An introduction to our new Presbyter – Revd Jervis Daniel Yovan

‘My Story to St Albans & Welwyn Circuit’

 My name is Jervis Daniel Yovan. I was born in India in a Christian family and lived with seven siblings. My mother, brothers and sisters are living in India. I grew up within the community of multi faith. My friends are from all walks of life. But most of my childhood was spent around church activities. Learning to follow Jesus was the task laid on me in my youth. Through the ups and downs of life, I have learned and developed my walk with Jesus. It was my mum, and my older siblings who played a vital role in my early faith development.

I grew up in a farming community who spoke Tamil as their first language. Our family and the wider community benefited from the work and mission of the Church of South India. Rev Charles Mead from Bristol, sent by the London missionary society, brought the gospel to us in 1816. However, the first Tamil Bible was translated in 1716, (World’s First Tamil Bible Found After 17 Years (outlookindia.com), by Danish Christian Missionary Bartholomaeus Ziegenbalg at Tharagambadi of Tamil Nadu. Here I should not forget to mention St Thomas who came to India and built seven and a half churches and the “half church” (Thiruvithamcode St. Mary’s Orthodox Church – World’s Oldest Church (touristinindia.com), was built in AD 63. This church is about 5 miles from our hometown. We are ‘standing on the shoulders’ of our forefathers.

In my twenties I was heavily involved, following the footsteps of my brother, with a mission organisation called FMPB – Friends Missionary Prayer Band  in India as a volunteer to raise funds and organise prayer groups. Working along with those missionaries and leaders of this organisation gave me a purpose and focus for my life. My call to ministry also came through some of the youth events organised by this Prayer Band.

Me and my wife Hannah have four children, two of whom (Joshua and Jebisha) are adults. Our eldest son is being trained to be a minister in Elim Church, and our daughter is studying at Coventry university. My wife worked as Personal Assistant in NHS for 18 years and now dedicates her time looking after our two little boys (Jacob and Joel) aged 11 and 8.

It is my privilege and joy to be part of the worshiping community in St Albans & Welwyn Circuit. It is my passion to see people’s lives being changed and transformed through the power of the Holy Spirit. Our calling as Christians is to follow Jesus and I would like to invite you to explore what God has for us. Let us journey together in fulfilling the Great Commission Jesus gave us (Matthew 28: 19 – 20) by reaching out to those who are in our families and neighbourhood. Let us hold hands together in this pursuit of God’s kingdom by praying for, learning from and encouraging one another. Let us preach the good news of this glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.