Presbyterian Church in Ireland - Mission Overseas - INDIA: New CNI General Secretary installed

21st August 2010

Mr. Alwan Masih, a member of the Diocese of Amritsar, has today taken over from Rev Enos das Pradhan as the General Secretary of the Synod of the Church of North India (CNI).

Alwan Masih was formally installed in the office of General Secretary by The Most Rev Dr Purely Lyngdoh, CNI Moderator. The service held at CNI Bhavan Chapel in Delhi was attended by the office bearers, Executive Committee members and other Diocesan and Synod leaders.

Alwan Masih, 55, was formerly Zonal Director for Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (Ministry of Youth, Affairs & Sport - Government of India), where he had served for 23 years in different leadership capacities.

He has also served the Diocese of Amritsar in overseeing its Socio Economic Development Programme.

Alwan Masih's vision for CNI is to see it become self reliant, growing spiritually and maintaining an evangelical witness to the love and reign of God.

A CNI spokesperson says of Alwan Masih's appointment as CNI General Secretary:

"[It] comes at a very important time for CNI when it is celebrating 40 years of its united journey. The whole church, under his leadership, will go through a process of introspection and critical evaluation of the seven mission priorities for the decade set in early 2001. He will spearhead the new strategies of mission engagement of the church with new vision and mission."

After taking up his new post, Alwan Masih commented:

"Empowering local congregations to be actively engaged in neighbourhood communities which are disconcerted and frayed by caste, religions, ethnicities, and gross inequality is the main challenge before the church.

Through its Mission Statement the CNI is committed to be engaged in Mission of Christ to seek and to save the lost, the least and the rejected. The challenge before the church is to empower the rejected, the marginalized and bring them to the centre from the peripheries."

In his new role Alwan Masih will seek to encourage cooperation from all partners in mission, Bishops, members of the Executive Committee, staff and all members of CNI, to develop the missional priority and activity of the Church.

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