Women’s reservation in parliament and state legislatures would change the “culture of the country because women today are still caught in a culture prison. In the name of tradition, stereotypes are imposed and we have to fight these every day”.

John Calvin the Reformer of the Western Church wrote in his commentary to the first letter of St. Paul to Timothy in the following way: “Whatever hypocrites or wise men of the world may think, God is better pleased with a woman who considers the condition God has assigned to her as a calling and submits to it, not refusing to bear the distaste of (cooking) food, the illness, the difficulty, or rather the fearful anguish associated with childbirth or anything else that is her duty — God is better pleased with her than if she were to make some great display of heroic virtues and refuse to accept the vocation given her by God.” (John Calvin on I Tim. 2:15).

Eastern Fathers have expressed more than a thousand years back from Calvin very progressive and revolutionary ideas on liberation of women. Let me quote from St. John Chrysostom. “A woman undertakes no small share of the whole administration, being the keeper of the house. And without her not even political affairs could be properly conducted. For if their domestic concerns were in a state of confusion and disorder, those who are engaged in public affairs would be kept at home, and political business would be ill managed. So that neither in those matters, as neither in spiritual, is she inferior.”

The role of the woman is a much discussed issue in the world at large, and especially in modern society. We live in the day of women’s liberation, women’s rights, and the feminist movement. Women are clamouring for equality with men and are seeking fulfilment not in the home and not in raising a family, but in the profession, and careers traditionally occupied by men. The women’s movement has become highly organized, a political force to be reckoned with. It is not surprising, therefore, that there is also a parallel movement in the churches pushing for the admittance of women into the special office, the offices of minister, elder, and deacon. Women are enrolling in the seminaries. And some churches are actively ordaining women into the offices.

We want to clear up a common misconception and misrepresentation. Often the two sides on this issue are divided into those who are “for” women and those who are “against” women. The position “for” women means that women can do anything men can do, may hold any office that men may hold. All possible distinctions are to be erased. The position “against” women means that women are not allowed to do all that men do, are not allowed to hold every office that men hold, and are called to be in submission to the man in the home and in the church. At best this is a serious misconception; at worst it is a deliberate and malicious misrepresentation. It is our conviction that the Bible does not allow the woman to hold every office that the man holds and that the woman is called to be in submission to the man in home and in the church. But this is not a position “against” women, but a position “for” women, really the only position “for” the women. The Bible is “for” women, that is, the Bible has the woman’s own best interests in view and prescribes what is best for the woman herself. Exactly because the church is motivated by the good of the women themselves, the church must be committed to adhere to the Bible’s teaching on the question of women in office.

Vide Bull 266/2008, the Malankara Orthodox Church allowed woman to attend Parish General Body Meetings. But they have no voting power. It is the high time to think about the voting right in the General Body and reservation for ladies in the Managing Committee. Women play a major role in all areas of life from family to careers. They represent a significant portion of our church membership and are actively involved in many aspects of church operations. However, their exclusion from voting in General Body meetings and Managing committee duties contradicts the principles of equality and fair representation. Our tradition also sends a very negative message to our children about our church’s discouragement of the role of women in the Church. Our children should not be taught that a woman does not have equal opportunity in our church especially for the generations, who are now settled outside of India. In order for the church to prosper outside India, it must be willing to adapt to modern practices as other churches have done. Progress and success only comes with flexibility and practices with a positive vision for the future.

Theme of the conference is from St. Mathew 5:16; ‘Let your deeds glorify your Father in Heaven’. Fr. Dr. Mathew Koshy, Atlanta, will be the main speaker.

The conference will begin at 9.30 am with registration. The registration fee will be $10. The business meeting of the Regional MM Samajam will be at 3.00 pm. There will be deliberations on the theme, group discussions, presentations, and question answer sessions in the conference.

For more details contact:

Susan Chacko, Southeast Regional Secretary: 954-434-5537
Fr. Dr. Joy Pyngolil, Vicar: 772-633-5728
Fr. George Paulose, Vice-President: 813-991-4728

St. Thomas Indian Orthodox Church is located at 805 Glenn Park Way, Hollywood, Florida, 33021.

The objective of this retreat is to help all our church members to understand the importance of Holy Lent and to prepare ourselves for leading a successful life.

Metropolitan Abraham Mar Ephiphanios who is in-charge of the Bangalore Diocese, will inaugurate the retreat. Sukhada Retreat Center, Kolencherry to lead the Retreat under the guidance of Fr. Geevarghese Vallikattil and Fr. Paulose Padavettil.

There will be a special musical session by the Sukhada Team at the retrat.

Video Sukhada Retreat Center

With the permission of Ministry of Islamic Affairs through Red Crescent Dubai , OCYM collected large quantity of new ready made apparels, medicines and food stuff from the members and their well wishers to help the victims of earthquake which struck Haiti on 12 January 2010.

The Collected materials cost Indian Currency approximatly 30 Lacs were sorted, listed and packed by the members and families of OCYM who voluntarily worked day and night and were handed over to the Head of Red Crescent Society, Dubai , Mr. Mohammed Abdullah Alhaj Al Zarooni by Fr. Biju P Thomas, the Unit President and Vicar of St. Thomas Orthodox Cathedral,Dubai.

Robinson Panicker, the Trustee of the Cathedral handed over members contribution cheque (Rs.5 Lacs).

Asst Vicar Fr. Pathose Joy, Vicar of Jabel Ali Congregation, Fr. Aju Abraham., OCYM Vice President, John P Geroge, Cathredral Secretary Marydasan Thomas, OCYM Secretary Manoj Thomas and Mohammed Kamal from the Red Crescent Society were present on the occasion.

General Convener Abi Paulose welcomed the guests and OCYM Tresurer Binny Mathew proposed the vote of thanks.

Managing Committee members, Members of Martha Marium Samajam, MGOCSM, Sunday School, and other members of the participated in the function.

In the book of Numbers, we read in 21: 4-9 that Israelites complained against the Lord about their plight of tedious walking towards Canaan. It was decided that they shall walk around the Land of Edom and they set out from Mount Hor by the route of Red Sea. The route was long and people lost their patience, perseverance and concentration to reach the Promised Land. As usual they started complaining against the Lord and Moses. They spoke in the line like ‘why were they brought to the desert from Egypt that they die there’. They were deprived of bread and water in the desert and the meager food that they were eating was disgusting to them. Result of this rebellion was that the Lord sending fiery serpents into their midst. The serpents bit many Israelites and several of them died. When quite a few have died, the remaining turned back to Moses again and asked him to pray to the Lord for the people. Moses was moved by the request of the people and he opted to pray for them. Answering Moses’ prayer, the Lord commanded him to make a serpent of bronze and to hang it down from the flag pole. Any one looks at the bronze serpent after having bitten by the fiery serpents was to live and not to die. This is the primary text that the Church has decided to highlight for the Mid Lent.

In the Gospel reading for the Mid Lent, we read from Jn 3: 14-15 that like Moses raised the serpent in the desert, the Son was to be raised. This was for any one, who believes in Him shall live. Clearly the allusion here is to the narrated text above. Now, it would be interesting to look deep into the ideas buried here.

First of all the incidence from the book of Numbers was when the people of Israel walked halfway through their sojourn towards the Promised Land. The Church also has walked halfway to the festival of Salvation, namely Easter, the conquering of death by the Son of Man, Jesus Christ. When we reach half of the Holy Lent, being human, many develop tendencies to complain against the food disciplines or severe and rigorous prayer sessions. Moreover, we can notice that people have an increased tendency to criticize and complain against other people during the Holy Lent. It is in this very context that we need to look into the incidence narrated above from the Old Testament. This text is a check for all of us to seriously scrutinize us and our spiritual discipline that we specially adopt during the Holy Lent.

Secondly, the serpent that Moses raised was made of bronze, an alloy made of fusing copper and zinc. Now, copper and zinc have some significance to be noted. Copper is a shining soft metal and in its purity it is very delicate and flexible too, whereas zinc has a dull color and is hard and inflexible but also is easily breakable. These are contrasting characteristics. We can compare these with divine and human traits. God is shining in His purity, and He is very delicate and flexible, eagerly waiting for humans to turn back from their evil ways. Humans in their sinful state are very much rigid, inflexible and therefore, breakable into decay. These contrasting characteristics of metals were fused to make an alloy called bronze and similarly Jesus is made of, namely a total union between divine and human. It is to this God-human that we all will have to look for salvation. King and Prophet David proclaims that the ones, who looked at Him were enlightened and there faces were not ashamed either (cf. Ps 34:5).

On the other hand, the evil that came into the midst of children of Israel was death infused through fiery serpents. In the Garden of Eden, death was infused by a serpent. In order to kill death that was caused by the serpent, God the Son took upon Himself the image of sinful humans. Now when God become human, He looked like a human through and through. Anyone with a snake bite, who looked upon this God become human, lived. St. John the Theologian in his fourth Gospel says that the Son of Man was elevated in the desert for people to believe in Him. Any one who looked upon the bronze serpent has done that with faith that he shall live. Here this act of looking is understood as believing in Jesus Christ though in the writings of St. John. It is for looking unto the Son of Man and believing in Him that the cross is elevated in the midst of the Church during the Mid Lent!

The cross that the Church elevates in her midst at Mid Lent is the cross that will be used for burial of the Lord on Good Friday, for the resurrection on Easter and for His ascension after 40 days from Easter. In short, the cross that is elevated in the midst of the Church and in the midst of the Holy Lent will remain actively in the Church for 65 days. This cross is the sacramental and sacrificial presence of Jesus Christ, the God Incarnate, in the midst of the Holy Lent.

It needs to be answered one more question here. Is venerating this cross idol worship? The answer from an Orthodox perspective is an outright no. In Ten Commandments, it is written that one shall not make any image of anything, living or non living, to make an idol. One shall not worship any idols (cf. Ex 20 and Deut 5). Had the Church had been using the image of a serpent, this tradition could have been depicted as idol worship. The Orthodox Church is not using any idols of any humans or serpents or any other living or non living thing. It is using the empty cross alone. What the cross is depicting is that which signifies the meaning of this great tradition. This cross is depicting none but the God become human. Let us emphasize the concept, the cross portraying the incarnate God. No one can say that this cross is the idol of Jesus Christ. It was the tool of abomination in the past and now that has become the symbol of victory for the ones, who believe in Him (cf. I Cor 1:18). St. Paul was keen to draw attention to the meaning of cross and Gal 6:14 is the highlight of all that he wants to say, namely, his praise is solely in the Holy Cross. This praise, this adoration and this veneration is that the Church is offering to the Holy Cross during these 65 days. This exactly is the very reason for all of us to kiss this cross first, when we come into the Church until the Holy Week. All clergy and servants at the Holy Altar shall kiss this cross until the feast of ascension, for this cross is to be kept in the Holy Altar room after Easter. The Church incenses this cross from Mid Lent until the feast of ascension and the idea there behind is also nothing but the same said above.

Finally there is another tradition associated with the feast of Mid Lent. The name of King Abgar the Black is alluded as well during the readings and songs for the Mid Lent. The tradition says that Abgar the King had an ailment and he wanted Jesus to heal him. Also it was the time that he heard that the Jews were seeking to kill Jesus. The offer from Abgar was that Jesus leaves Jerusalem and lives safely in Edessa or Uraha, which is called Sanli Urfa in present day Eastern Turkey. Interestingly this has happened 25 days before the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, the tradition says. Jesus declined the offer from Abgar to run away from Jerusalem and live in Edessa for He had to accomplish something important, but sent back a towel with His face imprinted upon it miraculously through the Royal Emissary. Later after three years from resurrection St. Thaddeus, other wise called St. Addai, went to Edessa to preach the Gospel and King Abgar became a Christian. Since the communication between Jesus and Abgar the Black happened 25 days before the feast of Resurrection, this tradition also took a place in the Mid Lent calendar. What ever be the veracity of this incidence, one shall note that even a gentile King like the Abgar looked at Jesus with faith to get healed from his ailments or weaknesses and he also got healed. This is the lesson that we too have to take from this legend. Ergo, let all of us get healed from the one who is elevated in the midst of the Church, namely, Jesus Christ!

The function was organized by MGOCSM unit of St Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Church.

The basic tailoring course completion certificate was issued by Institute of People’s Education (Jan Shikshan Sansthan, JSS) a scheme of Ministryof Human Resource Development, Govt of India.

The project was carried out in the St. Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Church, Tiruverumbur Church premises. Around 21 poor and oppressed woman of the nearby slum area were given certificates and 9 Sewing machines were distributed to the very needy women who had lost their husbands or having diseased parents.

The project was the outcome of the MGOCSM unit which won one lakh prize money in the charity event competition (“MGOCSM Centum Glorious(1908-2008)” held at Chennai on January 2008.

Fr. MosesRamban (Mt Tabor Ashramam, Mathur,Pudhukottai), Fr Michael Zachariah S.S.T President (Vicar), Dr.Sishaj Pulikottil Simon, MGOCSM Co-ordinator, Rejina (TailoringTeacher) were also present on the occasion.

The Church is located at 75 Cedar Grove Ave., Staten Island, New York 10306

Program:
1. 9. 30 AM Opening prayer
2. 9.45 AM Presidential Address
3. 10. 00 AM First session : Fr. Philip C. Abraham
4. 10.45 AM Break
5. 11.00 AM Second session : Fr. Philip C. Abraham
6. 12.00 Noon Noon prayer
7. 1.00 PM Confession

For more information,contact:
Corepiscopos Yohannan Sankarathil (Clergy Association Secretary) (516)-746-5086
Fr. Alex K. Joy (Vicar of the host church) (973)-243-9879, (718) 351-5585 (church).

Isn’t it strange that you can’t find a word to say when you’re praying,
but you have no trouble thinking of what to talk with a friend.

Isn’t it strange how difficult and boring it is to read one chapter of
the Bible,
but how easy it is to read chapters of a popular novel.

Isn’t it strange how everyone wants front-row-tickets to concerts or games,
but they do whatever it is to sit at the last rows in Church.

Isn’t it strange how we need to know about an event at Church 2-3
weeks before the day so we can include it in our agenda,
but we can adjust it for other events in the last minute.

Isn’t it strange how difficult it is to learn a fact about God to
share it with others,
but how easy it is to learn, understand, extend and repeat gossip.

Isn’t it strange how we believe everything that magazines and newspapers say,
but we question the word of God?

Isn’t it strange how everyone wants a place in heaven,
but they don’t want to believe, do, or say anything to get there?

Isn’t it Strange!!!

Dn. Paul was ordained as a Sub-Deacon on April 13, 2002 and elevated to Full Deacon on Wednesday, April 29, 2009 in India.

Dn. Paul (B.Sc., M.Div, M.A. in Counseling) has represented National Council of Churches in the USA and attended as a Youth Delegate of the Malankara Orthodox Church for the World Council of Churches Assembly in Brazil. Dn. Paul has served as the MGOCSM General Secretary, MGOCSM Mission Coordinator, Coordinator for the Bronx/ Westchester Area MGOCSM.

Dn. Paul is the son of Fr. A.K. Cherian, Vicar of St. Mary’s Bronx, New York. Dn. Paul is married to Shallu Thomas-Cherian, who works in the IT Department at the United Nations.