The conference will take place at a brand new Lakeside Holiday and Conference Centre, Whitemoor Lakes, Barley Green Lane, Alrewas, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS138QT.
www.whitemoorlakes. org.uk

The Theme ‘AT THE CROSS ROADS: Changing Contexts, Challenges and a Christian Response’ will look at our life at the cross roads in this fast changing contexts in relation to social, economic, political and religious life. The theme was evolved from the bible verse Jeremiah 6:16 where the Lord is asking us to stand at the crossroads and look; ask for ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it.

For further information and to express your desire to attend, visit http://www.orthodox familyconference .co.uk/
Email: iocfc12@gmail. com
Phone: 07814032269

For contacts
Dr. Thomas Jacob [Remmy] (London)
O7814032269 / 02084070025
remmyrenu@hotmail. com

Mr. Baiju Kuriakose (Birmingham)
07903736235
Baiju2@hotmail. com

Dr. Ajay Mathews (Canterbury)
07786233800 / 01233612356
ajaymat70@yahoo. co.uk

Dr. Sandeep Mathews (Manchester)
07855452510
vmsmathews@gmail. com

Promotional video clips 1 2

News sent in: Jayan Varghese

Europe visit, a boost to ecumenical ties
To lead Christmas service at St Gregorios Orthodox Church, Bielefeld
German alma mater to honour Metropolitan on Dec 27

BERLIN : Pulikkottil Dr Geevarghese Mar Yulios, Metropolitan, Ahmedabad Diocese, is presently visiting Austria and the Federal Republic of Germany for ringing in Christmas (Yeldo) and New Year festivity.

The European countries are all decked up to celebrate Nativity season and merge with the joyous season of Yule tide spirit.

The 20-day visit which began from December 13 ends by New Year.

For the Festival of the Nativity of our Lord, Dr Mar Yulios will lead the Christmas service at the St Gregorios Orthodox Church, Bielefeld. Bielefeld is an independent independent city in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe Region in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

After this, Dr Mar Yulios moves to Cologne Bonn, for services on December 26.

On December 23, Friday, a reception is being planned at the head-quarters of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) at Hanover. Twenty-two Lutheran, Reformed and United regional churches (Landeskirchen) form the Evangelical Church in Germany.

Another reception is being arranged at Frederic-Alexander University, Erlangen from where the Metropolitan obtained his post doctoral research on December 27. The reception will be fitting enough for the young Metropolitan who is heading a Diocese from a major community in India and the University can pride itself of the achievement of its former student.

This will be the third visit of Dr Mar Yulios to Deutschland after a gap of 6 years having earlier completed
his research study from the Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen in 2004.

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) is one of the largest universities in Germany.
The Metropolitan’s earlier visit was in 2005 for attending a conference and though there had been invites to European countries, this had to be postponed due to pressing schedules back home.

On December 18, Sunday, the Metropolitan led the Holy Eucharist at the St Thomas Orthodox Church, Vienna.

This correspondent received an email on November 7 at 8.27 am from thimothiosmathews@gmail.com with the subject line saying ‘Confidential Urgent Request.’

The email request begins with a Good Morning and its contents say that the Metropolitan was on an urgent trip to Cape Town, S Africa and had lost his valuables.

It explains in the second para that the Metropolitans belongings including wallet, mobile phone and some valuables on way to the hotel have been lost. “I am sending you this e-mail from the city Library (and I only have 15 minutes in every 2 hours to access my email from here), I had to block my account and my bank cards immediately the incident happened,” it adds further.

The hacker has requested the recipients to assist in sending a loan of $3,200 or any amount you could afford to sort-out my hotel bills first and to get Dr Mar Thimothios back home.

The end of the mail also gives his Indian contact numbers in Chengannoor and St Gregorios Indian Orthodox Church, Brokely, London. This is not the first time that the emails of Malankara Orthodox Metropolitans have been hacked. Usually this happens to Metropolitans on tours outside India.

Dr Mar Thimothios had recently represented the Malankara Orthodox Church in the Global Inter-Religious Meeting in the Umbrian hilltop town of Assisi, Italy.

Those receiving similar crisis mails are requested not to entertain such mails purportedly by hackers.

The full text of the mail is produced below:

Good Morning

I hope everything is fine?. I’m so sorry for not telling you about my urgent trip to Cape Town. I’m Presently In South Africa, I will be glad if I could confide in you and I want this issue to be confidential between You and I because I don’t want people to get worried about my situation. I’m in Cape Town (South Africa) but am having some difficulties. It has been a very sad moment for me over here and my present situation is very hard for me to explain but i trust God he knows why he bring me here.

I lost my belongings including wallet, mobile phone and some valuables on my way to the hotel. I am sending you this e-mail from the city Library (and I only have 15mins in every 2hours to access my email from here), I had to block my account and my bank cards immediately the incident happened. I am facing a hard time here because i have no money on me to clear my Hotel bill and other expenses. Please I will like you to assist me with a loan of $3,200.USD any amount you could afford to sort-out my hotel bills first and to get myself back home. I have reported the case to the embassy here and they are going through the necessary procedures but I will appreciate whatever you can afford to assist me with and I’ll refund you the money as soon as I return.

I await your reply immediately so I can email you the needful details to send the transfer for me. The hotel manager we be the one to receive the money for me.

with love and prayers
Dr Mathews Mar Thimothios
Menorah Orthodox Centre
Diocese of UK, Europe & Africa
Venmony PO
Chengannoor – 689509

0091-479 -2651722
St Gregorios Indian Orthodox Church
Cranfield Road, Brokely, London
UK- SE4 1UF.
0044 2086919456, 0044-7531814466

Metropolitan Dr. Mathews Mar Thimothios presided over the inaugural meeting. Fr Varghese John, Fr George Samuel and Dr. M.S Alexander gave felicitation speeches. The Orthodox Community from 14 families in 1972 had grown to over 1,500 families in UK at present

In the inaugural address, Mar Thimothios reflected upon the rapid progress of the Orthodox Community and the importance of the Family Conference to bring together the faithful of the diocese to share the faith of the holy Church, happiness, sorrows which may encourage their personal spiritual life.

Fr Abraham Thomas (Registrar of the Orthodox Seminary, Kottayam) is the main speaker at the conference.

The main theme of the conference is ‘A Wise Man Builds his House on Rock’.

A committee under the leadership of Fr Happy Jacob, Dr. Sandeep Mathew, Dr. Paul Peter, Mr. Linz Aynattu, Dr. Sen Kallumpuram, Sunil Philip, Reji Kottarakara and Jinoj Philip is working hard behind the scene for the success of the conference

Dr. Thomas Jacob is the Director of programmes and Music at the conference.

Over 300 delegates are attending this conference at present. They consist of 3 generations of family members – grandparents, parents and children. 23 parishes spread over England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland is benefited by the conference.

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News sent in: John Kochukandathil

Until July 2011, the Diocese of UK-Europe had only only one church owned by Malankara Orthodox Church (St. Gregorios Church, Brockley, London). The eminent leadership of the Metropolitan, Dr. Mathews Mar Thimothios along with the dedication and hard work of the respective Vicars and members of these churches made these dreams come true. Metropolitan is at present in the UK for his pastoral visit and has visited both these sites.

On August 24, 2011, at a simple function organised at the new church property of St. Thomas Indian Orthodox Church, London the Vicar, Fr. George Joy along with the secretary and treasurer did the symbolic gesture of handing over the keys of the new church property to the Metropolitan Mar Themothios. In his address, the Metropolitan urged the parish members to make a concious effort to contribute further towards the church development fund.

Metropolitan also depicted the beautiful story of Jacob, who randomly selected a stone and used it as a pllow to sleep. He then had the dream of a ladder resting on the earth and reaching up into the Heaven and he saw Angels of God going up and coming down the ladder. Then Jacob saw the Lord standing above the ladder, who blessed him and his generations with the land where he was sleeping. When he woke from his sleep Jacob said “Surely Lord is in this place, but I did not know it.”Jacob placed the stone on its end he made it a pillar. This pillar then became the cornerstone for Bethel- the House of the Lord. Dr. Mar Themothios encouraged everyone to have this dream of Jacob and keep the new church in our daily prayers.

The Metropolitan also gave his vision of having more chuches owned by his people in the UK which should be followed by the establishment of a Diocesan Centre in the UK.

The new church property of St. Thomas’s Indian Orthodox Church is located in St. Agnell’s Lane, Cupid Green, Hemel Hemstead HP2 7AY. It is located towards the North of London, 3 miles from M1 Motorway Junction 8a and 6 miles from the Junction 21 of M 25 Motorway . Further development works are planned for the existing church building and the hall which is about to start in a few weeks time. Consecretation is planned for next year.

News Sent in: Dr. Sen Kallumpuram

Faithful in that area attended the service with reverence.

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Fr. Phillipose Phillip, Vicar of St. Gregorios Orthodox Church, Edmonton, Canada will be the Chief Celebrant for the Holy Week Services

Holy Week Schedule:

Palm Sunday : Saturday the 16th April at 5pm
April 17th at 7:00pm : Evening Prayer at Ciji Mathew’s Residence
April 18th at 7:00pm : Evening Prayer at George Kutty’s Residence
April 19th at 7:00pm : Evening Prayer at Abraham Kurian Residence
April 20th Wednesday at 6pm : Maundy Thursday
April 21st at 7:00pm : Evening Prayer at Reji Jacob Residence
April 22nd at 12pm : Good Friday Service
April 23rd Saturday at 6pm : Easter will be celebrated on
The evening prayer at members residence will be followed by Holy Confession

More Details

News Sent In: Baiju John

“We are very happy that our faithful have bought a very good parsonage and a plot for constructing a Church. They did a commendable job”, said the Metropolitan in his note of felicitation about the faithful in South Africa.

The Metropolitan is to go to Botswana and Tanzania as part of his mission to visit the Orthodox faithful there.

Metropolitan Dr. Mar Thimothios will arrive at Dubai on April 13 and visit various parishes in the UAE until May 11. Peak of his visit to the UAE will be the Holy Week Services at St. Thomas Cathedral, Dubai.

The conference began with Holy Qurbana. Fr. Laiju Mathew, Pathanamthitta, Vicar of the parish, led a Bible class on the importance of ‘Faith in God in Families’.

Fr. Jose Jacob Vengassery spoke on family revival. Special prayers and officium were conducted for all departed faithful, who have served the Malankara Orthodox Church.

The meeting also condoled over the demise of Isaac A.K. Aduckathil, who had bee an integral part of Malankara Orthodox Family Conference, Germany.

Mathew Mathew, P.G. Aleas, Daniel P. Skariah, Oommen Koipurathu, John Kurien, and Jacob Daniel led the proceedings.

A large number of faithful attended the day’s event. Mathews Kakkanattuparambil welcomed the gathering and K.V. Thomas, the treasurer, moved the vote of thanks.

Fr Varghese John Mannancherry, Priest-in-charge, along with members of the congregation welcomed the Metropolitan at Sandyhills Church, Baillieston, Glasgow on September 18.

Dr. Mathews Mar Thimothios celebrated Holy Qurbana and Fr. Varghese John, Fr. Sebastian Kallathu, Priest of Syro-Malabar Church, and Rev. Graham Atkinson, Minister, Sandyhills Parish, Church of Scotland and a large number of Orthodox faithful from the locality attended.

After the Holy Qurbana Mar Thimothios addressed the gathering at a meeting presided by Fr. Varghese John. In the meeting Monittan Muthalaly, Secretary of the Congregation, submitted an official request to the Diocesan Metropolitan expressing wishes of the members to get their congregation to be elevated to a parish Church.

Dr Mathews Mar Thimothios met with various religious leaders of different Christian denominations in Scotland including Rt. Rev. Joseph Devine, Bishop of the Archdiocese of Motherwell, Roman Catholic Church and Rev. Tom Pollock, Convener, Ecumenical Relations Committee, Church of Scotland. In-depth discussions on ecumenical relations between Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and their churches in Scotland took place in the meeting.

Fr. Paul Morton and Fr. Sebastian Kallathu were the main hosts during Mar Thimothios’ stay at the parsonage of St. Bride’s Roman Catholic Church at Campuslang, Glasgow.

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