MEMORANDUM SUBMITTED TO THE COMMITTEE FORMED BY THE SPECIAL EXECUTIVE OF C.S.I. NORTH KERALA DIOCESE, SHORANUR ON THEIR VISIT TO THE CHRIST CHURCH ELAMKULAM ON 23-10-2011.
Respected members,
Greetings in His name.On behalf of the C.S.I. Christ Church, Elamkulam, may we, the duly elected representatives of the congregation to the Pastorate Committee and Diocesan Council, submit the following for the consideration of the Commission Constituted by the Special Executive with the ultimate objective of an early resolution of the deadlock that exist between the congregation and the diocese, and subsequent implementation of such decisions thereof with least possible delay.
The Christ Church, Elamkulam, has been a parish that extends whole hearted support and co-operation to the bishop and diocesan authorities since its inception in 1991. The Church has been courteous, compliant and generous in its relationship not only to the pastors, but also to the bishops during the past several years. The Christ Church, Elamkulam, is a growing and fast-developing congregation spreading across a wide geographical area. There is an English worship service every Sunday, in addition to the usual Malayalam service, and pastoral care is to be extended to a membership covering a large geographical area.
But, we have been encountering insensitivity to these pastoral care requirements of the parish from the diocesan authorities for the last many years. We have had to put up with pastors who were nearing retirement and who did not meet the requirements of an educated and rapidly growing city congregation. Hence, the congregation informed the bishop of its pastoral concerns and the need for pastors of younger age with competencies to meet the special needs of the congregation. Not only did he not listen to our pleas but rather acted against our wishes in various matters. All our subsequent pleas were met with arrogant and dictatorial response by the bishop
In this connection, kindly note that since the Diocese having been rather adamant during the last 18 months, in not recognizing this Congregation, by not only preventing our representatives from attending the meetings of the Diocesan Council, thereby depriving them of the feasibility of getting elected as members of the Diocesan Executive, preventing the Youth, and the Women from attending Diocesan level meetings, etc., denying participation of our innocent children in the Diocesan level Sunday School examinations, dissuading our members from clearing their dues when they moved into the Thripunithura Church, and freezing our bank accounts, but also by depriving us of the services of Pastors, and trying its utmost in preventing willing pastors and bishops of other Dioceses from attending our Sunday services, we feel that we have been denied all the services other Parishes in the Diocese were entitled to during this 18 months period.
It is the unilateral imposition of a pastor on us and the other actions, of which a few are listed above, from a bishop preaching the love of Jesus Christ, by quoting Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to one another, tender hearted,, forgive one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” that led to the present impasse. It was under extreme provocation that the parish has been forced to stand up for its rights as a congregation, and we feel that the following remedial measures should be undertaken by the Diocese, and that too with least possible delay:-
1. The pastorate committee and the diocesan council members, who were elected unanimously after duly following all the stipulation of the election commission of the diocese, must be recognized and the latter be given their rightful place in the diocesan council. Due representation must be given to the parish in various committees at the district, diocesan and synod level
2. We will not settle for any resolution of the impasse, leaving our Achens who stood with us in our times of trial, to fend for themselves. Their appropriate transfers adhering to the norms laid down by the Executive Committee and the Pastoral and Ministerial Committee should also follow any settlement of the stalemate.
3. In the transfer of pastors, the norms framed by the Pastoral and Ministerial Committee and the Executive committee should be strictly adhered to. Postings of pastors should be neither for punishment nor for extending favours to those who work to serve the vested interests of a bishop.
4. The right of the congregation to be heard and consulted at the time of posting pastors as laid down in the preamble of the constitution should be strictly followed. We will at any cost defend our democratic, constitutional and moral right to be heard and consulted before a pastor is posted to us.
5. The bank accounts of our parish in the Federal Bank and the State Bank of India, which were frozen at the instruction of the bishop, must be made operational.
6. Never again should a bishop act in such a way as to neither take physical control of the church nor forcefully conduct worship service without the expressed consent communicated by the pastorate committee and the pastor in charge. It is also unbecoming of a bishop to use sacraments as an instrument of coercion and actively work to deny them to a congregation because of their opposition to his style of functioning. Such actions of the bishop have caused us irreparable anguish, loss of reputation and financial loss. This must be compensated.
7. All prohibitions imposed on pastors and bishops from extending pastoral care to the Christ Church, Elamkulam should be withdrawn with immediate effect.
We look forward to your intervention and action for a time bound, early and comprehensive resolution to the impasse. If not, we will be free to pursue what we may deem most appropriate for the long term interest, well being and witness of the church.
With prayers and all good wishes,
Yours sincerely
P.C./ D.C MEMBERS
courtesy-
Respected members,
Greetings in His name.On behalf of the C.S.I. Christ Church, Elamkulam, may we, the duly elected representatives of the congregation to the Pastorate Committee and Diocesan Council, submit the following for the consideration of the Commission Constituted by the Special Executive with the ultimate objective of an early resolution of the deadlock that exist between the congregation and the diocese, and subsequent implementation of such decisions thereof with least possible delay.
The Christ Church, Elamkulam, has been a parish that extends whole hearted support and co-operation to the bishop and diocesan authorities since its inception in 1991. The Church has been courteous, compliant and generous in its relationship not only to the pastors, but also to the bishops during the past several years. The Christ Church, Elamkulam, is a growing and fast-developing congregation spreading across a wide geographical area. There is an English worship service every Sunday, in addition to the usual Malayalam service, and pastoral care is to be extended to a membership covering a large geographical area.
But, we have been encountering insensitivity to these pastoral care requirements of the parish from the diocesan authorities for the last many years. We have had to put up with pastors who were nearing retirement and who did not meet the requirements of an educated and rapidly growing city congregation. Hence, the congregation informed the bishop of its pastoral concerns and the need for pastors of younger age with competencies to meet the special needs of the congregation. Not only did he not listen to our pleas but rather acted against our wishes in various matters. All our subsequent pleas were met with arrogant and dictatorial response by the bishop
In this connection, kindly note that since the Diocese having been rather adamant during the last 18 months, in not recognizing this Congregation, by not only preventing our representatives from attending the meetings of the Diocesan Council, thereby depriving them of the feasibility of getting elected as members of the Diocesan Executive, preventing the Youth, and the Women from attending Diocesan level meetings, etc., denying participation of our innocent children in the Diocesan level Sunday School examinations, dissuading our members from clearing their dues when they moved into the Thripunithura Church, and freezing our bank accounts, but also by depriving us of the services of Pastors, and trying its utmost in preventing willing pastors and bishops of other Dioceses from attending our Sunday services, we feel that we have been denied all the services other Parishes in the Diocese were entitled to during this 18 months period.
It is the unilateral imposition of a pastor on us and the other actions, of which a few are listed above, from a bishop preaching the love of Jesus Christ, by quoting Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to one another, tender hearted,, forgive one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” that led to the present impasse. It was under extreme provocation that the parish has been forced to stand up for its rights as a congregation, and we feel that the following remedial measures should be undertaken by the Diocese, and that too with least possible delay:-
1. The pastorate committee and the diocesan council members, who were elected unanimously after duly following all the stipulation of the election commission of the diocese, must be recognized and the latter be given their rightful place in the diocesan council. Due representation must be given to the parish in various committees at the district, diocesan and synod level
2. We will not settle for any resolution of the impasse, leaving our Achens who stood with us in our times of trial, to fend for themselves. Their appropriate transfers adhering to the norms laid down by the Executive Committee and the Pastoral and Ministerial Committee should also follow any settlement of the stalemate.
3. In the transfer of pastors, the norms framed by the Pastoral and Ministerial Committee and the Executive committee should be strictly adhered to. Postings of pastors should be neither for punishment nor for extending favours to those who work to serve the vested interests of a bishop.
4. The right of the congregation to be heard and consulted at the time of posting pastors as laid down in the preamble of the constitution should be strictly followed. We will at any cost defend our democratic, constitutional and moral right to be heard and consulted before a pastor is posted to us.
5. The bank accounts of our parish in the Federal Bank and the State Bank of India, which were frozen at the instruction of the bishop, must be made operational.
6. Never again should a bishop act in such a way as to neither take physical control of the church nor forcefully conduct worship service without the expressed consent communicated by the pastorate committee and the pastor in charge. It is also unbecoming of a bishop to use sacraments as an instrument of coercion and actively work to deny them to a congregation because of their opposition to his style of functioning. Such actions of the bishop have caused us irreparable anguish, loss of reputation and financial loss. This must be compensated.
7. All prohibitions imposed on pastors and bishops from extending pastoral care to the Christ Church, Elamkulam should be withdrawn with immediate effect.
We look forward to your intervention and action for a time bound, early and comprehensive resolution to the impasse. If not, we will be free to pursue what we may deem most appropriate for the long term interest, well being and witness of the church.
With prayers and all good wishes,
Yours sincerely
P.C./ D.C MEMBERS
courtesy-
4 comments:
First of all I congratulate the Elamkulam church members for their endurance and commitment to be with CSI in spite of the utter provocations by a head of the diocese. Some one said that the destruction of the church is not from outside forces but from within. It is explicitly clear from the memorandum, how the supreme head of the diocese has been abusing his powers and exploiting the patience of the members of the church. In Munnar District, two decades ago one of our church in Panniar estate which was earlier with CSI has now been running as an independent church under separate registration because of the arrogance of the Rev. Sigamani and the then Bishop. Most often Bishops and one or two pastors think that the church is their inherited property. I strongly condemn the attitude of the bishop and his henchmen who made to suffer the congregations like this. The diocese should unconditionally apologize to the congregation for all the inconveniences caused to the members and normalize things as demanded by them without any further delay. I pray that good sense may prevail and the new administration will do all the needful to make the situation normal.
Dear Mr.Jacob Rejinold,
Please do not live in a fools's paradise.This gentleman bishop is not going to apologize or repent.He has come to steal and not for spiritual work.In our church we have a vicar who is actually a slave of bishop.This attitude of bishops and vicars badly spoil the reputation of our church..Majority of our vicars in our diocese are good.But a drop of potassium cynade in a water tank can kill thousands of people.
Let us cut the parasites and go ahead.Congratulations to elamkulam church members.
The approach by the Elamkulam parish is not correct.Their memorandum reflects dictating the terms to the Bishop who is the head of the diocese.This arrogant approach will only worsen the things further.If all pastorate committee starts to dictate like this what will be the state of our diocese.The precedence that we make now will make the future Bishops also to rule this diocese very difficult.So all who want a disicipline in the diocese shall discourage such attempts by isolated one or two parishes for the betterment of our children
The approach and nature of the Bishop not correct first of all.He wants to rule the church.He is getting money as salary and other allowances from the contributions of the people.He must love and care his church members.instead of this he is dictating his own terms and coverts all simple problems into big issues.He is not diplomatic.In my church this issue is very simple.The achan requested thirmeni for three months time to move on transfer.His wife was sick.He was transfered on no grounds and he completed only one year in our church.It was a question of humanitarian consideration.Normally people like me use to come to church,attend in the English service, pray and go started raising questions..I have no time to spend for church activities or committee politics.But this action of the bishop was quite discouraging and is a threat to the holiness of the church.That may be one of the reasons reflected in the language.
George Mathew.
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