Contact Information of Unitarians in India

Assam

Miss Evalyne Smith
Principal Unitarian Tiny Hearts School
Opposite to the Residence of the DC Karimganj
P.O. Karimganj
Assam.
Cell Number 094061376419

Johnson Kothar
Longdup Anglong
District Karbi Anlong
Assam
Cell Number 919615030488


Gujarat

Mahesh Sethna Upadhyaya
Ahmadabad, India.
Email:  <mahesh.solidarity@gmail.com>;
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/Mahesh.RVS?sk=info

Meghalaya

The General Secretary
Unitarian Union Northeast India
Unitarian Church Jowai Campus
Iawmusiang
Jowai - 793150
Meghalaya.
President : Rev. Derrick Pariat
Cell No. 9863062076
Email:  <derrickpariat@gmail.com>;  <derrickpariat@yahoo.co.in>;
<leiki.suchiang@gmail.com>

Tamil Nadu

Unitarian Christian Church Madras
Chennai
Rev. Harison Kingsley Minister
Email:  <kingslyprabhu@yahoo.com>; <kingsly_prabhu@yahoo.com>;
Cell No. 09444256601

Unitarian Christian Church Erode
Rev. Dr. Francis Manuraj Minister
<dr_francis2001@yahoo.com>

Unitarian Evangelical Meeting at Bamakamar

I was lost for words to begin this report, I find it difficult to explain what we have done or rather what Hajom Kisor Singh Nongbri has exhorted us to do since Unitarianism was first established in the Khasi, and Jaintia hills District of Meghalaya and Karbi Anglong District of Assam. Initially I thought evangelical or evangelistic meeting will best describe the service we had at Bamkamar, but on a second though, I thought it is ‘too Christian.’ Perhaps evangelical or evangelistic is the term we find difficulty to accept in our liberal religion vocabulary. Our respect for other faith traditions tend to make us uncomfortable with the term as very often we would call ourselves ‘non-proselytizing’ religion.

In the Khasi Jaintia and Karbi Unitarian context, the practice to preached Unitarian faith among others has been in practice since its inception. In fact the founder has in the first hymn itself exhorted the followers of his religion to preach the new faith that he started among our friends and near and dear ones. He says “To ialap to pyrta ia ka niam U Blei/ Ba jingbha kan synshar ha ka pyrthei/” Go preach the religion of God that peace may reign/prevail in the world.

On the March 6, 2011, 23 Unitarians from Puriang, Jowai, Klew and Kyrdem congregated at the house of one Sirla Kshiar a resident of Bamkamar village to preach the gospel of Unitarianism in the village. Bamkamar is a village which is about 30 Km from Jowai and may be 20 Km from Puriang and Kyrdem is situated in the center of these two Unitarian Churches. We still have no member of church in the village and the goal is to have a Unitarian presence in the area. I personally think if we want our church to grow whether we like it or not, there is no alternative than to go evangelising. We might like the using the word evangelising but we need to go preached our religion and pay heed to the call H.K.Sinot ngh made 125 years ago.


The evangelical meeting was organized by Arki Kshiar who was originally from this village and he was supported by the two church of Kyrdem and Klew. The moderator of the two services was Mishein Myrboh Assistant Minister, Puriang and the Rev. H.H. Mohrmen preached on both the services. The first was led by Kitlan Kharlukhi and Jrin Nongrum led a prayer. The second service was led by Kyrpadlang War and Mrs. Lydia Nongrum led the congregation in a prayer. Arki Kshiar the main organizer proposed a vote of thanks and Omi Kshiar welcome the member to the services.



About 30 villagers neighbor of Sirla Kshiar along with her relatives join us in the services and Banpyrshang M Pdah from Klew was the organist during both the services.

Community Capacity Building Warkshop at Nongtalang Village

The 2 days Community Capacity Building Workshop organised by the Unitarian Union NEI Social Service Committee was held at Nongtalang on the 11 and 12 of March 2011. The Workshop was inaugurated by Mr. Lahkmen Rymbui the member of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly who represent the Nongtalang area. The inaugural function was adressed by David Warjri coordinator of the programme, Brigitte Pieke and Peri Ceperley from the Unitarian Univeralist Congregation of Urbana and was chaired by Rev. H.H.Mohrmen.

On the first day the villagers were introduce the mapping exercise in which they divided into four groups and the two groups were asked to sketch the map of their village and the another two groups were assigned the job of analyzing the institutions available in the village.

The next day the villagers were given the exercise to identify and note the accomplishments and the needs of the village.Then they were asked analyze the needs and ranged the need pair-wise.

The next part of the workshop was designed to design an action plan followed by discussion on programme implementation.

About 80 people attend the worshop and all those attend took part enthusiastically. By the end of the day villagers who attend the workshop were given opportunity to express their feeling about the workshop. Heavenly War a teacher of a St. Joseph School, Nongtalang said that it was the first time that he ever attend a workshop of this kind. They wish to have more workshop like this one in the near future which will benefit the villagers.

The Workshop was  organised by the Unitarian Union North East India Social Service Committee and the entire programme was facilitated by Young Unitarians trained in community capacity building.