The stream of Kerala Christianity, pioneered by Apostle Thomas, magnified in strength and modified in diversity down the ages, found its way into a quiet hamlet of Mallappally... where in course of time there arose a worshipping community in the Anglican strain. Nurtured by the culture of Mallappally, and always contributing to the history of Mallappally, it moves on in the grace of God - faithful in its commitment, honest in its convictions, lofty in its concerns, and above all, blessed in its calling. Here's for you, more of our 'Immanuel Story'...


St. Thomas Christians The Geographical area that is now Kerala was never an isolate. Ev....

July 2010

Do the Good Work… A Bright Future Awaits Us!
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men…" (Col.3: 23)

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Praise be to the mighty name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The first six months of 2010 have gone by so fast. This makes us think: where’s the world heading to? The uncontrollable situation of global warming, food and energy crises that threaten us, the impending collapse at the economic front, the fast and wide spread of cancer… all these loom large before us. The decreasing level of fuel points to a disastrous break-down in the industrial sector. Food scarcity is another threat: the climatic changes will cause the drying up of plants, and the death of fishes in the seas. This is the bad news. There are many who predict about where the world is heading to: among them are politicians, journalists, scientists, psychologists and religious gurus. The Church too has its share of big-mouths. Some argue that man has the intellect to overcome any big problem, and hence he will come out well out of any grave situation. Yet others see these issues to be forewarnings of a grave danger and the end of the world.

Situations change in a way that defies all predictions. However, the Word of God gives us totally trustworthy accounts of the future. This we see first in the Prophets, and then through Jesus Christ. Thus, a good news awaits us!

As the Lord has said, there comes a day when a lot many will vanish from the face of the earth:

" tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. " (Luke 17: 34 – 36).

Paul explains in I Thessalonians 4: 16-17: "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."

The season of Pentecost is a time to ponder on the growth in our spiritual life. I wish to use this space to remind you of the fruit of the Spirit: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 5: 22, 23). Paul has listed nine items here. Let’s divide them into three, for a better understanding:

1. Our relationship with God
2. Our relationship with others
3. Our relationship with ourselves

First, consider our relationship with God: love, joy and peace. The Holy Spirit brings the love of God to our hearts, the joy of the Lord to our spirit, and the peace of God to our mind. Love, joy and peace abound in those who are filled with the Spirit. Whatever he does is triggered off by love, in undertaken with joy and is fulfilled in peace. Paul speaks in the same note to the Colossians: And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (3: 7).

Next is our relationship with others: patience, kindness and goodness. Patience prevents us from revenge. Vengeful actions have ruined the testimony of the present day church. Paul’s idea of patience is not a negative tolerance which just desires that nothing bad should happen to anyone, but a positive stroke of kindness, which desires goodness for all. Our relationship to others can start with patience, and develop progressively through kindness, resulting in goodness.

Finally we come to our relationship with ourselves, embodied in faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Faithfulness indicates the level of trustworthiness within us, whereby others can depend on us. Gentleness is not a sign of the weak or the meek, but a quality of the strong and the powerful, through which they control their might and energy. Self-control is the total subjugation of our tongue, thoughts and physical desires.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are various. But, He desires to give the same and common fruit to all of us. This fruit is manifest only in a child of God who is filled by the Spirit of God. Such a person demonstrates a Christian character in its total virtue.

In His vineyard,

Rev. Dr. K Mathews Elanjickal