Church of South India

CHURCH OF SOUTH INDIA Website : www.csisynod.org. Email : csi@vsnl.com

(Inaugurated on 27^th September 1947)    Map of the Dioceses of CSI



A Pioneer in the Ecumenical Movement

The Church of South India is the first example in Church history of the union of Episcopal and non-Episcopal Churches. It was inaugurated on 27^th September 1947 in Madras. The Churches that came into the union in 1947 were the Anglican Church, the Methodist Church, the South India United Church (which was a union of the Presbyterian and Congregationalist Churches that happened in 1904). Later the Basel Mission Churches joined the union.

SOME STATISTICS (Approximately)

Total Population 3 Million Schools 1,930

Number of Dioceses 22 Colleges 38

Congregations 10,114 Vocational Polytechnics    51

Pastors 2,244 Hospitals & Clinics
104

Lay Workers 2,103 Hostels for poor Children
512



Members of the Church living in other parts of India and abroad have organized themselves into Congregations which receive pastoral care from the Church.

THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH

Sharing the love of Jesus Christ with the people of India through.

           (a)    Proclamation of the Good News of Jesus.

(b) Responding to human need through Institutions (Schools, hostels for poor children, hospitals etc) and through emergency relief work.

(c)    Striving to build a more just society through Community Development Projects, Skills Training Programmes for the marginalized

and disadvantaged sections of the people.

   (d) Programmes to preserve the integrity of God’s creation.

THE STRUCTURE

The Synod consists of representatives of the 22 dioceses has its office in No. 5, Whites Road, Chennai – 600 014. It has an Executive Committee and a Working Committee.

The Officers are the Moderator, Deputy Moderator, General Secretary and Treasurer.

Councils/Departments of the Synod. Mission and Evangelism, Healing Ministry, Technical and Vocational Training Education, Christian Education, Communication, Pastoral Aid, Laity, Ecumenical Relations, Diaconal Ministry, Dalit Adivasi Concerns and Youth. They have full-time Directors.

The Women’s Fellowship has branches in all Dioceses and has its Central Office in Bangalore. There is an Order of Sisters committed to a life of celibacy, prayer and service.