>Meher Mansion: Perapogu Joseph included

2021-06-30T20:19:30Z

Perapogu Joseph included

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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox church
| icon =
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|name = [[Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches|STBC]]-Centenary Baptist Church
| fullname =
| other name = CBC
| native_name = సెంటెనరి బాప్టిస్ట్ చర్చి
| native_name_lang = [[Telugu language]]
|image =CBC tower.jpg
| image_size = 300
| alt =
|caption = Centenary Baptist Church, [[Secunderabad]]
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| location = [[Clock Tower, Secunderabad]]
| country = [[India]]
| denomination = [[Baptist]]
| previous denomination =
| tradition =[[Christian tradition]] of the church
| religious institute = [[Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches]]
| churchmanship = [[Evangelicalism|Evangelical]]
| membership =
| attendance =
| website = 

| former name = Baptist Church, Secunderabad
| bull date =
| founded date = {{start date|1875|11|14|df=y}}
| founder = [[American Baptist Foreign Mission Society]]
| dedication =
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| cult =
| relics =
| events =
*14 November 1875 (founded)
*14 November 1975 (foundation stone laid for new edifice),
*17 February 1991 (new edifice inaugurated)
| past bishop =
| people =
* [[Louis F. Knoll]], [[Ph.D.|Ph. D.]] ([[University of California, Berkeley|Berkeley]]),
* Tracy G. Gipson, [[Master of Theology|M. Th.]] ([[Yale University|Yale]]),
* [[Perapogu Joseph]], Th. M. ([[Brite Divinity School|Brite]]),
* [[Suppogu Joseph]], D. Th. ([[Senate of Serampore College (University)|Serampore]]),
* [[Ravela Joseph]], Th. M. ([[Andover Newton Theological School|Andover-Newton]]),
* B. J. Christie Kumar, M. Th. (Serampore)
| status = [[Church (building)|Church]]
| functional status = Active
| heritage designation =
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| architectural type = [[Chapel]]
| style = [[Postmodern architecture|Postmodernism]]
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| capacity = 2000
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| parish =
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| episcopalarea = Hyderabad and Secunderabad
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| metropolis =
| diocese = Deccan Association

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| curate =
| asstcurate =
| nonstipendiaryminister =
| minister=
| pastor=
* The Rev. M. Samson,
* The Rev. N. Paul Karunakar,<ref name="TCT"/> [[Bachelor of Divinity|B.D.]] ([[Senate of Serampore College (University)|Serampore]]), [[Master of Theology|M. Th.]] (Serampore)
| seniorpastor =
* The Rev. M. Purushotham, [[Bachelor of Divinity|B.D.]] ([[Senate of Serampore College (University)|Serampore]]),<ref name="TCT">''The Church Times'', September 2019.</ref>
* The Rev. B. Charles Theodore,<ref name="TCT"/>
| chaplain =
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| reader =
| student intern =
| organistdom =
| director = [[Mister|Mr.]] G. A. Vidyasagar<ref>CBC Choir, Secunderabad.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayWju2YfH-w]</ref>
| organist =
| organscholar =
| chapterclerk =
| laychapter =
* Mr. K. Israel President,
* Mr. S. Ranjeet Kishore, Secretary,
* Mr. R. V. Jaya Kumar, Treasurer
| warden =
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'''[[Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches|STBC]]-Centenary Baptist Church Secunderabad''' is a [[Baptist]] Church in the city of [[Secunderabad]], India which was established in 1875 by the [[American Baptist Foreign Mission Society]] ([[American Baptist Foreign Mission Society|ABM]]) and was later led by the Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches (STBC) through the Deccan Association.

STBC-Centenary Baptist Church has a current membership of more than 3000. The original older structure and a new centenary structure built in 1991 exist side by side in the same premises. Worship services are only held in the new sanctuary. The church conducts worship in Telugu, English, Hindi and Manipuri.<ref name="fouroaksbaptistchurch">http://www.fouroaksbaptistchurch.org.uk/Feb_08.PDF{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Senior Pastor, The Rev. [[Nalla Thomas|N. Thomas]], STBC, who had been ailing for long passed away on 19 April 2021. He was born on 2 March 1946 in Nellutla near [[Jangaon]] and underwent [[Spiritual formation]] in [[Andhra Christian Theological College]], [[Rajahmundry]] and later upgraded his studies in [[Methodist Church in India|MCI]]-Leonard Theological College, [[Jabalpur]] and served as a Pastor of this Church from 1991. [[Funeral mass]] of Rev. Thomas was held at 12 noon on 20 April 2021 in Centenary Baptist Church, followed by a [[Christian burial|Burial mass]] at 15:00 hours at Baptist Cemetery in Bhoiguda, [[Secunderabad]].<ref>Deccan Chronicle, ''epaper'', Hyderabad Edition, 20 April 2021.</ref>
==History==
The church was established on 14 November 1875 by [[American Baptist Foreign Mission Society]] led by The Rev. W. W. Campbell, [[American Baptist International Ministries|ABM]], a Baptist missionary. The first member of the congregation was Richard B. Clayburn, who was baptized on 5 December 1875. The first native Pastor Bezwada Paul, STBC was appointed in 1895. The foundation stone for the existing new church structure was laid by The Rev. [[Louis F. Knoll]], [[American Baptist International Ministries|ABM]] on 14 November 1975 during the ministry of The Rev. K. Devadanam, STBC, exactly 100 years after the first structure was built. The church was appropriately named STBC-Centenary Baptist Church. The groundbreaking however took place five years later, in 1980. The new sanctuary was completed and consecrated by the [[Old Testament]] scholar The Rev. [[Gaddala Solomon|G. Solomon]], STBC on 17 February 1991. It took more than ten years to build the existing structure.<ref>See dates on inauguration in pictures.</ref>

The church now operates 35 branch churches and 15 gospel centers in around the cities of Secunderabad and [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]].<ref name="fouroaksbaptistchurch" />

==Architecture==
The old church is a simple Gothic structure whereas the new church is a modern structure incorporating several elements of traditional church architecture such as Gothic styled windows. A two storied bell tower forms the facade of the church.

==Programmes==
The Church has been witness to many programmes, some of them which etched in the [[History of Christianity]] in India.

===1978: Visit of evangelist Billy Graham===
In 1978,<ref>[[Roger E. Hedlund]], ''World Christianity: South Asia'', Missions Advanced Research and Communication Center, [[Madras]], 1980, p.60.</ref> during the tenure of The Rev. [[Gaddala Solomon|G. Solomon]], STBC, the global evangelist [[Billy Graham]] visited Secunderabad and the STBC-Centenary Baptist Church hosted many of the programmes forming many committees and volunteers, including The Rev. J. Chiranjeevi of the Seva Bharat. Among the [[ecclesiastical]] personalities who took part in the one-day crusade in Secunderabad included [[Archbishop]], [[S. Arulappa]], [[Roman Catholic missionaries|RCM]]<ref name="Arulappa">[[S. Arulappa]],''Love and Serve'', [[Archdiocese of Hyderabad]], Secunderabad.</ref> and the [[Old Testament]] Scholar [[Victor Premasagar]], [[Church of South India|CSI]], then Principal of the near-[[ecumenical]] [[Andhra Christian Theological College]].

===1999: Lambadi version of the Scriptures===
On 25 October 1999<ref name="Sowing">''Sowing Circle, A Bulletin of the [[Bible Society of India]]'', Volume 15, Number 1, January–April 2000 (For Private Circulation), Bengaluru. pp.24-25.</ref> during the tenure of The Rev. [[Nalla Thomas|N. Thomas]], STBC, the [[Lambadi language|Lambadi]] version of the [[New Testament]] was released here by the [[Bible Society of India]] in the presence of The Rev. G. Babu Rao,<ref name="Sowing"/> [[CBCNC]], then Auxiliary Secretary of the [[Bible Society of India Andhra Pradesh Auxiliary]], The Rev. [[G. D. V. Prasad]], [[Church of South India|CSI]], then Translations Director of the [[Bible Society of India]] and [[Mr.]] Bidyut Kumar Pramanik,<ref name="Sowing"/> the General Secretary of the [[Bible Society of India]]. The speakers lauded the efforts of the original translator, The Rev. [[B. E. Devaraj]], [[Church of South India|CSI]] succeeded by The Rev. Lal Singh Lazarus, CSI.<ref name="Sowing"/>
{{multiple image
| width = 250
| footer =
| image1 =CBC notable events.jpg
| alt1 =
| caption1 = Tablet of historical events at the church
| image2 = CBC renovation.jpg
| alt2 =
| caption2 = Renovation plaque inaugurated by [[Gaddala Solomon|G. Solomon]] on 17 February 1991
| image3 = CBC President.jpg
| alt3 =
| caption3 = CBC earlier President, D. Robert Surya Prakash, a banker by profession and Treasurer of the Telangana State Council of Churches (affiliated to the [[National Council of Churches in India]])
}}
==Succession of pastors==
The first pastor of the Church was The Rev. B. Paul in 1895.<ref name="Souvenir">''Pastors who served the STBC-Centenary Baptist Church'' in Souvenir of the 125th Anniversary of the [[Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches]]-Centenary Baptist Church, Secunderabad, 2000.</ref> There have been pastors with scholarly aptitudes, The Rev. K. Wilson and The Rev. [[Gaddala Solomon|G. Solomon]], both of whom were involved in ministerial formation of aspirants hailing from the [[Anglican]], [[Baptist]], [[Congregational]], [[Lutheran]], [[Methodist]], [[Pentecostal]], [[Wesleyan Methodist Church (Great Britain)|Wesleyan]], and other small and [[wikt:indigenous|indigenous]] church societies at the near-[[ecumenical]] [[Andhra Christian Theological College]].<ref>See inline article on G. Solomon</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="border: 5px solid #BBB; margin: .96em 0 0 .9em;"
|- style="font-size: 86%;"
|'''Period''' || '''Succession of pastors''' ||'''Academic credentials'''
|-
|1895-1897||The Rev. B. Paul, STBC||
|-
|1897-1900||The Rev. W. B. Boggs, [[American Baptist International Ministries|ABM]]||[[Doctor of Divinity|D.D.]]<ref>''Baptist Missionary Magazine'', Volume 83, 1903, p.563.[https://books.google.com/books?id=kGgxAQAAMAAJ&q=w.b.boggs+baptist+secunderabad&dq=w.b.boggs+baptist+secunderabad&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj__9aeovPSAhUESY8KHe_gAj4Q6AEIIzAC]</ref>
|-
|1900-1901||The Rev. W. E. Hopkins, ABM||
|-
|1901-1907||The Rev. Frank H. Levering, ABM||[[B.Sc.]], [[LL.B.]]<ref name="Materials">''Materials of Religious Education'', Volume 4, Religious Education Association, 1907, p.374.[https://books.google.com/books?id=6SpGAQAAMAAJ&dq=frank+h+levering+baptist+secunderabad&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=levering]</ref>
|-
|1907-1909||Pastor M. Annafi Rao, STBC||
|-
|1909-1913||Pastor A. M. Boggs, ABM ||
|-
|1913-1938||The Rev. Frank H. Levering, ABM||B.Sc., LL.B.<ref name="Materials"/>
|-
|1938-1946||The Rev. G. C. Jacob, STBC||
|-
|1946-1952||Pastor D. R. Samuel, STBC||
|-
|1952-1956||The Rev. F. P. Manley, ABM||
|-
|1956-1957||Francis Peter, [[laity]]||
|-
|1957-1963||The Rev. Ch. Prakasham, STBC||
|-
|1963-1966||The Rev. K. Wilson, STBC<ref>K. Wilson, ''Culture and Conversion: An Analytical Study of the Interaction between Western Theology and Eastern Culture through the Christian Missions in the Indian Sub-Continent'', [[Syracuse University]], [[Syracuse, New York|Syracuse]], 1972.[http://surface.syr.edu/rel_etd/54/]</ref> ||[[Bachelor of Divinity|B.D.]] ([[Senate of Serampore College (University)|Serampore]]),<ref name="Bulletin"/> [[Master of Arts|M.A.]], ([[Osmania University|Osmania]]),<ref name="Bulletin"/> [[Th.M.]] ([[Duke University|Duke]]),<ref name="Bulletin">''Bulletin of [[Duke University]]'', ''The Divinity School'', 1969, Candidates for the [[Th.M. ]] Degree, Durham, 1969, p.80.</ref> [[Ph.D.]] ([[University of Syracuse|Syracuse]])<ref>Wilson later taught at the near-[[ecumenical]] [[Andhra Christian Theological College]] at its erstwhile campus in [[Rajahmundry]] in 1967 when the [[Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches]] joined the College Society. In 1972, when the college moved from [[Rajahmundry]] to Secunderabad, Wilson joined the state-run [[Osmania University]] and began to teach [[philosophy]]. ''Indian Journal of Philosophic Studies'', Volume 1, Issue 1, 1974, p. 53.[https://books.google.com/books?id=y9JRs6SJyGMC&dq=kothapalli+wilson+osmania+university&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=kothapalli+wilson]</ref>
|-
|1966-1977||The Rev. K. Devadanam, STBC||
|-
|1977-1988||The Rev. [[Gaddala Solomon|G. Solomon]], STBC||[[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] ''[[Mathematics]]'' ([[Andhra University|Andhra]]), B. D. (Serampore), [[Th.M.]] ([[Palmer Theological Seminary|Eastern]]),<ref>[[Gaddala Solomon|G. Solomon]], ''The concept of Suffering in the Bible and in Hinduism'', [[Palmer Theological Seminary|Eastern University]], [[King of Prussia]], 1957.[http://www.worldcat.org/title/concept-of-suffering-in-the-bible-and-in-hinduism/oclc/13351098]</ref>
|-
|1988-1991||The Rev. P. Jyothi Solomon, STBC||
|-
|1991-2015||The Rev. [[Nalla Thomas|N. Thomas]], STBC||[[Licentiate in Theology|L. Th.]] (Serampore), B. D. (Serampore)
|-
|1993-2018||The Rev. T. Ephraim, STBC||B. D. (Serampore)
|}
==See also==
*[[List of churches in Secunderabad and Hyderabad]]
*[[Secunderabad Clock Tower]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Centenary Baptist Church, Secunderabad}}
[[Category:Churches in Telangana]]
[[Category:1875 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Churches in Secunderabad]]
[[Category:Baptist churches in India]]
[[Category:Affiliated institutions of the National Council of Churches in India]]

Centenary Baptist Church Secunderabad - Revision history

>Meher Mansion: Perapogu Joseph included