Edmonton Diocese Welcomes Church of South India Moderator

Bishop Jane Alexander welcomed Church of South India Moderator the Most Rev. Thomas Oommen and his wife Dr. Susan Thomas to the Edmonton diocese July 13 and 14. On his first visit to western Canada, Archbishop Oommen, who is from the Madhya Kerala Diocese, confirmed seven members of CSI Ascension Church at a special service at All Saints’ Cathedral on Saturday morning. The Ascension congregation has been holding services at St. Luke’s, Edmonton on Saturday mornings for two years.

“We praise God for the Church of England missionary movement and the Anglican influence that radically changed the lives of people in India spiritually, socially and politically,” he said. “Today, through prayer, commitment, dedication and devotion we are in Canada and around the world. The CSI is made up of 24 dioceses and 4.5 million people of different social backgrounds. We are very much obliged to the Anglican community and we give thanks to Bishop Jane, the Dean of All Saints’ Cathedral and our brothers and sisters in Christ of the Edmonton diocese for being part of our faith journey.”

The CSI was inaugurated in 1947 by the union of the South India United Church (itself a union of Congregational and Presbyterian/Reformed traditions), the southern Anglican diocese of the Church of India, Burma, Ceylon, and the Methodist Church in South India. It is one of the four United Churches in the Anglican Communion (www.anglicancommunion.org).

CSI Ascension confirmands, pictured left to right with Bishop Jane Alexander and Archbishop Thomas Oomman, are: Sherlin David, Gifna Christopher, Rohit Bidhu Robinson, Aswin S. Abraham, Jeremy Jacob Samuel, Abel Jacob Samuel, Praise Rebi John.