The Marthoma Parish in The United Kingdom

Our Church had a humble beginning in Kerala, it has expanded its boundaries to different corners of the continents of the world. In early 1950s, few Marthomites came to the United Kingdom as students for higher studies and others for employment. Once a month they met in the chapel of the Indian YMCA Students’ Hostel in London. At that time there were no other Malayali Christian services in UK. This encouraged other Malayali Christians also to participate in our service.

 

During the 1970’s more Marthomites and other Christians came to England from Malaysia, Singapore, Uganda, Zambia, India and many other countries in East Africa. In 1979 we moved to St. Mary’s Parish Church in Newington in Kensington. Although we had services once/ twice a month, most of our members took membership in the local parishes of the Church of England, with whom the Mar Thoma Church had full communion.

 

Later this group, with a congregational status was recognized as a Parish. In 1989, the Parish location moved to St. Katharine Cree Church in Central London. The members were privileged to have various Bishops of the Church visiting them from to time. In 1996, the Episcopal Synod of the Mar Thoma Church decided to bifurcate the Parish in UK into two parishes. This led to the creation of St. Johns Mar Thoma Church, UK, in Hounslow.