St. Thomas Malankara Orthodox Valiyapally, Los Angeles

Great Lent Prayer Meeting - Sat., March 9th @ 6pm

A prayer meeting has been scheduled at church this Saturday. Evening Prayer will begin at 6pm and a devotional talk after. The prayer meeting is hosted by Mr. Benoy Eapen and Mr. Kurien Thampy families. Please make every effort to attend with your family.

If you wish to host a prayer meeting at your home or at the church, please contact Dr. Nebu John at (714) 826-8300.

Mid-Lent Service

Great Lent Prayer Meeting - Sat., March 2nd @ 6pm

A prayer meeting has been scheduled at church this Saturday. Evening Prayer will begin at 6pm and a devotional talk after. The prayer meeting is hosted by Mr. Abraham Mathew and family, Fullerton. Please make every effort to attend with your family.

If you wish to host a prayer meeting at your home or at the church, please contact Dr. Nebu John at (714) 826-8300.

Great Lent Kalpana from Diocesan Metropolitan

Blessings to our Cor-Episcopoi, Priests, Deacons, Parish Managing Committee members and all the faithful of our Diocese.

Dearly beloved,

As we enter into the very important liturgical period of the Great Lent, which culminates with the Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord, let us use the weeks in front of us as an opportunity for self-evaluation and to return to God. Jesus Christ, before his public ministry, observed 40 days fast in the Judean wilderness and succeeded in the examinations of Satan. When we look back at the fall of humanity in Genesis 3, we see that humanity, when tempted by Satan, was attracted to the external beauty of the world and thus fell into sin. He found the fruit good for food, a delight to the eyes and that it would make one wise. Jesus Christ, after 40 days fasting, when Satan came to Him tempting Him with food, to attain the things which delighted His eyes, and to use the wisdom He had, He triumphed over Satan and said that humans do not live by the pleasures of the world, that we have to conquer all these temptations and delight in the Word of God and in the power of the Almighty.

MMVS has organized a series of one hour Bible Study Teleconferences for all to participate. Rev. Fr. P. C George, kindly agreed to teach Hebrews through teleconference classes every Friday at 6pm, starting on Feb 1st.

Also Rev. Fr. Santhosh (Fr. Varghese Thomas) agreed to teach the Book of Judges on every Thursday at 6pm, starting on Feb 7th.

The number to call the teleconference is 218-632-0187 and the access code is 3703# . Please note that this is the same number we used last year.

Mr. Peter Palal's Sister Passes Away - Prayer Jan 29th at 6:30pm

We are very saddened to inform you that Mr. Peter Palal's (Cypress) sister, Mrs. Ammani Jacob, has passed away in India. A special prayer meeting has been scheduled for tomorrow at 6:30pm at his home in Cypress. All members in the nearby areas should make every effort to attend. Please pass on the information to our members in your area.

The St. Thomas Orthodox Church gives our heart-felt condolences to the family. Please keep the family in your daily prayers during this difficult time.

Address: (click here for directions)
11409 Providencia St.
Cypress, CA 90630
(714) 897-6390

Nineveh Fast Retreat - Mon., January 21st

MGOCSM will hold a Nineveh Fast Retreat on Monday, January 21st from 10am to 5pm at our church. The Retreat is open to all members that wishes to participate. Dn. Saju Varghese will lead the Retreat.

Schedule:
10am - Matins (Morning Prayer)
11am - 3rd Hour
1pm - 6th Hour
3pm - 9th Hour
4pm - Vespers (Evening Prayer)

We encourage all youths and adults to attend and participate in this Retreat.

40th Day Memorial Service for Barnabas Thirumeni - Sun., January 20th

The 40th day Memorial Service for H.G. Mathews Mar Barnabas will be held on Sunday, January 20th. Special prayers and a business meeting will be held on this day.

Ordained as Bishop on May 15, 1978, Thirumeni served 4 dioceses during the 34 years he was Bishop. Angamali diocese from 1978-1980, Kottayam from 1980-1985, Idukki from 1985- 1992 and America from 1992-2011.

Let the life and teachings of Thirumeni inspire us to live a sanctified life as Thirumeni led.

May his memory be eternal.

Lilly Kochamma's One Year Memorial

Last year on January 15th the Lord took our Lilly Kochamma to Heaven. She is now watching over us with the Angels. Though she is gone from us, we will cherish all the memories that she left us. We give all the love and prayers for Achen and family as we approach the one year memorial.

We miss you Kochamma!

Members of St. Thomas Orthodox Church, Los Angeles

Sunday School Resumes - January 6th

Sunday School will resume on Sunday, January 6th at 9am. Please make sure to bring your children on time.

Sunday School Mid-Terms will be held on Sunday, February 3rd. Please mark your calendars and prepare your children for the exam.

2012 Christmas Program - Sat., December 22nd @ 5pm

The 2012 Christmas Program "The Miracle of Christmas", will be held on, Saturday, December 22nd, at 5pm at William Bristol Auditorium in Bellflower. Please let all your friends and family know and encourage them to attend. There will be many programs including Nativity, group/action songs, skits, dances, plays and carols. Come and enjoy an evening of entertainment with your family and friends. Please contact Mr. Jijo Koshy, Coordinator, if you need more information.

William Bristol Auditorium (Click here for directions)
16600 Civic Center Dr.
Bellflower, CA 90706

MMVS Meeting - Sun., December 16th

The last Morth Mariam Vanitha Samajam Meeting for 2012 will be held on Sunday, December 16th, after the Holy Qurbana. All women are requested to attend and participate. We will also have our annual elections for 2013 at this meeting.

We had a great year with lots of activities including the Diocesan Level Annual Conference in October. All the hard work from each member made the conference a huge success. Let us continue to keep the Samajam growing and improve our spiritual knowledge.

Live Burial Service of Barnabas Thirumeni - Tue., Dec 11th @ 6pm

The Burial of His Grace Mathews Mar Barnabas, Metropolitan, will be shown live this evening (Tuesday, December 11, 2012) at 6PM at www.orthodoxtv.in.

The Burial Service of our Vailya Thirumeni at Sts. Peter & Paul Orthodox Church, Valayanchirangara, Kerala, India will begin with Holy Qurbana (7:30AM IST), celebrated by His Grace Zachariah Mar Nicholovos, Metropolitan followed by the Rite of Burial.

His Grace Mathews Mar Barnabas enters eternal rest

With faith in Christ and in hope of the Resurrection, we inform you of the falling asleep of our beloved Father in Christ, His Grace Mathews Mar Barnabas, Metropolitan.

Information on the Burial Services will be informed as it is finalized in India by His Holiness the Catholicos of the East.

May the memory of our Father in Christ, be eternal!

St. Thomas Orthodox Church of Los Angeles will remember all the memories His Grace has left us and pray for his soul.

Fr. Stephen Varghese of OCYM Visits Los Angeles

Fr. Stephen Varghese, General Secretary of the Orthodox Christian Youth Movement (OCYM) will be celebrating the Holy Qurbana on Sunday, December 9th.

Fr. Stephen Varghese of Chenganur Diocese hails from the Thekkedath Kizhakkethil family, Kudassanadu.

The Orthodox Christian Youth Movement (OCYM), One of the most important spiritual Organization of the Malankara Orthodox Church has come a longway. This spiritual organization having worship, study and service as its objective, occupies a significant place in the history of our church. The Youth should be the courage of faith shown by St. Stephen, the wisdom of St. Paul and the compassion shown by our Lord Jesus Christ, so should all of us. "Sell what you have and give alms provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not jail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is there your heart will be also "(St. Luke 12:33, 34).