Church of North India facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Church of North India
Official seal of the Church of North India
Classification	Protestant
Orientation	United church Anglican, Methodist and Presbyterian
Polity	Episcopal
Moderator	The Most. Revd. Bijay Kumar Nayak
Deputy moderator	The Rt. Revd. Paul B.P. Duphare
Distinct fellowships	World Council of Churches, Council for World Mission, Christian Conference of Asia, Communion of Churches in India, National Council of Churches in India
Associations	Anglican Communion World Methodist Council World Communion of Reformed Churches
Region	All of India except Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Lakshadweep, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu
Origin	29 November 1970 Nagpur
Merger of	Church of India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon United Church of Northern India, Methodist Church Disciples of Christ
Separations	United Church of Northern India – Presbyterian Synod
Congregations	3500 congregations in 3000 parishes and 26 dioceses
Members	2,200,000 (Self-declared)
Ministers	2000+
Hospitals	65 hospitals and nine nursing schools.
Secondary schools	564+ educational institutions and three technical schools.

The Church of North India (CNI) is a large Protestant church in northern India. It was formed on November 29, 1970. This happened when many Protestant churches in northern India decided to join together.

The CNI is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. It is also a member of the World Methodist Council and the World Communion of Reformed Churches. Discussions about this merger started way back in 1929. Finally, different churches came together. These included the Church of India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon (which was Anglican), the Methodist Church, and the Disciples of Christ. Some groups from the United Church of Northern India also joined.

The CNI covers almost all of India. It does not include the five southern states. These states are Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. They are part of the Church of South India. The CNI has about 2.2 million members. These members are spread across 3,000 local church areas called pastorates.

How the Church of North India Started

Church of North India in red and Church of South India in blue

The idea of uniting different churches began in 1929. This happened at a meeting in Lucknow. Various churches started talking about becoming one. These included the Australian Churches of Christ Mission and the Methodist Church.

In 1951, a special committee was formed. Its job was to plan how the churches could unite. Representatives from several churches joined this committee. These included the Baptist Churches in Northern India and the Church of India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon. The Methodist Church also sent representatives.

Later, in 1957, two more groups joined the talks. These were the Church of the Brethren in India and the Disciples of Christ. A new committee was set up in 1961. This committee included members from all the churches involved.

By 1965, they had a final plan for church union. The union officially happened on November 29, 1970. Most of the churches involved became part of the Church of North India. However, the Methodist Church in Southern Asia decided not to join.

What the Church of North India Believes

The CNI is a Trinitarian church. This means they believe in God as three persons: Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit. Their beliefs come from the traditions of the churches that joined together. The main statements of faith for the CNI are the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed. These are ancient Christian statements of belief.

Worship and Services

The way the CNI conducts its worship services, called liturgy, is special. It mixes traditions from many different churches. This includes practices from the Methodists and smaller churches like the Church of the Brethren. This allows for different ways of worshiping and understanding God.

How the Church is Organized

The CNI's structure combines different ways churches are led. It includes elements from bishops (episcopal), church councils (presbyterial), and local church members (congregational). This reflects how the original churches were organized.

The CNI has 26 areas called dioceses. Each diocese is led by a bishop. The main governing body is the synod. The synod meets every three years. During this meeting, they choose a leader called a moderator. The moderator is the head of the church for a set time. They also elect a deputy moderator.

Helping the Community

Helping people in the community is very important to the CNI. They have special groups that manage different services. These include education (from schools to colleges), health services, and social work. They also work on rural development and creating books and media.

The CNI also has an office that works for peace and justice. They aim to promote harmony and respect for all life.

The CNI runs many important institutions. They operate 65 hospitals and nine nursing schools. They also manage over 250 educational institutions. These include some very old and respected schools and colleges in India. Some examples are Scottish Church College in Calcutta and Wilson College in Mumbai.

Working with Other Churches

The CNI believes in working with other Christian churches. This is called ecumenism. In India, they are part of a group with the Church of South India and the Mar Thoma Syrian Church. This group is called the Communion of Churches in India. They are also members of the National Council of Churches in India.

Beyond India, the CNI is part of the Christian Conference of Asia. Globally, they are members of the World Council of Churches and the Council for World Mission. They are also connected to the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the World Methodist Council. They are in full communion with the Anglican Communion. The CNI also partners with many other Christian groups.

Gallery

• 

  St. Paul's Cathedral, Kolkata

• 

  All Saints Cathedral, Prayagraj

• 

  Cathedral Church of the Redemption, New Delhi

• 

  Christ Church, Shimla

• 

  St. John's Church, Meerut

• 

  St. James' Church, New Delhi

• 

  St. Thomas' Cathedral, Mumbai

• 

  The Wilson College, Mumbai

• 

  La Martiniere College, Lucknow

• 

  La Martiniere College, Calcutta

• 

  St. Paul's School, Darjeeling

• 

  Scottish Church College, Calcutta

• 

  Holy Trinity Church, New Delhi

• 

  St. Pauls Church, Pune - photographed during British era

Current Leaders

• Moderator: The Most. Revd. Bijay K. Nayak, Bishop, Diocese of Agra
• Deputy Moderator: The Rt. Revd. Paul B.P. Dupare, Bishop, Diocese of Nagpur
• Treasurer: Mr.Subrata Gorai
• General Secretary: The Revd. Dr. D.J. Ajith Kumar

Dioceses

The Church of North India has many dioceses, which are like regions or areas. Each diocese has its own bishop and headquarters. Here is a list of the dioceses:

See also