Congratulations to Elamkulam CSI Christ Church members.

As many of you know for the last seventeen months the Choir, Sunday school, Youth Fellowship and Women’s Fellowship members of the C.S.I.Church were not allowed to participate in any of the activities of the North Kerala Diocese. In spite of the intervention of the Moderator the pastorate committee and diocesan council members were not approved by Bishop Kuruvilla. The district council and diocesan council met recently without representation from the C.S.I.Church, Elamkulam. Bishop Kuruvilla has restrained the retired Bishops and pastors from extending their ministry to Elamkulam church.
The congregation at Elamkulam was silently suffering the torture of the Bishop for no fault of theirs. On one Sunday morning Bishop Kuruvilla broke open the doors of the chapel at the CEZM L.P.School, Tripunithra an outstation of CSI Christ church in the presence of large crowd of locals, who were non-Christians, and the local police. He was accompanied by notorious rowdies of both the sexes, in the diocese. He went back home immensely happy in dividing the congregation and later appointed a gentleman as the vicar of the church. He has never seen any theological college in his life. He belongs to another Christian denomination and hardly wears his cassock outside Kochi Corporation area and never in his native place. The success of attack forced Bishop Kuruvilla to repeat the same show in Elamkulam church on another Sunday accompanied by the spineless Trichur district president etc. The God fearing and innocent congregation at Elamkulam continued their silence and Bishop returned as if he won the battle for ever. But his expectations were short lived and he was forced to come on a third time.
There is limit for patience and finally the sleeping congregation reacted in a very exemplary manner boycotting both the services on the fateful third Sunday. Nowhere in the world, has a Bishop met such a shameful treatment from his followers. Since then Bishop Kuruvilla is trying to close down the church, but so far has not succeeded in his attempts. The fight continues and Bishop revenging mentality is also on increase. Since Bishop does not recognize them, they also react in the same measure in a silent, but dignified manner.
Most painful is the fact that the young ones, who completed the confirmation classes a few months back, could not be confirmed due to the adamant attitude of the Bishop. Out of 38 students who completed the course, five have already left the parish on getting admission to the professional course. The parents of the remaining children also equally agitated over the attitude of the Bishop and they finally decided not to arrange blessing their children by Bishop Kuruvilla as his hands are stained not only in financial matters, but also............The approach of the Bishop towards the newly appointed working committee and other bodies in the diocese has also strengthened their doubt about the eligibility of Bishop to bless their children. With the silent approval of the Synod, the confirmation service was conducted on Sunday the 21st August, 2011 by Ex. Moderator and Bishop K.J.Samuel, Rev.P.J.Jacob, Chairman of the Church and Rev.Thomas John, the officiating pastor took the initiative in conducting the confirmation classes /arrangements on the request of the parents and children. Rev.M.C.Varkey of the East Kerala Diocese was also present in the service apart from the above Achens. The pastorate Committee also supported the wholeheartedly in the issue. It is learnt that the pastorate committee appraised the position to the former Moderator and on verifying the facts; Bishop Samuel came to the conclusion that there is denial of justice to the innocent children of Elamkulam. He was very much pained on hearing over the present state of affairs in the diocese. We, in the Laity association salute the ex- Moderator for his bold decision and solid support to the congregation in the fight against the diocese and corrupt Bishop. God has appointed Kuruvilla as Bishop, but his ego has kept him from obeying the Lord, but Lord carried out the assignment through another Bishop. Praise the Lord.
The entire service extending to three hours was conducted in a touching manner and the message and prayers of Bishop Samuel were also spirit filled. Even the critics and staunch supporters of the Bishop also agreed that such a spirit filled confirmation service was never conducted in the 20 years history of the church. Apart from the church members, the relatives of children, friends and members from other sister churches and CSI churches in the city were also present on the occasion.                                                                              The voice of the congregation has to be heard with all the seriousness it deserves to avoid further damage. The silent congregation of the Christ church Elamkulam deserves our congratulations .This is a warning signal to the diocesan leaders, that if the present attitude continued, matters will go from bad to worse finally leading to the disintegration of the North Kerala Diocese .Pray, let it not happen.