CSI Immanuel Church, Ernakulam

The CSI Immanuel Cathedral, Ernakulam, under the Diocese of Cochin of the Church of south India, was dedicated more than 103 years ago.

CSI Immanuel Cathedral, Cochin Diocese
CSI Immanuel Cathedral
Country	India
State	Kerala
District	Broadway
Languages
• Official	Malayalam, English
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
Nearest city	Kochi

History

The site, originally costing 56 cents, was purchased in 1905 by Rev. J.H. Bishop and the original church was built largely through his efforts, in memory of Rev, E.B. Russel who was the missionary of the Church of England in Travencore - Cochin from 1897 to 1899 and Rev. A.B. Sealy, who was the principal of Maharaja's College. Ernakulam from 1874 to 1892 and also director of education of the Cochin State. A brass tablet in memory of those two missionaries was affixed in the chapel wall and the new church became known as the Russell Sealy Memorial church. Technical advice on the construction of the church was provided by Mr. Browning, son-in-law of Rev. Sealy, who was the chief engineer of the Cochin State.

The foundation stone of the new church was laid by governor of Madras, Sir Arthur Lawley and the church was dedicated for divine worship by the Most Rev. R.S. Coplestone, metropolitan of India and Ceylon, at a benediction service held on 11 February 1908.

Initially the church was attached to Trichur pastorate as there were only a few families that took up permanent membership in the new church. There were therefore no pastors in charge of the parish from 1908 to 1927; the church was administered by the missionaries in Trichur and the parish duties carried out by lay workers, the first of whom was P. P. Lazarus of Trichur. The first graduate catechist of the parish was Mr. K.S. George. He was followed by Mr. George Koshy. After working as catechist for a few years, Koshy left to study at the Serampore Divinity College; he was to return as pastor of parish in 1952.

In 1928 Ernakulam was made a separate parish with Mulavukad as its outstation. Rev C. K. John was the first priest of the new parish and served initially as catechist, but after a few years was ordained as deacon and then, still later, as the presbyter. The list of pastors who served after him, all of whom rendered yeoman service, is appended to this page.

The church celebrated its Silver anniversary in 1933 during the tenure of Rt. Rev E.A.L Moore, bishop of the diocese of Travencore - Cochin.

In 1939 the church opened clinics in country boats. These 'Floating Dispensaries', as they were called, each under the charge of a doctor, provided medical aid to out-of-the-way places in waterlogged areas. The venture was, by all accounts, a great success and continued for about 20years.

The foundation stone for the parish hall was laid in 1945 by Sir George Boag, De wan of Cochin state in the presence of the most Rev Foss Westcott, metropolitan of India and Ceylon and Rt. Rev. C.K Jacob. bishop of the diocese of Travencore Cochin. The hall was, however, completed only in 1950. The funds were raised by the ladies of the church, who had been given the responsibility by the vicar, Rev N. I Joseph. The hall is named the Wescott Hall in the honour of the metropolitan, who served the needs of the congregation for over 60 years, it was finally pulled down in 2008 when the construction of the present church was under way.

In 1947, soon after the formation of the Church of South India, the church established its youth league, now called the Youth Fellowship. Though the initiative of Rev. George Koshy, the Immanuel Church brought out its first newsletter in 1955. The tradition continues, though from 2005 the name was changed to Immanuel.

In 1956, the church established the Poor Fund, an initiative that has stood witness to Christianity for more than half a century.

The church celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 1958 when Rt. Rev. Rechard Lipp was Bishop in the Diocese of North Kerala. Coinciding with the Golden Jubilee of the church, the choir switched the colour of its robes from black to scarlet.

In the meantime the membership of the church, had grown substantially from the handful of families that were its first permanent members. By the sixties the building was found inadequate to accommodate worshippers during the divine services. In 1970 during the tenure of Rev. K.C. Seth, the building was extended to the front porch; a new porch and belfry was built. This extended part of the building was dedicated by the Most. Rev. P. Solomon, Moderator of the Church of South India.

The Platinum Jubilee of the church was celebrated in 1982 when Rt. Rev. K.C. Seth was Bishop in the Diocese of North Kerala. The Most Rev. I. Jesudasan, then Moderator of the Church of South India was the chief celebrant. During this period Archbishop of Canterbury Most Rev. Rev. Robert Runcie visited our Church.

Over time, with membership ever increasing the extension became inadequate and it was decided to bifurcate the membership and to construct a new church the CSI Christ Church in Elamkulam in Ernakakulam. The new church was dedicated on 6th Jan 1991 bu the Rt. Rev. Dr. P.G.D[1]

Church Altar

Worship timings

Every Sunday

• Holy Communion - English - at 7.30 AM
• Holy Communion - Malayalam - at 9.30 AM
• Tamil - at 3.30 PM (Holy Communion - 2nd Sunday)
• Evening English Service - at 6.00 PM (Holy communion on 1st & 3rd Sundays)

Lay workers (1908-1927)

1. Mr. P.P. Lazarus	2. Mr. K.P. Benny	3. Mr. M.C. Varghese
4. Mr. C.P. John	5 . Mr.T.L. Benjamin	6. Mr. C.C. Ittyerah
7 .Mr. A.M. Mammen	8. Mr. A.E. Namby	9. Mr. P. P. John
10. Mr. S.K. George	11. Mr. George Koshy	12. Mr. C.K. John

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Vicars

Year	Vicar	Year	Vicar
1925–1930	Rev. C.K. John	1930–1936	Rev. K.C. David
1936–1938	Rev. C.H. Itoop	1938–1950	Rev. N.I. Joseph
1950–1952	Rev. K.M. Mathen	1952–1959	Rev. George Koshy
1959–1960	Rev. J.L. Wilson	1960–1964	Rev. Thomas Jacob
May to Nov.64	Rev. N.I. Joseph	1965–1969	Rev. M.O. Abraham
1969–1972	Rev. K. C. Seth	1972–1974	Rev. Jacob Thomas
1974–1981	Rev. George Isaac	1981–1982	Rev. Thampan Mathai
1982–1985	Rev. George Ninan	1985–1991	Rev. Jacob Thomas
1991–1998	Rev. M.J. Chacko	1998–2000	Rev. E.G. Korula
2000–2004	Rev. B.N. Fenn	2004–2009	Rev. T.I. James
2009-2013	Rev. Kurian Peter	2013-2017	Rev. Jacob John
2017-	Rev. P.J. Jacob

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Asst. Vicars

Year	Asst. Vicar
1979	Rev. Paul David
1980	Rev. P.S. Ebenezer
1984	Rev. Daniel John
1984-1985	Rev. P.V. James
1986-1993	Rev. Ebby Cheriyan
1993-1996	Rev. Mathunny Joseph
1996-1998	Rev. E.G. Korula
1998-2000	Rev. Jacob Daniel
2001-2003	Rev. N.K. Prasad
2003-2004	Rev. Julie Bird
2004-2008	Rev. Sunder Jacob
2007-2008	Rev. Jiji Varghese
2008-2009	Rev. Dn. Aneesh M. Kurien
2008-2011	Rev. V. Rooban
2009-2010	Rev. T.A. Jain
2010-2014	Rev. Shine C.K.
2014-2015	Rev. Sinoj Manjooran
2015-2016	Rev. Joe Varghese Malayil
2016-2019	Rev. Pradeep George
2019	Rev. Dn. Aneesh Mathew

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Secretaries

Year	Secretaries
1927–1931	Mr. P.P. Philip
1931–1934	Mr. M.S. Paul
1934–1937	Mr. P.C. Chandapilla
1937–1950	Mr. P.P. Philip
1950–1961	Mr. Cyril Raj
1961–1966	Mr. Jacob Chandy
1966–1972	Mr. G.K. Kurien
1972–1976	Dr. M.J. George
1976–1981	Prof. Jacob Varkey
1981–1986	Dr. M.J. George
1986–1991	Mrs. Sarah Chandy
1991–1992	Prof. Jacob Varkey
1992–1998	Mr. M.P. Abraham
1998–2002	Mr. V.T. Ninan
2002–2011	Mr. J. Oommen
2011–2018	Mr. Babu Abraham
2018-	Mr. M.J. Varkey

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Sextons

Year	Sextons
1927	Mr. E.K. George
	Mr. M.P. John
	Mr. E.J. Joseph
	Mr. K.M. Peter
1950-2003	Mr. P.P. John
2002-	Mr. Shibu Joseph

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Other C.S.I Churches in Kochi area

1. CSI Holy Trinity Church, Union Christian College, Aluva.
2. CSI St John the Baptist Church, Aluva.
3. CSI Christ Church, Elamkulam.
4. CSI St. Francis Church, Fort Kochi.
5. CSI Ascension Church, Kakkanad.
6. CSI All Saint's Church, Kalamassery.

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See also

• Association of Theologically Trained Women of India (ATTWI)
• Christianity in India
• Christianity in Tamil Nadu
• Church of North India
• Church of South India Boys Higher Secondary School
• Communion of Churches in India
• Serampore College
• St. Thomas Christians
• Telugu Christian
• CSI Church in Australia

References

1. "CSI IMMANUEL CHURCH". Archived from the original on 10 August 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2020.