C.S.I. ANDERSON CHURCH, NSC BOSE ROAD, GEORGE TOWN, CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU.

Before attending a function at Rajah Annamalai Mandram, happened to visit this Church, on NSC Bose Road, George Town. Chennai. The “150 years”  sign board displayed outside the Church attracts me to peep into this Church.

Rev. John Anderson ( Who lived between 1805 and 1857 CE ), was a Scottish missionary  and strong believer in Education to the downtrodden street Children and who founded the mission ( 1837 – 1857 CE ) of the free church of England at Chennai, then Madras. It was believed that he established an Education institution in the name of “General Assembly  School” at Egmore in the year  1835 and shifted to Sailor’s House, George Town ( Black town ) area in 1838 and became the Free Church of Scotland’s central shrine in 1845. This Church / Chapel was called as College Chapel and later the Church was reconstructed.

 

The St Andrew’s School functioned at Randalls Road in Egmore, founded by Re. George James Laurie and Rev Mathew Bowie moved to this General Assembly School with its’ Head Master and 59 boys. It is believed that this school  was upgraded to a College and moved to Tambaram in 1937, as “The Madras Christian College”.  Under the leadership  of  Dr William Miller, the college was expanded with Hostels and academic buildings.

John Anderson and his wife Margaret Anderson ( who died in 1887 CE ) are  laid to rest in the Purasaiwakkam, Tana Street cemetery after their death.  Margaret Anderson used to say that her husband Anderson’s warm spirit lives on in the church that’s a haven of quiet for street Children, beggars, and weekday worshipers.

The present Church was built in the same place where College Chapel stood in 1859, 4 years after Rev. John Anderson’s death. The first convert Rev, P Rajagopal, has become the first minister of the Church. The altar is very simple with a wooden Cross. Jesus’s image in stained glass is on both sides of the altar. Stained glass with Colourful engraving of Jesus' story adorns the Windows /ventilators. In memory of those who dedicated their life to this Church inscribed on Plaques/ tablets, are fitted on the walls.

The Alter renovation work was carried out with the generous donation of Mr A Johnson & Family ( Son of D Arulanandam ) and was dedicated by Rev. D Richard Ambrose Jebakumar M.A., B.D on 5^th July 1998. This Church celebrated its 150^th anniversary in 2009. In commemoration of the Sesquicentennial Celebrations, the Church was renovated and re-dedicated by Ret. Rev. Dr. Prof Devasahayam ( Bishop in Madras ) on 24^th April 2011. The Church also celebrated its 157^th anniversary and a tablet was unveiled by Ret. Rev. Dr J. George Stephen on 15^th May 2016.

The Church conducts competitions for School and College students on Tamil literature in connection with Christianity through Christuva Ilakkiya Tamil Peravai – கிறித்தவ இலக்கியத் தமிழ்ப் பேரவை. The Church also encourages composing and singing of new songs on Christianity through Dalit and Adhivasikal Variyam – தலித் மற்றும் ஆதிவாசிகள் வாரியம்.

The Anderson Church is under the control of  CSI ( Church of South India), a Protestant sect of the Christian religion. This Church is listed as one of the Landmark Heritage buildings by the Indian National Trust For Art and Cultural Heritage ( INTACH ), Tamil Nadu Chapter.

HOW TO REACH:

This Church is on the NSC Bose Road and about 2 km from MGR Central Railway station.

Broadway Bus Terminus, High Court Bus Terminus, and High Court Metro Railway station are close to this Church.

LOCATION OF THE CHURCH: CLICK HERE

 PC : Website

 ---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---