For my reference: Suggestions for Improvement- The 20 Point Program
Today morning, I happened to read a posting made by one Mr. George Alexander in ICON the largest discussion forum of our Church members. The posting itself reveals the love towards his Mother Church and is commendable. Every member has his own dreams and vision on his / her Church. As I feel, it as a good piece to read and to be cooked in the minds of Church loving people. So I decided to re post it in my blog for my future reference. Your comments may enlighten me on these suggestions he made.
Also it is the right time to make suggestions before a newly elected body of the Chuch, after meeting the malankara Association on March 21.
My personal congratulation to the newly elected lay Trustee Muthoot M.G.George. He served in the advisory Board of Malankara Orthodox Herald Weekly from 1982-1991 and I had a wonderful time to work with him all those years as its editor. He was appointed by His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Mathews I (Vattakkunnel Bava)
Without any doubt in my mind, I could say that George is a great lover of the Church.
Fr.Dr.Johns Abraham Konattu was my just senior in Seminary. We were good friends. One who come closer to him will realize him as Noble, soft spoken, scholor and efficent .
Now the election is over and the Church got two great men to lead our Church efficently. Both have a vision on Church at large. Hope and pray, they never fail us!!
VOX POPULI : it was the virdict of God.
Here is the posting
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Posted by: Mr. George Alexander. Thiruvananthapuram Thu Mar 22, 2007 3:22 pm
WE all know that the Malankara Orthodox Church have been going through a lot of administrative problems for the past few decades. Its high time we bring about suggestions for the improvement of our church. The following are some of the suggestions put forward for the improvement of the church administration
Suggestions for improvement - The Indian (Malankara) Orthodox Church
1. There must be a strong media policy for the church. Proper advertisements and news updates must be provided in all the news papers and television channels. For e.g. Metropolitan Kirils Visits was not given much importance and news coverage. But this was done by Sunday Shalom, a catholic newspaper were they provided photos and a detailed interview of Metropolitan Kiril. The same thing happened to the Visit made by the Ethiopian Patriarch. Our people doest not know what orthodoxy is … especially oriental and eastern orthodox churches and our relations with them. Most of the church news are kept away from the common man. Strong steps must be taken to convey the activities of the church and its mission to the common man. People in our church are unaware of the Brahmavar and other missions done by the church. E.g. the change of St. James independent Syrian church of America under the spiritual leadership of our church was not reported any were except in (ww.icon.org. in).
2. The church must restructure and design a new website with regular news updates. The present site is of very poor quality… A site on St. Thomas and Catholicos of the east must be posted. In this modern world our church cannot grow without the adequate technological back up. The websites and the information in it will help the youngsters to know more about our church. Most of the websites of several parishes have got better quality than the church's official website. The total information, regular news updates, picture gallery, the archives of our church, various links and other necessary information must be provided in the new website. There can be a special space to be able to proceed without adequate technological back up. E.g. (Vatican's post suggestions, questions and comments from our church members and others. Effort must be taken to post websites for each diocese, special initiatives, important organizations, our educational institutions etc. The modern century is the period of technological advancement and innovations. The church will not website can be adopted as a model). It is always advisable if the church is able to host websites of all its most important and ancient parishes, hospitals organizations etc. A special department can be formed at Devalokam to coordinate these activities/or restructure the present technical department of the church. The parishes and other organization can forward their news update, snaps and other materials
and the technical department can post them on the concerned websites.
3. The status of the Catholicos of the all east must be checked, because in India we have two more Catholicos, one of the Jacobite group and another of the Malankara catholic group. It seems that the status of Catholicos is limited to the blessings of baptism and marriage ceremonies. The position of Catholicos of the all east has been degenerating for the past few years especially due to the problems with the Jacobite church. This must change indeed; we must look for new titles may be like father of Indian church, Patriarch of India… along with the present position… and must gain the position of VVIP with security from the government. While providing news in papers our Bava thirumeni must be addressed as Malankara Metropolitan, Successor of St. Thomas, His Holiness, and Catholicos of the east purposefully. Upgrade the position of Catholicos of the East to the Indian Patriarch (along with Catholicos of the all East and Malankara Metropolitan) , if necessary. It will be better if we are able to constitute three Catholicoses under the Indian Patriarch. One Catholicos must be made in charge of the churches and mission inside Kerala (For Malankara) second one for outside Kerala and the next one must be made in charge of the churches and mission outside India. (The Armenians have got two Patriarchs under their Catholicos as well as the head of Georgian Orthodox Church is addressed as the Catholicos-Patriarch). It can also be in the other way round; constituting three Patriarchs under the Catholicos of the all East.
4. A bible of our own. All support must be give to the job done by MGOCSM to bring out a bible of our own and this must be made our official bible…
5. A TV Channel of our own, which can broadcast Indian as well as world orthodox programmes, news etc… along with a radio channel... like the Vatican radio…
6. Establish a joint council for peace and cooperation between the Malankara Church and other major religions and communities like the Muslims, Hindus, Buddhist, Janis, Sikhs, Ezhava, Nair and other major groups… The council must meet at least once in a year.
7. We must have a national orthodox convention in which the leaders of the oriental and eastern orthodox churches must be invited… (e.g. the Maramon Convention)
8. There must be a separate diocese for Middle East, U.K, Africa as well as Australia and New Zealand (together). There are a lot many Malankara Orthodox members in Africa where they lack a proper church. We have a lot of people in Africa, who needs special attention. It would be better if the dioceses are known in the name of each district (within Kerala), each state (outside Kerala) and each country (outside India). This will provide more recognition for our church.
9. Special status to the Brahmavar mission. A metropolitan can be constituted and the Brahmavar mission can be raised to the status of a diocese church. (e.g. The Knanaya arch diocese under the patriarch of Antioch)
10. A separate world class university of our own, teaching theology as well as other subjects (e.g. Amrita University). Am afraid whether any of our colleges are able to get the five start status from NAAC. Wedon't have a large number of organizations, what we can do is to covert the existing institutions to a world class level.
11. Close links and ties with Mar Thoma orthodox church of America which has inherited our tradition…
12. HRD training to deacons, priest's, bishops and all the administrative and spiritual leaders of our church, once in every six months.
13. Paulose Mar Gregorios the late bishop is not given the due respect in our church. He was one of the best personalities our church ever had… in its history. His works must be coordinated and published
properly.
14. An ultimate solution and peace with the Jacobite church. If unity is not possible we must at least establish a working relationship with them respecting their arguments… There must be a joint council of peace and cooperation between the two churches.
15. There are a lot of well qualified persons within our church. We must tap out there potential and bring them together to generate the necessary ideas and suggestions to improve the functioning of our church.
16. The church apart from the SYNOD must take steps to form an advisory committee which must contain experts from different disciplines so as to improve the quality of the administration of our church.
17. Try the level best to collect and publish the pictures and information of all our church heads starting from St. Thomas to the present Catholicos.
18. The church will have to take initiatives to establish more of NGO'S to develop the Kerala community like the catholic community (e.g. TSSS, QSSS and MSSS). IF possible we must open a new chapter of International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) in Kerala. Church must be able to start NGOS according to its interest area and must be able to generate jobs.
19. A daily newspaper for our church.
20. Make initiatives to print coins in the name of St. Gregorios of Parumala, the first Indian Saint. International tourism destination status to Parumala church and other important pilgrim centers of the church.
The above mentioned activities can be properly implemented only if they are departmentalized in a systematic manner. The church must be able to departmentalize its activities in a systematic manner. Developing departments like welfare, research and development, administration, outreach activities etc.
The above mentioned suggestions are strictly confined to the administration of the church. I strongly believe that the above suggestions to an extend will help to improve the quality and quantity of the administration of our church. Today Church has got the financial back up as well as the human back up to perform the same.
George Alexander, Thiruvanthapuram
About the author- George hailing from Karthigappally Taluk of Allapuzaha Dstrict in Kerala. Trained in Social Work and doing his Final year MSW at Loyola College, Trivandrum. He belongs to St. Thomas Orthodox Cathedral, Karthigappalyy( Mavelikara Diosces).He also work as the joint secretary of Insight Mission centre committed to youth and social empowerment( www.insightmission.ingame.org) Email : georgy1234@gmail.com
