Announcements – February 2, 2025
Vodcasts
- Sermon Link – Medical Mission Sunday: Jesus who gives complete healing (Rev. Santhosh Varughese)
Kalpanas/Circulars
- DC/54/2025 – DIOCESAN Sunday 2025
Upcoming Prayers, Meetings & Events
- February 3 (Monday)
- 8:30 PM: MTVEA Diocese of North America monthly prayer meeting (via Zoom – see details below)
- February 4 (Tuesday)
- 8:30 PM: Midwest Regional Yuvajana Sakhyam general body meeting (via Zoom – see details below)
- February 5 (Wednesday)
- 7 PM: Intercessory Prayer (via Zoom)
- February 7 (Friday)
- 10:30 AM: Fasting Prayer (via Zoom)
- February 8 (Saturday)
- 2:30 PM: Youth Group Toy Wrapping Event (at Sarah Thomas’ residence – see details below)
- 6 PM: Yuvajana Sakhyam General Body meeting (at church)
- February 9 (Sunday)
- 9 AM: Sunday School
- 10:15 AM: Holy Communion Service in English
- After Service: Sunday School teachers meeting
General Body Notice
- A General Body Meeting of the Detroit Mar Thoma Church will be held on Sunday, February 16, 2025 in the sanctuary after the Holy Communion Service presided by the President and Vicar, Rev. Santhosh Varughese. All General Body members are requested to be present.
- Agenda
- Presentation and Adoption of the Annual Report for 2024
- Presentation and Adoption of the ratified over-budgeted and non-budgeted items for 2024
- Presentation and Adoption of the Audited Accounts for 2024
- Presentation and Adoption of the Budget for 2025
- Presentation of Prayer Group Redistribution proposal
- AOB with prior permission from the Chair
2024 Annual Report Books are available in the fellowship hall today. Each parish member family is requested to pick up a copy of the book.
NOTE: Questions or clarifications pertaining to the Annual Report, the Statement of Accounts for 2024 and the Budget for 2025 should be sent via email or post received in the attention of the Vicar/President and/or the Secretary on or before 4 pm (EST) on Wednesday, February 12, 2025. Each member is allowed to submit a maximum of 3 questions. Parish members should be present in the General Body meeting to raise the submitted questions.
Prayer Fellowships
- Prayer group 2 will be having a prayer meeting today, February 2nd at 5pm at the residence of Mr. & Mrs. Georgey and Mollykutty Mathews in Farmington Hills. (32446 Sandstone Farmington Hills, MI 48334). All Prayer group 2 members are requested to attend.
Choir
- Choir General Body will be held today, February 2nd, after the service. All choir members are requested to attend.
Edavaka Mission
- MTVEA Diocese of North America will monthly prayer meeting on Monday, February 3rd, at 8:30 pm via Zoom. Rev. Ajith Varghese, Vicar of St. James MTC – New York, will give the devotional message. All members are encouraged to attend.
Zoom Meeting Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87242740053?pwd=UXYwYXBVeXVWYWRaZ0JnVFUxSjBsZz09
Meeting ID: 872 4274 0053 Passcode: 101010
Youth Group
- There will be a Toy Wrapping Community Service event on Saturday, February 8th at 2:30 pm at Sarah Thomas’ house in Sterling Heights, MI at 2:30pm.Address: 4512 Allegheny Dr, Sterling Heights, MI 48314
Yuvajana Sakhyam
- Yuvakana Sakhyam General body meeting will be held on Saturday February 8th, 2025 at 6:00 pm at the church. All YS members are requested to attend.
- There will be a Midwest regional YJS general body meeting on Tuesday, February 4th 2025 at 8:30 PM via Zoom. Midwest Region Yuvajana Sakhyam president Rev. Biju Yohannan will be presiding over the Annual general body meeting. All YJS members are requested to attend the meeting. Zoom details will be provided later.
Sunday School
- Sunday School Teachers meeting will be held on Sunday, February 9th, after the service. All SS teachers are requested to attend. Please note the change in date from last week’s announcements.
Sevika Sanghom
- Mid-West Regional Sevika Sanghom will host a prayer meeting on Thursday, February 13, 2025 @ 8:30 PM EST via zoom platform. Rev. Aby M. Thomas Tharaken, Vicar of the Chicago MTC will deliver the message based on the bible passage 2 Kings 22:15-20 and the theme “The role of a bold prophetess in a nation’s revival”. All Sevika Sanghom members are requested to attend.Zoom Meeting Info: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82413209973?pwd=3ZZLBpfbP28yNBeoVuCvcSSmBX8qdu.1Meeting ID: 824 1320 9973 Passcode: 037928
L.E.A.D. (Lay Education & Development) Spring 2025 Cohort
- The Lay Education and Development Program (LEAD) aims to provide opportunities for all members of the church from different generations to learn and grow as leaders within the Mar Thoma Church. The program’s goal is to teach and equip church members with the knowledge and tools to be effective leaders and disciples of Christ within the Diocese, region, center, and parish.In order to facilitate learning, the Lay Education and Development Program (LEAD) subcommittee is conducting a weekly class online over a period of 8 weeks, on Tuesdays from February 4 to March 25, 2025, 7PM-8PM (EST) via Zoom, according to the new Phase 1 of the LEAD curriculum. Classes are open for Mar Thoma members (Ages 18 & above) of parishes & congregations in the Diocese. Registration deadline is Friday, January 31st 2025, or when seat capacity is reached. Registration will only be completed upon Vicar approval. Registration fee for the class is $10. For more information, contact the LEAD subcommittee at marthoma.lead@gmail.comRegistration Link: https://forms.gle/fkWtACfLebSEDpkR9
Altar Boys & Covenant Girls Learning Program – Spring 2025 Cohort
- The Altar Boys and Covenant Girls ministry began in 2013 with the aim to encourage our children and youth to (a) learn more about our church, faith, heritage, and tradition, (b) grow spiritually, and (c) to be well equipped as leaders in the church. Participants in this ministry are to be 12 years of age and above, be full communicant members of thechurch, be committed to learning through training programs, be able to help with the various needs of the parish (in consultation with the parish Vicar), and serve for at least three years.In order to facilitate learning, the Diocese’s Altar Boys & Covenant Girls subcommittee is conducting a weekly class online over a period of 8 weeks, on Tuesdays from February 4 to March 25, 2025, 8PM-9PM via Zoom, according to the new curriculum. Classes are open for full Communicant Mar Thoma members (Ages 12-18) of parishes & congregations in the Diocese. Seats are limited. Registration will only be complete upon Vicar approval. Registration fee is $10. The deadline for registration is Friday, January 31st 2025, or when seat capacity is reached. After successful completion of the course, a certificate of completion will be given. For more information, contact the Altar Boys & Covenant Girls subcommittee at marthoma.abcg@gmail.com.Registration link: https://forms.gle/2xyReUzvtGXryPp7A
Online Photo Directory
As many of you may or may not know we maintain an online photo directory of parish families. Many photos in the directory are outdated and we invite and encourage all families to provide a more recent photo to be included in the directory. If families have a new photo please e-mail it to the secretary at sec@detroitmarthoma.org. We thank everyone for their support. Link and log-in information for the photo directory will be included in the weekly announcements.
Online Photo Directory Link: https://detroitmarthoma.org/main/resources/parish-directory/
Photo Directory Passcode: 48033
Tax Receipts – 2024
- Tax Receipts for 2024 are available with the trustees. If anybody would like a copy of their 2024 Tax Receipt please contact the trustees in-person or by email at trustees@detroitmarthoma.org
Note about Security – Email/Phone Contacts from the church
- As we are all aware there are many security threats to our personal information in the modern age and unfortunately many ill-intended people try to access this information through underhanded methods. One of the common methods used are communication mediums such as e-mail or phone. We ask members to please take precaution when reviewing and responding to text messages and e-mails they receive including text messages/e-mails from church representatives. In regards to church emails our vicar (Santhosh Achen), secretary and trustees have specific church e-mail accounts:Vicar: vicar@detroitmarthoma.org or 248-792-1134 (Mobile)Secretary: sec@detroitmarthoma.orgTrustees: trustees@detroitmarthoma.orgThe Vicar, Secretary, and Trustees have their own personal e-mail which they rarely use to communicate parish related matters. If any member is suspicious or uncomfortable with a text message or email they have received from a church representative we ask that you do not respond and instead contact the church representative by phone or in -person. Also please note the Vicar or office bearers will NEVER ask for any personal information (ex. bank account or credit card number) or request for purchases to be made on their behalf via text message or email. We have recently been made aware of a scam e-mail that was sent out using the name of a church representative and therefore we are recommending appropriate precautions by parish members. If you have any further questions please contact the church office bearers.
Note from Trustees
- We are blessed to have our church and fellowship hall as our collective home where we worship and gather for fellowship. And as we keep our own homes and residences in a clean and tidy fashion it is our obligation to keep our church clean as well. Couple of general housekeeping reminders:
- If you are consuming food or drinks on the church premises please clean up after yourselves and dispose of your plates, cups, napkins, food & drink leftovers etc. in the trash bins.
- Request that food and drinks are not consumed in the sanctuary however for those who must especially those with small children please ensure to clean your area and trash before you depart the sanctuary
- Also request that chewing gum is not consumed in the church however if you do please keep the gum in your mouth or dispose in the trash bins.
- Finally if you see trash in general in the wrong place please throw it out in the trash bins instead of leaving where it is
It is unfortunate that we have to make such an announcement but almost every week we have trash left in the sanctuary on the church pews, in the book holders; cups with drinks left on window sills in the church or hall, food left throughout the hall especially on the tables and in the stage/ramp area, bath tissues left on the bathroom floors, and/or chewing gum left on furniture or in the bathrooms particularly in the men’s urinals. We do have cleaners for the church but it is frustrating for them to have to pick up after us instead of focusing on their general cleaning responsibilities and it’s embarrassing when they send us, the office bearers, pictures of our mess. So we ask everyone to cooperate with this; Children, Youths, Adults and Seniors. These are practices that would not be acceptable in our own homes so let us treat our church home the same way or better. We ask parents to please communicate this information with your children appropriately and please ensure they do not leave a mess before you leave the sanctuary and hall. We thank everyone for their understanding and cooperation
Refreshments
- Thanks to the refreshment committee for arranging today’s refreshments.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to Rev. Santhosh Varughese for leading today’s service and for the message. Thank you to P. Chacko Achen, Lay leaders and Choir for assisting in today’s service.
DMTC Family wishes all our fellow members celebrating their Birthday & Wedding Anniversary this coming week; May the Almighty Lord bless each one of you and your family in the new year & years ahead.
Please uphold our near & dear ones who are sick and those grieving the loss of their loved ones.
Thank you all for participating, have a blessed week.
Live Streaming of Church Events
Live streaming will be available on the church YouTube channel – https://youtube.com/@DetroitMarthomaChurch. After clicking the link, click on “Live” and find the livestream for the respective church event.
We will do our very best to live stream all church events, however as this is dependent on trained volunteers, there may be technical interruptions and occasions where live streaming is not available. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
Zeffy – Online Payment Option
- Zeffy is a user-friendly platform for not-for-profit organizations that allows for one-time and reoccurring monthly contributions with a no transaction fee option. Contributions can be made with credit card, bank account, Apple or Google pay. We strongly encourage all members to utilize Zeffy for electronic payments. Our Trustees want to thank all the members who have utilized this method as this streamlines the financial activities of the parish.
- Zeffy is available through the DMTC Mobile App or church website (link below):https://detroitmarthoma.org/main/resources-2/online-donation/
- With this online payment option, Paypal will no longer be available as an online payment option. If any member has questions or would like additional assistance with Zeffy please contact our Trustee or Accountant, Mr. Jacob Thomas or Mr. Alan Thomas, at any time
Church Zoom Information
Zoom Meeting ID: 811 6679 1004 Password: 926644
- From the Web Browser
- Dial-in
- (US) +1 312 626 6799 and then enter the access code 811 6679 1004# and then# again and then the passcode 926644#
- (Canada) +1 647 558 0588 and then enter the access code 811 6679 1004# and then# again and then the passcode 926644#
Admin Update
If you are currently not receiving emails from the church or would like to update your email address, please notify us by sending it to sec@detroitmarthoma.org. Send your name and address in the email so that we can identify you properly. Please visit the church website
Rev. Jobin Jose (Vicar)
Serving this parish from 2026 with Jincy Kochamma
Children: Sia, Nathan and Nia