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Fr.Johnson
Punchakonam
Introduction:
This is my
homepage, so I have to say something about myself. Sometimes it is hard to
introduce yourself because you know yourself so well that you do not know where
to start with. Let me give a try to see what kind of image you have about me
through my self-description. I hope that my impression about myself and your
impression about me are not so different. Here it goes. I am a person who is
positive about every aspect of life. There are many things I like to do, to
see, and to experience. I am just someone who does some teaching, some
research, and some writing. But my dream is still alive.
My Early Years:
Johnson was born on January 21, 1965, in Madathilethu, Ommannoor, Kottarakara, to Chacko Pappachan and Saramma Pappachan. Johnson grew up in Punchakonam, Elamadu, which is about five miles west of Ayoor, with his younger brother Shaji,
younger sister, Shiny and younger brother Reji.
School life:
Johnson attended schools from Ist
to IV in Govt LP School Elamadu,V to VII at St.George UP
School, Cheruvakkal, VIII to X in Cheriyavelinalloor
High School and graduated in June, 1986, from St.Gregorios
College, located in Kottarakara.
Spiritual Organization:
In his young age he served as a Sunday School Teacher,
OVBS Convener, Orthodox Youth Movement Secretary and Group Organizer, Bala Samajam Diocesan Secretary
of Trivandrum Diocese, YMCA Executive Member, Uni-Y
Regional Vice Chairman, MGOCSM Secretary of St.Gregorios
College, Kottarakara. He was actively participated in
St.Paul’s Prayer Group in Diocesan level by the
direction and influence of His Grace Dr.Geevarghese
Mar Osthathios Metropolitan
The voice of the Lord
Jesus called his
apostles in a very personal way. He went to them where they were, spent time
with them and called them by name. He calls people to be priests in the same
way today, but his presence and his voice are silent and mysterious. You are
unlikely to hear a booming voice from on high saying, 'Be my priest'! Your
experience will probably be much the same as Elijah: he found God not in the
mighty wind, the earthquake or the fire, but in the gentle breeze (I Kings 19.
9‑14). Jesus comes to you and calls you in a way that never forces itself
upon you. His voice reaches deep within you but leaves you totally free. You
will hear that voice in the silence of your prayer, in the words of the
Scriptures and in the words and lives of those around you. In my personal
experience God call me to serve as a priest through His Grace Dr.Geevarghese Mar Osthathios
Metropolitan
Turning Point:
Are you being called by Jesus? The answer is a clear 'Yes!'
Each of us is being asked to do something a little special for God. He has a
project for you, a will of love. He created you with a lot of care, 'gracing'
you with special gifts and blessings. He looks at you now, loving you as you
are but seeing you with an eye to your future. To know his will for you is to
discover your potential, your true identity, who you
really are!
Jesus is calling you
also. You are already living your first vocation - to follow him, to be his
disciple. But what special task is Jesus asking of you? One thing is very
important as you continue your searching: you came to discover your calling on
your own! However strong your feelings and convictions, Jesus speaks to you and
comes to you through his Church, and you will need the Church to help you
discern your vocation and to confirm it in Jesus' name.
In 1994 Johnson was attending
summer vacation camp at St.Pauls Mission Training Centre, Mavelikara His Grace Dr.Geevarghese Mar Osthathios
Metropolitan influenced him and decided to serve for Orthodox Church as a
priest. After the completion of his graduation in politics, he joined Orthodox
Technological Seminary in Kottayam from 1988 to 1992 for
his Theological studies. He was the Magazine Editor of “Deepthi”
and Arts club secretary of that year. After finished his theological studies he
served as the secretary of His Grace Geevarghese Mar Dioscorus Metropolitan.
Sub-Deacon
In may 1991 he ordained as a Sub Deacon of The
Malankara Orthodox Church by His Grace Geevarghese
Mar Dioscorous, the then Diocesan Metropolitan of the
Malankara Orthodox Church, Trivandrum Diocese at St.Thomas
Orthodox Church, Elamadu.
Deacon
In September 1992
he was ordained as a full Deacon by His Grace Geevarghese
Mar Dioscorous at Holy Trinity Aramana
Chapel,Trivandrum .
Marriage
In 1992 August 17th
Monday, he got married to Miss.Mini M George, daughter of Mr. M G George
and Mrs. Mariyamma George, Meluttu,
Karickam, Kottarakara
Priesthood
The priesthood is not something I can pick out
for myself or give myself. I cannot push myself forward for ordination, or seek
it on my own terms. The Lord's call cannot be forced by my own desire or
choice. It is pure gift. It is always a response to his summons, his call, his
choice of me. No matter how strongly I would like to be a priest, it is his
will that matters, not mine.
In 1992 September 19th Saturday he was ordained as a Priest of The
Malankara Orthodox Church by His
Holiness Baselious
Mathoma Mathews II, the then Catholicose and
Malankara Metropolitan of the Malankara Orthodox Church at St.Thomas
Orthodox Church, Elamadu.
My personal experience as a Minister
A parish is a family,
a living cell of the one family of God. No two parishes are the same, any more
than two ordinary families. Each has its own special challenges, its own
problems, needs and blessings. An inner city parish is very different to a
rural one. The priest needs to be very flexible and adaptable in the way he
lives and works.
Priest
of Malankara Orthodox Church:
In 1992 September 19th Saturday Dn.Johnson
Punchakonam was ordained as a Priest of The Malankara
Orthodox Church by His Holiness Baselious Mathoma Mathews II, the then Catholicose
and Malankara Metropolitan of the Malankara
Orthodox Church.
As a vicar of The
Malankara Orthodox Church
First Appointment as the Vicar
In 1992 October 1st Thursday Achen was
appointed as the Vicars of Marthesmooni Orthodox
Church, Mannoor,Anchal, Mar Bersouma
Orthodox Church, Kattachal, Chenkulam and
Mar Bersouma Orthodox Church, Vengoor, Ayoor
Summary
§ 17 years of experience as a Priest of The Malankara Orthodox Church.
§ Experience in Web Designing, hosting and
Maintenance of web site.
Now Achen is completing 17 years
of pastoral services in various parishes. The parish is where most people
experience what it means to belong to the Church. Although there are various
special ministries for priests outside of parish life, most priests spend their
life moving from one parish to another.
For the parish the priest is their shepherd, bringing them the care of the Good
Shepherd. His ministry tries to create an atmosphere of prayer and of loving
care, a community where people feel they belong, where they are valued and
accepted. Every parishioner has a role in building such a caring family, but
the priest has a central ministry here. He must be open, welcoming and friendly
in his attitude to all.
Present Parish
Now Achen serving as the vicar
of St. Thomas Orthodox Church Denver,
Colorado,
Vicar of St.Gregorios Orthodox congregation, Augusta
and St.Paul’s Orthodox congregation, Chatanooa,
Tennesse.
Churches Served
1.
Vicar of St.
Thomas Mount Orthodox Church Puzhuthivakkam,
Chennai-600091 from May 2005 to
February 2008
2.
Vicar of St.
George Orthodox Church Nellikunnam, Kottarakara from
May 2003 to May2005,
3.
St. Mary’s Orthodox Church Nalanchira, Trivandrum from May 2000 to May2003,
4.
St. George Orthodox Church Nedumpaikulam, Kundra from June
1999 to May2000 , and
5.
St.Mary’s
Orthodox Church, Edamon,
Punalur (from June 1999 to May 2000 December 2000)
6.
7.
St. George Orthodox Church Paper Mill, Punalur
June 1999 to December 2000)
8.
Mar Aprem Orthodox
Chapel, Kuravankonam,Trivandrum (Assistant vicar)from 1998 May to 1999 May) and
9.
MGOCSM, Bangalore Potary
Rd Chapel, Davenkere, Kolar
Chapels. from 1998 May to 1999 May)
10.
St. Andrews Orthodox Church Secundrabad, from May 1997 to May1998,
11.
St. Gregorios Orthodox Cathedral Hyderabad, from Auguest
1994 to May1997,
12.
Mor Thesmooni Orthodox Church Mannoor, Anchel from September 1992 to July1994
Educational Background
§ Bachelors Degree from Kerala University (BA)
§ Graduate in Sacred Theology (GST) Orthodox Theological Seminary,Kottayam
§ Diploma in
Web Designing from Edit Institute, Mumbai
§ Diploma in Medical Imaging Technology (Madras)
§ HTML, MS- Office, Microsoft front Page, Dream
weaver, Windows, Photoshop, Java etc..
Other
Skills
§ Yoga, Driving
Other Experience
Worked as Correspondent And
Manager of St. Thomas Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Chennai from May
2005 to February 2008
My Vision
Vision,
when it stems from the heart and spirit, when it is pure and intense, possesses
awesome electromagnetic energy. You can rely, young man, upon this ageless
promise as surely as you can rely upon the eternally unbroken promise of
sunrise. Accept your destiny and go ahead with your life. Forget this failure,
as you are destined for a different path. I took a different path with strong
desires to lead my life.
I
fully involved myself in my work, with a strong desire to achieve wherever and
whatever work I did. Vision brought forth desires, desires brought forth dreams
and dreams brought them into reality. Looking the way back, I feel now how true
it is. Desires drive us to achieve the things we wanted to have. We are all
born with a divine fire within us. When the desire is pure and intense, the
fire gets ignited by the desire. The light which comes out of the fire will
energize us and dispel the darkness and we all should strive for keeping up the
light for achieving greatness for ourselves. This is a brief introduction of
me. If you are interested in knowing more, logon my web sites.
My Dream Projects
1998
onwards Achen is working for this dedicated dream projects.
In 1998 he started a web site for our church ie, www.orthodoxsyrianchurch.org, which was inaugurated by the then Catholicose and Malankara Metropolitan His Holiness
Moran Mar Baselious Marthoma
Mathews II, on 15th September
1999 in the presence of H G Thomas Mar Athanasios
Metropolitan of Chengannoor Diocese. That was the
first ever web site of the Malankara Orthodox church
in the web world. In 2002 I shifted this site to a portal for all Indian
Christian communities.
www.indianchristianity.org
I
believe that this portal would be timely and very much in keeping with the
spirit of His words " All May be one " That would be a step toward
Christians recoganising fellow Christians across
denominations. I hope this work would whisper to Indian Christians of various
denominations that " they are birds of the same
feather flying different ways to one destination where they would flock
together " : Our Lord Jesus Christ, inspired us, emboldened us when
problems loomed, and guided us past all abstract and solid impediments to a
gratifying finish. I invite you all, to share the richness on the journey of
enlightenment toward Salvation and the reconciliation of all people.
My
loving Family:
My wife
Mini Johnson MCA,BEd
(D/O Georgekuty Mariyamma, Meluttu, Karickom, Kottarakara) is now working as a Teacher in Newton County
School, Atlanta, Georgia.
Our son
Jeevan Jacob John is in XI at Brookwood High School, Atlanta and our daughter Chelsa Mariyam Jons is in 3rd grade at Brookwood
Elementary School, Atlanta.
Personal Experience with God Almighty
God is good. He alone is truly and fully
good. He is good without mixture of evil. From Him comes all good. All that is good
not only comes from Him, but is also His presence. Where the good is, there God
is present.
In Him I put my trust. Christ is my all.
Without him I am nothing at all. I have no life of my own. I live in Him and He
lives in me.
Contact me:
Email: punchakonam@gmail.com
revfrj@gmail.com
Phone: 678-342-0246
"To err is human and to forgive is divine" "Please forgive...!!!
May Almighty God Bless You all Fr. Johnson Punchakonam
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