Church of South India celebrates 60th anniversary;

The Church of South India (CSI) that came into existence on September 27, 1947, just weeks after India became an independent country will celebrate its 60th anniversary today.

To celebrate the anniversary, the CSI organisation raised the equivalent of US $1 million for social projects, after most of its four million members each contributed at least 10 rupees, or 25 US cents, towards a special jubilee fund.

“This jubilee is unique, as the entire church from top to the bottom is involved," the church's general secretary, Pauline Sathiamurthy, told Ecumenical News International (ENI).

The foundation of the Church of South India in 1947 marked the world's first formal union between Anglican Church and non–Anglican denominations. The united church brought together Anglican, Congregational, Methodist, Presbyterian and Reformed traditions.

CSI church also covers the four southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and also a diocese in the Jaffna region of Srilanka.

"This is a historic occasion in the life of our church," said Sathiamurthy.

The million–dollar jubilee fund collected will be used to finance endowment scholarships for poor children, renovate 60 church orphanages and historic churches, and provide drinking water to 120 villages, according to ENI.

"The jubilee celebration will not end with these projects," Vijay Kumar, the CSI's diaconal ministry director, said. "We will make every effort to make the church more committed to the service of the poor, and need of the times," he added.