Trivandrum – Page 16

Reply :

” You are aware that the Church Council Meeting held on 09.04.2019 as well as the joint meeting both the groups held on 02.04.2019 at 47, Eldams Road,Teynampet, Chennai – 18 that transfer of Pastors could be made in May 2019 in all the Synod by way of counselling. You also participated in the meeting held on 02.04.2019.

Based on the same, Trivandrum Synod sent a list of Pastors who are to be transferred by counselling. The list sent by Trivandrum Synod is enclosed.

However, today when Rev. R. Vijayakumar, General Treasurer met me in my residence along with Rev. Gopinathan, Secretary, they sought permission to transfer some Pastors. I told them that, if any transfer is made before the scheduled counselling in May 2019 then the counseling will be a farce one. They agreed with my view.

But, I have received a message from the other group that an order dated 22.04.2019 was passed by you as President of Trivandrum Synod of the IELC transferring one Rev. R.S. Manoj from Nedumkad Pastorate to Sreekaryam Pastorate, as per the decision of the the Trivandrum Synod Executive Committee dated 16.04.2019.

In view of the aforesaid meetings, Trivandrum Synod cannot transfer any Pastor pending counselling. Hence I hereby direct you to recall the transfer order dated 22.04.2019 forthwith and the decision of the Trivandrum Synod dated 16.04.2019 on transfer is contrary to the decisions taken in the Church Council meeting and also the joint meeting of both the groups.

Please report compliance immediately.”

Reply:

”

This is in reply to your mail received today (i.e., 11.05.2019). And your mail is in reply for my letter dated 02.05.2019 for counselling in Trivandrum Synod.

Firstly, it was decided in the joint meeting of both the groups held on 02.04.2019 at the IELC Head Quarters office at 47, Eldams Road, Chennai, wherein you participated and signed the minutes, to transfer the Pastors who have served for more than 6 years.

Hence, I am surprised to see your mail under reply.

Secondly, based on the decision of the joint meeting of both the groups held on 02.04.2019, I request you to send the list of Pastorates wherein Pastors are serving for more than six years and also the list of vacant Pastorates.

Accordingly, you sent the list of Pastorates by post and you singed therein (enclosed). Based on your list, I sent the list of 19 Pastorates wherein Pastors are serving for more than 6 years and also the vacant Pastorates, by my letter dated 02.05.2019 for counselling in Trivandrum Synod.

Further, your list was shown to Rev.R. Vijayakumar and Rev.P.N.Gopinathan (Retd.), the Office Bearers of the IELC and thereafter my letter dated 02.05.2019 was prepared with the concurrence of Rev. R.Vijayakumar and Rev.P.N.Gopinathan (Retd.), for counselling in Trivandrum Synod.

Thirdly, in your list, you had shown the Pastors who wanted transfer, though they did not complete 6 years period.

I did not include those names as the same was not the subject matter of discussion in the joint meeting held on 02.04.2019 referred to above and they are not eligible to be included in the counselling list.

Fourthly, however, I informed Rev. R. Vijayakumar that if the request for transfer is made by a Pastor with the consent of the Pastorate, though he has not served for 6 years, the same will be included in the list.

But, no such consent letter from Pastorate based on “General Body Meeting” is received from any one of the Pastorates.

If a Pastor has not completed 6 years, he is not eligible to be included in the present counselling unless his name is sponsored by the Pastorate by way of General Body Meeting based on his request to the pastorate for the transfer.

I assure you, sir, those matters could be taken up subsequently later during June/July 2019 etc. according to your convenience.

Now, this counselling is to give effect to the decision made on 02.04.2019 in the joint meeting referred to above.

Fifthly, now you have pointed out that there are some vacant pastorates and those Pastorates were not included in the list sent by me for counselling, in my letter dated 02.05.2019 for counselling in Trivandrum Synod.

Kindly do not find fault for the same, since you did not send those Pastorates as vacant when you sent the list and I prepared the list for counselling based on your list, which was confirmed by Rev. R. Vijayakumar and Rev. P.N. Gopinathan (Retd.), the Office Bearers of the IELC.

I am inclined to include those Pastorates for counselling or to include them in our subsequent transfer efforts as indicated in the previous para.

Sixthly, I fixed the counselling on 23.05.2019 and 24.05.2019 for Trivandrum Synod following the counselling on 21.05.2019 and 22.05.2019 at Nagercoil.

But it was pointed out by Rev. R. Vijayakumar that the result of the Lok Sabha elections will be announced on 23.05.2019 and that the same may cause problem for the counselling and that therefore the date for counselling as 27.05.2019 and 28.05.2019 was fixed after consultation with Rev. R. Vijayakumar and Rev. P.N. Gopinathan (Retd.), the Office Bearers of the IELC.

Hence, your request not to hold the counselling on 27^th & 28^th May 2019 for Trivandrum Synod can not be considered as feasible. Sorry, I have no option to reject the same. In fact, we booked air tickets for our travel to Trivandrum and for return to Chennai (enclosed).

Finally, I make it clear without any doubt whatsoever that the counselling on 27.05.2019 and 28.05.2019 for Trivandrum Synod will take place as scheduled. “