കോട്ടയം: സി.എസ്.ഐ മധ്യകേരള മഹായിടവകയുടെ പതിമൂന്നാമത് ബിഷപ്പായി റവ. ഡോ. സാബു കെ.ചെറിയാൻ തെരഞ്ഞെടുക്കപ്പെട്ടു. ഇപ്പോൾ തിരുവല്ല തോലശേരി സി.എസ. ഐ. ചർച്ച് വികാരിയാണ്.
ചെന്നൈയിൽ സി.എസ്.ഐ ആസ്ഥാനത്ത് മോഡറേറ്റർ ബിഷപ്പ് എ.ധർമ്മരാജ് റസാലത്തിൻറെ അധ്യക്ഷതയിൽ ചേർന്ന സെലക്ഷൻ കമ്മിറ്റിയാണ് റവ.സാബു കെ.ചെറിയാനെ ബിഷപ്പായി തെരഞ്ഞെടുത്തത്.
പുന്നക്കാട് മലയിൽ കുടുംബാംഗമാണ്. സിഎസ്ഐ മധ്യകേരള മഹായിടവക കൗൺസിൽ തെരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പ് മൂലം നിർദ്ദേശിച്ച വൈദികരായ റവ.ഡോ.സാബു കെ.ചെറിയാൻ, റവ.നെൽസൺ ചാക്കോ എന്നിവരുടെ അഭിമുഖം ചെന്നൈ റോയൽ പേരിലുള്ള സി.എസ്.ഐ സിനഡ് ആസ്ഥാനത്ത് നടത്തുകയും തുടർന്ന് കമ്മറ്റി കൂടി റവ.സാബു കെ. ചെറിയാനെ ബിഷപ്പായി പ്രഖ്യാപിക്കുകയുമായിരുന്നു. റവ.ഡോ. സാബു കെ. ചെറിയാൻറെ സ്ഥാനാഭിഷേക ശുശ്രൂഷ 18 തിങ്കളാഴ്ച രാവിലെ 8 മണിക്ക് കോട്ടയം സിഎസ്ഐ ഹോളി ട്രിനിറ്റി കത്തീഡ്രലിൽ നടക്കും.സി.എസ്.ഐ മോഡറേറ്റർ ബിഷപ്പ് എ. ധർമ്മരാജ് റസാലം, തിയോഡോഷ്യസ് മാർത്തോമാ മെത്രാപ്പോലീത്ത എന്നിവർ മുഖ്യകാർമികരായിരിക്കും.സി.എസ്ഐ ഡെപ്യൂട്ടി മോഡറേറ്റർ ബിഷപ്പ് ഡോ.കെ രൂബേൻ മാർക്ക് സി.എസ്.ഐ മദ്ധ്യകേരള മഹായിടവക മോഡറേറ്റേഴ്സ് കമ്മിസറി ബിഷപ്പ് ഡോ.ഉമ്മൻ b ജോർജ്ജ് തുടങ്ങിയവർ സഹകാർമ്മികരായിരിക്കും.
Rev. Dr Sabu K. Cherian has been Selected as the New Bishop
in the Madhya Kerala Diocese of the CSI
Rev. Dr Sabu K. Cherian, a priest with a missionary’s heart,
has been elected as the new Bishop of the Madhya Kerala Diocese of the Church
of South India (CSI). The consecration of the Bishop will be held at CSI Holy
Trinity Cathedral in Kottayam, Kerala on Monday, the 18th January 2021.
Currently, Rev. Dr Sabu serves as the Vicar of the St Thomas CSI
Church in Tholassery.
Rev. Dr Sabu K. Cherian, who was ordained as a deacon of the
CSI in 1988 and a presbyter in 1989, is 59 years old and now is chosen to lead the
Madhya Kerala Diocese as the Bishop in the coming eight years. He started his
ministry as a missionary in the Andhra Mission (currently Telangana Mission)
where his wife Dr Mrs Jessy Sara Koshy joined him in the mission work as a
missionary doctor. Rev. Dr Sabu is blessed with two sons; Mr Sibu Cherian Koshy
who is married to Ms Roopa Esther Philip and settled in Ireland and Dr
Sam John Koshy who is currently pursuing his post-graduation in Chennai.
During the secular education, Rev. Dr Sabu K. Cherian earned
BSc in Mathematics, PGDCA, B.Ed, and MA in Sociology. Later he received his
Bachelor of Divinity (BD) from UBS, Pune and Doctor of Ministry from New York
Theological Seminary.
He is known for his ecumenical convictions. He was the
Member, Kerala Council of Churches, founding President, Ecumenical Fellowship
in Kumplampoika, Vice President, Bible Society Kerala Auxiliary, Vice
President, Ecumenical Fellowship Kottayam, President, Union Christian
Fellowship in Mavelikara, Vice President, Ecumenical Clergy Fellowship
Thiruvalla, Member, Christian Medical College Governing Council Vellore,
Member, Nilackal Ecumenical Trust, Nilackal and President, Ecumenical
Fellowship in Mooledom.
While he was a Missionary Andhra Mission (1988 - 1996), he
spearheaded medical, educational and church planting ministry in and around the
Mogullapally and Chittiyala mandals in Warangal
district. He acquired the ability to read, write and preach in the Telugu
language. As a missionary, he supported the protest movements of the
marginalized labourers for suitable daily wages. He conducted free night
schools for the illiterate people in villages.
Later he served St. Andrews Church Kumplampoika (1996 -
2000). During this tenure, he completed the construction of Parish Hall. He was
posted as the Vicar of the newly formed Jubilee
Church in New York (2000 - 2003). Being the Vicar of
the CSI Ascension Church,
Kanjikuzhy, Kottayam. (2003 - 2006), he constructed the second phase of the
shopping complex and started Free Breakfast Programme for the needy sick people
of the Kottayam Medical College Hospital through Sevananilayam. While he serves
the St Paul's
Church, Mooledom, Kottayam. (2006 - 2011), he was instrumental in constructing
the new Parsonage and renovated the church. At CSI
Christ Church
in Mavelikara (2011-2013), he started free meal programme for the needy sick
people of the Taluk
Hospital, Mavelikara and
gave leadership for the ecumenical programmes. At St Mary's Church, Kuzhikkala
(2013 - 2014), Rev. Sabu constructed the second phase of the Parsonage. At the St.
Thomas Church, Tholassery (2017- Present), he completed the construction of
shopping complex phase, focused on the spiritual upliftment of the members and
started daily online teleconference prayer fellowships soon after the country
went into lockdown, utilized the barren land to start organic farming and
promoted green homes (Parish received diocesan level green parish, green
parsonage and green school awards for the last two consecutive years), helped
the community kitchen by providing agricultural products cultivated from parish
property during the pandemic period, and gave leadership for supporting the
families affected by floods in surrounding areas.
He was elected as the Treasurer of the Diocese of Madhya Kerala
in 2014 for three years. Being the Treasurer, he introduced centralized salary
system for all clergy and evangelists, took special care to protect and
safeguard the Diocesan property, successfully managed diocesan Bi-centenary
celebrations and 35th session of CSI Synod meeting during the demonetization
period, renewed rental agreements of the shopping complex tenants, which was
pending for decades, in line with the current market rates.
The new Bishop hails from the Malayil family in Punnackadu.
The Bishop- elect’s father (Late) M. K. Cherian was a retired teacher from CMS High School,
Kuzhikkala, and mother (Late) Aleyamma Cherian was also a retired teacher from Government High School, Kozhencherry. The new
Bishop has five elder sisters and a younger brother.
The Consecration ceremony will be led by Most Rev. Dharmaraj
Rasalam; the Moderator of the Church of South India at the presence of Rt. Rev.
Dr Reuben Mark; the Deputy Moderator, Adv. Fernandas Rathina Raja; the General
Secretary, Prof. Dr Vimal Sukumar; Hon. Treasurer, Bishops in CSI and from
sister church