The Mar Gregorious Christian Students Movement, or MGOCSM in short, is a spiritual organization that supports and provides spiritual resources to students in high school and college. Our church currently has over thirty-five active MGOCSM members, with the following elected office bearers:

Vice President: Andrew Philip

Secretary: Sophia George

Treasurer: Joshua Thomas

Parish Representative: Justin John

In 2022, our MGOCSM was able to fully go back into in-person events after the pandemic. During 2022, the Saint Stephen’s Midland Park MGOCSM was blessed with the opportunity to host a variety of events at church, area, and diocesan levels. Several of our church MGOCSM members were able to join for the following events:

• At the Church Level, the Saint Stephen’s MGOCSM Family hosted a Pumpkin Carving & Movie Fellowship Night. This event allowed many of our youth to connect with one another and have fun.
• At the Area Level, our church was blessed to host the New Jersey Staten Island Area Acolyte Training Camp in June of 2022. Various priests and seminarians from our diocese were able to join together to teach the acolytes of our area the proper way to serve at the altar and how to help lead service. The different workshops which were led by our spiritual advisors and clergy helped to teach acolytes regarding the following topics: The Living Bread, Altar Etiquette, Thuyobo (Prefratory Prayers), The Censer & Symbolism/Articles Of The Holy Altar.

• Our MGOCSM Members were also able to attend a variety of area events such as a virtual mental health event with Fr. Jithin Zachariah in February 2022, a Lenten Retreat with Rev. Fr. Kuriakose (Alex) Abraham in March 2022, a visit to Saint Mary’s Coptic Orthodox Church In East Brunswick in May 2022, a Bowling Fellowship Night in July 2022, a Back To School Retreat/Fall Field Day in September 2022, and a food packaging volunteering event in November 2022.
• Additionally, our MGOCSM members were also able to attend the NJSI Area Camp held at HTRC in August. We were able to enjoy a weekend full of fellowship and fun and learned a lot about staying grounded in our faith. Camp Malake took place from August 25th, 2022 to August 27th, 2022 at HTRC with the guest speaker, Fr. Amina of the Coptic Orthodox Church. We started the camp with evening prayer led by Rev. Fr. Vijay Thomas of SBGOC, outside on HTRC’s beautiful property, followed by an introductory campfire. The next day was spent in a workshop with Rev. Fr. Geevarghese (Bobby) Varghese and Fr. Amina. Both speakers taught us so much about staying grounded and becoming closer to God. Finally, we ended this amazing camp with Holy Qurbana led by Bobby Achen. Overall, the camp was an amazing experience and we learned a lot from our speakers and through spending time with our fellow MGOCSM members.
• At the Diocesan Level, our church was blessed to host the 2022 Thanksgiving Conference (led by Rev. Fr. Thomas (Anoop) Thomas). Diocesan Metropolitan His Grace Zachariah Mar Nicholovos was in attendance at our church for this event. Rev. Fr. Thomas (Anoop) Thomas talked about the art of giving back, to both the community and the church and how we as Orthodox Christians hold the ability to help those who are in need during the season of thanksgiving. MGOCSM Members from all throughout the Northeast American diocese came to the church to participate in the conference. Overall, it was a great success!

We have much in store for the upcoming new year, such as inviting various seminarians and deacons to visit and speak at our church, organizing various fellowship events and sporting events, and even some field trips to the Saint Vladimir’s Seminary and our sister Greek + Coptic Orthodox Churches! We ask for your prayers so we can fulfill our duties as students while maintaining the Orthodox faith!

“A Church without Youth is a Church without a future. Moreover, Youth without a Church is Youth without a future.” ~ Pope Shenouda III, Pope & Patriarch of Alexandria

About MGOCSM:

MGOCSM is the oldest Christian Student Organization in Asia. It is the student wing of the Indian Orthodox Church, officially known as the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church with headquarters at Devalokam, Kottayam, Kerala, India.

Worship, Study and Service are the main objectives of MGOCSM. The Movement has three main goals:

1. To Deepen The Spiritual Life Of Its Members.
2. To Prepare Them To Be Responsible Citizens In The Church And Society.
3. To Encourage Them To Commit Themselves For Sacrificial Service In The Church AndSociety.

The students and senior leaders of the Church who were residing in Madras in the early part of the last century felt the need for an organization to bring together Christian students in various colleges and high schools with a view to deepening their spiritual life and to create in them a lively sense of fellowship. The Syrian Student Conference, the parent organization was formed in 1907 and the first conference was convened on January 1-3, 1908, at Balikamadom School, Tiruvalla, Kerala. Annual Conferences have been a regular feature since 1908.

The Movement assumed the present name MGOCSM in 1960, with its motto Worship, Study & Service. The strength of the Movement is the wide network of its units centered in educational institutions and major parishes spread all over India and outside. MGOCSM has been maintaining inter-disciplinary contacts in the academic field for a long time by the formation of its wings. They include the High School, Higher Secondary, College students’ wings, University, Higher Secondary, High School teachers’ associations, Medical Auxiliary, Technical Auxiliary, Missionary Forum, Literary Forum, and the Publication wing.

The high ideals behind founding the Movement included bringing together the Orthodox Christian students of different educational institutions into one body in order to get them rooted in Orthodox faith and traditions and to strengthen them in spiritual life and Christian fellowship. The Movement has grown as an international one with about 1500 units all over the world.

The MGOCSM has grown beyond the borders of India and has been rooted in the Church in North America since the 1980s. The MGOCSM of North America has expanded its ministry by offering annual Mission Trips to India and other places in America, Leadership Camps, the celebration of MGOCSM Day, observance of MGOCSM Service Day, and so much more.

The MGOCSM of the Northeast American Diocese continues to grow with diocesan and area wide events. Such events include, retreats, seminars, bible studies, vocation seminars, services events to name a few.

Under the prayerful leadership of our Diocese’s Hierarchs, Vice President, and MGOCSM Council members, the MGOCSM of Northeast America continues to seek ways of reaching out and ministering to the vibrant MGOCSM members of the Northeast American Diocese.

Present Diocesan Office Bearers:

Present Diocesan Spiritual Advisors:

1. Reverend Father Laby George [Spiritual Advisor for Washington D.C./Maryland/Virginia/North Carolina Area]
2. Reverend Father Sujit Thomas [Spiritual Advisor for Philadelphia Area]
3. Reverend Father Daniel (Dennis) Mathai [Spiritual Advisor for Brooklyn/Queens/Long Island]
4. Reverend Father Blessen Varghese [Spiritual Advisor for Toronto/Montreal Area]
5. Reverend Father Geevarghese (Bobby) Varghese [Spiritual Advisor For New Jersey/Staten Island Area]
6. Reverend Deacon Alexander (Pradeep) Hatcher [Spiritual Advisor For Northern New York/Boston/Connecticut Area]

Present Area Office Bearers:

NJSI Spiritual Advisor: Rev. Fr. Geevarghese (Bobby) Varghese
Council Member: Shaun M Sydney
Secretary: Roselyn Koruthu
Joint-Secretary: Reuben Rinu
Treasurer: Jebin Philip
Joint-Treasurer: Arun George

For more information on the MGOCSM of North American please view their website: https://www.neamericandiocese.org/menu/main-menu/mgocsm/33
Saint Stephen’s MGOCSM Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/ssmpmgocsm/