Greetings!
We are now celebrating the 47th Parish Day and it is a
time to look back with reflection and look forward with
hope for a new tomorrow. God had led thus far and we are
slowly and steadily moving to the Golden Jubilee of the
Kuwait Mar Thoma worshiping community. Time has come to
think about the Jubilee and plan ahead with care.
What is a Parish? It is caring and loving community
where all are important and their opinions are admitted
and voices are heard. Some people are very shallow in
their thinking and consider the parish only as an
administrative body in an institutional set up. It is
dangerous! Church is a covenant community and a
worshipping community. In the love of the Lord we are
knit together to exercise mutual love and compassion. It
is a missionary community with a vision
for the world which God loved and gave His Son to die on
the Cross of Calvary.
Faithfulness and transparency must be maintained in all
our dealings and in every
walks of life.
It is very logical to think that smaller communities can
serve its members well. Kuwait Parish was proud of its
large membership and conducted business as usual for a
long time. We realize that things are not all right and
we need to think and act as responsible people. All
members are entitled for meaningful and creative
pastoral care. As we look forward we may have to plan to
create at least three worship Congregations for a
meaningful and spiritually edifying church life. We have
to develop new leadership cadre and entrust them with
responsibilities for the future of the church in the
Diaspora community. Let us be graceful in our church
membership and grateful to God for His bountiful
blessings.
Discipline must be maintained in church life and there
is no 'discipleship' without discipline. We need to
mobilize and utilize our resources for the mission of
the church with stewardship. May the Parish Day
celebrations give us new impetus to renew our commitment
to the Lord of the Church and help us to ensure our
meaningful participation in the life of the church, the
Body of Christ.
Looking forward to be with you all.
With prayerful regards.
Yours in Christ's service,
Dr. Abraham Mar Paulos Episcopa
Posted on October 24 2010