Brief History About the Church

The Church of God in Meghalaya and Assam is an indigenous Church. Formed in 1902 at Mylliem (a village 12 miles south of Shillong) by a negligible group of people, the Church has by now grown not only in numbers touching close to 100,000 but by its geographical widespread having local churches in 563 villages and towns. It is at best one of the growing Protestant Churches which makes a significant impact on the people. Its head office is located at Qualapatty: Chapel Road, Shillong 793002, Meghalaya.

The Church is also one of the founding members of the comprehensive ecumenical body - the North East India Christian Council (NEICC) in 1937 and takes active part in other ecumenical ventures of the Bible Society of India, the Evangelical Fellowship of India and Union Christian College, Khwan in Meghalaya.

Rev. J.J. M. Nichols Roy (1884-1959) who was one of its pioneers and architect of this indigenous movement, was a staunch nationalist, a freedom fighter and a prominent member of the Constituent Assembly. It was he who authored the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India and designed for the integration of the hill areas with India. His speeches, writings and personal involvement in regional and national politics from 1920 till his death in 1959 bore testimonies of his contribution to nationalism, secularism an national integration.

A reading of the history of the Church of God is thus becoming important. However, given the significance of an ecumenical perception in today's thinking, it is more important to look at it in the light of an over all Christian role among the hill people in the 19th and 20th centuries and from a historical perspective. Given that, this essay will deal with the historical background, influence of the British government, Christian Missions and Churches; Pioneers of the Church of God and impact on the hill people.