St. Thomas Orthodox Church Houston, Texas

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http://www.houstonstthomas.org

[edit] Church History

The St. Thomas Orthodox Church in Houston was established from a desire in the minds of the Indian immigrants to the Houston area in the early 1970s to congregate and worship in the traditions and practices of the Malankara Orthodox Church. A then newly formed prayer group in invited Rev. Fr. C.O. Vargis from Corpus Christi to celebrate the Holy Qurbana according to the Malankara Syrian Orthodox rites in Houston on November 17, 1974. This service was held at the Chapel of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Bellaire and 45 believers were in attendance. At this time, the decision was made to have Rev. Fr. C.O. Vargis celebrate the Holy Qurbana in Houston on the 3rd Sunday of every month.

St.Thomas Festival

St.Thomas Orthodox church Festival

After the Holy Qurbana on December 15, 1974, the first Managing Committee of the new congregation was elected with Rev. Fr. C.O. Vargis presiding. Rev. Deacon Zachariah Vennattukalathil was elected as the President of the new church. It was also decided to affiliate the parish with the Diocese of Outside Kerala of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church of India. In the second Managing Committee meeting held on December 29, 1974, it was decided to name the Houston Church after the Patron Saint of India, the Apostle St. Thomas. The congregation also decided to request the Metropolitan of the Diocese of Outside Kerala, His Grace Mathews Mar Athanasius to appoint Rev. Fr. C.O. Vargis as the first Vicar.

On February 13, 1975, the Parish became a legal entity through its formal incorporation in Texas as a Non-Profit Organization. The appointment of Rev. Fr. C.O. Vargis as Vicar was communicated by His Grace Mathews Mar Athanasius in the Pastoral Directive (Kalpana) #86/75 dated March 4, 1975. From May 1975 onwards, the Holy Qurbana was celebrated on the first and third Sundays of every month. In 1979, His Grace Thomas Mar Makarios was appointed as the Diocesan Metropolitan for the newly formed American Diocese. The same year, the St. Gregorios Orthodox Church of India was started in Houston with Rev. Fr. Zachariah Vennattukalathil as the Vicar.

In the absence of a permanent facility, the services of the St. Thomas Church were held in various locations from 1974 to 1981. These locations included the Chapel of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Houston Baptist University and the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church. However as the Church kept growing, the decision was taken to build a church and the fund-raising activity started in 1976. The dream of owning a permanent facility was fulfilled in 1981, when the newly built church facility of the St. Thomas Church in the neighborhood of Bridgeport in South-East Houston was consecrated. From that point on, the Holy Qurbana was celebrated on every Sunday and all Moranaya Feast Days. A re-organized and re-vitalized Sunday School program was also started in the new church in 1981. The St. Thomas Church also became the first Malankara Orthodox Church in the American Diocese to own its own property and permanent building.

In 1983, Rev. Fr. M.T. Philip was appointed as the Officiating Priest of the Church by the Diocesan Metropolitan. Rev. Fr. M.T. Thomas started regularly participating in the church services from 1986 onwards. By the end of 1988, the St. Thomas Church had 109 subscribing member families. At this time, Rev. Fr. C.O. Vargis voluntarily vacated the positions of Vicar and President of the Parish. Consequently, after much persuasion and effort by the Diocesan Metropolitan, Rev. Fr. C.O. Vargis and others, Rev. Fr. Gheevarghis Aroopala agreed to become the Vicar and President of St. Thomas Church. Rev. Fr. Aroopala had been studying and working in Dallas after successfully starting and leading the St. Gregorios Orthodox Church in Chicago for many years. With the appointment of Rev. Fr. Gheevarghis Aroopala on May 15, 1988, the St. Thomas Church became the first church in the American Diocese to have a full-time Vicar. In 1990, a second sister church, the St. Stephens Orthodox Church was started in Houston with Rev. Fr. C.O. Vargis as the Vicar.

The rapid growth of the St. Thomas church body initiated the process of building a larger church or finding a new location for a larger church. Consequently, 8 acres of land was purchased in the Stafford area of Houston and the foundation stone for a new church was consecrated and laid by the then newly appointed Diocesan Metropolitan, His Grace Mathews Mar Barnabas on June 22, 1992. The first Holy Qurbana was celebrated in the new church on March 7, 1993. On Christmas Day of 1993, the newly built Church and Auditorium facility was consecrated by His Grace Mathews Mar Barnabas

In 1997, the church purchased an additional 4 acres to expand the compound to a total of 12 acres of property. Over the next few years, three laymen of our Church were ordained – Rev. Fr. V.C. Varghese in 1998, Rev. Fr. Mathai Alakottu in 1999 and Rev. Fr. Mammen Mathew in 1999. Additionally, Rev. Deacon Binu Mathews was ordained as a Sub-Deacon in 1999.

In 1999, the St. Thomas Orthodox Church of India in Houston celebrated its Silver Jubilee and this occasion was blessed by the presence of the Malankara Metropolitan and Catholicos of the East, His Holiness Moran Mar Baselios Marthoma Mathews II. At this time, our beloved Vicar, Rev. Fr. Gheevarghis Aroopala was elevated to the position of Corepiscopa.

Today, the Parish has over 180 subscribing member families. All spiritual organizations of the Malankara Orthodox Church, such as Sunday School, Balika Bala Samajam, MGOCSM, FOCUS, Youth Movement, Martha Mariam Samajam and Prarthana Yogams (Area Prayer Groups) are active and flourishing in the Parish. Many of these organizations have pioneered missions and activities that have been role-models and examples for the rest of the American Diocese. As the Parish continues to be a blessed oasis for Orthodox believers in Houston, let us pray that Almighty God’s hand be upon us at all times so that every person and every activity of our Church glorifies His name and spread’s His goodwill.

[edit] Our Vicar

Very Rev. Gheevarghis Aroopala Corepiscopa was born on November 25th, 1939 to Abraham and Sara Aroopala, who belonged to a devout Orthodox Christian family in Ooramana, near Kadamattom, in Ernakulam District in Kerala. He was baptized at the St. John’s Orthodox Church in Pampakuda, Kerala.

From his early childhood, Gheevarghis showed great appreciation and interest in the Church, Bible Study and the Liturgy. Because of his growing desire to serve God as a Priest, he joined the Orthodox Theological Seminary in Kottayam in 1959 after he completed his schooling at the Pampakuda MTM High School. He was ordained as a deacon by His Grace Augen Mar Themotheos, Metropolitan of the Kandanadu Diocese, at the St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s Orthodox Church at Kolencherry, on May 29th, 1963. In 1964, Gheevarghis graduated from the Seminary and received the degree of G.S.T (Graduate in Sacred Theology).

Upon completion of his studies, Gheevarghis was appointed as the Private Secretary to His Holiness Moran Mar Baselios Augen I, the Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan. He served in this capacity from 1964 to 1967. During this period, he gained extensive knowledge and experience in church administration and liturgical services. Deacon Gheevarghis accompanied His Holiness, the Catholicos, in his world-wide travels and participated in meetings with world leaders such as the Head of the Catholic Church, Pope Paul VI; the Patriarch of Antioch His Holiness Ignatius Yakub III; the Prime Minister of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi; the President of India, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan; and, the Patriarch of Romania, His Holiness Justinian.

In 1967, Deacon Gheevarghis joined the Bucharest University in Romania with a scholarship from the World Council of Churches (WCC). Here he obtained the Bachelor of Divinity (B.D.) degree and completed all the coursework required for a Doctor of Theology (D.Th.) degree in 1971. During his stay in Romania, Deacon Gheevarghis was also recognized by the Patriarch of Romania, His Holiness Justinian, with special gifts of personal appreciation.

In 1971, Deacon Gheevarghis joined the McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago with a scholarship from the United Presbyterian Church. In 1973, he was awarded the Master of Science in Theology (S.T.M.) degree with a specialization in Historical Theology. In 1974, he obtained the Master of Theology (M.Th.) degree with a specialization in Pastoral Care Counseling and Psychology from the Chicago Theological Seminary. During this time, Deacon Gheevarghis helped to organize the St. Thomas Indian Orthodox Church in Chicago and he was elected as its first Secretary.

On the completion of his education in Chicago, Deacon Gheevarghis returned to India and married Molly Cheruvellil, the daughter of Kuriakose and Annamma Cheruvellil from Maradi, near Muvattupuzha in Kerala on September 1, 1974. On September 6th, 1974, he was ordained as a full deacon by His Grace Paulose Mar Philexinos, the Metropolitan of the Kandanadu Diocese and His Grace Mathews Mar Coorilos, the Metropolitan of the Kollam Diocese. The next day, on September 7th, 1974, Deacon Gheevarghis was ordained as a Priest by His Grace Paulose Mar Philexinos at the St. Thomas Cathedral in Muvattupzha.

Returning to the United States, he initially served the Indian Orthodox families in Des Moines, Iowa. In 1978, Rev. Fr. Gheevarghis organized and started the St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox Church in Evanston, Illinois. In 1984, the St. Gregorios Church purchased a beautiful Church facility and parsonage in the neighborhood of Oak Park in Chicago, Illinois. Rev. Fr. Gheevarghis served as the Founding Vicar and President of the St. Gregorios Church from 1978 to 1985. In 1985, Rev. Fr. Gheevarghis relocated with his family to Dallas, Texas where he worked as a Substance Abuse Counselor till 1988. During this time, he also offered his services at the St. Mary’s Malankara Orthodox Church in Dallas.

On June 15th, 1988, Rev. Fr. Gheevarghis Aroopala was appointed as the Vicar of the St. Thomas Indian Orthodox Church in Houston, Texas. In 1992, the Church was able to purchase 12 acres of land in the neighborhood of Stafford in Houston and build an impressive Church and Auditorium facility. During the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the St. Thomas Church, which co-incidentally was also the Silver Jubilee of Rev. Fr. Gheevarghis’s priesthood, His Holiness Moran Mar Baselios Marthoma Mathews II, the Malankara Metropolitan and Catholicos of the East, elevated him to the position of Corepiscopa on September 25, 1999.

Our beloved Very Rev. Gheevarghis Aroopala Corepiscopa, or “Aroopala Achen” as he is fondly called, currently resides in Stafford, Texas with Kochamma and their two daughters, Amy and Christy. Achen continues to lead the St. Thomas Indian Orthodox Church in Houston as the Vicar and President. Under his able and fruitful leadership, the Church has truly flourished and has pioneered many of the progressive missions and activities that are now practiced throughout the American Diocese. We pray that Almighty God continue to shower blessings on our beloved Achen and family and grant them the health and strength to lead us with their inherent faithfulness, gracefulness and humility that has been perfected in His service over the last 40 years.

[edit] Organizations

Sunday School

The Sunday school in our parish, which started in 1978 with 30 students and 7 teachers, has grown into one of the largest in the southern area, as well as, in the American diocese of Indian Orthodox Church. Today, there are classes from Pre-K through 12th grade with about 150 students, 15 primary teachers, and 12 substitute teachers.

The Sunday school follows the regular school year calendar and the school year starts in August and ends in May. The classes are conducted every Sunday from 8 AM to 9 AM. The Sunday school follows the curriculum approved and published by the Sunday School Association of Indian Orthodox Church. In addition to the prescribed lessons, Bible stories, Christian songs, Bible verses, and other general topics related to church and life are covered in the class.

Other than the regular classes, the Sunday school conducts other activities to develop and promote the talents of the younger generation. Each year with the cooperation of other two churches in the area, Sunday school organizes a spring festival during the spring break and Vacation Bible School (OVBS) during the summer. Our Sunday school conducts an annual competition every year and the winners participate in regional and diocesional level competitions.

The Sunday school provides the basic infrastructure to guide the next generation of our church in Orthodox faith and in Christian conviction. The grace of All Mighty God, guidance of our vicar, the dedication of our teachers, enthusiasm and commitment of our students, and the cooperation of our parents are the factors that contribute to the success of our Sunday school.

Balika Samajam and Bala Samajam

Balika Samajam and Bala Samajam are the spiritual organizations for school age girls and boys respectively in our church. The main objectives of the organizations are worship, study, and community living. The goal is to make the young members study the faith and the tradition of our church and grow as true Christians. Balika and Bala Samajams were functional in different dioceses even before the formal induction of these as official spiritual organizations of the Indian Orthodox Church in the early nineteen-eighties. Though these are two independent organizations, it meets and functions together at parish levels.

Balika-Bala Samajam in our parish was started in the early nineties under the guidance of our Vicar, Very Rev. Gheevarghis Aroopala Cor-Episcopa and under the leadership of Molly Kurian and Koshy P. John. All the elementary and middle school students in our parish are members of this organization. In order to increase the effectiveness and to reach out to more students, the group is subdivided into two based on the age of the members. The junior group consists of students from kindergarten through fifth grade and is coordinated by Molly Kurian and Sunil Mani. The senior group consists of students from sixth through eighth grade and is coordinated by Sheena Mani and Binu Lal.

Balika-Bala Samajam meets on Sundays after the Holy Qurbana. The meeting format consists of starting prayer, study/discussion of a particular topic, devotional songs, and concluding prayer. The discussion topics include Gospel readings, bible stories, church faith, and other topics related to church and Christian life. Though the discussions are led and moderated by the adult coordinators, all the members are highly encouraged to participate. In order to develop the habit of praying openly in group settings, the starting and concluding prayers are done by the students. The devotional and worship songs, both English and Malayalam, are also taught in the meeting.

The “Save a Penny, Save a Life” penny collection program is designed to develop almsgiving habit in young hearts. The group organizes other events such as bake sales to raise money for charity works. The money collected from penny collection and bake sales are used to support orphanages and other charity projects here and in India.

Balika-Bala Samajam is a great organization that introduces the young people to the faith and the tradition of our church and encourages them to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ at the early stages of their lives.

M.G.O.C.S.M.

History

The Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church Student Movement started out as the Syrian Student Conference in 1907. Church leaders felt that students needed a way to deepen their spirituality and loyalty to the Orthodox faith, so various groups were established on college campuses all over India. Saint Gregorios of Parumala was selected as the patron saint for the group, and the name was officially changed to MGOCSM in 1960. Our MGOCSM

The MGOCSM of St. Thomas Orthodox Church, Houston is a group of high school and college age students who meet on Sundays after the service. Our weekly meetings involve praise and worship, Bible studies, activities and discussions. We participate in various community service projects and fellowship activities with our sister churches in the Houston area: St. Stephen's Orthodox Church and St. Gregorios Orthodox Church.

Our MGOCSM organizes a yearly retreat, held around the beginning of the New Year, which has become a major event in the American Diocese. Hundreds of youth from across the country come to our church to participate in a multi-day event that nourishes them spiritually, preparing them with for the upcoming year.

We are happy to say that we currently have two members of our MGOCSM that have decided to dedicate their lives to the Church – Deacon Binu Mathew and Christopher Mathews. Our mission is to learn more about the God we serve and to bring Him into our daily lives. We were baptized as infants into the Orthodox Church, but we can't rest on this childhood faith if we are to survive as Christians in this world. We must learn to relate to our Lord as young adults and continue to grow in knowledge of Him. This demands a mature understanding of Christian principles, with a lot of prayer, study and fellowship -- and MGOCSM gives us the chance to grow together.

Participating in the Holy Qurbana is how we worship our Creator on Sundays. Participating in MGOCSM is how we learn to worship Him with the rest of our lives.

Youth Movement

The youth movement of St. Thomas Church Stafford has expanded its role in line with IOC decision to include Women to the group. This was a great achievement as it increased participation of Young women in the church Forum. This enabled couples to attend the meeting as active members. The kids also joined the couples for meetings. Thus the OCYM emerged as an organized basic unit of the church, bringing Worship, Study, Service, fellowship as its prime motto. A Ten member Committee is elected Every Year inclusive of the executives Church Vicar -President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer to oversee the activities of the OCYM.

Our Objectives are:- 1. Promote the motto of Youth Movement namely, Worship, Study and Service, to attain Christian virtues that enable youths to lead a Christian life.

2. Discuss the issues that younger Generation faces in day-to-day life and find ways to strength through spiritual development.

3. Educate us about our faith, traditions, and history through question/answers and discussions.

4. Share church news of general interest.

5· Disseminate information about the activities with focus on faith, charity and missionary works.

6· Develop familiarity and friendship with fellow member and their ideas. T he OCYM has regular Sunday meeting immediately after the Holy Qurbana. Since its inception the Sunday meetings generated special interest among the youngsters as it gave an opportunity for them to meet every week in line with the MGOCSM meeting. The EX MGOCSM members acknowledged this as a good motivation to bind and keep the group active in Church. Each member is given

opportunities to develop leadership skills by voluntary presentation and studies based on Bible and personal experience. The monthly prayer meeting conducted on weekend was true blessing to the Group. The Series of Lectures on Holy Qurbana by Very Rev. Aroopala was a eye opener for members, how to prepare themselves for Holy Communion. The Fellowship and Friendship among members are increased by activities like Picnic, Talent Show etc. Money Raised by conducing Talent Show are given for Charity work.

We welcome all active members of the Church in the age group between 21 to 45, to participate in the OCYM activities. We have formed a Yahoo group to enable communication among members. The address is [1]