Dear Brethern,

It our privilege to congratulate, Rt.Rev.Govada Dyvasirvadam, Bishop in Krishna-Godavari Diocese, Church of South India on being elected to the office of the Deputy Moderator, in the biennial Synodical Council convened in Kanya Kumari. Dr.Dyvasirvadam is the present Bishop of the Krishna-Godavari Diocese (born 28 March 1951) is the Bishop of Krishna-Godavari Diocese in the Church of South India (CSI) (incorporating Anglicans, Methodists, and Presbyterians) and St. Andrew's Cathedral in Machilipatnam is the seat of the Bishop-in-Krishna Godavari.
Earlier, in 1998, Dyvasirvadam was elected as the General Secretary of the Church of South India, the youngest ever in the church's history, Dr.Dyvasirvadam was also a member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches headquartered in Geneva, as well as a member of the General Committee of the Christian Conference of Asia headquartered in Thailand.
We wish him many more fruitful years in the ministry, for the glory of our Lord and extension of HIS kingdom.
Sincerely
T.M.Jayakar
Consultant, APSCMFC

APSCMFC CONGRATULATES BISHOP THUMMA BALA ON ELEVATION TO ARCHBISHOPIC

On March 12, 2011, at about 5 p.m. it announced by the Hyderabad Archdiocesan office that Bishop Thumma Bala is appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as the Archbishop of Hyderabad to succeed late Archbishop Marampudi Joji who had passed away in August 2010.

Bishop Thumma Bala was born on April 24, 1944 in the village of Narimetta, Warangal District to late Thumma Joji Reddy and Innassamma. After completing his theological studies in St John’s Regional Seminary, Hyderabad, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Warangal on Dec. 21, 1970. He ministered as parish priest in the town of Khammam and as the Director of Catechists Training Center in Nuzvid. He did his higher studies in Rome obtaining Licentiate in Catechetics. He returned to his alma mater to serve as the Administrator and Professor of Catechetics till he was elected a Bishop of his native Diocese of Warangal.

Bishop Thumma Bala’s Episcopal ordination took place on March 12, 1987 at Fatima Cathedral, Kazipet. He was consecrated Bishop of the Diocese of Warangal, as the second Bishop succeeding Bishop Alphonsus Beretta, an Italian missionary. In 1988, he got the civil district of Khammam separated and formed into a new Diocese of Khammam. He worked hard to develope the Diocese of Warangal consisting of the civil districts of Warangal and Karimnagar pastorally, educationally and in social development by erecting many new parishes, educational and health institutions and social service societies. He was the member of the Pontifical Council for Health Care (Vatican) and the CBCI Commission for Health care (New Delhi). This is year the Diocese of Warangal is celebrating the Episcopal Silver Jubilee of Bishop Thumma Bala and the Golden Jubilee of Fatima Cathedral.

His Grace Most Rev.Thumma Bala is a member of the advisory council of the Andhra Pradesh State Christian Minorities Finance Corporation, Minorities Welfare Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh, a high level advisory body to advise and address the needs and the problems of the Christian community to the Government.

The Andhra Pradesh State Christian Minorities Finance Corporation, Minorities Welfare Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh., congratulates the His Grace Most Rev.Thumma Bala on his elevation to the Arch Bishopric and wish him all success in all endeavors in emancipation of the needy communities.

T.M.Jayakar, Consultant,
The Andhra Pradesh State Christian Minorities Finance Corporation,
Minorities Welfare Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh