As the membership of Chicago Marthoma Church grew to a level where the physical resources became totally inadequate, need for a new church was acutely felt by the congregation. In 2001, during the tenure of Rev. V. T. Josen as vicar and Rev. David Daniel as Asst. Vicar, Chicago Mar Thoma Church purchased a property in Lombard after considering many options as to buy a church or build a new one. This property measured approximately 2 acres at 710 N. Main St., Lombard. The property is located between two major highways running North-South and connecting most of the suburbs of Chicago. The members at CMTC felt that it would be difficult to continue to execute this project forward as a single church. Hence, those who would be able to worship at this location were advised to take the lead and build the church. Given this situation, 108 families from Chicago Mar Thoma Church decided to submit a request to the Metropolitan for the formation of a new Church in the summer of 2003. The general body of Chicago MTC decided to transfer the property at 710 N. Main St., Lombard, IL to the St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church of Lombard for a token amount of $1.00. In addition, remaining funds earmarked for the new church will also be transferred to the new Church.
Later in December 2003, our beloved Metropolitan Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma issued a kalpana forming a new church and christened it as St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church of Chicago, Lombard Illinois. Rev. Jose Prakash who was then asst. vicar at Chicago MTC was appointed as the vicar of STMTC. This church was started on Jan 4th 2004 with the first Holy Communion being celebrated in the afternoon by Diocesan bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Euyakim mar Coorilos. In addition to the 108 families that requested to form this church, a group of 11 families also joined from Bethel Mar Thoma Church, Frankfurt taking the total membership to 119 families.
St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church conducted services at Chicago MTC every Sunday afternoons until Oct 2006. During this time, St. Thomas mar Thoma Church embarked on a Church building project at the property in Lombard. Most Rev. Dr. Philipose Mar Chrysostom laid the foundation stone for the Building on July 4th 2005. A nationwide fund raising campaign was conducted during 2005-2006 and a large team
of volunteers visited more than 40 churches in US and Canada raise funds. Construction work started in early 2006 and was completed in Oct 2006. The building was dedicated to the Glory of God on Saturday Oct 21st 2006 by our beloved Diocesan Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Euyakim Mar Coorilos assisted by then vicar Rev. Johnson Philip and a whole host of priests from other parishes and ecumenical churches in the Chicago land area.
A new Parsonage for our Vicars was built and dedicated to the glory of the Lord on May 21st 2016 by our Diocesan Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Isaac Mar Philoxenos. Presently we have 172 families as members of our Church.
The following organizations have been functioning very effectively in this Church: Choir, Edavaka Mission, Sevika Sanghom, Sunday School, Youth Group, Yuvajana Sakhyam, Senior Citizens fellowship, Young Couples ministry, IT Fellowship was a pilot program instituted by our current Diocesan Episcopa in 2012 to be tried out at our Church and we conducted programs successfully in this area. In addition, the church actively conducts neighborhood ministry for children whose parents are in Prison through the Angel Tree program in Chicago-land area. We are privileged to serve homeless community in the neighborhood in conjunction with DuPage PADS. STMTC Volunteers prepare and serve dinner, breakfast and lunch bags to approximately 50 homeless guests on third Friday of every month.
We also conduct Summer Fest, Harvest festival, Family Retreat, and various activities that bring our members of all ages together to fellowship with each other. We thank God almighty for all the blessings we have received from his bounty and pray that he will continue to use us to carry out his ministry.