3. City Mission Initiatives

In order to attend to these things, that clamor for attention of the church, the Diocese of Madras recognised the need for taking fresh mission initiatives and to involve in church planting in the expanding city of Chennai, has formulated the Department of City Mission.

4. Emphasis on Research

In order to have clarity in planning mission initiatives and to have accurate knowledge of every locale in the Greater Chennai Metropolitan area, the Department of City Mission has formed research teams- The- team members in groups visited all the locations, studied their potential for growth and development and the viability to commence mission initiatives. Questionnaires were specially designed to obtain the necessary information. Experienced missionaries were instructed to write personal observation reports after interacting with the local populace. The mass of data and information thus collected were studied, analysed and two reports namely. Report of Study of locations with reference to their development and growth potential in Greater Chennai and subsequently a detailed report on the proposed mission centers and the mission fields attached to them with details of personnel required were submitted to the Bishop.

Through our first study we have divided the Greater Chennai Metropolis into the following six Rapid Development Zones :

• Valasaravakkam - Poonamalle Rapid Development Zone.

• Chrompet - Guduvancheri Rapid Development Zone.

• Adyar - Kolathur Rapid Development Zone.

• Ennore - Gummidipoondi Rapid Development Zone.

• Moolakadai - Karanodai Rapid Development Zone.

• Avadi - Sevvapet Rapid Development Zone.

All centers in the six Rapid Development Zones, with potential for growth and viability for commencing mission initiatives were studied and documented. Applying a scientifically evolved measuring rod ail the important centers in the Rapid Development Zones were studied and a table of priority was prepared according to the levels of Rapid Urbanisation. Economic and Commercial growth, human settlements, distance to the nearest CSl Church, Christian Presence, Existence of worshipping groups and Participation and Involvement, of other CSI Churches.

The second report consisted a detailed study of the various urban locations and the viability for mission initiatives. We have agglomerated 24 mission centers consisting of several' villages and formulated a plan for stationing of missionaries. Through this study we have identified 24 locations for church planting wherein we propose to purchase 54 grounds of land for construction of future churches. This report was submitted to the Bishop and the Director, Board of Mission and Evangelism. We are grateful to the Bishop and to (The Director, Board of Mission and Evangelism for deploying missionaries in several new stations as per our study.

5. Harvest Force

Many of the missionaries posted were recent recruits and some of the senior missionaries who were transferred were also new to the urban scene. Interacting with them closely. we found the imminent need to give them orientation and to train them to be effective to reach the urban elite and the migrant population, who are the main components of the urban scene. To meet this end the Department of City Mission has evolved a continuing education programme specially designed to make these missionaries a harvest force in disciplining people, organizing worship groups and in consolidating and establishing congregations. This programme is being conducted on every Thursday in different churches. We are grateful to the Presbyters and the elders of the church for encouraging and hosting these programmes.

6. Continuing Education Programme for the Missionaries Stationed in Greater Chennai

We have designed a curriculum specially to train the missionaries with lecture, seminars, group dynamics and with practical training wherever necessary. The following courses are taught to them.

• Introduction to the City Mission.

• Biblical Foundations.

• Introduction to Modern Religions.

• Introduction to Research.

• How to be a successful missionary.

• Resource Mobilisation.

• Locating suitable land for Church Construction.

These programmes .are well attended and the missionaries are happy about, this in service training. Weekly reporting schedules are given to the missionaries to help us to assess their life and work and to motivate them further to be effective and achieve the targets. These reports are collected every Thursday and are evaluated by the Directors and other experienced lay -leaders. Where need be the missionaries are counseled individually. Opportunities are given to share their problems and testimonies and this exercise helps them to grow and mature in their work collectively. Through this programme we also establish rapport with different city churches as they host the programme.

7. Special Orientation to Work Under Anti Conversion Law

We had special session s for the missionaries to explain to them the various provisions of Anti Conversion law and enlightened them about how to proceed with the work under the circumstance. We had leaders from various mission agencies who had experience in working and monitoring work in the states of Arunachalapradesh and Orissa where such law is in operation. These sessions were very helpful to the missionaries to clear their doubts.

8. Appointment of Associate Directors

We are grateful to the Bishop for appointing Rev. Gunasekaran Koilpillai as Associate Director for Madras South Area and Rev. Leonard Baskar as Associate Director for Madras North Area in the department of City Mission. This move enables us to work together as a team and work for the furtherance of the objectives more effectively.

9. Appointment of Mission Initiatives Co-ordinator

We are grateful to the Bishop for considering our recommendation and in appointing a mission initiative co-ordinator, who visits the various mission fields in the rapid development zones and encourages the missionaries in their mission work, assess their problems and reports periodically. He also visits the pastors and arranges for promotional work and involves in several programmes as directed. His-services are very helpful and we find tremendous improvement in the planning and execution of programmes, study of ongoing work and improvement in the quality of work among the missionaries and in documenting the several initiatives taken by the department.

10. Prayer Bulletin for Informed Intercession

Realising the importance of prayer for the mission work we have engaged in organizing prayer groups wherever possible both in the mission fields and in the City Churches. In order to help prayer partners for meaningful prayer we prepare and dispatch to all the pastorates a prayer bulleting containing praise and prayer points. This bulletin is prepared and sent periodically.

11. The Urgent and Important Task

In our study we found that the cost of land in these rapid development zones are raising mercurially. If we fail to act now. we may loose the opportunity of building churches in the various key locations of tomorrow. We are threatened with the danger of leaving the future generation without proper places of worship. Keeping this in mind, we need to put our shoulders to the wheel in mobilizing resources to purchase properly. We need to make a fresh thrust in our mission initiatives to reach the unreached, disciple them. to gather the resettlers and to consolidate congregations and build churches. This is an extremely urgent task we need to address.

12. Resource Mobilisation

We have conducted Promotional Programmes in several of the pastorates to motivate the congregation to involve in the mission initiatives of the department and to help in resource mobilization for the purchase of property, As per the study conducted by this department 24 mission centers are identified for church planting. It is assessed that we need to purchase 56 grounds of land, property for future construction of churches and when calculated cumulatively the cost is estimated to be Icrore and 29 lakhs.

In order to make resource Mobilisation of this quantum achievable we have designed a mass based fund raising effort. It is estimated that we need to purchase 56 grounds of land for rupees One Crore and 29 lakh. When calculated per square foot the cost works out to Rs. 250/- per square foot at the average. We conduct promotional programmes in churches and motivate the congregation to involve in this urgent and important task. We are grateful to God and for the response we received and we are continuing our efforts to meet this urgent need.

13. Partnership with Pastorates

With praise and thanksgiving to God we report that the following have come forward to purchase land sites with the assistance of the Diocese for the construction of churches in the mission centers situated at the rapid development zones in Greater Chennai where our missionaries are stationed.

We are grateful to the Bishop and the officers of the Diocese for all the encouragement, support, advice and direction given to this Department during this biennium and we earnestly solicit the prayers of one and all as we march forward into the next biennium. Praise be to God.

Rev. Leonard Baskar
Rev. Gunasekaran Koilpillai
Associate Director

Rev. Bramwell Samuel Kumar
Director