Prince of Peace - CNI

The Beginning :

The series of consultations, with a view to Church Union in North India, began in 1929. Eventually on the "basis of negotiations" prepared by a series of Round Table Conferences, a plan of Church union was drawn up.

A negotiating committee was constituted in 1951 by the Church bodies concerned - which were the United Church of Northern India, the Church of India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon, the Methodist Church in Southern Asia and the Council of the Baptist Churches in Northern India. In 1957, the Church of the Brethren and the Disciples of Christ also joined in the negotiations. The plan reached its fourth and final edition in 1965 and, on that basis, the Church Union in North India was inaugurated on 29 November, 1970 in Nagpur. At the last moment, the Methodist Church in Southern Asia decided not to join the union. However, the Methodist Church, the British and the Australasian have joined the Union.

The concern for unity of the Church grew out of a zeal for the mission of the Church, because a divided Church could not bear witness to the one Gospel and the one Lord in a country like India with diverse religions, languages, races and cultures. Through the process of negotiations and prayerful seeking of the guidance of Holy Spirit unity was achieved in the understanding and practice of the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, the three-fold ministry of Bishops,Presbyters and Deacons and in the organizational structures of Pastorates, Dioceses and the Synod, Episcopacy was received and accepted as both constitutional and historic. Provision has been made for diverse liturgical practices and understandings of the divine revelation, provided that these do not violate the basic Faith and Order of the Church or disrupt the unity and fellowship within the Church.

About logo :

A great deal of time, skill and devotion has gone into the design of the badge of the Church of North India. The design is by Frank Wesley, the well known artist.

The circle in which the whole badge is enclosed is a symbol of eternity, for it is without beginning and without end. Christians are always to line against the background of eternity. They are among those who believe and remember that behind the ebb and flow of things temporal, theres stand the eternal verities."

Dominating the whole design is the Cross, the universally accepted badge of the Christian, reminding us of our Saviour, from whom we take our name.It stands for self giving and self-sacrifice, for patient endurance of suffering accepted for the sake of others; and because it was the son of God who thus suffered and died for us, it is a golden cross, gold being the colour for godhead. Gold also suggests victory, reminding us that the Cross of Christ is the symbol of triumph, not of defeat.

The cross is set against a background of red, the colour of blood; and this again is a symbol of sacrifice and self-giving in the service of others. Red is also in liturgical usage the colour which stands for the Holy Spirit to whom we must still look for guidance. It is in the strength of the Holy Spirit, and only in his strength, that the Church and the individual Christian can hope to obey and serve God.

Behind the cross there is a lotus, dear to the heart of every Indian, the symbol of the spiritual quest of India, which we believe find its final satisfaction only in the cross, and in him who died on it.The lotus is also the symbol of purity rising in all its own pure beauty out of mud beneath the water. This challenge of Purity is reinforced the use of white for the flower and for the circle imposed upon it,
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

Within this inner circle of white there is set a chalice, as used in the
Lord's Supper. Therein we receive sacramentally the atoning and redeeming
blood of Christ, and so it is appropriately set against a background of red.
But the chalice itself is gold, for the sacrament is God's gift of his own life.

The chalice is set at the vary centre of the whole badge, to teach us that
worship and sacrament are at the centre of Christian living. God must be the
centre of our lives. The first and great commandment is to love God; and that
love, coming from a creature to his Creator, must find expression in worship.

But there is a second commandment: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
" Therefore, lest our very worship should become selfish and self-centered, we are continually to go out from the worship at the heart of our lives into the world, and use the grace we have received in the service of our fellowmen.

Last, but not least, as we move out from the centre, we come back to the outer circle, and there we are given the three key words Unity, Witness, Service.

The Church of North India is to seek and work and pray for the unity of all who bear the name of Christ. At the same time she has to use the unity which God has given her in order that she may more faithfully and more effectively bear witness to her faith, and may give herself to the service of all without distinction, after the example of her Servant Lord.

We must be extremely grateful to Frank Wesley who gave us this splendid badge. What a wealth of meaning and teaching it has for us!


The Synod :

The organ of the whole Church, comprising all Dioceses, is the Synod, which is the supreme, supervisory, legislative and executive body of the Church and final authority in all matters pertaining to the Church.

OBJECTS AND PURPOSES OF THE SYNOD

The Synod shall fulfill the objects and purposes of the Church of North India i.e.,
to proclaim by word and deed the gospel of Jesus Christ, who is the Lord and
Master of the Church for the Salvation and good of all mankind through unity, witness, and service which may include educational, medical, social, agricultural and other services, and also through worship and other activities of the Church
which promote spiritual growth, self reliance, social justice and moral regeneration irrespective of caste, creed or color.

OFFICE BEARERS OF CNI SYNOD

MODERATOR
The Most Rev. Dr. Purely Lyngdoh
Bishop, Diocese of North East India
DEPUTY MODERATOR
The Rt. Rev. Dr. P. P. Marandi
Bishop, Diocese of Patna
GENERAL SECRETARY
Mr. Alwan Masih
ACTING TREASURER
Mr. Prem Masih
SYNOD OFFICE
CNI Bhavan, 16 Pandit Pant Marg,
New Delhi 110 001.
Gram : SYNOD, New Delhi
Tel : 011-43214000
Fax: 091-11-43214000
Website : www.cnisynod.org
Moderator
Tel.: +91 - 11- 43214000, 0364-2223155
Email: bishopdnei15@hotmail.com


Deputy Moderator
Tel.: (O) 0641-2400033 / 2300714
Email: cnipatna@rediffmail.com


General Secretary
Tel.: (Direct) 011-43214000, 43214012, 43214006
Email: alwanmasih@cnisynod,
Treasurer
Tel.: 011-43214000, Fax : 011-43214006
Email: cnitr@cnisynod.org
SYNOD SECRETARIAT

Communication Secretary
Ms. Sushma Ramswami,
CNI Bhavan,16, Pandit Pant Marg
New Delhi – 110 001.
Ph : +91 - 011 - 43214000
Email: sushma@cnisynod.org.
UCNITA Managing Director
Mr. Prem Masih
C/o. UCNITA
19, August Kranti Marg,
Mumbai 400 007.
Phone: 022-23806938
Mobile: 09867334971
Warden CNI Bhavan
Mrs. Bimla
CNI Bhavan,
16, Pandit Pant Marg
New Delhi – 110 001.
Ph : 43214007
CNI SYNOD PROGRAMME OFFICE

Director Programmes
Mr. Sudipta Singh
P. O. Box – 23,
Gardiner School Campus,
Nagpur – 440 001. M. S.
Tele/Fax: +91-712-2555263
Phone: +91-712-2554035
Mobile: +91-9823126277
Email: sudipta@cniprogrammes.org
Coordinator

Justice, Peace and Reconciliation\
Mr. Kasta Dip
P. O. Box – 23,
Gardiner School Campus,
Nagpur – 440 001. M. S.
Tele/Fax: +91-712-2555263
Mobile: +91 – 9970157446, 9595230033
Email: kasta@cniprogrammes.org
Coordinator

Youth Concerns
Mr. Pradip Bansrior
P. O. Box – 23,
Gardiner School Campus,
Nagpur – 440 001. M. S.
Tele/Fax: +91-712-2555263
Mobile: +91-9960727540
Email: pradip@cniprogrammes.org
Coordinator

Children Concerns
Ms. Sulakshana Ohol
P. O. Box – 23,
Gardiner School Campus,
Nagpur – 440 001. M. S.
Tele/Fax: +91-712-2555263
Mobile: +91-9323390828
Email: sulakshana@cniprogrammes.org
Coordinator

Pastoral Care
Rev. Sameer Khamla
P. O. Box – 23,
Gardiner School Campus,
Nagpur – 440 001. M. S.
Tele/Fax: +91-712-2555263
Mobile: +91-9595637113
Email: sameer@cniprogrammes.org
SYNODICAL BOARDS

COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES

Commission on Religion & Life
President : The Rt. Rev. B. R. Tiwade
Secretary : The Rev. Mrs. Anita Templeton
CNI Trust Association
President : The Most Rev. Dr. Purely Lyngdoh
Secretary : Mr. Alwan Masih
Commission on Mission
President : The Rt. Rev. S. P. Lall
Secretary : The Rev. Ayub Daniel


Committee of Reference of Faith & Order
President : The Most Rev. Dr. Purely Lyngdoh
Secretary : Mr. Alwan Masih


Christian Life, Mission and Evangelism Committee
President : The Rt. Rev. V. M. Malaviya
Secretary : Rev Sameer Issac Khimla


Finance Committee
President : Ms. Jyotsna Rani Patro
Secretary : Mr. Prem Masih, Acting Treasurer, CNI Synod

Literature & Mass Communication Committee
President : The Rt. Rev. D. Samson Das
Secretary : Mr. Herrod Mullick

Liturgical Commission
President : The Rt. Rev. V. B. Sathe
Secretary : Father Monodeep Daniel

Law & Procedure Committee
President : The Rt. Rev. Dr. P. P. Marandih
Secretary : Mr. B. D. Das

Personnel Committee
President : The Most Rev. Dr. Purely Lyngdoh
Secretary : Mr. Alwan Masih

Synodical Board of Social Services
President : The Rt. Rev. P. K. Samantaroy
Secretary : Dr. Shailendra Awale

Synodical Board of Health Services
President : The Rt. Rev. B.K. Nayak
Secretary : The Rev. Waris Masih

Stewardship Committee
President : The Rt. Rev. B. K. Nayak
Secretary : The Rev. Warris Masih, Stewardship Director, Ex-officio Secretary

Theological Commission
President : The Rt. Rev. P. K. Samantaroy
Secretary : The Rev. Dr. Paul Swarup

Synodical Youth Fellowship Committee
President : Mr. Shitij Cyril Jacob
Secretary : Mr. Nikhil Arsud

Synodical Women Fellowship for Christian Service
President : Mrs. Minakshi Das
Secretary : Mrs. Neerja Prasad
Committee of Management : Ministry with Children
President : The Most Rev. Dr. Purely Lyngdoh
Secretary : Mr. Alwan Masih


Committee of Management : Human Potential Development Programme
President : The Most Rev. Dr. Purely Lyngdoh
Secretary : Mr. Alwan Masih

Mission The Church of North India as a United
and Uniting together is committed to announce
the Good News of the reign of God inaugurated
through death and resurrection of Jesus Christ
in proclamation and to demonstrate in actions
to restore the integrity of Gods creation through
continuous struggle against the demonic powers by
breaking down the barriers of caste, class, gender,
economic inequality and exploitation of the nature