Medak Diocese

CSI DIOCESE OF MEDAK

HISTORICAL HERITAGE:

Wesley Methodist Mission in Hyderabad

Sir Arthur Cotton, a Methodist Engineer by profession with the help of two Missionaries (Rev. E.E. Jenkins and Rev. George Fryar) travelled in Telangana and were responsible in starting missionary work in a village called Sironcha in 1863. In the year 1878, two Missionaries Rev. Henry Little and Rev. William Burgess arrived at Secunderabad from Madras. The Indian colleague was Mr. Benjamin P. Wesley, and the first Methodist Telugu Service was held in Boggulakunta, Ramkote, Hyderabad on 11^th August, 1879 in the house of one Telugu layman Mr. Joseph Cornelius. Rev. Charles Walker Posnett arrived in Secunderabad in 1895 and first helped Trimullghery British soldiers. Unsatisfied with the army work, he wanted to launch forth into villages.

In the year 1896, Rev. Charles Walker Posnett visited a village called Medak and built a bungalow there by staying in dock bungalow. There were then hardly two hundred Christians in the whole of Medak area. Ever since the formation of Medak Diocese on October 03, 1947, we have had five Bishops, who have contributed for the building up of the Church and its activities.

Retired Bishops of CSI Medak Diocese :

1. Rt. Rev. Frank Whittaker – 1947 – 1960.

Laid the foundation for structural Administrative Organisational work.

2. Rt. Rev. Eber Priestley – 1961 – 1967.

Man of Prayer & Piety.

3. Rt. Rev. H.D.L. Abraham – 1968 – 1975.

Bold as Martin Luther, the reformer and faithful as Abraham, the Patriach.

4. Rt. Rev. B.G. Prasada Rao – 1976 – 1981.

Pastoral Bishop

5. Rt. Rev. Dr. P. Victor Premsagar – 1982 – 1992.

Revived the Evangelists Training School and introduced Higher Education. A Theological Teacher and Moderator of the Church of South India.

Present Bishop of CSI Medak Diocese :

1. The Most Rev. Dr. B.P. Sugandhar

(i) October 1992 to September 1993 – Moderator’s Commissary.

(ii) September 1993 onwards as the Bishop in Medak.

(iii) January 2000 – 2004 – Deputy Moderator, CSI.

(iv) January 2004 onwards as Moderator, CSI.

Medak Diocese is one of the largest Dioceses of Church of South India, spread over five revenue districts of Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh state, viz., Adilabad, Medak, Nizamabad, Rangareddy and Hyderabad.