-deemer. Luke was writing to tell of a career that transcended all ordinary categories and brought not merely information to the minds of human beings, but transformation to their souls.”

As we travel through this liturgical

year, we will be immersed in the journey of faith and of history. This journey translates into our own faith and history as we live our lives in obedience to the life and exam-ple of Jesus Christ, the son of God. We see in the narrative of Luke, 2nd chapter, the birth of Jesus who was born in Bethlehem, rather than in his own home town, due to the registration process.

The Gospel of Mathew has a story

about the family’s flight into Egypt to es-cape the murderous tirade of King Herod. From this story we see this family subject to the travel, the fear, the loss of country that is experienced by many of the people reaching this country seeking safe harbor. As we study each Gospel we see the essen-tial call to us as followers. We are see in the life of Jesus and example of faith and faithfulness. We find across these writings the call to Justice, the call to faith, for-giveness, the giving of grace and welcom-ing for all people.

We are standing at time in history

when these guidelines are needed more than ever. For decades we have faced is-sues of war, or justice and the accompany-ing protest, political struggles and con-cerns. At each of these times, we have

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 be-having.

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. As I realized that if my neighbor is not free or may co-worker cannot eat in a restau-rant, then I am not free either.

In the summer of 1963, I was

working in a church on the lower East Side of New York, and part of my job was to fill a bus for the March on Washington. As our buses arrived in Washington, D.C., people ran out of their homes to greet them. There had been rumors that it could become violent, but it was a sunny day and the atmosphere was as joyous as a Church Picnic. I think the moment the crowd hushed and The Rev. Martin Luther King stood to speak, was a high point in my life. I also think it helped to define for me what it meant to live a Christian life. We must work for justice if we are serving Jesus Christ.

Since that time, there have been

many other demands for justice with vary-ing degrees of success. Now we are at an-other juncture when many are uprooted by wars over religion, and we have to ask if religion is the real cause or is it injustice and inequitable distribution of wealth. Where are we called to stand, as Christians in the present turmoil? Here I refer to Mathew 25: When I was hungry you gave me food. When I was thirsty, you gave me drink. When I was a stranger you took me into your home, When naked you clothed me When I was ill you came to my help, When in prison you visited me.

It is important that we, as a community, find ways to respond to all of these needs. It is also by working as a community that we are able to give the greatest reassurance to those who have lost their communities

Christmas Message Rev. Dr. Ruth H. Bersin

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25 Annie E Easow 860-487-8515

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Birthdays

“For last

year's words

belong to

last year's

language

And next

year's words

await another

voice.

And to make

an end is to

make a

beginning."

― T.S. Eliot

(Little Gidding)

Wedding Anniversary