During the year 1942 when the war was in full swing and also during the quit India movement people were prompted to take part in the activities of the country as a whole, thousands of people from the erstwhile Travancore in Kerala arrived in Northern India seeking job opportunities and settled in various cities. The young people who belonged to Christian families longed for Christian fellowship an
d worship services. Thus in the year 1942 Malayalam worship service was started in Jabalpur. As there was no church for their use they used to have the worship in private home and lodges. Then in September 1943 Reverends K.T Thomas, John Varghese and M.P Mathew dedicated their lives for the service of the Lord and set out from Kerala and reached Sihora where they established an Ashram. K.T Thomas regular Malayalam services were conducted in Jabalpur. In 1946 a united Malayalam congregation was formally established comprising of Jacobites, CSI and Mar Thoma members. In the month of May 1946 Rev. Dr. V.P Thomas came on the staff of Leonard Theological College and that gave the members of the Mar Thoma Church a fillip to their endeavor. Subsequently during the year 1952 the Jacobite members parted with the Union Congregation and started their own worship. Since then the Mar Thoma Congregation function as a full fledged parish, the first vicar being Rev. Regular services were held in the Methodist Church situated on the Wesley Road, Jabalpur Cantonment. As membership increased year by year the church at Wesley Road found to be inadequate. And God provided the Parish with a large and beautiful church at 37, Ridge Road. This Church was the property of the Scottish Mission. From 1972 onwards St. Andrews Church is being used by the Mar Thoma Parish. The church building needed extensive repairs as it was in a dilapidated condition due to lack of maintenance for more than 25 years. After spending a huge amount the Church building was brought to its pristine use. Just as Late Rev. K.T Thomas of Sihora Ashram other Achens namely the late Reverends John Varghese, M.P Mathew and M.M Abraham were also an integral part of our Parish development. It may also be mentioned that the present Achens namely Rev. P.M Mathew, Rev. Thomas Varghese, Rev. James Idicula, Rev. Mathew K Chandy and Sihora Ashram Community are still supporting the parish in every sphere of activities. During the year 1977-78 the parish could acquire a plot of land on the Indira Gandhi Marg, South Civil Lines and build a parsonage in the year 1979. The congregation has already completed 60 years of existence. And now it has become a functional and organized community with various activities like Edavaka Missoin, Yuvajana Sakhyam, Sevika Sangam, Sunday School, Cottage Prayer Groups and other social activities. Social work started as part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations.
