Rev. Sherin Tom Mathews
2023 – current
Family: Linu Merin Rajan, Snehesh Sherin Mathews, Sneha Mariam Sherin, Snehal Rajan Sherin
Executive Committee Members 2024
President & Vicar | Rev. Sherin Tom Mathews |
Vice President | Mr. Elias Abraham |
Secretary | Mrs. Binsu Thomas |
Trustee | Mr. Sajan John |
Accountant | Mr. Prashant Verghese |
Lay Ministrant Malayalam | Mr. Jaison J. Chacko |
Lay Ministrant English | Mr. Jinsi G Philip |
Mandalam Member | Mr. Lincoln Mathew |
Assembly Member & Senior Fellowship Rep | Mr. Elias Abraham |
Sunday School | Dr. Sherin Varghese |
Youth Fellowship | Ms. Emily George |
Sevika Sangham | Mrs. Preethi Mathew |
Edavaka Mission | Mr. Abraham George |
Choir | Mr. Robin Philip |
Prayer Group A(Owings Mills) Rep | Mr. John V George |
Prayer Group B(Ellicott City) Rep | Mr. Agi Mathew |
Prayer Group C (Towson) Rep | Mr. Nivin Thomas |
Prayer Group D (York) Rep | Mr. Blesson Joseph |
Sunday Meetings
Sunday school | 9 AM – 10 AM |
Sunday Worship Service | 10 AM – 12:00 PM |
Area Prayer Meetings | Every Sunday at 5:30pm |
Sacraments
The word sacrament comes from the Latin word, sacromentum, which means sacred. The church believes in 7 sacraments, which are the following:
Mamodisa (Baptism)
The church encourages child baptism and during the baptism, the parents take an oath stating that they will raise the child to follow Christ.
Confirmation
Confirmation takes place when the child becomes 12. This is when the child declares that he/she will follow Christ in from of the congregation. This sacrament complements baptism because it shows the community that the parents fulfilled their oath and the child can now participate in the Holy Qurbana.
Confession
Confession is the acknowledgement of one’s sins and asking for forgiveness from God. Unlike Catholics, Marthomites believe that confession is between you and God, there is no priest involved.
Holy Qurbana (Holy Communion)
Qurbana is East Syriac for sacrifice, and it is typically referencing to the Last Supper. While the Catholic church believes in transubstantiation and Lutherans believe in consubstantiation, the MarThoma church believes that partaking in the Holy Qurbana is that God’s grace is given to the individual. This cannot be verbalized and is used to define one’s experience during communion.
Marriage
In Indian culture, marriage is not only the union of 2 people, it is also the union of families. During the ceremony, the bride and groom are blessed by God to start a family and it is a covenant between the man and the woman to be together until death. This sacrament is optional.
Ordination
Ordination is an optional sacrament that separates a man from his peers to become a Vicar(Priest).
Unction
Unction is the anointing of the sick and elderly with oil to allow God’s touch to be with them. It is also called the Sacrament of Lamps because the early church used lamps to complete this sacrament.