P.O. Box 25562 Safat 13116 KuwaitTel : 25635253 (Res.) Mob : 6603 0775 St. Thomas Centre Tel: 2564 7060E-mail: st.thomasmtcq8@gmail.comwww.st-thomasmtckuwait.com

Rev. Sunil JoyVicar

revsuniljoy@gmail.com

Parsonage Location Salmiya, Street 10, Bldg No. 20

1st Floor, Flat No. 14 Al-Dhahok Bin Qays StreetOpp. Bestow Super Market(For Private Circulation only)

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and My God”. (St. John 20:28)

A Monthly publication for the St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church, Kuwait

Issue No. 8 Vol. VIII August 2014

Jesus Our LiberatorSt. Paul wrote in Galatians: 5:13, "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another".God's calling frees us from wrong spiritual concepts. Galatians: 4:3-7 says: "Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, 'Abba, Father!' Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."

A Christian is called away from superstition, error, bondage, deception, guilt, depravity, ignorance and a destructive life, from being a captive of Satan and facing eternal death. He is called to liberty in Christ, receiving forgiveness of sins through His shed blood, now knowing freedom from guilt, an awareness of the truth of God and, as a free gift, the hope of eternal life.

India wrested its independence from Britain in 1947 after a long freedom struggle led largely by the Indian National Congress and its visionary leaders, especially Mahatma Gandhi. From 1920 the freedom movement leaders began a highly popular mass campaign against the British rule using peaceful methods. India’s independence resulted in the formation of two countries – India and Pakistan. On 15th August 1947, our first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru raised the Indian National Flag at the Red Fort in Delhi. Commemorating this, each Independence Day, our Prime Minister raise National Flag at Red Fort and gives a speech to the Nation. Let us remember the great leaders who struggled for the freedom of the country and join hands to work together for a better nation.

IndependenCe day

AUGUST 15

Message from VicarDearly Beloved in Christ,

Greetings in the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

I am happy to write to you all once again through the St. Thomas Messenger. “Tryst with Destiny” was a speech made by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India, to the Indian Constituent Assembly in The Parliament, on the eve of India’s Independence, towards midnight on 14

August 1947; “Long years ago, we made a tryst with destiny and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge... At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom….”

Now we are at the threshold of the 67th Independence Day of our nation. Freedom is not to sit back and relax, and not dependent on any one, but tells that we are dependent, independent and interdependent. God observed, “It is not good for man to be alone,” which reminds we are independent human living in interdependence. “The ambition of the greatest man of our generation has been to wipe every tear from every eye. That may be beyond us, but as long as there are tears and suffering, so long our work will not be over.”

We might have heard of people boarding the trains on those days after Independence Day without tickets. They thought that India was free and they could do anything as they wanted. What does it mean by freedom? “Freedom means knowing right and wrong, having the ability to distinguish between them, and then deliberately, with full responsibility and in consciousness, choosing to do the right thing, only the right thing.”

In Christian point of view freedom from sin is understood in relation to Jesus’s death on the cross. God in His love sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to come to earth and willingly die in the place of sinful humans like us to take away all our sins, rebellions and wrongdoings. Therefore, all who entrust their complete life to Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins will be saved from their bondage to sin, and given eternal life in Him.

Rabindranath Tagore wrote about true freedom in Gitanjali;

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high; Where knowledge is free; Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by domestic walls; Where words come out from the depth of truth; Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection; Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit; Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action-- Into that heaven of freedom, my father, let my country awake.

The Almighty God may help us all to own up the meaning and substance of freedom with courage and responsibility.

Wishing you all A Happy Independence Day,

With Blessings and Prayers,

Sunil Joy Achen Vicar

Kuwait Centre Mar Thoma Joint Fellowship Counseling and Guidance Center

The Kuwait Centre Mar Thoma Joint Fellowship has decided to commence a Counseling and Guidance Center for the Kuwait community. Providing counseling services for the needy, guidance for youngsters & parents and palliative support for the sick & weak are the main objectives of this Guidance Center. Services of a qualified and experienced counselor, periodical seminars and get-togethers of children and parents of different ages, a dedicated team to meet and support sick and weak in the community, etc. are to be achieved through this Center, on a continuous basis. All these activities will be under the guidance and leadership of Vicars of our Parishes in Kuwait together with the sincere support from Parish members. The programs planned for this year are,

• Youngsters Meet • Premarital Guidance Classes • Couples Fellowship • Parents meet • Palliative Care Unit.

Prayerful support from all Parishioners is requested to make these plans successful. Let us join hands prayerfully and work together to make our mission a more meaningful one.

Rev. V.S. Skariah 66590491(Chairman) Mr. Mathews Koshy 66511065 (Co-ordinator)

Mr. abu Sam Thundathil 66280185 (Co-ordinator)

Note: To start with, we will have a program for Youngsters on the 8th, 15th and 22nd of this month. The title of this meet is “Springtide 2014” and the theme is “Life in 3d”. Details of this event and registration forms are available in all Parishes for distribution.

Birthdays in augustdaTe naMe MeMbeR

nOpeT

naMepRayeR GroUP TeLephOne MObILe

1 JOSHUA ABRAHAM JACOB 04164 JOSHUA KADESH 25617209 992284481 ALEENA RACHEL TIJU 03253 ALEENA MIZPAH 667519371 ALEXANDER VAIDYAN P. K. 00601 THAMPICHEN EPHRAIM 24318176 972058461 ALICE KURIAN (DR.) 01532 AJI GETHSEMANE 25663820 994682531 EMILY ANN RENGIT 04523 EMILY MAHANAIM 55667602 655263392 DEEPU THOMAS PHILIP 03133 DEEPU EMMAUS 25643019 995968582 EVELYN SARA SUNLEY 01773 EVELYN ARARAT 24318939 991057023 SUSAN JOHN MATHEW 00242 JENNY EMMAUS 25642194 667111023 TIA ANILA SARI SANJAY 02463 TIA MIZPAH 23727529 677660344 JACOB CHACKO 03771 RAJAN EPHRAIM 24337438 972164604 MATHEW PARAPPATTU 02003 BEN OLIVET 25661536 978391014 KEVIN VARUGHESE T. 00483 KEVIN EMMAUS 25619683 991129194 MARIAMMA OOMMEN 01912 LENI EPHRAIM 662954834 REBEKAH ELIZABETH SUNIL 00814 REBEKAH MAHANAIM 25349052 661971074 SHINU ABRAHAM VARGHESE 04181 SHINU KADESH 666573805 MATHEW ABRAHAM 00281 SHIBU OLIVET 25615203 995509965 ANU ALICE ANDREWS 00402 ANU OLIVET 25646983 663963675 THOMAS VARGHESE K. 03741 JERRY OLIVET 25616048 558612045 RACHEL ALEXANDER 00602 MOLLY EPHRAIM 24318176 972058465 PRIYA SAIRA ABRAHAM 04502 PRIYA EMMAUS 656082216 DANIEL JOSEPH NOBLE 04423 DANIEL GEEHON 65100023 66051767 SUNLEY P. VARGHESE 01771 SUNLEY ARARAT 24318939 991057028 CHERIYAN T. CHERIYAN 02931 CHERIYAN MAHANAIM 25648202 664037129 SARAH PHILIP 00192 SARAH EDEN 25629665 997965369 SHEENA ELIZABETH MATHEW 01792 SHEENA KADESH 25613750 9929189511 ANDREA ANN ABRAHAM 01913 AMMU EPHRAIM 6629548311 ALEN VARUGHESE ABRAHAM 01914 APPU EPHRAIM 6629548311 KRISTEF VARKEY CHACKO 03504 KRISTEF EPHRAIM 24745215 9933173812 RAHALAMMA THOMAS 00222 MOLLY EDEN 25644965 9972712612 JERIN ANIL 00904 JERIN EDEN 25625837 9968243312 SANDRA ELIZA MATHEW (DR.) 00094 SANDRA GEEHON 22657126 997306913 ANOOP K. ALEX 02911 ANOOP EPHRATH 9943607713 SUJA MATHEW 04601 SUJA EMMAUS 508148914 SHARON NISHANTH THOMAS 00265 SHARON EMMAUS 25610213 997954314 SHARON C. MATHEW 01313 SHARON EPHRATH 24314590 6676007514 CARMEL C. MATHEW 01314 CARMEL EPHRATH 24314590 6676007514 JESSY KOSHY 03004 JESSY EPHRATH 24342128 9720107014 GEOL ABRAHAM 02031 GEOL KADESH 25621963 6658815014 RIYA MEERA KURIAN 03025 RIYA GEEHON 6622429714 JIJIN CHERIAN JOSE 04533 JIJIN MAHANAIM 6692188315 HANNAH SHAJI JOSEPH 01414 HANNAH EDEN 25612248 9406316115 ALVIN ROY JOHN 01114 IAN KADESH 25613051 9974083015 NISSY SARA GEORGE 00894 NISSY MIZPAH 25659639 6655296915 EZEKIYA AUSTIN MATHEWS 04835 EZEKIYA ARARAT 24336752 976639816 ABRAHAM MATHEW 01543 AVARACHEN GEEHON 25341972 6693577716 JOBY GEORGE CHERIAN 03763 JOBY EPHRAIM 24316910 9966243716 SAMSON MANOJ 00593 SAMSON MIZPAH 25612452 6659926917 SHERIN VARGHESE 01154 SHERIN KADESH 25650623 6639108217 ALAN K. EBY 01873 ALAN GENERAL 25639980 99985373

Birthdays in augustdaTe naMe MeMbeR

nOpeT

naMepRayeR GroUP TeLephOne MObILe

Thanks to God Almighty for his mercy that kept you safe and sound during the past year. Praying to Lord God to shower his Blessings, on each of you, all through the year ahead.

“Happy Birthday"

17 KESIA ANN JAMES 03353 KUKKU ARARAT 24315306 9728754618 JOVIN MATHEW 00804 JOVIN OLIVET 25617268 9942669118 GEORGE MATHEW. K 03151 ROY EPHRAIM 24316340 9710072718 VINEETHA MARIAM CHERIAN 04682 VINEETHA CANAAN 507181019 ELIZABETH ZACHARIAH 02802 VEENA KADESH 25668263 6654399019 SEBINA THOMAS 01733 SEBI EDEN 66761362 9913854819 ANGELA SUSAN ALEX 01333 ANGELA EPHRATH 24330564 6709646519 JOSHUA SHOBIN MATHEWS 01613 JOSHUA GENERAL 25638289 6501051420 SHIBU CHERIAN 00411 SHIBU KADESH 25649403 9989145020 SHAJU K. ABRAHAM 03631 SHAJU ARARAT 9928166520 JOHN MATHEW 00241 SUNNY EMMAUS 25642194 6671110220 NANCY WILSON 04112 NANCY OLIVET 5510834420 SUBY M VARGHESE 04162 SUBY KADESH 25617209 9922844821 GIBI SKARIA 03901 GIBI KADESH 5515058322 ANISH KURIAN GEORGE 00965 ANI EDEN 25659514 6651229122 VILAS VARGHESE 03341 VILAS GEEHON 9989937922 ALLAN VINCE VARGHESE 04113 ALLAN OLIVET 5510834423 JAIRO NANTHIYATTU SAM 03574 JAIRO EPHRATH 24348036 9710430723 JERAMI NANTHIYATTU SAM 03573 JERAMI EPHRATH 24348036 9710430723 MATHEW P. JACOB 02901 RONEI GETHSEMANE 25627036 9769293424 BEN GEORGE THOMAS 03333 BEN ARARAT 24330423 9938169124 SILY MARY MATHEWS 04012 SILY EPHRATH 9007648424 ASHISH SONY THOMAS 04463 ASHISH GETHSEMANE 25650610 9767753624 RYAN THOMAS MATHEW 04683 RYAN CANAAN 507181025 SAM GEORGE 00211 SAM OLIVET 25616048 6629025325 KRIS JAMES 03354 APPU ARARAT 24315306 9728754625 ABEL ZACHARIAH TINKU 03984 ABEL CANAAN 6642190425 ABHILASH A. ABRAHAM 01641 ABHILASH OLIVET 25648067 9941655425 LEELAMMA PHILIP 00182 LEELAMMA MIZPAH 25640337 9959857025 LINY THOMAS 04592 LINY KADESH 604249326 MANU ABRAHAM C. JOHN 01751 KOCHU KADESH 25643756 6622424926 SUSAN KOSHY 03672 JYOTHI ARARAT 24335198 6673582827 REEVES THOMAS GEORGE 00665 SACHU ARARAT 24335198 6604400827 SIBU THOMAS 00834 SIBU EMMAUS 25629186 6063127228 ANI ISNARENI SATEMAN 02462 ANI SHEKAM 23727529 6776603429 ANIESH ALEX VARGHESE 00783 ANIESH MIZPAH 97214239 979521029 ANSLY SUSAN REJI 01144 ANSLY ARARAT 24344521 9721943330 RIA KRISTINE GEOL 02033 RIA KADESH 25621963 6658815030 LINCY SOSA VARGHESE 01132 LINCY GEEHON 25652543 9791038531 BLESSON DANIEL PHILIP 00113 BLESSON GETHSEMANE 25638325 6603553931 MATHEW C. M. 00371 MOHAN EPHRAIM 24885372 9943826331 SANTHOSH JOHN VARUGHESE 04141 SANTHOSH EMMAUS 9446567531 RAJU PHILIP 00181 RAJU MIZPAH 25640337 9959857031 JOSEPH ABRAHAM EAPEN 04991 JOSEPH KADESH 9999254631 SHINY NISHA 03652 SHINY EPHRATH 24334581 99420168

rEGULAr ProGrAMS AT ST.THoMAS CENTrE

Sunday School Summer Vacation Yuvajana Sakhyam Every 1st and 3rd Friday after the Worship service

Junior Choir Summer Vacation Sevika Sanghom Summer Vacation

Senior Choir Every Thursday at 7.30 to 9.30 PM Edavaka Mission All Sundays at 7.30 PM

Sharon Maria Sunny

Mem. No. - 501

Prayer Group - Mizpah

neW MeMbeR

Medical Staff Retreat 2014 was held on Friday 11th July 2014 after the Service at St Thomas Center. After the opening speech by the Parish Vicar, Dr. Abraham Kurian, Dr. Susan Mathews, Ms. Shebymol Raju, Mrs. Moly Chacko and Mrs. Usha Abraham shared their experiences. In the group discussion, it was decided to seek possibilities to initiate the following services:-

• Medical seminar on Diabetics and Hypertension

• Classes on dental care for Sunday school children

• Medical Camp – During Harvest Festival• Medical Sunday• Palliative care• Medical Counseling

20 members who are in the medical field attended the retreat and it was a memorable event for all. Dr. Renjith George served as convener.

MedICaL STaFF ReTReaT

deLhI dIOCeSan aSSeMbLyAnnual assembly meeting of our Diocese will be held at Mar Thoma Centre, Delhi

on 2nd August, 2014.

Lay TRaInInG pROGRaMLay Training Program will be held this month at St. Thomas Centre under the able guidance of Rev. K. A. Varghese, Rev. C. V. Symon, Rev. V. S. Skariah, Rev. Sam T. Koshy, Rev. Santhosh Philip and Rev. Sunil Joy. Date will be announced.

Our member Mr. Laloo Thomas is nominated to the Mar Thoma Sabha Prathinidhi Manadalam by our Metropolitan, His Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma.

CoNGrATULATIoNS

Wedding anniversaries in augustdaTe naMe pRayeR GRp. TeL. ReS. MObILe

We wish all these couples a Happy Wedding Anniversary. Please attend and partake in the thanksgiving prayer during the Holy Communion Service.

“Come unto Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” - Matthew 11:28

COndOLenCeS On The Sad deMISeS OF:Mr. A. S. John (84), Delhi, father of Mrs. Mercy Saju, wife of Saju Pappachan, Membership No. # 86, Eden Prayer Group, Tel: 25650391, 99421457.Mrs. Thankamma Mathew (83), Mepurathu Niravil House, Kuriannoor, mother of George Mathew (Moni). Membership No. # 140, Emmaus Prayer Group, Tel: 97615189.Mrs. Rachel Abraham (95), Kuzhimattathil House, Pulikkayam, Kodencherry, mother of Sally George, wife of Mathew George Abraham (Santosh). Membership No. # 44, Gethsamene P. G., Tel: 25639462/ 99450411. Grandmother of Vince Varghese, Mem. No. 411, Olivet P. G, Tel: 25646703/ 55108344 St. Thomas Parish expresses our heart-felt condolence to the bereaved family members on the sad demise of his beloved ones. May the Lord strengthen and comfort them.

1 KOSHY K. CHERIAN & SUNI K. KOSHY MAHANAIM 25629583 979428933 SIMMY VARGHESE & SOJI JOHN OLIVET 972423593 JACOB P. JABBU KOSHY & RACHEL JACOB MAHANAIM 25623596 990560314 SUNLEY P. VARGHESE & JULIE ELSA JACOB ARARAT 24318939 991057024 BYJU P. MATHEWS & LENA MARIUM THOMAS OLIVET 25661536 978391014 MANOJ K. VARGHESE & RAKHEE ELIZABETH MATHEW EPHRAIM 24346703 971531518 VARGHESE I. CHEERAN & LEENA VARGHESE ARARAT 977654569 JOBY C. GEORGE & BINCILY K. IDICULLA ARARAT 998021729 THOMAS MATHEW & SHEEJA SUSAN THOMAS CANAAN 25660857 9939829710 CHACKO PHILIP & SHEENA KOSHY ARARAT 24348934 9721352213 MATHEW VARGHESE & GIGI OOMMEN KADESH 25659976 6623267814 FEBY MANI MATHEW & CISAL GEO MAHANAIM 66194291 9444564514 JOSE PALATHINKAL JOY & BEENA ANNIES JOSE MAHANAIM 6692188316 THOMAS C. GEORGE & LALIAMMA THOMAS ARARAT 24330423 9938169116 SUNIL C. JOSE & ANCEY ANIYAN KADESH 9922863917 SHAJU K. ABRAHAM & ANPU ANN ZACHARIAH ARARAT 9928166517 MALLIKA GANESH EDEN 2562137417 JOMOLE SUSAN GEORGE GENERAL 9956878319 SHIBU PHILIP MATHAI & NEETHA MARIAM ABRAHAM EDEN 25636526 9961572419 CHERIYAN T. CHERIYAN & SUNITHA ANNIE CHERIAN MAHANAIM 25648202 6640371219 RENJIT GEORGE (DR.) & JOLLY RENJIT (DR.) MAHANAIM 55667602 6552633920 RAJAN DANIEL. N. & SUSY RAJAN CANAAN 25629747 9906851421 BINU THOMAS KUREEKKATTIL & BIJINU K. BINU MAHANAIM 25658460 6618098621 GEORGE CHERIAN K. & SUJA GEORGE CHERIAN EPHRAIM 24316910 9966243722 MADATHILPARAMPIL VARGHESE JOHN & MARIYAMMA JOHN GETHSEMANE 9748801723 DANY V. JACOB & NINI ELSA MATHEW OLIVET 55479452 9938167624 MATHEWS KOSHY & SICY MATHEW CANAAN 25641766 6651106524 CHERIAN MATHEW & GRACE CHERIAN MAHANAIM 25629583 6608750924 JOSE V. MATHEW & SHEILA SUSAN JOSE CANAAN 6648146524 VIJI VARGHESE & JILSA V. VARGHESE CANAAN 9754128826 SATISH MATHEW KAITHOTTA & JASMINE SATISH OLIVET 25667847 9722073426 SAM MATHEWS & MOLLY SAM EMMAUS 9928093828 JOJU JOSE & TEENA SARA JOHN ARARAT 24338529 6666076429 MATHEW JOHN & SHERLY MATHEW EPHRAIM 66808735

Note : Any changes in worship venue or time will be informed through e-mail.

Sponsorship for St. ThO

Ma

S MeSSen

GeR

We request individuals / organizations / prayer groups to sponsor our monthly bulletin “St. Thomas Messenger” every month. You could even share the

special occasions in your family with St.Thomas family by sponsoring an issue of “St. Thomas Messenger”. Your kind co-operation in this matter is solicited. For further details, please contact the office bearers in advance.

ST. T

hO

Ma

S O

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be

aR

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S 2014-2015

dr. abraham Kurian

Vice Presidentabraham

Varghese (prasad)Secretary

Mathew

s KoshyTrustee - Finance

Mathew

JohnTrustee - Accounts

Kunjappan alexanderLay Ministrant

byju p. Mathew

sLay Ministrant

25663820 / 99468253amie_kurian@

yahoo.com25652846 / 97592351

abrahampanamthottathil@gmail.com

25641766 / 66511065mathek54@

yahoo.com25659153 / 97227413

matsmanoj@gmail.com

97214239 / 97952102alexander7214239@

gmail.com25661536 / 97839101

byjuparappattu@gmail.com

Prayer Groups shall identify and assign appropriate personnel as two Laymen to assist in Church services, two Lesson Readers and four Children to collect offertory, during W

orship services and Holy Communion services for both St.Thomas center & Hall of Peace. Please co-ordinate with Lay Readers .

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HIP

SC

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H o

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DATETIME

VENUETHEME

PROGRAMMEEPISTLE

GOSPELFIRST

LESSONSECOND LESSON

PrAYEr Gro

UP/ O

RGanIZaTIO

n1 FRI

7.30 AMSTC, SALMIYA

Gospel:Good news to all HOLY

COMMUNIONEph

3:1-13St.Luke 4:16-22

Isa 55:1-5

Acts 10:34-43

GEEHON

5 TUE7.30 PM

HOP, NECK, Kuwait CityGETHSEMANE

8 FRI7.30 AM

STC, SALMIYACelebration of the Sacrament of

marriage HOLY

COMMUNIONEph

5:21-32St.Mat. 19:3-6

Gen 2:18-25

Heb 13:1-6

MIZPAH

10.00 AMFa

STInG

pRayeR

EDAVAKA MISSION

12 TUE7.30 PM

HOP, NECK, Kuwait CityCelebration of the Sacrament of

marriage HOLY

COMMUNIONEph

5:21-32St.Mat 19:3-6

Gen 2:18-25

Heb 13:1-6

EPHRATH &EPHRAIM

15 FRI7.30 AM

STC, SALMIYAReformation Sunday-W

orshipping Community W

hich has to be reformed by the W

ord of God

HOLY COMMUNION

1Pet 1:13-25

St.Mat 7:21-27

2 Kings 23:1-6

Rev 1:1-9

KADESH

19 TUE7.30 PM

HOP, NECK, Kuwait CityCANAAN

22 FRI7.30 AM

STC, SALMIYAThe Sacrament of Holy Qurbana

HOLY COMMUNION

1Cor 10:15-17

St.Mark 14:12-26

Gen 14:17-24

1 Cor 11:23-34

EDEN

26 TUE7.30 PM

HOP, NECK, Kuwait CityEMMAUS

29 FRI7.30 AM

STC, SALMIYAChristian W

itness in a multi faith society

HOLY COMMUNION

1Pet 2:1-10

St.Mat 5:13-16

Dan 1:1-21

Acts 10:9-16

OLIVET