The Diocesan Metropolitan Dr. Geevarghese Mar Yulios will lead the conferance.

Kalpana

Through an election the diocese will propose one Priest member and two lay members to the newly electing Managing of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Christian Association of the Church.

A meeting of the Assembly Members of the Diocese of Ahmedabad will meet at 12.00pm on the same day at same venue to elect the Diocesan Secretary, two priest members and four lay members to the newly constituting Diocesan Council.

Prior to these meetings, Holy Qurbana will be celebrated at the Diocesan Chapel and special prayers will be offered for Metropolitan Sabharathnam Dr. Geevarhese Mar Osthathios.

The Diocesan Metropolitan will chair the meetings. Prof. Reji Omman, Principal of Anandalaya, Anand will be the Presiding Officer for the elections.

Kalpana

Pulikkottil Dr Geevarghese Mar Yulios, Metropolitan of Ahmedabad Diocese, inaugurated the conference and led the main session based on the theme “Role of Sunday School Teachers in Christian Parenting”.

Fr Joji George, Diocesan Secretary, Fr Manu Varghese Jacob, Vice President, Sunday School, Fr Vineeth Koshy, NCCI Youth Secretary, Fr Varghese Thomas, Vicar, Mar Gregorios Orthodox Valiyapally, Baroda, Sunday School Director P M Abraham took part in the conference and replied to felicitations.

Sunday School Inspectors and about 60 teachers from various parishes from Gujarat Diocese participated in the conference.

The conference was lively with Q&A session. The executive committee meeting of Sunday Schools was also held under the Presidentship of Dr Geevarghese Mar Yulios.

Earlier, the conference began with the Holy Eucharist led by the Metropolitan.

In a week-long visit to the central state last week, Dr Mar Yulios visited various Orthodox parishes and schools in Dewas, Indore, Pithampur and Nagada.

This was the second official visit of the Metropolitan after taking charge as Dicoesan Head in August 2010.
During his visit, Dr Mar Yulios, undertook a review of the activities in the parishes and schools for the forthcoming annual holidays in the region. The Metropolitan also addressed a well-attended ecumenical gathering at Indore.

Dr Mar Yulios has since returned to the Diocesan HQ at Naroda, Ahmedabad.

Europe visit, a boost to ecumenical ties
To lead Christmas service at St Gregorios Orthodox Church, Bielefeld
German alma mater to honour Metropolitan on Dec 27

BERLIN : Pulikkottil Dr Geevarghese Mar Yulios, Metropolitan, Ahmedabad Diocese, is presently visiting Austria and the Federal Republic of Germany for ringing in Christmas (Yeldo) and New Year festivity.

The European countries are all decked up to celebrate Nativity season and merge with the joyous season of Yule tide spirit.

The 20-day visit which began from December 13 ends by New Year.

For the Festival of the Nativity of our Lord, Dr Mar Yulios will lead the Christmas service at the St Gregorios Orthodox Church, Bielefeld. Bielefeld is an independent independent city in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe Region in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

After this, Dr Mar Yulios moves to Cologne Bonn, for services on December 26.

On December 23, Friday, a reception is being planned at the head-quarters of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) at Hanover. Twenty-two Lutheran, Reformed and United regional churches (Landeskirchen) form the Evangelical Church in Germany.

Another reception is being arranged at Frederic-Alexander University, Erlangen from where the Metropolitan obtained his post doctoral research on December 27. The reception will be fitting enough for the young Metropolitan who is heading a Diocese from a major community in India and the University can pride itself of the achievement of its former student.

This will be the third visit of Dr Mar Yulios to Deutschland after a gap of 6 years having earlier completed
his research study from the Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen in 2004.

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) is one of the largest universities in Germany.
The Metropolitan’s earlier visit was in 2005 for attending a conference and though there had been invites to European countries, this had to be postponed due to pressing schedules back home.

On December 18, Sunday, the Metropolitan led the Holy Eucharist at the St Thomas Orthodox Church, Vienna.

Ahmedabad Diocese Metropolitan, Pulikkottil Dr Geevarghese Mar Yulios, appointed Fr Binu John recently and issued a Kalpana to this effect. Accordingly, Fr Binu John has taken charge as the Assistant Vicar of Muscat Mar Gregorios Orthodox Maha Edavaka from November, 2011 onwards.

The young Assistant Vicar belonging to the 2002 batch brings with him ample experience having served as Vicar, St Mary’s Orthodox Church, Khajrana, Indore, from 2009 April before moving over to Muscat. Fr Binu John had also served as Vicar of St Paul’s Orthodox Church, Jagda, in Rourkela, Orissa and Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church in Bilaspur.

He is also presently the Ahmedabad Diocesan Council member whose tenure will expire by March 2012.
Fr Binu John is qualified with a post graduate in Sociology from Karnatak University and also a counseling course in Clinical Pastoral Education from CMC, Vellore.

Other roles held by him include Shruthi School of Music in-charge under the previous Calcutta Diocese and as Principal of St Mary’s School, Indore.

Rachel John is his spouse and they have two sons in Reuben Thomas John and Nathan Paul John.
St Mathews Orthodox Church, Kozhencherry is his home parish under Thumpamon Diocese.

Contact at
GSM +968-99454377
E:frbinujohnthomas23@rediffmail.com

Birth of a child is always an occasion of happiness. We have always overwhelming joy to watch a newborn. It is the innocence and sinless nature of a newborn that makes us joyous. Now Christmas recalls the occasion of the birth of our Lord, the second person of the Holy Trinity, who became a child! This God-child is fully identical with any other human child (Hebrews 4:15), but remained holy and knew no sin (II Cor 5:21). St. Peter describes this child as ‘a lamb without blemish or defect’ (I Pet 1:19). And the same child would exhort us to remain sinless
throughout our lives. This is from where Christmas draws its depth and profundity. Nativity of our Lord is the season that calls us to remain holy and sinless. And the reward of being sinless is the Kingdom of Heaven, the eternal happiness with the angels, saints and all glorified departed….

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Kalpana

H. H. Baselios Marthoma Paulose II, Catholicose of the East & Malankara Metropolitan will inaugurate the fuction. Pulikkottil Dr. Geevarghese Mar Yulios, Metropolitan, Diocese of Ahmedabad will preside over the function.

Fr. Dr. Reji Mathew, Professor, Orthodox Theological Seminary, will be the keynote speaker on the occasion. ‘Bible Translation and its significance till date at the Church level’ will be the topic handled by the keynote speaker. Thereafter, an open floor for discussion will also be conducted, on the topic.

Jose Kurian Puliyeril will welcome the gathering and Fr Aswin Fernandis will propose vote of thanks.