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Hunter Mabry-July2016Dr. Hunter P. Mabry, 82, of Roanoke passed away on Saturday, July 9, 2016 after a long struggle with chronic radiation damage to his intestinal tract many years ago. Born in Timber Ridge in Rockbridge County, he was a native of the Shenandoah Valley. During his youth he lived in the Waynesboro area and graduated with the Wilson Memorial High School class of 1951. Later, he completed his B.Sc. in Rural Sociology at the then Virginia Polytechnical Institute (Virginia Tech), his B.Div. at the Candler School of Theology (Emory University) and served as a missionary to the Philippines, 1959 to 1963 under the Board of Missions of The United Methodist Church.
Desiring to help train persons to become pastors, he completed his Ph.D. in Sociology of Religion and Social Ethics at the Boston University School of Theology in 1969 and over the next 25 years served on the faculty of the United Theological College, Bangalore under the sponsorship of The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries (GBOGM) where he helped to train students at the B.D., M.Th. and D.Th levels.
His published writings include Christian Ethics, An Introductory Reader, The Christian Clergy in India, Vol. 1, Social Structure and Social Roles, and Manual for Researchers and Writers. His book Manual for Researchers and Writers is well received by students in India.
kcaRev. Dr. K. C. Abraham (Kuruvilla Cherukara Abraham), well-known leader, globally acclaimed as a brilliant theologian and educator, ecumenist and scholar, passed away on June 12, 2016 at around 8 p.m. in Bangalore.
Rev. Dr. K. C. Abraham served well in many institutions. He served as Presbyter of St. Mark’s Cathedral (Bangalore), and later as Director of Ecumenical Christian Centre (ECC) before making his mark as a Theological Educator. He joined United Theological College Bangalore as Professor. Around this time he also served as Director of South Asia Theological Research Institute (SATHRI), Secretary of Board of Theological Education of Senate of Serampore College (BTESSC), and as President of Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians (EATWOT). Among his many ministry contributions, he also served at various times as: Visiting Professor, Emmanuel College of Toronto School of Theology, Toronto; Visiting Professor, San Francisco Theological Seminary, D.Min. Program; John A Mackay Chair in World Christianity, Princeton Theological Seminary; Editor, Asia Journal of Theology; Editor, Voices from the Third World; Editor, Bangalore Theological Forum; President, Christian Peace Conference, India Region; Member, Board of Directors of YMCA, Bangalore; Member, Congress of Asian Theologians; and Member, Interfaith Interaction – online discussion group. In 1996, he and his wife Molly Abraham started Liza’s Home, a home for girls with mental and physical disabilities, that continues to serve a number of poor children.
As editor and author of several publications he contributed to theological scholarship immensely. Among his publications are – Liberative Solidarity: Contemporary perspectives on mission; Globalization: A Gospel and Culture Perspective (article in International Review of Mission); Third World Theologies: Commonalities and Divergences (editor); Closed Doors and the Risen Christ: Sermons and Reflections On Being A Christian; The Cost of Discipleship; Spirituality of the Third World: A Cry for Life: Papers and Reflections from the Third General Assembly of the Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians (editor); and many others.
We are grateful to God for his life, ministry, leadership and many contributions to the Churches and Institutions he served. He will be missed. He leaves behind his wife Dr. Molly Abraham and two children, Ajit and Lizy. Please pray for God’s peace and comfort as the bereaved family mourns this great loss. The funeral will be on June 14, 2016 with service in St. Mark’s Cathedral, Bangalore at around 10:30 a.m.
– NCCI Communications

uIn Christ today, we shall proceed

to bring Peace and Joy

with arms of faith, and dreams of hope

Go forward sharing Love…

–          Jeevan Babu

 

Rev. D. S. Jeevan Babu, God’s faithful servant who day in and day out fulfilled his ministry in quiet fidelity and love, was called ‘home’ this morning.
Rev. Jeevan Babu gave an inspiring witness of his love for God and self-sacrificing service in his priestly ministry.  We thank God for his exemplary life and witness.  He faithfully fulfilled his ministry up until the last few months of his life, when ill-health finally overcame him.

‘Jeevan’, as he was popularly called, served the National Council of Churches in India from February 1994 to October 1998 as the Secretary of the Unit on Mission & Evangelism.  As an Ecumenist, he was involved with the study of Gospel & Cultures and took various initiatives to strengthen the faith of the recently converted Christians of various tribal people groups in India, especially of the Lambadi tribe living in Andhra Pradesh and in the borders of Maharashtra.

He subsequently served as the Communication Director of the Karnataka Central Diocese, Church of South India.  Through his writings he sensitized people about the love of life and God’s plans through our lives.  He published around 3 dozen books on creation, life and God’s love for us, humans.

The funeral will take place on 2nd June 2016 at the St. Mark’s Cathedral, Bangalore.  Mr. Kiran Jeevan his son can be contacted on 09739057989 for more information
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The NCCI family expresses its solidarity with his wife Kasthuri, son Kiran and daughter Keerthi and all the dear ones.

Roger Gaikwad

General Secretary, NCCI

bishopRev. Dr. Luther Paul  passed away at around 8.30 P.M. on Friday, the 15th April, 2016 at Apollo Hospital, Hyderabad.  Rev. Dr. Paul, 59, an ordained minister of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church served for about 20 years in various parishes of the AELC prior to being seconded to serve the ACTC as a member of the faculty and later as Principal of the Andhra Christian Theological College, prior to joining the A. P. Council of Churches as its Executive Secretary in April 2014.  Within the 4 years tenure as Principal of ACTC, he was instrumental in building a huge chapel with a cellar for programme facilities; a women centre, workers housing, hostels and library renovations etc. and thus created revenue generating assets for the college.  As Executive Secretary of the APCC, he was also responsible for Hudhud disaster mitigation, renovating 139 Households in Eduruvaripalem near Vishakapatnam in cooperation with the CASA.

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Bp Zacharias Mar TheophilusRt. Rev. Dr. Zacharias Mar Theophilus, Suffragan Metropolitan of the Kerala-based Mar Thoma Syrian Church, passed away on 27th December 2015 after suffering a brain haemorrhage.
Born on August 29, 1938, as Oommen Koruthu, he was ordained as deacon on May 7, 1966; as a priest on July 9 that year, and consecrated as Bishop in May 1980. He was installed as Suffragan Metropolitan on July 3, 2004.

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Bas WielengaRev. Dr. Bastiaan Wielenga,  a German missionary who opted for Indian citizenship, and a globally renowned Indian Liberation theologian of our times passed away on 23rd Dec 2015.  Among several commitments, he served the Ecumenical Christian Centre,  the Christian Institute for the Study of Religion and Society, and Tamilnadu Theological Seminary, where he played a major role in founding the’ Centre for Social Analysis’, and from where he retired as a Professor of Biblical Studies.

Dr. Bastiaan Wielenga’s contributions towards articulation of contextual theologies, particularly Theology of the Poor and Indian Liberation Theology, through the Centre for Social Analysis and  Tamilnadu Theological Seminary in particular and the Senate of Serampore College at large, are indeed remarkable.

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The funeral service of Bishop Dr. Taranath Sagar was held on October 21, 2015  at 11:00 am at Richmond Town Methodist Church, Bangalore. It was attended by large numbers of people from around the country and abroad. The service was conducted by Rev. M. A. Daniel, General Secretary, MCI. Bishop Anil Servand delivered the message in which he spoke about Bishop Sagar’s ecumenical initiatives, various accomplishments and works he inspired. He also shared his intention to continue exploring possibilities to further the talks of the Methodist Church in India joining Church of North India (CNI), Church of South India (CSI) and the Marthoma Church in the Communion of Churches in India (CCI) for greater witness and service.

Among many esteemed leaders present, the following members gave eulogies: Bishop N. L. Karkare, President of the Council of Bishops, MCI; Bishop Subodh Mondol, Bishop, MCI Delhi Episcopal area; Bishop Philip Masih, Bishop, MCI Lucknow Episcopal area;  Dr. J. N. Hanchinmani, Central Treasurer, MCI; Fr. Bernard, Archbishop of Bangalore; Rev. M. A. Daniel, General Secretary, MCI; Mr. Michael Paul, Executive Council Member, MCI; Most Rev. Dyvashirvadam, Moderator, CSI; Rt. Rev. P. C. Singh, Deputy Moderator, CNI; Dr. Mathews George Chunakara, General Secretary, Christian Conference of Asia; Rev. Christopher Rajkumar (on behalf of Rev. Dr. Roger Gaikwad, General Secretary, NCCI); Dr. Santanu Patro, Registrar, Senate of Serampore College; Rev. Dr. Vincent Rajkumar, Director, CISRS; Mr. Sanjeev Dayanand, Conference Treasurer, South India Regional Conference, MCI; Rev. B. U. Bhaktanand, Brother-in-law of Bishop Dr. Sagar; Mr. Surendranath Sagar, Brother of Bishop Dr. Sagar; and Mrs. Sharon, Daughter of Bishop Dr. Sagar.

From the NCCI, Rev. Christopher Rajkumar, Rev. Caesar David, Rev. Sweety Helen and Mr. Samuel Jayakumar paid their respects on behalf of the NCCI family and placed wreaths. Dr. Saramma Varghese also placed wreaths on behalf of All India Council for Christian Women (AICCW) and the Orthodox Church. It was a solemn service marked with an air of grief. It was also a time of thanksgiving to God for the leadership and vision that the Church has been blessed with by the wonderful ministry of Bishop Dr. Sagar. The rich tributes and remembrances shared during this service gave evidence of the profundity of Bishop Dr. Sagar’s work, and there was the overwhelming sense of inspiration to continue carrying on his vision and faithful service for the Glory of God and to the blessing of people.

NCCI office received several condolence messages / tributes.

Please download the messages file

ts1Bishop Dr. Taranath S. Sagar, President of the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) from 2008 to 2015, and Bishop of the Methodist Church in India, suffered a heart attack and passed away at about 8:00 pm on Monday, October 19, 2015 in Bangalore, India. His untimely demise has shocked and deeply saddened everyone. His contributions to the Church and ecumenical movements in India and abroad have been profound and unprecedented.

As a prominent dynamic leader not only locally and all over India, but around the globe, he served as member of the central committee of World Council of Churches (WCC) elected first at the Port Allegro Assembly, Brazil in 2006, and again at the Busan Assembly, South Korea in 2013. He was member of the constitutional amendment session during the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA)Extraordinary General Assembly for constitutional amendments in May 2015 prior to the General Assembly. He has been a member of the Executive Committee of CCA since its last General Assembly held in Jakarta in May 2015. Even as a humble pastor  of the Bombay Regional Conference of the Methodist Church in India serving local congregations in Bombay over three decades ago, his pastoral heart won him the love of the masses. Over the years he held several important positions at various times including President of the Council of Bishops of the Methodist Church in India, President of the Asian Methodist Bishops Conference, Secretary of NCCI’s Maharashtra Council of Churches, President of Ecumenical Christian Centre, Executive member of United Theological College in Bangalore, President of ECLOF, and many others. He has contributed immensely also to the formation of ministers and ministries. His guidance and insights have resulted in many important accomplishments. His life has proved to be a blessing to individuals and communities, and will continue to inspire the journey of faith, witness and Christian service.

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lyndohMr. Hopingstone Lyngdoh, MLA of Nongstoin Constituency in Meghalaya passed away in the early hours (12:45 AM) of September 26, 2015. He was 88.
He entered active politics in 1957 to stand for District Council elections of erstwhile United Khasi & Jaintia Autonomous District Council. Ever since, he had never lost an election. He entered the then composite Assam Legislative Assembly as an elected MLA in 1962. When Meghalaya State was created in 1972, he was elected as an MLA from Pariong Constituency. In 1977, he stood for Parliamentary Elections from Shillong and defeated Prof. G. G. Swell, former Lok Sabha Dy. Speaker, Mr. P.R. Kyndiah who later became Speaker of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Governor of Mizoram and Union Minister and, Prof. P. G. Marbaniang who later became Speaker of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly and MP. Mr. Lyngdoh was Executive Member of the UKJHADC, Chief Executive Member of Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and Dy. Chief Minister of Meghalaya on different occasions.
Former president Abdul KalamThe passing away of India’s most beloved and iconic leader, ex-president Dr. A. P. J Abdul Kalam on July 27, 2015, has cast a pall of grief over the whole country and even beyond its borders.
He won the awe and delight of India’s masses because of his profound futuristic contribution to the country and indeed our planet. He was popularly known as the “Missile Man of India”, a reference to his role in shaping India’s missile program during his tenures at India’s space and defense-research agencies respectively from the 1960s to the 1990s. He was also a key player in India’s emergence as a nuclear power. As time.com notes, Few Indian leaders in the 21st century enjoyed the kind of popular support experienced by Kalam, evidenced by the near-unanimous backing of his election as India’s 11th President in 2002 among all the parties across India’s fractious political spectrum, as well as the overwhelming outpouring of grief at his death. (http://time.com/3974357/apj-abdul-kalam-death-tributes-condolences). He was awarded the Padma Bhushan and Bharat Ratna for his achievements.
Although a modest and unassuming man, Dr. Kalam captured the imagination of the country’s youth encouraging them to confidently forge ahead to pursue their dreams. He instilled patriotism and ideas of secularism in the hearts of people that united everyone in the values of humanity and greater benefit transcending region, religion, language and culture. This secularism in praxis is truly remarkable and exemplary.
As the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) joins in mourning the loss of this great leader, a hope is expressed that Dr. Abdul Kalam would continue to be an inspiration and model for the awakening of people to the values of integrity, true joy and peace.
Bishop Dr. Taranath Sagar
President, NCCI
Rev. Dr. Roger Gaikwad
General Secretary, NCCI