- Mizoram Presbyterian Church
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Mizoram Presbyterian Church is the largest Church in Mizoram state in Northeast India. It is one of the constituent bodies of a larger denomination Presbyterian Church of India (PCI) which has its headquarters in Shillong, Meghalaya in Northeast India. Mizoram Synod, as it is known, is one of the three Churches pioneered by English missionaries in the 19th century. The other two are the Baptist Church of Mizoram and the Evangelical Church of Maraland.
Contents
Founder
Mizoram Presbyterian Church was established and founded by a Welsh Missionary named Rev. D.E. Jones in 1897. The first missionary who came to Mizoram was Rev. William Williams, a Welsh missionary who at that time was a missionary in Khasi Hills, North East India (now Meghalaya). He came into Mizoram in 1891 and preached the Gospel among some of the villages. On January 11, 1894, F.W. Savidge and J.H. Lorrain, commissioned by Arthington Aborigines Mission, reached Mizoram. They stayed for four years. On August 31, 1897, Welsh Calvinistic Methodist's (later changed Presbyterian Church of Wales) missionary David Evan Jones set foot on Mizoram and founded the Church.
Statistics
- Presbyteries 40
- Pastorates 251
- Churches 1360
- Branch Churches 467
- Ordained Ministers 441
- Probationary Pastors 53
- Ordained Elders 4495
- Families 116,028
- Communicants 367,019
- Total membership 550,560
Women Fellowship (Kohhran Hmeichhia)
Women Fellowship is a fellowship for women under Mizoram Presbyterian Church, and its members are mainly married women. According to the report of General Secretary of Kohhran Hmeichhia, on December 2009, it has 1,43,159 members from 91,423 families.
Kristian Thalai Pâwl
This is a youth fellowship, and is an useful instrument of the Church. In 2010, Biennial General Conference was held at Mamit, and according to the report in this conference, the KTP (Kristian Thalai Pawl) has 1,21,415 members and 783 branches, and supports more than one thousand missionaries, inside and outside Mizoram.
Mission
Synod Mission Board is the body in charge of the missionary works of the Mizoram Presbyterian Church, within and outside India. It looks after 15 mission fields in India (including Nepal), and sends missionaries to Taiwan, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, China, Nepal, United Kingdom, Samoa, Madagascar, American Samoa and Kiribati. Under Synod Mission Board, 1,758 workers are working for the Kingdom of God.
Synod Mission Board established the Missionary Training Department from 1978. The Objective of this centre is to promote knowledge and understanding of the Bible, Missiology and Theology, growth in Christian discipleship and developing skill for cross cultural ministry. In 1991, a pre-service training for the 'would be' missionaries was instituted, and has become a one year course, which each missionary of the Church has to go through. This missionary training centre was upgraded in 2010, and it became Missionary Training College, where anyone can study Missiology.
Education
The Mizo Synod operates many schools, from primary level to secondary level. Synod Higher Secondary School, Aizawl has a strength of 58 teaching staff and 870 students. 40% of its seats are reserved for students from rural areas. Presbyterian Girls' School is of Middle School level with 32 teaching staff and non-teaching staff and 484 students. Besides, there are 73 schools, run by the Churches with financial grant from the Synod.
Aizawl Theological College is the only theological Institution with M.Th. studies in the State. It is affiliated to Serampore College (University) as a graduate and post graduate college. This theological college is founded by the first Presbyterian missionary in Mizoram, Rev. DE Jones in 1907. The Master of Theology (M. Th) programme in Christian Theology had been introduced since 2002 and M. Th. (New Testament and Missiology) respectively are also being introduced from 2007 academic session. The college plans to add M. Th. studies in other disciplines in the years ahead. The college has already become a local centre for Bachelor of Christian Studies (B.C.S), Diploma in Christian Studies (Dip. C.S.), and Doctor of Ministry (D. Min) programmes of the Senate of Serampore College.
Mizo Sunday School Union
The Sunday School Ministry of the Mizoram Presbyterian Church is a ministry that puts the Mizoram Church at a very important and outstanding place from all others Churches in India. There are 42,483 sunday school teachers and 373,650 learners (students).
Association/Affiliation
- National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) : A member.
- World Council of Churches (WCC) - a member.
- World Alliance of Reformed Churches - a member.
- Maraland Presbyterian Church is an affiliated church under Mizoram Presbyterian Church.
External links
Categories:- Religious organizations established in 1897
- Presbyterian organizations established in the 19th century
- 19th-century Presbyterian church buildings
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