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A Legacy of Faithful Service

Former Leaders

Honouring those who built and shepherded this parish — our founding pioneers and former vicars.

28+
Founding Pioneers
17
Vicars Since 1981
1973
First Prayer Group
AD 52
Church Heritage

Parish Leadership · 1981–Present

Former Vicars

Since 1981, seventeen ordained ministers have shepherded the Mar Thoma Church of New Jersey. Each has shaped the spiritual DNA of our parish through their unique gifts and calling.

Current Vicar

Rev. Pratesh Oommen
Rev. Pratesh Oommen
Current Vicar · 2021 – Present

Appointed as the 17th Vicar, Rev. Oommen continues the unbroken pastoral succession of this parish — administering the sacraments, preaching the Word, and providing pastoral care to our congregation.

Former Vicars · 1981–2025

Those Who Served Before

Rev. Mathew Varughese
16th Vicar  ·  May 2022 – April 2025

Led the parish with dedication and faithfulness through the most recent chapter of service.

Rev. Sam T. Mathew
15th Vicar  ·  May 2021 – April 2022

Guided the congregation faithfully during this period of service and pastoral care.

Rev. Simon Kurian
14th Vicar  ·  May 2018 – April 2021

Served with pastoral dedication through the parish's transition into a new era of ministry.

Rev. Philip P. Mathew
13th Vicar  ·  May 2015 – April 2018

Led with dedication through a season of ministry growth and community service.

Rev. Jacob Varghese
12th Vicar  ·  May 2012 – April 2015

Served the congregation faithfully through the early 2010s.

Rev. Jose T. Abraham
11th Vicar  ·  May 2009 – April 2012

Guided the parish through the late 2000s with pastoral care and worship leadership.

Rev. Binu John
10th Vicar  ·  May 2006 – April 2009

Led the congregation through a period of steady growth and ministry expansion.

Rev. Dr. Koshy Mathew
9th Vicar  ·  August 2003 – April 2006

Served with faithfulness as the congregation matured in its ministry and mission.

Rev. Dr. M.C. Thomas
8th Vicar  ·  May 2001 – June 2003

Strengthened the parish's ministries and community bonds at the turn of the millennium.

Rev. Samuel Mathai
7th Vicar  ·  May 1997 – April 2001

Led the congregation following the landmark church building dedication, deepening its worship life.

Rev. Mathew John
6th Vicar  ·  May 1993 – April 1997

Oversaw the parish in the years leading to the building dedication in 1997.

Late Rev. Dr. Johnson Mathew
5th Vicar  ·  May 1990 – April 1993

Guided the parish as it grew in families and deepened its community engagement.

Late Rev. John Mathew
4th Vicar  ·  May 1987 – April 1990

Served the congregation with pastoral dedication through the late 1980s.

Late Rev. T.O. Joseph
3rd Vicar  ·  July 1984 – April 1987

Led the congregation through its early years of growth and community building.

Very Rev. N.M. Cherian
2nd Vicar  ·  May 1981 – July 1984

Served as the second Vicar of MTCNJ, building upon the foundation of the newly established parish through dedicated pastoral ministry.

Late Rev. M.V. Benjamin
1st Vicar  ·  April 1981 – May 1981

The first Vicar of MTCNJ, serving during the inaugural period following the parish's elevation to full parish status in January 1981.

Assistant Vicars

Those Who Served Alongside

Rev. Dr. Jacob Thomas
Asst. Vicar  ·  May 1981 – May 1984

Served as Assistant Vicar in the early formative years of the parish.

Late Very Rev. K.J. Philip
Asst. Vicar  ·  April 1981 – June 1981

Assisted in the establishment of the parish during its founding months in 1981.

Do you have additional records or memories of our former vicars? Please contact info@njmarthoma.org.

Parish History

Growing Through Every Generation

Each vicar who has served this parish has done so in a different chapter of our community's story. From prayer meetings in homes to a dedicated church building, from a handful of families to over 100 — the parish has grown through the faithful ministry of each shepherd.

The milestones below trace the key moments that define who we are today — moments that happened under the watch of our vicars throughout the decades.

Full Parish History
  • 1973
    A Prayer Group is Born

    Malayali Mar Thoma families in New Jersey begin gathering for prayer in homes, laying the foundation for what would become our parish.

  • 1978
    Recognized as a Congregation

    The growing prayer community is officially recognized as a Mar Thoma congregation by the Diocese of North America.

  • 1981
    Elevated to Full Parish

    In January 1981, the congregation becomes the Mar Thoma Church of New Jersey — full parish status, and the first vicar is appointed.

  • 1997
    Church Building Dedicated

    On October 4, 1997, the parish's own church building at Randolph is dedicated — a landmark moment in the life of the congregation.

  • 2000
    Yuvajana Sakhyam Founded

    A formal Yuvajana Sakhyam unit is established, deepening the parish's commitment to youth ministry and faith formation.

  • 2021
    Rev. Pratesh Oommen Appointed

    The seventeenth vicar, Rev. Pratesh Oommen, is appointed — continuing the unbroken pastoral succession that has defined this parish.

With Gratitude

Honoring Those Who Served

Every sermon preached, every sacrament administered, every family visited — each vicar's ministry is woven into the fabric of this parish. We honour them with gratitude.

Priestly Service

Thousands of Sacraments

Over four decades, our vicars have administered countless celebrations of the Holy Qurbana, baptisms, weddings, and last rites — marking the milestones of our community's life.

The Preached Word

Thousands of Sermons

Each Sunday for forty-four years, a vicar has opened the Scriptures and proclaimed the Word to this congregation — building faith, family, and community one message at a time.

Pastoral Legacy

A Lasting Heritage

The spiritual DNA of this parish — its warmth, its worship, its love for mission — was shaped generation by generation through the pastoral care of our vicars. Their legacy lives on in us.

Help Us Complete Our History

Do you have records, photographs, or memories of our former vicars? We'd love to hear from you and preserve this history for future generations.

Contact the Parish Office Email Us