Protestant Church of N. India, conducts census of members

(April,08, 2010) A Protestant Church in India is conducting a census to collect detailed statistical data about its members. Rev.Enos Pradhan, general secretary of the Church of North India, CNI, told UCA News on Wednesday (April 7) that it was the first time, they are conducting an elaborate census, so they can learn details of their members.
The CNI Church, which celebrates its 40th anniversary on Nov. 29, began the census on Feb. 15 and plans to conclude it on Oct. 15.
Rev. Pradhan also said that another reason for conducting the census is because they want to know about the number of members and the church situation in the 40th year of their journey. Apart from numbers, the census is also seeking to find out the economic, educational and health details of Church members.
A team of congregations and pastors is conducting the census in each of the CNI’s 27 dioceses. The team will send a pastoral profile of the members to the diocese, which will then forward the details to CNI headquarters in New Delhi. The Church will then prepare a CNI profile, Rev Pradhan explained.
CNI was formed in 1970 when six Protestant Churches amalgamated.
Rev.Pradhan said a rough census was conducted at the time of CNI’s formation to determine the number of its members, but it was not as detailed as the one, being conducted now.