The Calicut CSI Cathedral Youth Fellowship: Diocesan Youth Sunday 14-8-2011

The Cathedral Youth Fellowship: Diocesan Youth Sunday 14-8-2011: The 14 th of August was celebrated as the Diocesan Youth Sunday all over the North Kerala Diocese. Our Youth Fellowship also activel...

THAT THE BISHOP BE BLAMELESS

One who sees himself as nothing becomes something when spiritual men say it to him. No one approaches the divine glory by his own power. The divine glory pulls him in and if a person approaches it, he feels that he is nothing and he remains effaced in his own eyes until the Day of Reckoning. Indeed, each one of us needs to know his own talents because in this is a recognition of God’s gift. But one is lost if he thinks that his talents are his own possession. They only exist on account of God’s favor, which He takes back when He so wishes.

Thus in the Church of God we accept each responsibility as a gift. This is the meaning of service and service comes down to you from above. If you are entrusted with it, don’t allow yourself to feel that you deserve it. This is the meaning of God’s creating, that your Lord brings you into existence every day as a “new creation.” If you think that you have become vessel for God, do not forget that “we have this treasure in a vessel of clay.” Happy are you if you contain the treasure with which you have been entrusted and woe to you if you think yourself by your own virtue to be more than clay.

In light of this, I read the words of Paul: “If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work, so a bishop then must be blameless (1 Timothy 3:1-2).” At the moment I’m not going into the position of what today we call “bishop [usquf].” At the time of the writing of the epistle, the distinction between the bishop and the priest did not yet exist, or at least the arrangement of orders was not yet the same in all the churches. Nevertheless, in our reading today of the word “position of the bishop,” we must understand that it also means the position that we call in colloquial Arabic the mutran, which comes from the Greek metropolite, meaning the bishop of a major city.

Be that as it may, this does not mean that Paul was praising desire for the position of the bishop and was encouraging people to want it. It is a gift from God and desire is against divine giving. The meaning, as it appears, is that if you desire it, then know that you desire something immensely important. For this reason you must be without blame. Those with spiritual insight—and not you—will discover if you are without blame.

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As for one who has been witnessed committing a filthy act of the work of the devil, it is not permitted to pause at his name for a single moment. One who pauses for a moment has entered into his filthiness. One who is afflicted with filthiness leads in filthy things because a corrupt person is necessarily corrupting.

Among the examples of blamelessness, Paul mentions that a candidate for spiritual leadership must be “sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome.” One in whom these virtues do not abound is subject to blame. There is not space here to discuss every virtue in detail. He must be wakeful, watchful of himself, possessing self-control. This condition is so that he may wake others to adopt the path of the Lord. No one sleeps in the Church, so there must be wakefulness in prayer and attentiveness to it and love for all people and the unity of the Holy People of God in repentance and constant sacrifice for our brothers. But as for those who snore, the Church is no one’s bed.

I move now to the man’s being a good teacher, as Christianity is knowledge and teaching, since “In the beginning was the Word.” The church that is satisfied with rituals of which no one understands anything is worthless. One who was not given the gift of teaching and preaching is not worthy to be thought of for the position of priest or bishop. Such a one should be content to be a cantor or a silent monk or a servant in the temple, and these are blessed responsibilities, those of us who are appointed to them are content with them. Christianity is the explanation of the Holy Bible and the acts of worship and the tradition. Their study is at all levels and lasts a lifetime. If an ordinary believer is demanded to confess with his tongue, as the Apostle says, then it’s even more appropriate for a servant of the Word, as we call him during his ordination, to testify to this Word. For this reason, our Church of Antioch requires that one who advances to the episcopate must have perfected his theological knowledge and have kept company with scholars. A mute has no vocation in the Church, even if his holiness is loftier than all those who hold positions. When some faithful brought a man to John Chrysostom in order for him to make him a priest, he asked them what they knew about him. They said that he was pious. He replied that this is not enough, since all Christians must be pious. He must be knowledgeable.

“Not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome,” since the Lord said, “learn from Me, for I am humble and lowly in heart.” Why did the blessed Lord choose these two virtues to describe himself? Because they are the loftiest. Only if you are lowly will God raise you and will you by your lowliness raise others. Only if you have desired humility and lived it will you go to that sacrifice to which the Savior went.

I do not know the semantic difference between kindness and humility. In the epistle to the Galatians, the Apostle mentions kindness and humility together and makes them fruits of the Holy Spirit in us. If we relate this to previous words of his, we understand that the Spirit of God produces in us a spiritual way of life.

Since Paul said that the bishop should not be quarrelsome, in my meditating on this in a number of matters, I have discovered that the sharpest rebuke for a believer is one that is not accompanied by anger and that the best thing is to remind him, if he’s overcome with anger, because reminding is a return to God, both for yourself and for the one you’re reproaching.

When the Bible says that the bishop should be without blame, it means that such a person exists, and that there are some matters that one can’t play around with. Those who are responsible must examine, shine a close light on, and study in detail the life of the one that they nominate and elect. They must set up barriers to advancement to lofty stations. Barriers mean that you do not make a blameworthy man a deacon, and if you made a mistake in ordaining him, he should not advance to the priesthood. If you make a mistake, he should not then advance to the episcopate. A worthless episcopacy subjects the church -which that bishop tends- to worthlessness. One who loves money causes those who engage in bribery to approach the leader, and likewise robbers, and so the temple becomes a den of thieves.

Because the canons of the Church recognize that it is possible for these sins to occur, they mention the judgment of priests and metropolitans and sometimes as a result of this, defrocking, that is, expulsion can occur. For me, the Church which does not judge cannot determine virtue. The Church is the place in which we are purified. Jesus wanted us to be purified through the apostles and the successors to the apostles. The corrupt are successors to their sins and not to the saints.

Reform in the Church starts with its leaders. The Church does not wait a long time for its priests and bishops to repent. She does not let the evil of those who have had a great fall to get out of control. Its end result is expulsion.

Saint Basil the Great once defrocked a priest because he committed adultery. After many years, this priest was at a funeral. He approached the casket and touched the dead man and the dead man rose. He went to Basil and said to him, “Do you need a greater sign than this of the holiness that I have acquired in order to send me back to my flock?” Basil replied, “Your holiness is between you and God, but I cannot return you to your flock because you scandalized them. It is not right for you to go to them again.”

Who will give us the like of Basil the Great so that we feel that the group we are a part of is truly the Church of Christ?

അംഗീകാരമുള്ള എയ്ഡഡ് അധ്യാപകര്‍ക്കെല്ലാം ശമ്പളം

* 10503 അധ്യാപകര്‍ക്ക് പ്രയോജനം

* സര്‍ക്കാറിന്റെ അനുമതിയില്ലാതെ നിയമനം പാടില്ല

* സംരക്ഷിത അധ്യാപക സംവിധാനം ഉപേക്ഷിച്ചു; പകരം ടീച്ചേഴ്‌സ് ബാങ്ക്

തിരുവനന്തപുരം: സര്‍ക്കാര്‍, എയ്ഡഡ് സ്‌കൂളുകളില്‍ സമഗ്ര മാറ്റങ്ങള്‍ നിര്‍ദേശിച്ചുകൊണ്ടുള്ള വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ പാക്കേജിന് മന്ത്രിസഭ അംഗീകാരം നല്‍കി. വര്‍ഷങ്ങളായി ശമ്പളമില്ലാതെ ജോലിചെയ്യുന്ന പതിനായിരത്തിലേറെ എയ്ഡഡ് അധ്യാപകര്‍ക്ക് ശമ്പളം നല്‍കാനും സര്‍ക്കാറിന്റെ മുന്‍കൂര്‍ അനുമതിയില്ലാതെ മാനേജ്‌മെന്റുകള്‍ അധ്യാപകരെ നിയമിക്കുന്ന രീതിക്ക് മാറ്റം വരുത്താനും വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ പാക്കേജില്‍ നിര്‍ദേശമുണ്ട്. സ്‌കൂളുകളില്‍ എല്ലാവര്‍ഷവും കുട്ടികളുടെ തലയെണ്ണി അധ്യാപകരെ എണ്ണം നിശ്ചയിക്കുന്ന രീതിയും ഇതോടെ അവസാനിക്കുകയാണ്.






നിലവില്‍ പൊതുവിദ്യാഭ്യാസ വകുപ്പിന്റെ കണക്കുപ്രകാരം എയ്ഡഡ് മേഖലയില്‍ ശമ്പളമില്ലാതെ ജോലി ചെയ്യുന്ന 3615 അധ്യാപകരുണ്ട്. ഇവരില്‍ അടിസ്ഥാന യോഗ്യതയില്ലാത്തവരേയും കേസ് നടത്തുന്നവരേയും ഒഴിവാക്കി 2920 അധ്യാപകരേയും 3083 സംരക്ഷിത അധ്യാപകരേയും ഈ വര്‍ഷവും മുന്‍വര്‍ഷങ്ങളിലും തലയെണ്ണല്‍ പ്രകാരം ജോലി നഷ്ടപ്പെടാന്‍ സാധ്യതയുള്ള 4500 പേരേയും ചേര്‍ത്ത് 10,503 അധ്യാപകര്‍ക്കാണ് ഈ വര്‍ഷം അംഗീകാരം നല്‍കുന്നത്. ഈ പട്ടികയില്‍പ്പെട്ടതും ഇപ്പോള്‍ ജോലിചെയ്യുന്നവരുമായ അധ്യാപകര്‍ക്ക് ഈ അധ്യയന വര്‍ഷം തന്നെ ശമ്പളം നല്‍കിത്തുടങ്ങും. കുട്ടികളില്ലാത്ത കാരണത്താല്‍ സര്‍വീസിന് പുറത്ത് നില്‍ക്കുന്നവര്‍ക്ക് വൈകാതെ പുനര്‍നിയമനം നല്‍കും.






ഇതോടെ സംരക്ഷിത അധ്യാപകര്‍ എന്ന സംവിധാനം ഇല്ലാതാകും. വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ പാക്കേജ് നടപ്പിലാക്കുന്നതോടെ അംഗീകരിക്കപ്പെടുന്ന 10,503 അധ്യാപകരെ ഉള്‍പ്പെടുത്തി ടീച്ചേഴ്‌സ് ബാങ്ക് ഉണ്ടാക്കും. കേന്ദ്ര സര്‍ക്കാറിന്റെ വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ അവകാശ നിയമം നടപ്പിലാക്കുന്നതോടെ അധ്യാപക-വിദ്യാര്‍ഥി അനുപാതത്തില്‍ മാറ്റം വരികയാണ്. അഞ്ചാം ക്ലാസ് വരെ ഒരു ക്ലാസില്‍ പരമാവധി 30 കുട്ടികളും ആറുമുതല്‍ 10 വരെ ക്ലാസുകളില്‍ പരമാവധി 35 കുട്ടികളുമാണ് ഇനി ഉണ്ടാവുക. നൂറ്റമ്പത് കുട്ടികളില്‍ കൂടുതലുള്ള എല്‍.പി.സ്‌കൂളുകളില്‍ പുതിയ ഹെഡ് ടീച്ചര്‍തസ്തിക സൃഷ്ടിക്കാനും വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ അവകാശ നിയമം പറയുന്നുണ്ട്. ഇപ്രകാരം അധികം വരുന്ന അധ്യാപക തസ്തികകള്‍ ടീച്ചേഴ്‌സ് ബാങ്കില്‍ നിന്ന് നികത്താനാണ് സംസ്ഥാന സര്‍ക്കാര്‍ ലക്ഷ്യമിടുന്നത്. ഇതിനായി കോര്‍പ്പറേറ്റ് മാനേജ്‌മെന്റുകളുടെ കീഴിലുള്ള സ്‌കൂളുകളെ ഒറ്റ യൂണിറ്റായി പരിഗണിക്കും. നിയമനാവകാശികളുടെ സിനിയോറിറ്റി ലിസ്റ്റ് പൊതുവിദ്യാഭ്യാസ വകുപ്പിന്റെ വെബ്‌സൈറ്റില്‍ പ്രസിദ്ധീകരിക്കാനായി മാനേജ്‌മെന്റുകള്‍ നല്‍കണം. എയ്ഡഡ് സ്‌കൂളുകളില്‍ വരുന്ന അധ്യാപക ഒഴിവുകള്‍ അതത് സ്‌കൂളുകളില്‍ നിലവില്‍ ശമ്പളമില്ലാതെ ജോലിചെയ്യുന്ന അധ്യാപകരില്‍ നിന്ന് മുന്‍ഗണനാ ക്രമത്തില്‍ നികത്തണം.






വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ അവകാശ നിയമം നടപ്പിലാക്കുമ്പോള്‍ നിലവിലെ 10,503 അധ്യാപകരില്‍ 1322 പേര്‍ക്ക് എല്‍.പി.സ്‌കൂളിലും 1355 പേര്‍ക്ക് യു.പി.സ്‌കൂളിലും ഹെഡ് ടീച്ചര്‍മാരായി നിയമനം ലഭിക്കും. 641 പേരെ ബി.ആര്‍.സി പരിശീലകരാക്കും. 2752 പേരെ സ്‌പെഷ്യലിസ്റ്റ് അധ്യാപകരാക്കും. ശേഷിക്കുന്ന 1297 പേരെ രണ്ട് മാസത്തെ പരിശീലനത്തിനയയ്ക്കും. ഈ രീതിയില്‍ നിയമനം നടത്തിയശേഷം വരുന്ന ഒഴിവുകളുടെ പട്ടിക സര്‍ക്കാറിന് നല്‍കണം. ഈ പട്ടിക സര്‍ക്കാര്‍ അംഗീകരിച്ചാല്‍, പി.എസ്.സി മാതൃകയില്‍ വിജ്ഞാപനം പുറപ്പെടുവിക്കും. ഇനി മുതല്‍ എയ്ഡഡ് സ്‌കൂള്‍ ജീവനക്കാരുടെ ശമ്പളബില്ലുകള്‍ അതത് ഹെഡ്മാസ്റ്റര്‍മാരാകും ഒപ്പിടുക. ബില്‍ ഒപ്പിടാന്‍ എ.ഇ.ഒ ഓഫീസില്‍ കയറിയിറങ്ങുന്നത് ഇതോടെ ഒഴിവാകും.






മന്ത്രിസഭ അംഗീകരിച്ച റിപ്പോര്‍ട്ട് പ്രകാരം 2012-13 അധ്യയന വര്‍ഷം മുതല്‍ സ്‌കൂളുകളില്‍ തലയെണ്ണല്‍ ഉണ്ടാകില്ല. കഴിഞ്ഞ അധ്യയന വര്‍ഷത്തില്‍ ഓരോ സ്‌കുളിലും അനുവദിക്കപ്പെട്ട തസ്തികകള്‍ അംഗീകൃത പോസ്റ്റുകളായി കണക്കാക്കും. 2011 മാര്‍ച്ച് 31 ന് ശേഷമുള്ള ഒരു നിയമനവും അംഗീകരിക്കില്ല. ഈ വര്‍ഷം നിയമിച്ച അധ്യാപകരെ ദിവസ വേതനാടിസ്ഥാനത്തില്‍ കണക്കാക്കും. അവരുടെ അംഗീകാരം വരുംവര്‍ഷങ്ങളില്‍ മാത്രമേ പരിഗണിക്കൂ. ഇത്തരം അധ്യാപകരുടെ വിവരങ്ങള്‍ സ്‌കൂളുകള്‍ ഈ മാസം തന്നെ ഓണ്‍ലൈനായി നല്‍കണം. സര്‍ക്കാറിന്റെ മുന്‍കൂര്‍ അനുമതിയില്ലാതെ മാനേജ്‌മെന്റുകള്‍ നടത്തുന്ന ഒരു നിയമനത്തിനും അംഗീകാരം നല്‍കില്ലെന്ന് മുഖ്യമന്ത്രി ഉമ്മന്‍ചാണ്ടി വ്യക്തമാക്കി. വിദ്യാഭ്യാസമന്ത്രി പി.കെ.അബ്ദുറബ്ബും സന്നിഹിതനായിരുന്നു. മുന്‍ പൊതുവിദ്യാഭ്യാസ സെക്രട്ടറി ജെയിംസ് വര്‍ഗീസ്, നിലവിലെ സെക്രട്ടറി എം.ശിവശങ്കര്‍ എന്നിവര്‍ നേതൃത്വം നല്‍കിയ സമിതിയാണ് പാക്കേജ് തയ്യാറാക്കിയത്.






ഇത്രയധികം അധ്യാപകര്‍ക്ക് ഒറ്റയടിക്ക് അംഗീകാരം നല്‍കുമ്പോള്‍ സര്‍ക്കാറിന് പ്രതിവര്‍ഷം 264 കോടി രൂപയുടെ ബാധ്യതയുണ്ടാകും. എന്നാല്‍ വിവിധ കേന്ദ്രപദ്ധതികളുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട് ഈ സംരംഭം നടപ്പിലാക്കുമ്പോള്‍ 6.68 കോടിയായി ബാധ്യത കുറയും. സര്‍ക്കാറിന്റെ സമഗ്രവിദ്യാഭ്യാസ പാക്കേജിനെക്കുറിച്ച് മാനേജ്‌മെന്റുകളുമായി ചര്‍ച്ച ചെയ്യാന്‍ ആറ് മന്ത്രിമാര്‍ ഉള്‍പ്പെടുന്ന സമിതിയെ മന്ത്രിസഭ നിയോഗിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്. ചൊവ്വാഴ്ചയാണ് ചര്‍ച്ച.

Courtesy:-The Mathrubhumi Daily

A BISHOP GONE INTEMPERATE

                                                         
The democratically elected representatives to the various committees of the North Kerala Diocese are now confronting a situation where they have to deal with a bishop who is neither amenable to the constitution of the church nor to the democratic practices and structures. He even seems to lack the moral compulsions derived from the fear of God, as he would rather be a law unto himself.
On 2 August 2011, the Working Committee of the diocese met in the Diocesan Office in Shoranur to discuss certain vital matters concerning the life of the Church. Arbitrary and vindictive action by the bishop on pastors and pastorates and about 40 members of the laity remain sore issues affecting the life of the church. The elected representatives were keen to resolve these vexing issues. The construction of the bishop’s house had been progressing with no controls whatsoever. The bishop has arbitrarily deviated from the approved plan, estimate, structural specifications and contract causing an estimated embezzlement of Rs. 50 lakhs. The appointments already done in the four higher secondary schools recently sanctioned by the government also remain sticky issues. When the elected members and officers in the Working Committee raised these issues, the bishop WALKED OUT abusing the members and also the Moderator of the CSI, challenging what the Moderator would be able to do to him. His haughty and intemperate behavior does not have any rhyme or reason, and is bordering on what is characteristic of an unbalanced mind.
The Clergy Secretary is in a quandary as the bishop insists that the minutes of the last Executive Committee must be changed as per his dictates. The Treasurer and the Clergy Secretary are threatened with dire consequences if they do not follow his line. There was an instance of food poisoning in one of our orphanages in the diocese (Chembala, near Kozhikode) and 25 children had to be admitted in the hospital causing interference of the District Collector and other government officials. To deal with the exigencies of the situation and prevent further damage to our public image, the Treasurer required Rs. 1 lakh and the bishop refused to sign the check. He seems to have no responsibility to deal with such exigencies that vitally affect the life and witness of the diocese.
The bishop is bent on creating an administrative impasse. He refuses to submit to the constitution of CSI or the diocese or any democratic institutions or norms. He has no fear of God. He does not have the emotional maturity to settle the issues at hand rationally and congenially. In this situation, he should resign from his position as bishop of the diocese or go on a long leave. Or else, the Synod should act decisively and intervene to resolve this impasse. If no relief comes from these sources, the people of the diocese will be forced to resort to extra-constitutional means causing much damage to our Christian witness. The situation in the diocese is deteriorating day by day causing an erosion of morale at all levels of the church, for which the whole of CSI may have to pay a very costly price.
Till the last meeting of the present diocesan Council, the bishop has been dubbing the popular resentment against him as the handiwork of a few individuals with certain ulterior motives. This has been disproved and today, the situation is such that the entire Executive Committee and the Working Committee are against the bishop. There is no way he can sideline the elected officers and get things done as per his dictates. In this situation, we seek the urgent intervention of the Synod and the moderator in this matter and bring relief to the suffering believers of  this diocese.
                       
T.J.JOHN,
The General Secretary,
CSI NORTH KERALA LAITY FELLOWSHIP(CSINKLF).                                                                                                                        

CHRIST centered(CCC)News Letter-03.08.2011

CHRIST Centered Campaign (CCC) Newsletter No 33. August 3, 2011

In This Issue










* A farce called the Synod Court














* CSITA declares CSI members “strangers”














* Fallout from failed 4B deal continues in Nandyal

A farce called the Synod Court:-

Justice, as the well known saying goes, should not only be done, but should be seen to be done. Unfortunately this adage means little to CSI bishops, who well and truly are a law unto themselves. Which is probably why the five bishops in the Synod Court hearing grave charges against one of their own, Bishop Manickam Dorai of Coimbatore, saw nothing wrong in seating the accused alongside them. This even while they were hearing Coimbatore diocesan officials give evidence against the accused (see CCC Newsletter No 29 for summary of Synod chargesheet against Dorai). It should be elementary knowledge that a prosecution witness deposing in a trial would feel tremendous pressure against speaking the truth if he/she were to see the accused seated right alongside the judges themselves. In a sense, the bishop judges, many of whom also have criminal illegalities against their name, were sending a clear message to the witnesses: we don't want to know the truth!














Some CSI activists who gatecrashed the court hearing at the Synod office in Chennai on 27th & 28th July 2011 vociferously objected to the accused being seated alongside the judges in the court headed by Deputy Moderator G. Devakadasham. They were aghast that Bishop Dorai, the accused, was even allowed from his perch alongside the judges to question the witnesses as they were giving testimony. The court scene was well and truly representative of what the Bible says in Isaiah 59:14 “And judgement is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.”














The CCC would like to thank Dr Julius Daniel, General Secretary of the Coimbatore-based Church of South India People’s Welfare Centre and its Salem Area Secretary V.C Ravi Chandran for gatecrashing the Synod hearings and exposing the farce being enacted there. When Devakadasham, who was in the chair, objected to their uninvited entry into the court hall, Chandran told him bluntly he was there as an employer to check if his employees were working as they should be. “It is my contribution to the Church that helps pay your salary” Chandran reminded the deputy moderator. The CCC also commends Rev.Stanley Kumar, CSI Area Chairman for Salem for his bold deposition and Geetha Kennedy, the principal of the CSI Polytechnic in Salem for the quiet and effective manner in which she gave her evidence against Dorai. Dr Julius Daniel has now written to the Deputy Moderator in a letter dated 1st August 2011 for permission to have the People’s Welfare Centre produce its own evidence against Dorai at the next court hearing scheduled for 5th August. THE CCC URGES ALL CSI MEMBERS WHO CAN MAKE IT TO THE SYNOD OFFICE IN CHENNAI FOR THE HEARING ON 5TH AUGUST TO DO SO AND THEREBY DEMONSTRATE THE LAITY’S COMMITMENT TO SEEING THAT JUSTICE IS NOT SUBVERTED. Dr Julius Daniel can be contacted at (0)9944028590 for further information.

CSITA declares CSI members “strangers” ????:-

Who are the real owners of the CSI Trust Association (CSITA) the apex body that controls over Rs one lakh crore worth of CSI property? This question has assumed importance following a letter written by the CSITA Hon. Secretary and General Secretary of the CSI, M.M. Philip, to the Registrar of Companies (RoC). The missive followed the RoC directing the CSITA to respond to a complaint by John Dorai, General Secretary of the CSITA Beneficiaries Association, a lay group, that the Articles of Association of the CSITA were not consistent with the provisions of the Companies Act under which the body is registered. The letter from the CSITA Hon. Secretary is attached here as Annexures 1.0 and 1.1.














In his letter to the RoC, M.M. Philip, says “the complainant Mr John. S. Dorai is not a member of CSITA and is a stranger and as such any representation by a stranger is void u/s 234 (7) of the Companies Act. Therefore Mr John S. Dorai cannot said (sic) to have any interest in our section 25 company….. We therefore request you to kindly treat the investors complaint does not carry any substance and needs to be brush aside and needs to be disposed off without any merit for the complaint (sic)” Mr Philip is supposed to be a qualified architect but his grammar would be embarrassing even for a middle school student. That apart, virtually acknowledging Mr Dorai to be an “investor” while at the same time declaring him to be a “stranger” only demonstrates Mr Philip’s rank incompetence and unsuitability for the high posts he holds.














In a rejoinder sent to the RoC on 30th July 2011 (see Annexure 2.0), Mr Dorai has reiterated his fundamental charge that the office bearers of the CSITA are not elected in keeping with the provisions of the Companies Act and hence their functioning is illegal. He further points out that the four ex-officio heads of the CSITA are themselves there in their capacity as the main office bearers of an unincorporated body (the CSI is not a registered entity) and hence are in no position to deem him, a fee paying member of the church, to be a “stranger” to the CSITA. Mr Dorai has asked the RoC to adjudicate the dispute. In any case, there is nothing to stop the RoC from acting on its own on the basic issue -- of whether the Articles of Association of the CSITA are in consonance with the provisions of the Companies Act -- should it choose to do so.














In an explanatory e-mail note sent to CSI members, John Dorai writes: “The properties of the CSI is vested in CSITA for the benefit of the members of CSI like us present and future. If the claim of the CSITA that CSI members are strangers is agreeable, then the CSI or its members for whose benefit the properties are vested in CSITA will be barred from saying anything when the CSITA administers our properties detrimental to the interest of its beneficiaries. This would be a clear “breach of trust” committed by the CSITA. Though we are not members in the company board, we are yet beneficiaries and interested parties in the affairs of the CSITA.”

Fallout from 4B deal continues in Nandyal :-

The reverberations caused by successful effort to cancel the illegal deal between Bishop P.J. Lawrence of Nandyal and 4B Healthcare Pvt Ltd with regard to the mission hospital in Nandyal continue. Following the Bishop’s illegal sacking of the Diocesan Secretary L. Sudhakar and Vice-President Dr P.A. Varaprasada Rao (both elected officials who as per the constitution cannot be replaced during their term unless they choose to leave office) for their strong opposition to the 4B deal, there has been more court action. The illegal circular issued by the new illegally appointed secretary of the diocese setting in motion the process for diocesan elections for the biennium 2011-2013 has now been stayed. The copy of the interim injunction granted is shown here in Annexure 3.0. It is likely that an administrative committee will be set up to manage the affairs of the diocese when the term of the current diocesan council expires in a few months. Analysts say this arrangement may actually be what the autocratic Bishop Lawrence wants as he can now run the show unhindered by any democratic oversight till he demits office late next year. Meanwhile 4 B has finally removed the “4B St. Werburgh CSI Hospital” from its website where the link to “our hospitals” (notice the plural) now features only one hospital where there used to be two listed http://4bhealthcare.org/our-hospitals/

THE CHURCH,ITS CALLING AND MISSION

The church, its calling and mission

By Rev. Dr. E. C. John

Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you”
(John 20:21).

A little over sixty years ago, the Rev.David Chellappa, then Principal of St. Paul’s High School, Bepery, later Bishop in Madras, addressed a Youth Conference at Pallam near Kottayam, attended mostly by mission – oriented college students. His theme was ‘We believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic church’. We felt enlightened and motivated to serve the church and the nation. We were full of hope, longing the dawn of our national independence.

Another inspiring speaker was John Doraisamy, the Secretary of the National Missionary Society, who enlarged our vision of the Nation and the need to dedicate ourselves for God’s mission in our country. Similar events were happening in those days in other churches in Kerala and at the SCM conferences. As a result, several young men and women dedicated themselves for service in Kerala or in other parts of our country. This generation has almost died out.

Some months ago, a much respected educationalist told me “I want to withdraw from the CSI”. I said, “but where shall we go?” Two other prominent educationalists felt the same way. Two friends, generous supporters of the College and who had held responsible positions in the local CSI parish, had left the CSI and joined another Church, I learnt, when I visited them after my return from teaching in Germany. I asked one of them, why did you leave the CSI?  “O! Our pastor has only time to talk about the election for a new bishop and about his chances of becoming the bishop. We were fed up.”  The other also left due to the ‘church politics’. A young couple who had come to Bangalore from another State and joined a CSI congregation left it for another for more friendly and warm fellowship. This catalogue can be continued. Each of you, present here, may have his/her catalogue to narrate.

I begin my presentation with the affirmation of faith, “We believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic church” and also affirm that, the Church of South India is part of it. There are many, many lay members in our Church, some clergy as well, who believe so, and seek to fulfill the commission of the risen Lord, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you”. This means in essence, to become a disciple of the risen Lord.

In view of certain disturbing happenings in the CSI in the past, contrary to this mission of God, it is urgent that we reflect both on the past with deep sorrow, and a sense of collective guilt, and look to the future with the will to reform both ourselves and the Church.

As we look to the future, as members of the Church of South India, there are a few glaring defects which need correction. The Church should examine its election procedure at all levels, from the local level (pastorate, institutions) to the diocesan and synod levels. A beginning was made by the Theological Commission 1986-88 and presented at the 1988 synod. But it has not been followed up though it was referred for further study. As for the synod level elections especially for positions as Moderator, Deputy Moderator, Secretary and Treasurer, what is happening now is not at all satisfactory.

Panels are prepared and candidates or their agents make their rounds of visits to canvass – which in itself would have meant a disqualification in the past, perhaps offer also handsome gifts to make the delegates vote according to their proposals. The Bishop may play a decisive role in persuading the delegates to vote according to his suggestion. He would thus be preventing a free and fair election. How can delegates exercise their votes responsibly and consciously when they do not really know the nominated candidates?  Election of Bishops during the last two decades, at least in some cases, involved bribery and other corrupt practices. Huge gifts of money have been given, it is alleged. A code of conduct has to be worked out, as for example, in the Orthodox Syrian Church.

At the Seminar of the ‘Re-thinking’ group Oct. 1, 2, 2009, Rev. Dr. K.C. Abraham drew our attention to the “exercise of power and authority in the Church”. The power and authority may be exercised in a patronizing or feudal manner or according to the deals made prior to the Bishop’s election or unilaterally with favours granted to certain persons (e.g. transfers, appointments, foreign placements, study leave etc.) or ‘punishments’ (e.g. inconvenient transfers). He said that a critical assessment of the function and exercise of Episcopal ministry and authority, the role of the committees with whose counsel the Bishop is to take decisions is an urgent need. Have we departed from the CSI’s vision of Episcopacy?

Faithfulness and accountability in the use of church money and facilities is a must for clergy and bishops e.g. use of phone, car etc. for personal needs. In 1 Tim. 3, in the list of qualifications for the Bishop it is said that he should not be a lover of money. In the early church the bishops kept the money for the regular weekly distribution for the poor and hence this clause. In any case, in view of what is talked about the assets of some of the bishops, it would be a good gesture, for the bishops both before their consecration as Bishops and before their retirement, to declare their assets and those of the family members.

Those who were directly or indirectly parties in the administration of tsunami funds should not be considered for election for officers at the Synod level. The administration of finance at the Synod and Diocesan levels should be scrutinized by impartial auditors and any irregularities should be rectified. Proper guidelines should be followed in every department with regard to the administration of finance.

There have been glaring instances of nepotism. It would be a good example if immediate relatives of the Bishops and clergy are not appointed to positions in the dioceses, unless after due advertisement they also go through proper, impartial selection procedure. Should a bishop be the manager of all the diocesan institutions? Or is it not enough if he is a member of the management committee.

If and when a property of the church/mission or institution needs to be sold, it should be done only after proper consultation and advertisement, and then sold only on a competitive basis in the open market. It will be good to remember that the former mission properties were acquired by the free gifts of overseas’ mission friends and by mission friends in our own country for Christian missionary work. Some of the church properties were granted by the ecclesiastical department of British Government in India for the sole purpose of Christian worship. In the past some prime properties were sold privately to interested parties.

We have many devout lay people who do not wish to take any part in ‘church politics’ but wish to have the spiritual ‘uplifting’ experience of worship, strengthen fellowship with one another, hear meaningful sermons and meet friends. They give for what they think are worthy causes. Some are disappointed or join other churches or fellowship groups as already mentioned. Lack of proper pastoral care and visits is much lamented. Are theological colleges and Bishops giving guidance to the candidates for ordination and clergy? Does our common life in the Body of Christ show signs of a mutually caring fellowship (koinonia)?

Together with all our people, lay and clergy (including bishops) we need to reflect a new what the churches’ apostolic function (being sent into the world) to the society, nation and to the earth actually is.

I recall an address by Bishop John Robinson, the author of In the End God, The Body, Honest to God etc., at a retreat for Ordinands in Cambridge in which he emphasized that to be a minister of the Gospel is a high calling. He said, we must hold a very high view of the ministry. But this should not spill into our persons and make us feel puffed up, arrogant or swollen-headed. We are only servants. The awareness of the Risen Lord’s commission as those sent into the world should be the motivation for us all.

The Author is Rev. Dr. E. C. John, former principal of the United Theological College, Bangalore is a pastor of the Church of South India and an acclaimed Old Testament Scholar and Theologian. He lives a retired life in Bangalore.                                                                                              courtesy-savecsi

NEW MANAGER FOR CSI NORTH KERALA UNAIDED SCHOOLS

REV.JOY ALEX

Rev.JOY ALEX  the present Chairman of CSI Church,Puthiyangadi,Calicut has been appointed as the Manager for the unaided schools under CSI North Kerala Diocese.


Rev.Joy Alex is a native of Melparamba,PALAKKAD and became an ordained priest in CSI  North Kerala Diocese in the year 2005.


His wife Mrs.Praveena Joy is a teacher and daughter's name is Neha Hanna.