North East India Christian Council (NEICC) is a Protestant ecumenical council of North East India, affiliated to the National Council of Churches in India as one of the regional councils in the year 1939.[1]
History
The North East India Christian Council (NEICC) was established on 23 November 1937 by the American Baptist Mission; the Santal Mission of the Northern Churches; the Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Mission; the Co-operative Baptist Mission of North America- "the Mid Mission", the English Baptist Mission South Lushai Hills; the Church of God; the Welsh Presbyterian Mission; and the Church of India.
Organization
Office Bearers
The Office Bearers are for a term of two years, except the General Secretary whose term is four years. The present Office Bearers for the term 2022-2024 are:
- President: Rev. R. Lalnunzira, Baptist Church of Mizoram
- Vice President: Rev. S.R. Dkhar, Khasi Jaintia Presbyterian Church Synod Mihngi
- Vice President: Bishop Ichahak Muchahary, Bodo Evangelical Lutheran Church
- General Secretary: Rev. Dr. Ramengliana, Manipur Presbyterian Church Synod
- Treasurer: Rev. S.T. Shangdiar, Khasi Jaintia Presbyterian Church Synod Sepngi
Committees
The Council has the following Committees:
- Executive Committee
- Working Committee
Six Standing Committees as the following:
- Christian Home and Stewardship Committee
- Church Union Committee
- Mission & Evangelism Committee
- Peace and Justice Committee
- Theological Education Committee
- Trust Management Committee.
Youth and Women Assembly
The Council has Women and Youth Assembly called NEICCWA and NEICCYA having separate functions and administration under the guidance of the NEICC. Each of them meets every two years in Biennial Assembly. Women Assembly has full-time Secretary and run a hostel for women. Both the assemblies often organize various programs for its members.
Annual Session/Biennial Session
The Council meets once every two years in a Biennial Assembly in the third week of May in which each member Church and associate members send their representatives according to the basis of representation made by the Council.
Union Christian College (UCC)
The NEICC runs a College called, ‘the Union Christian College’ at Umiam Khwan (Barapani), Ri Bhoi district, Meghalaya, 27 km away from Shillong. It is fully residential and co-educational. It offers courses in Arts and Science and Commerce streams. It has been placed under the Deficit System of the Government of Meghalaya. A Chaplain and a Doctor is also posted to care for spiritual and physical life of the community. The College is affiliated to North Eastern Hill University (NEHU).
UCC Higher Secondary School
Along side the Union Christian College, NEICC also runs UCC Higher Secondary School offering Arts and Science streams.
NEICC Day of Prayer
All affiliated bodies observe the NEICC Day of Prayer, that falls annually on the third Sunday of October. Prayers are offered for the life and ministry of NEICC, sermons are preached on a selected theme for that day and special offerings are collected for NEICC funds. In some cities, Pulpit Exchange programs are practiced where preachers of NEICC units would go and preach in the pulpits of other denominations. This practice is highly beneficial for the promotion of unity and mutual understanding among the units.
Membership
Membership is open to any Protestant church in North East India with a membership of 5000 and above, that is recommended by a unit which is nearest to the applying body. At present, there are 55 units, 37 churches and 18 para-church organizations. The following is the list of NEICC as it stands in 2022:
Member Churches
- Assam Baptist Convention (ABC), Assam
- Baptist Church of Mizoram (BCM), Mizoram
- Biateram Presbyterian Church Synod (BPCS), Assam
- Bodo Evangelical Lutheran Church (BELC), Assam
- Cachar Hill Tribes Synod (CHT), Assam
- Church of God (Meghalaya & Assam) (COGMA), Meghalaya
- Church of God (Ecclesia)(COGE), Meghalaya
- Church of North India, North East India (CNI-NEI), Meghalaya
- Council of Baptist Churches in NEI (CBCNEI), Assam
- Christ National Church (CNC), Meghalaya
- Evangelical Assembly Church (EAC), Manipur
- Evangelical Church of Maraland (ECM), Mizoram
- Evangelical Free Church of India (EFCI), Manipur
- Evangelical Churches Association (ECA), Manipur
- Garo Baptist Convention (GBC), Meghalaya
- Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Church (GELC), Assam
- Lairam Jesus Christ Baptist Church (LIKBK), Mizoram
- Independent Church of India (ICI), Manipur
- Isua Krista Kohhran (IKK), Mizoram
- Karbi Anglong Baptist Convention (KABC), Assam
- Karbi Anglong Presbyterian Church Synod(KAPC), Assam
- Khasi Jaintia Presbyterian Synod Sepngi(KJPSS), Meghalaya
- Khasi Jaintia Presbyterian Synod Mihngi(KJPSM), Meghalaya
- Lower Assam Baptist Union (LABU), Assam
- Manipur Baptist Convention (MBC), Manipur
- Manipur Presbyterian Church Synod(MPS), Manipur
- Mizoram Presbyterian Church Synod(MPCS), Mizoram
- Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC), Nagaland
- North Bank Baptist Christian Association (NBBCA), Assam
- Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church (NELC), Assam
- Presbyterian Independent Church of NEI(PICNEI), Assam
- Reformed Presbyterian Church, North Eastern India(RPCNEI), Manipur
- Ri-Bhoi Presbyterian Church Synod(RBPS), Meghalaya
- The Salvation Army, India Eastern Territory(SAIET), Mizoram
- Tripura Baptist Christian Union (TBCU), Tripura
- Tripura Presbyterian Church Synod (TPCS), Tripura
- Zou Presbyterian Church Synod (ZPCS), Manipur
Associate Members
- Association of Theologically Trained Women in India (ATTWI), Mizoram Branch
- Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action, North East India (CASA), Guwahati
- Friends Missionary Prayer Band (FMPB), Shillong
- India Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC), Bairasal
- India Every Home Crusade North East India (IEHC-NEI), Shillong
- Mizo Theological Association (MTA), Aizawl
- North East Centre for Training and Research (NECTAR), Shillong
- NEI Christian Endeavour (NEICE), Shillong
- NEI Committee on Relief and Development (NEICORD), Shillong
- North East India Harvest Network(NEIHN), Shillong
- Serving in Missions North East India (SIMNEI), Shillong
- Shillong Christian Youth Organisation & Conference (SCYO &C), Shillong
- Students Christian Movement of NEI (SCM-NEI) Zone I
- The Leprosy Mission, Mizoram (TLM), Aizawl
- Thlarau Bo Zawngtute (TBZ), Aizawl.
- World Vision of India, NEI, (WVI) Guwahati
- Young Men Christian Association (YMCA NEI ), Guwahati
- Zoram Evangelical Fellowship (ZEF), Aizawl
See also
External links
- nccindia.in Website of National Council of Churches in India
- www.neiccshillong.in Website of North East India Christian Council
References
- ↑ "Regional Christian Councils". nccindia.in. Archived from the original on 4 December 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2014.