TheSouth India - Churchman - February 1969 - Editor’s Notice

Sep 28, 2026

The South India Churchman (February 1969) presents church leadership concerns within the Church of South India, focusing on the ministry and its priorities. The editorial highlights debates about laymen and the expanded responsibilities of clergy, while addressing two major perceived inadequacies: insufficient pastors for frequent communion and weaknesses in the teaching ministry. It discusses possible remedies such as weekday communion services and ordaining honorary presbyters, and emphasizes the need for effective teaching grounded in continual learning, dedicated time, and guidance for catechists and lay leaders.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

The Ministry in the C.S.I.

The Priorities of a Parish Minister

The Duties of a Parish Priest

Mission Challenges Me

Preaching for the Present

A Student’s Eye View of the Ministry

On Being a Bishop in CSI

The Bishop’s Office

Review Article

Report of a Study Project

Some Important Resolutions of the Lambeth Conference 1968

All India Seminar on the Church in India Today

Conference on Laity Work, South Kerala Diocese

Letter to the Editor

News from Dioceses

Trends

Book Notes

TheSouth India CHURCHMAN The Magazine of the Church of South India FEBRUARY 1969 CONTENTS THE MINISTRY IN THE CSI .. 1 THE PRIORITIES OF A PARISH MINISTER .. 2 · THE DUTIES OF A PARISH PRIEST .. 3 · "MISSION CHALLENGES ME" .· 4 PREACHING FOR THE PRESENT.. 5 A STUDENT’S EYE VIEW OF THE MINISTRY · 5 6 ON BEING A BISHOP IN CSI ·· ·· THE BISHOP’S OFFICE .. 7 REVIEW ARTICLE .. 8 REPORT OF A STUDY PROJECT .. 9 SOME IMPORTANT RESOLUTIONS OF THE LAMBETH CONFERENCE 1968 . IO ALL INDIA SEMINAR ON THE CHURCH IN INDIA TODAY .. II CONFERENCE ON LAITY WORK,SOUTH KERALA DIOCESE . I2 LETTER TO THE EDITOR .. I3 NEWS FROM DIOCESES I4 TRENDS ·· I5 BOOK NOTES 16 # EDITOR’S NOTICE Opinions expressed by contributors do not commit the C.S.I.Articles,reports and letters should be sent to theHonorary Editor,Prof.D.A.Thangasamy,St,John's College,Palayamkottai,Tirunelveli Dt.,Madras State,by the5th of each month if they are to be considered for publication in the following month. # BUSINESS MANAGER’S NOTICE Rates of subscription per annum:In India Rs.4.In England gs.In U.S.A.$2.Foreign subscriptions paid inIndia Rs.7.Single copy 50 P.(Bank Commission of 65 P.to be added on all mofussil cheques.) Honorary Agent in the United Kingdom:Miss O.E.Rippengal,B.D.,I Rochford Avenue,Westcliff-on-Sea,Essex,England. # YOUR BIBLE SOCIETY has undertaken to help with other Bible Societies of the world to see that the circulation of Scriptures is progressively increased,and # ‘The Book for New Readers' Honorary (and ex-oficio)Business Manager: Mr.S.Kanagaraj Elias. All remittances and communicationsabout new subscriptions,discontinuance of subscriptions,advertisements and changes of address should be sent tothe Business Manager,South India Churchman,Synod Office,Cathedral P.O.,Madras 6(not by name). # THE FAMILY BOOK Share it with others through # THE BIBLE SOCIETY OFINDIA A/I&41 MAHATMA GANDHI ROAD,BANGALORE-I the New Readers of the present generation have the opportunityto read God’s Word. # YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS will help to subsidize the cost and bring it within reach of every man. The Ministry in the C.S.I. All the recent thinking about the laymen being theChurch in the World has considerably increased,and notdecreased,the responsibilities of the clergy in the Churchtoday.They continue to hold a key place in the Churchand,in fact,are now called upon to accept so much widerresponsibility that theological colleges are beginning to askhow they might give ministerial candidates a training thatwould be adequate for the present needs of the Church. There is widespread talk about the inadequacy of theministry in the Church of South India as in many otherChurches,too.However,there is lack of clearness oragreement about the nature of the inadequacy.For someit means only that there are not enough pastors for all thecongregations in each diocese to receive communion once aweek.In dioceses where,normally,communion servicesare held only on Sundays a pastor may be able to conductthem in two or three congregations on a Sunday;but,even so,he may have so many in his charge that,by rotation,any particular congregation can have a communion serviceonly once a month or even once in two months.If this isall the inadequacy there is,it may be corrected in one oftwo ways.The first of them,which is actually in practicein a few dioceses,is for pastors to take communion serviceson different week-days in different congregations at timesof the day convenient to them.An alternative solution isto ordain honorary presbyters in every congregation fromamong themselves,mainly for carrying out a ministry ofthe sacraments.We were sure that these alternatives musthave been discussed in the Bishops'Conferences or theMinisterial Committee.So,we asked three bishops,twoof whom are on the Ministerial Committee,one by one,towrite on whether presbyters should be ordained f

FAQs

What responsibilities of the clergy are described in relation to the laypeople in the CSI?

Recent thinking about laymen being the Church in the world increases, rather than decreases, the responsibilities of the clergy. Clergy are called upon to accept wider responsibility and to help prepare ministerial candidates for present needs.

How does the editorial discuss the inadequacy of the ministry regarding pastors and communion frequency?

It explains that some congregations may receive communion only once a month or even once in two months due to limited pastoral coverage. Suggested corrections include pastors taking communion on different weekdays and ordaining honorary presbyters in every congregation primarily for administering sacraments.

What does the editorial identify as a key weakness in the teaching ministry?

It points to “spiritual illiteracy,” where even well-educated laymen struggle to connect the will of God with lived understanding. The editorial attributes this to the lack of an effective teaching ministry supported by the pastor’s continued learning, sufficient time, and proper guidance for teaching and youth leaders.

Sep 28, 2026

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