First North Eastern tribal to head largest Protestant church

Church of North India elected its new moderator, Rev. Purely Lyngdo, at the recently concluded 13th Ordinary Session of the Synod.

Hailing from Kyndong Tuber village in Meghalaya, Bishop Lyngdo became the first tribal from Northeast India to have been elected to this position.

"Soft spoken, prayerful, and hardworking by nature, Bishop Lyngdoh has been in the ministry for the last twenty-eight years," according to a statement by CNI.

"A Bishop of Small Things - Moderator Lyngdoh brings with himself pastoral care. He desires to see that the Church is built up in the faith and traditions and equipped and made relevant to the times. He strongly believes that it is the small things that make the big things beautiful, meaningful and effective."

The Church of North India's recent Synod gathering at Pathankot was inaugurated by the Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, General Secretary of World Council of Churches. Bishops, lay leaders, clergies and representatives of different Dioceses of CNI discussed, reflected and deliberated upon the achievement/failures of the last triennium. With a new vigor the Synod has been put forward to new challenges for the coming three years.

Established on 29 November 1970, CNI is the dominant Protestant denomination in northern India. It has approximately 1,250,000 members in 3,000 pastorates.