St. Thomas Evangelical Church (STECI) –
STECI is an Evangelical, Episcopal denomination based in Kerala, India. It derives from a schism in the Mar Thoma Syrian Church in 1961, STECI holds that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant and infallible Word of God. Adherents believe that all that is necessary for salvation and living in righteousness is given in the
Bible, the Church is engaged in active evangelism.
The headquarters of church is at Tiruvalla, a town in the state of Kerala which is the part of South India. St. Thomas Evangelical Church is one of groups of Saint Thomas Christians tracing their origins to St. Thomas the Apostle who, according to tradition. While STECI is considered to be a church, it is the same time deeply influenced by Evangelicalism.
Early leaders include Bishop Dr K N Oommen, Bishop P John Varghese, Rev P C Zacheriah, Rev Dr T C George, Daniel was the prominent evangelical leader. Rev P I Mathai, Rev K O John, Rev C M Varghese, Rev P. T. Chandapillai, Rev P. T. Thomas, Mr. N. I Thomas Neduvelil Ranny, Rev K. C Paily and Rev P. A Jacob had helped the church to focus on the mission.
The missionaries facilitated the translation of the Bible into Malayalam in 1811 and this was the first vernacular Bible in Kerala. Further changes introduced by the influence of missionaries led to a schism within the Thomas Christians,
internal struggles in reformation ideologies between progressive and traditionalist groups in Mar Thoma Syrian Church led to a further schism.
The St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India was formally inaugurated on January 26,1961, over thirty thousand people drawn from all the different Christian denominations gathered together at Bishop Abraham Nagar at
Thiruvalla, in Kerala to form the new denomination. 1961 which was a Sunday around 8pm or so the name Saint Thomas Evangelical Church of India was chosen at a prayer gathering In Alleppey, Kerala, after the inauguration service, two ministers of the new Church, viz, Rev. K. N. Oommen, Rev. P. John Varghese, were consecrated as Bishops, the St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India is one of the branches of the Malankara Church founded in A. D.52 by Apostle St. Thomas.
The Church is Evangelical in faith and Episcopal in administration, the Church accepts the Holy Bible which consists of 66 Books of the Old and the New Testaments as the basis for all matters of faith and doctrine. The Church accepts the Nicene Creed which is in conformity with the Scriptures, the Church celebrates the two dominical sacraments viz, The Holy Communion and the Holy Baptism.
The Ordained ministry is exercised by three distinct Orders, Bishop, Presbyter, Deacon, Holy Communion is understood to be a thanksgiving in line with Zwinglian theology. The Representative Body of the Church is the governing body. The Presiding Bishop is the head of the Church who is elected from among the bishops of the Church for a term of five years.
For more info log on to
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Thomas_Evangelical_Church
Address of the Church
St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India,
Sabha Office, Thiruvalla, Kerala – 689 105, India
0469 2601384 | 0469-2631851
STECI Relation with Redeemer Fellowship Church (of India).
RFC is a Sister Church of STECI. The Sisterhood of the RFC was considered with much prayers and thought process by the STECI Church Sabha council (Synod) and the same was granted on 20th October 2017. This Sisterhood covers only the spiritual and prayer coverage aspects.