Diocesan Metropolitan declared new Congregation for Columbus area of the Ohio state.

DSWA/CH/03/2017 Feb 7, 2017

Blessings to the Vicar, Priests of the locality, Spiritual Organization leaders and all the faithful in the Columbus area,

Dearly Beloved,

We have received a letter dated January 30, 2017 from our faithful in the Columbus area of the Ohio state, requesting the formation of a congregation to meet the spiritual needs of our faithful residing in Columbus and surrounding areas. We are pleased to see the enthusiasm and desire of our faithful to work towards the building up of a church community in an area where there is presently no Malankara Orthodox Church and that is distant from the other parishes of our diocese within the state of Ohio.

Understanding the spiritual needs of our faithful and realizing their commitment, we hereby declare the formation of St. Ephrem’s Indian Orthodox Congregation of Columbus and formally recognize it as a congregation under the Diocese of South-West America. We hereby appoint Rev. Fr. James Cherian as the Vicar and authorize Achen to celebrate the Divine Liturgy according to the convenience of the Vicar or as the schedule can be arranged

We seek your cooperation and support for the appointed priest serving the congregation, and we urge you to support him in arranging worship services and other spiritual activities for the growth of the community. All our faithful in the Columbus Area must sincerely cooperate with Achen so that he may administer the responsibilities entrusted to him according to the Holy Tradition, the Constitution and customs of the Malankara Orthodox Church, and the directions given by us

We urge the faithful to find a suitable place for worship and work towards the growth of the community by welcoming those in and around the surrounding area for worship and other spiritual activities. We look forward to scheduling and arranging our first visit to the congregation in the near future. May the Holy Spirit continue to guide the newly formed congregation and all its members in the years to come. May the intercessions of St. Ephrem, who is also called as the harp of the Holy Spirit in the Syriac tradition, be a stronghold for us all.

Your Shepherd in Christ,
Metropolitan Alexios Mar Eusebius