Mateer Memorial Church

C.S.I. Mateer Memorial Church, started in 1838 in Trivandrum, is one of the oldest congregations in South India

It was dedicated in the heart of city in December 1906 and has celebrated its centenary. Current bishop is Rt.Rev.Dharmaraj Rasalam.

Before the construction of the M.M. Church L.M.S people of Trivandrum worshipped in a Church constructed by the Protestant evangelical trust in the 1830s. Rev. Samuel Sumanam father of Mr. S.I. Sumanam from Paraniyam was working in that Church as an Evangelist from 1878 onwards. The Trivandrum L.M.S. Church became a pastorate in 1895 and Mr. Mathew Kesari, father of Rev. John M. Kesari and grandfather of Rev. J. Eben Kesari was the first Indian to be ordained as the pastor of that Church. Rev. Mathew Kesari retired from service in 1904 when the new Church was still under construction. His son John M. Kesari was the first pastor of the newly constructed Mateer Memorial Church, his period of service being from April 1905 to March, 1913.

The first LMS missionary to South Travancore, William Tobias Ringeltaube arrived in Mylaudy in 1806. His successor Rev. Charles Mead was eager to begin a mission centre in Trivandrum and sought the help of Col. Frazer, the British Resident. The work was later taken up by Mead’s successor, Rev. John Cox who laboured steadily till the Maharaja permitted to start a mission centre at Kannammoola. On 5 August 1838, the first Protestant Church was built and opened for worship under the initiative of Rev. Charles Mead, Colonel Fraser and Rev. John Cox at Cantonment, Trivandrum. It was meant mainly for the Europeans residing in Trivandrum. Subsequently, Tamil worship and later Malayalam worship for the natives began in that Church. Rev. Samuel Mateer succeeded Rev. John Cox in 1859. Rev. Samuel Mateer was a committed missionary of London Missionary Society who did exemplary and dedicated service for 33 years from 1859 to 1891, in the Trivandrum Mission. Encouraged by Rev. Samuel Mateer, Captain Davidson’s Compound, measuring 16 acres (the present LMS Compound), was bought for Rs. 9000/-. The idea of constructing a Church was taken up by Rev. Mateer’s successors, Rev. I. H. Hacker, Rev. T. W. Bach, Mr. H. T. Wills and Rev. Arthur Parker. The foundation stone was laid by Stephen Massey, Director of London Missionary Society on 13 December 1897. The construction of the Church began in 1902, based on the design by Mr A. H. Bastow, and it was built in four years with funds donated by many generous people, including the Maharaja of Travancore. The Church was dedicated to the glory of God, on 1 December 1906 and it was named Mateer Memorial Church. Rev. John M. Kesari was its first pastor. With the formation of the Church of South India (CSI) in 1947, the Mateer Memorial Church became the head station of the South Kerala Diocese;.

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