Orthodox Syrian Sunday School Association of the East

Annual Report 2024-2025 Annexure 2

INTRODUCTION

With immense gratitude and praise to the Holy Triune God, I am honoured to present the OSSAE-UK, Europe and Africa Annual Report for the period April 2024 to March 2025.

In 2023, under the guidance of our Diocesan Metropolitan, H.E. Abraham Mar Stephanos, we embraced the syllabus of the North East and South West American Dioceses. By 2024, we had begun implementing the new curriculum with the support of Fr. Dr. Jacob Mathew and his dedicated team. That same year, we released Version 1 of the new curriculum textbooks as an online PDF on our Diocese website. In 2025, based on valuable feedback from teachers and parents, and with continued support from the North East and South West American Dioceses, we published Version 2 of the textbooks, a more simplified and user-friendly edition.

In 2024, the North East, South West American Diocese, and our Diocese were formed into one region to operate the Sunday School Association. In connection with this development, steps are being taken to bring uniformity in administration and curriculum. In alignment with the uniform pattern, the post of Vice President has been replaced with the role of Director, and henceforth, clergy members of the Diocese will serve as the Sunday School Director.

I take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt thanks to Mr. Simon Chacko for his dedicated service as Sunday School Director from October 2015 till 31 December 2024. His leadership, commitment, and valuable contributions during this period have been instrumental in nurturing the spiritual growth of our children and strengthening the foundation of our Sunday School ministry. We are truly thankful for the time, energy, and passion he devoted to this vital ministry, and we pray for continued blessings in all his future endeavours.

We are blessed to witness an increase in the number of Parishes and Sunday Schools. For better administration, it was essential to further divide into smaller zones. From 1st Jan 2025, the UK region started operating as five zones instead of the previous three zones.

1. Scotland and Northeast

2. North Zone

3. Central Zone

4. Southwest Zone

5. Southeast Zone

For the rest of the Diocese, the following zones will be operational:

1. Ireland Zone

2. Central and Eastern European Zone

3. African Zone

To ensure that the zones function effectively, we have introduced clergy zonal presidents for each zone. This will help strengthen the spiritual and administrative framework of the Sunday School in every region.

In 2024, alongside the implementation of the new syllabus, we established our own Exam Board to ensure the smooth and effective conduct of final examinations for Classes X and XII, as well as consistent assessments for other classes. This board includes a Controller of Examinations and Zonal Representatives, working collaboratively to uphold the standards of the new curriculum and support a fair, well-organised evaluation process.

It is with great gratitude to the Almighty God, our spiritual fathers, Metropolitans, the vicars, head teachers, teachers, and every member of the Diocese, adult and child alike, I mention that we continued to manage and coordinate the activities of most of our Sunday Schools.

DIOCESAN SUNDAY SCHOOL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS

• President : H.E. Abraham Mar Stephanos

• Director : Rev. Fr. Anoop Abraham

• Treasurer : Dr. Baby Cherian, St. Gregorios IOC, London

• Secretary : Mr. Vinod Philip, St. Mary’s IOC, Oxford

• Joint Secretary : Mr. Robin Thomas, St. Thomas IOC, Cambridge

• Curriculum Coordinator : Mr. Suresh Daniel, St. George IOC, Manchester

• Controller of Exams : Mr. Simon Chacko, St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s IOC, East Kent

• Ireland Zonal Secretary : Mr. Febe Francis, Holy Trinity, Cork

ZONAL PRESIDENTS AND COORDINATORS

• Scotland & Northeast Zone:

Zonal President : Fr. Varghese P.A

Coordinator : Mrs. Shiji Biben, St. George IOC, Manchester (Temporary)

• North Zone:

Zonal President : Fr. Binu Thomas

Coordinator : Mrs. Shiji Biben, St. George IOC, Manchester

• Central Zone:

Zonal President : Fr. Aby Philip Varghese

Coordinator : Mrs. Tina John, St. Mary's IOC, Bristol (Temporary)

• Southeast Zone:

Zonal President : Fr. Jins K. John

Coordinator : Mr. Varghese Mathai, St. George IOC, Central London

• Southwest Zone:

Zonal President : Fr. Geevarghese J. Tharakan

Coordinator : Mrs. Tina John, St. Mary’s IOC, Bristol

• Ireland:

Zonal President : Fr. Eldhose Babu

Coordinator : Mr John Mathew, St. Thomas IOC, Dublin

• Central and Eastern European:

Zonal President : Fr. Rohith Skariah Georgy

• Africa:

Zonal President : Fr. Jobin Mammen Cherian

EXAM BOARD

• Controller of exams : Mr. Simon Chacko

• Zonal Representatives

o North Zone : Mr. Linz Aiynattu

o Central Zone : Mrs. Siny Thankachan

o South Zone : Mr. Jobin George

o Ireland Zone : Mrs. Merin Mani

o Central and Eastern European Zone: Mr. Cyril Saji

DBS OFFICERS

• Diocesan Lead : Mrs. Sony Linz, St. Thomas IOC, Liverpool

• South:

o Mrs. Reshma Benoy, St. Gregorios IOC, London

o Mrs. Lisha Simon, St. Peter's and St. Paul's IOC, East Kent

• Central:

o Mrs. Omana Varghese, St. Thomas IOC, Cambridge

o Mrs. Sophy Mathew, St. Mary's IOC, Oxford

• North:

o Dr. Sumin David Joseph, St. George IOC, Sheffield

OVBS

• Coordinator : Mrs. Merlin Robin, St. Thomas IOC, Cambridge

• Associate Coordinator : Mrs. Ruby Sinu, St. John the Baptist IOC, Stoke on Trent

TALENT & SS CHILDREN’S MEET

• Coordinator : Mr. Joshi Eapen, St. George IOC, Manchester

• Associate Coordinator : Mrs. Sony Jerrin, St. John the Baptist IOC, Stoke on Trent

CHILDREN’S (FAMILY) CONFERENCE

• Coordinator : Mrs. Jincy James, St. Gregorios IOC, Peterborough

• Associate Coordinator : Mrs. Viji Syra, Hemel, St. Thomas IOC, Hemel Hempstead

TEACHERS CONFERENCE & GENERAL BODY

The 2024 Teachers Annual Conference and General Body was held at St. Mary’s IOC, Bristol, on 27th April 2024. The Conference was presided by Rev. Fr. Anoop Abraham, Vice President OSSAE UEA. The Inaugural

Address was delivered by the Diocesan Metropolitan H.E. Abraham Mar Stephanos over a video message.

There was a total of 170 Participants from the Entire Diocese. The main session was addressed by Fr. Dr. Jacob Mathew on the following topic: “A revised way to teach the way of Christ to the next generation”.

FINANCE

Annual Accounts for year 2024-2025 completed with a Closing balance of £44,422.93 as of 31st March 2025, including Total Income of £44896.71 (Opening balance as of April 2024 - £38475.18) and Total Expense of £38948.97.

OVBS

I am extremely gratified to have served as the Diocesan OVBS Coordinator and hereby humbly submit, before the benevolence of God Almighty, the Annual OVBS Report for the year 2024–2025. This marks the twelfth consecutive year that we have conducted OVBS as a centralised programme within our Diocese. The theme for this year was “Let’s Pray” (St. Luke 11:1). Under the guidance and strong leadership of our beloved Thirumeni, H.E. Abraham Mar Stephanos, we were filled with spirit and enthusiasm to accomplish the mission for this year.

The OSSAE theme and songs were curated based on the materials provided by the Central Committee in Kottayam, Kerala. Rev. Fr. Anoop Malayil Abraham prepared the theme-based synopsis, which served as the foundation for developing textbooks across all five categories: Beginners, Primary, Juniors, Intermediates, and Seniors. These textbooks were authored and reviewed by dedicated teachers from various parishes within our Diocese. In addition to the OVBS songs from Kerala, our team supplemented the programme with English-language songs—including original compositions by our Sunday School students and teachers—which were translated and compiled by the OVBS team. Furthermore, children from our parishes contributed beautiful, theme-based cover designs, which were incorporated into the textbooks. The theme books, certificates, additional materials, and songbooks were creatively designed for the Diocesan publication by Mr. Tobin Thomas. By the blessings of our Thirumeni and the efforts of Fr. Anoop Malayil Abraham (Vice President, OSSAE-UEA), all books and supplementary materials—including banners, crowns, and badges—were officially published electronically, with printed copies of the songbooks and student/teacher certificates distributed to all parishes.

This year, around 45 parishes conducted OVBS, with the majority holding in-person events and a few opting for a virtual format. The programmes ranged in duration from one to five days, depending on the individual circumstances of each parish. As in previous years, beyond the educational content and spiritual fellowship, children, teachers, and parents alike deeply enjoyed the OVBS experience.

In closing, I thank God Almighty for His unceasing guidance and blessings throughout the year. I also wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all Diocesan officials—Mr. Simon Chacko (SS Diocese Director), Mr. Vinod Philip (SS Diocesan Secretary), Mr. Robin Thomas (SS Diocesan Joint Secretary), Mr. Baby Cherian (SS Diocesan Trustee), and Mrs. Ruby Sibu (OVBS Diocesan Assistant Coordinator)—for their steadfast support in upholding the spirit and strength of OVBS. A special word of thanks to all parents, teachers, volunteers, and children for their unwavering support and cooperation. We are a spiritual community with a clear vision—to grow daily into the likeness of Christ, whose unconditional love reigns in our hearts. May we continue to dwell in the peace and harmony that the Holy Spirit offers.

OVBS Report prepared by:

Mrs. Merlin Robin, OVBS Diocese Coordinator

I would like to thank Mrs. Merlin Robin (OVBS Diocese Coordinator) and Mrs. Ruby Sibu (OVBS Diocesan Assistant Coordinator) for their dedication in nurturing the spirit of our faith and for their vital role in making OVBS a resounding success across the Diocese.

Also, my special thanks and gratitude to our Diocesan Metropolitan, H.E. Abraham Mar Stephanos, Rev. Fr. Anoop Malayil Abraham, all the parents, teachers, volunteers and the children for their continued support and cooperation.

DBS

This report summarises the DBS and PVG checks' recent activities and progress related to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for churches in the Diocese of the UK, Europe, and Africa.

DBS Checks in the UK Diocese -Over the past year, nearly 125 new DBS checks were processed for teachers and priests across churches in England and Wales. We have a total of 435 valid DBS checks to ensure the safety and well-being of children, youth, and vulnerable adults.

PVG Checks in Scotland -The Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) checks were completed for volunteers, especially Sunday School teachers, within the churches in Scotland.

These checks ensure that all individuals working with children or vulnerable adults in the church are thoroughly vetted to comply with safeguarding regulations. It is essential to continue the process of renewing and reviewing DBS checks to ensure that all individuals working with children and vulnerable adults remain compliant with the latest safeguarding standards. We also provide ongoing training for all volunteers and coordinators, ensuring they are aware of safeguarding responsibilities and how to manage sensitive situations effectively.

The success of these activities would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of key leaders and officials. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to:

● Diocesan Metropolitan H.E. Abraham Mar Stephanos, for his unwavering guidance and support in prioritising safeguarding and ensuring that necessary checks were conducted.

● Director, Rev Fr. Anoop Abraham, for his tireless efforts and strategic direction in facilitating the implementation of DBS checks and safeguarding measures across the Diocese.

● OSSAE Officials: A special thanks to all the priests, officials of the OSSAE, zonal coordinators and Sunday school head teachers for their ongoing support, coordination, and commitment to ensuring the safety of children and vulnerable adults in church activities.

Through continued commitment and collaboration, the church will further strengthen its safeguarding measures, ensuring that all activities remain safe and secure for the vulnerable members of our community.

DBS Report prepared by:

Mrs. Sony Aiynattu, DBS lead, OSSAE UK

I wish to convey my deepest appreciation to Mrs. Sony Aiyinattu (DBS Diocese Lead), Mrs. Lisha Simon, Mrs. Reshma Binoy, Mrs. Omana Varghese, Mrs. Sophy Thomas, and Dr. Sumin David for their exemplary dedication and diligent efforts in implementing comprehensive safeguarding measures. Their commitment has been instrumental in ensuring that all activities are conducted in a safe and secure environment, particularly for the most vulnerable members of our community.

TALENT COMPETITIONS

All parish-level competitions were completed by March/April 2024. Zonal-level Talent Competitions were arranged, and the following parishes hosted the events:

District	Hosted Church	Date
South	St. Gregorios IOC, Southend on Sea	22nd June 2024
Central	St Mary’s IOC, King’s Lynn	29th June 2024
North	St. George IOC, Sheffield	29th June 2024

The Diocesan Talent Competitions were held on 21st September 2024, hosted by St. George IOC, Manchester. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the Vicars, Managing Committee and Sunday Schools of all five churches for hosting the Talent Competitions. A special appreciation to Talent Competition coordinators Mr. Joshi Koshy Eapen, Mrs. Sony Jerrin and all the District coordinators; Mrs. Tina John, Mr. John Mathew, Mrs. Shiji Biben, Mr. Varghese Mathai and all the Head Teachers for the successful talent competitions at all levels in 2024.

Talent Competition Report prepared by:

Mr. Joshi K Eapen, Talent Coordinator

I would like to highlight that this year, we successfully digitised the tabulation process with the invaluable support of Mr. Joshi K. Eapen. His contributions greatly enhanced the efficiency and speed of the process. I extend my sincere gratitude to Mr. Joshi K. Eapen for his foresight, dedication, and hard work in ensuring the smooth implementation of this initiative.

Also, I would like to thank Mrs. Sony Jerin (Deputy Talent Competition Coordinator), all the Zonal Coordinators, Vicars, Headteachers, Teachers, parents and, last but not least all the Children, as all the hard work to showcase the talents would not have been a success without all of your valuable effort and participation.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Executive committee met virtually multiple times in the year to discuss and prepare for Talent events, Examinations, OVBS, Curriculum Reviews and Rollout, etc.

CURRICULUM CORE COMMITTEE

The curriculum core committee met virtually multiple times during the year to discuss, plan, and review the new version of Sunday school curriculum. I would like to thank our Diocesan Metropolitan, H.E. Abraham Mar Stephanos, Rev. Fr. Anoop Abraham, Mr. Suresh Daniel, Mr. Simon Chacko, Mr. Robin Thomas, Mr. Febe Francis, Mr. Vinod Philip for the immense hard work and support they have put into making this new change and transition as smooth as possible.

The Diocesan Metropolitan, H.E. Abraham Mar Stephanos, appointed Fr. Anoop Abraham, Director of OSSAE, and Mr. Suresh Daniel as the Diocese representatives to the overseas zonal Sunday School core committee. This committee encompasses four Dioceses within the Western Hemisphere: the Diocese of UK, Europe & Africa, the Southwest & Northeast American Dioceses, and the Diocese of Canada. Additionally, Mr. Febe Francis from our Diocese will provide web support to this significant collaborative effort.

SUNDAY SCHOOL DAY

Sunday School Day was celebrated across the UK on 1st December 2024 (1st Sunday of December) with special prayers at various units.

EXAMINATIONS

Unlike the previous year, when the annual examinations were conducted online, this year the exams for Classes X and XII were held in person at designated examination centres on Sunday, December 8, 2024. No examinations were held for the other classes.

At this time, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to our Diocesan Metropolitan, H.E. Abraham Mar Stephanos, for his invaluable contribution in preparing the exam notes and question papers for Classes X and XII. I also extend my heartfelt thanks to the Exam Controller, Board Members, and Zonal Coordinators for their dedication in organising the valuation process and ensuring the smooth and successful conduct of the examinations.

A special note of appreciation goes to all Head Teachers and Teachers for their tireless efforts in adapting to the new curriculum, coordinating examination centres, and serving as external invigilators.

201 students appeared for the Year X and 51 students for Year XII Examinations. All those students passed the examinations with flying colours. Thanks to everyone who helped in preparing the children and organising the examinations.

SUNDAY SCHOOL BOOKS

Currently, due to the transition into the new curriculum, it was agreed that the textbooks will be available online only, and this has been updated on our Diocesan website.

CURRICULUM

This report outlines the activities and achievements of the OSSAE UEA Core Curriculum Committee during the past year, culminating in the successful rollout of an updated and adapted curriculum for the 2025 academic year.

Background:

Following the transition in January 2024 to a new curriculum adapted from the American Dioceses, feedback indicated a need for simplification of the language and content to ensure age-appropriateness for our students. In response, the Curriculum Committee of the American Diocese undertook the significant task of revising the material. A newer, updated version of the curriculum was subsequently released in September 2024 in the American Diocese.

Curriculum Adaptation for OSSAE UEA:

Recognising the commencement of our academic year in January 2025, the OSSAE Core Curriculum Committee, comprising Mr. Simon Chacko, Mr. Vinod Philip, Mr. Suresh Daniel, Mr. Febe Francis, and Mr. Robin Thomas, promptly initiated a review of this new version. The objective was to adapt it specifically for OSSAE UEA. This crucial review process commenced in late October and culminated in the release of the adapted curriculum by mid-January 2025, ensuring its availability for the start of the new Sunday School academic year. Throughout this period, the dedicated members of the Curriculum Core Committee convened virtually on multiple occasions to diligently discuss, prepare, and refine the updated version of the curriculum.

The updated OSSAE UEA curriculum was successfully finalised and made available by mid-January 2025, in time for the commencement of the new Sunday School academic year.

Acknowledgements:

We extend our sincere gratitude to our Diocese Metropolitan H.E. Abraham Mar Stephanos, OSSAE Director Fr. Anoop Abraham, Fr. Dr. Jacob Mathew (Sunday School Director, Southwest Diocese of America), and Mr. Joe Varghese (Curriculum Coordinator & Web Administrator of Talmido) for their unwavering support and invaluable guidance throughout this entire process. Their insights and encouragement were instrumental in achieving our goals.

Curriculum Rollout and Teacher Orientation:

Upon the successful rollout of the updated curriculum online via the diocesan website, the core committee organised a comprehensive virtual Teacher's orientation programme on 23rd February 2025. This programme provided valuable insights into effectively mentoring our children in their faith formation and offered practical guidance on navigating the Talmido website to access the wealth of available resources.

Subsequent to the orientation, feedback was actively solicited from the participants. The queries and suggestions received were carefully reviewed by the coordinator in consultation with the core committee, ensuring a responsive and iterative approach to curriculum implementation.

Textbook Implementation on Talmido:

A significant achievement this year was the successful rollout of the UEA-adapted textbooks on the Talmido platform. This online availability ensures easy access for teachers and students alike. Special recognition is due to Mr. Febe Francis for his considerable time and effort in designing the aesthetically appealing cover pages and the user-friendly layout of the online textbooks. Importantly, these digital textbooks have also been designed to facilitate convenient hardcopy printing, catering to various learning preferences and needs.

Conclusion:

The past year has been marked by diligent effort and fruitful collaboration in adapting and implementing an enhanced curriculum for OSSAE UEA. The updated, age-appropriate materials, coupled with the teacher orientation and the accessible online resources on Talmido, position us well for a successful and enriching Sunday School academic year in 2025. The core curriculum committee remains committed to ongoing review and improvement to ensure the continued relevance and effectiveness of our spiritual offering to our Sunday School Children.

Curriculum Report prepared by:

Suresh Daniel, Curriculum Co-ordinator OSSAE - UEA

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Mr. Suresh Daniel for his unwavering dedication and hard work in implementing the new Sunday School curriculum, ensuring its smooth execution, and for consistently valuing and addressing feedback to strengthen the program.

CURRICULUM GRADE GROUPS

As requested by the teachers during the 2024 Annual Teachers’ Conference, WhatsApp groups have been created for all grades except Grade 10. Under the initiative of our Diocesan Metropolitan, H.E. Abraham Mar Stephanos, a separate WhatsApp group for Grade 10 students had already been established earlier. This group is actively administered by Mr. Biju Kurian Jacob from St. Thomas IOC, Hemel Hempstead.

Additionally, a WhatsApp community named “Malphonè – DSWA NEAD UEA DoC SS Community” was created through the initiative of Fr. Dr. Jacob Mathew, Mr. Joe Varghese, and Mr. Suresh Daniel. The purpose of this community is to facilitate communication and resource sharing among teachers from the Northeast and Southwest American Dioceses and the UK-Europe-Africa Diocese.

I express gratitude to our Diocesan Metropolitan, H.E. Abraham Mar Stephanos, and the Curriculum core committee for their initiative and dedicated efforts in facilitating the smooth transition of the new curriculum for the Sunday school.

CONCLUSION

There were approximately 2000+ children registered for the year 2024-2025 and approximately 600 teachers from parishes across UK, Europe and Africa. Overall, we had good participation from all the Sunday Schools from the above regions. By the end of the financial year, there were 47 Sunday school units in the UK region.

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to our Diocesan Metropolitan, Sunday School Director, Treasurer, Coordinators, Exam Controller, Exam Board Coordinators, Vicars, Parents, and Teachers for their unwavering support and encouragement of the Sunday School Ministry. Their dedication and commitment to answering the Lord’s calling is truly commendable and serve as an inspiring example for us all. Let us continue to build upon the fruitful work of those who came before us and guide future generations to walk faithfully in the path of the Lord.

Let us pray for the Heavenly blessings to be with us in all future Sunday school endeavours!