Cuttack
Our Mission Partner
Partnership with the Diocese of Cuttack
The churches of the Plymouth & Exeter District and the Diocese of Cuttack unite in the Spirit and, through prayer and preaching, remember and encourage their partnership. We are determined that money should not be the basis of the partnership.
The Church of North India (CNI) is a united church established in 1970 by bringing together the main Protestant churches working in northern India. 2020 saw their Golden Jubilee year but the celebrations have been postponed or cancelled because of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Diocese of Cuttack is situated in Orissa, one of India’s seven poorest states. Approximately 2% of the population of Orissa (estimated at 45m) are Christian. 94% are Hindu. Among Christians the area retains a heavy Baptist influence from the work of the Baptist Missionary Society. The Rt. Revd. Surendra Kumar Nanda is the Bishop of Cuttack.
The Diocese is divided into 4 Pastorate Unions with an estimated 12,500 communicant members.
The Diocese works with partners to support a number of educational establishments, including 5 Stewart Schools, a Skills Centre at Mohana, and teacher training college, as well as a Christian Hospital at Berhampur.
The area includes the large urban populations of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, the coastal tourist resort of Puri with its historic Hindu temple, as well as numerous fishing communities.
Inland, the area is predominantly rural, mountainous and remote. Between 80-90% of the population in this area is made up of scheduled castes (Dalit) and scheduled tribes (Adivasi). ‘Dalit’ is the name the people have given to themselves - it means ‘broken’ or ‘crushed’.
In 1999 and 2019 the area was badly it by cyclones. More recently the area has been badly hit by the Coronavirus Pandemic
As partners, we have agreed that the Sunday before Lent will, each year, be an occasion when we will pray for each other in unity in Christ.
1. Please pray the Diocesan Board of Social Service as they seek to feed the poor and minister to those in need during the pandemic.
2. Pray for the presbyters and evangelists of the Diocese and for Bishop Nanda as he leads them in mission and ministry.
3. Pray the court cases that are being brought against the Diocese as others seek
to acquire their property. May justice be done.
The Plymouth & Exeter District has established a ‘Cuttack Fund’ to support the development of our Partnership. The Fund seeks to make it possible for some from Cuttack to visit the District, also to give small grants to those from our District who could not otherwise make a visit to Cuttack.
Contributions to the Fund are welcome and should be sent to the District Treasurer in the usual way.
The Christian Hospital Berhampur
The Hospital began as a clinic for women and children established by an American missionary - Dr. Nina Ottmann in 1900. Land was donated and, in 1907, the “Christian Hospital for Women and Children, Berhampur” started with four beds.
The Hospital is now led by the Director, Dr. M. K. Nanda. He has given over twenty years of service and sacrificed many lucrative opportunities to further his career, believing that God has called him for the benefit of the people of the area. He is hugely respected within ecclesiastical and medical settings. He often goes from meetings with the Hospital Management Team to perform surgery or advise on a patient’s progress at the bedside.
Alongside the Hospital, the training of young Indian girls as nurses also began in 1907. In 1924 the Out-Patients Block was opened and until 1967, there was a steady improvement in the services of the Hospital. It was in 1967 that financial and other support - mainly from overseas - came to an end and since then it has been a struggle to maintain the Hospital with inadequate local resources.
Although there are Government health units and other private institutions in Ganjam, many of the people depend upon the Christian Hospital, Berhampur for better and compassionate care at an affordable cost, sometimes travelling large distances on foot to get the help they need. Healthcare in India is costly and whilst the Hospital has a table of fees, it does not turn anyone away because they cannot afford to pay. They ask everyone to pay what they can afford.
The Governments of India and Odisha have brought in new rules to be followed by all hospitals. Hospitals with old buildings are struggling to meet the new regulations. The Christian Hospital is unable to comply with the new requirements and so the ‘license to function’ has not been renewed since it expired in 2017.
The survival of the Hospital is at stake. The solution is to meet the new regulations by rebuilding the old, core buildings of the Hospital so that they conform to all legal requirements. Plans are in place for new hospital buildings which will house all in-patient facilities and increase the bed strength from the present 120 beds to 170, with more specialised services. The old building (built in 1907) has been demolished and new buildings are being constructed. The Hospital needs funds to do this work. The District and MWIB have sent several thousand pounds.
David Clitheroe
A visit to India – partnership between the Plymouth & Exeter Methodist District & the Diocese of Cuttack,
Church of North India
The Plymouth & Exeter District of the Methodist Church of which this Circuit is a part, has had a partnership with the Diocese of Cuttack, CNI for a number of years, beginning in 2012. The relationship has gradually developed over the intervening time through a series of informal visits, making friends, laying foundations and building trust. The partnership was formalised in 2017, and embedded with more visits, the most recent of which was in February this year.
Tobias (from Rowbarton) and I were among the team of 8, setting out on the ‘midnight coach from Taunton’ on a cold and frosty Sunday night to arrive with the dawn on the following Tuesday morning in Bhubaneswar in the state of Odisha.
For some of the time, we stayed in Puri, with our hosts who ran a nursery school for 70 delightful lively children who played musical chairs with us, danced for us, and accepted the toys and sweets we brought for them with the delight of children everywhere. This is the older members of the team wondering how quickly we could be caught ‘out’ in the 35+°C heat!
We travelled long distances – often 4 hours at a time – on roads packed with motor bikes, vehicles of all descriptions, cows, dogs and pedestrians, and the incessant tooting of horns. We visited churches to share in simple, joyful worship, and attended seminars under colourful tented structures erected in the remote inland forested areas – for 2000 people at a time! The generous welcome and hospitality we received wherever we went was truly humbling.
One of the highlights was a visit to the Christian Hospital and Nurses School at Berhampur with its visionary and impressive Director, Dr Nanda. The District, along with District MWiB had been able to raise money over a period of 4 years to help a little towards a rebuild of the hospital’s core structures, and we were privileged to share in the opening of the second block whilst we were there.
We visited Orissa Christian Theological College in nearby Gopalpur-onsea. OCTC is a happy and busy place engaged in training pastors, most of whom were very young and many of whom were from remote tribal villages. Their first challenge is to learn conversational English, the language of many of their theology books. They support one another, and their young and inspirational Principal has many ideas for the improvement and development of the College. Here we are with the faculty and students before a delicious lunch – ask Tobias about the starfruit!
Tobias and I have lots to share, and if anyone would like to invite us to speak about our recent visit, and the partnership, please contact us!
Across the District churches on 9th June, we shall be particularly remembering the partnership and praying for one another. If your church has another ‘special service’ on 9th June, you may want to allocate on one of the other Sundays to focus on Cuttack in your service. There will be new resources posted on the District website to support your service here: https://www.pemd.org.uk/resources/cuttack/
Deborah & Tobias
DISTRICT NEWS AND EVENTS Cuttack Sunday 2024
In this District we are encouraged to remember our Partnership with the Diocese of Cuttack, in the Church of North India, on the Sunday before Lent. This year, this would be Sunday 11th February. However... you may know that there is a District visit which will take place from Monday 12th February until 23rd February, when we expect to return with updated information and the joy of new experiences with which we shall be able to renew the resources currently on the District website. https://www.pemd.org.uk/resources/cuttack/ . It is proposed therefore, that for this year only, the date of Cuttack Sunday is postponed until a little later in the year. We shall notify you of that date in due course.
The District Partnership Visit 12-23 February 2024 There is a team of 10 visiting this time, interested and enthusiastic people of varied ages and backgrounds, which we hope will increase awareness of the partnership across the District, ensure some continuity into the future, and offer to those who are part of the group, the unique experience of a very different culture and expression of Christian discipleship and mission.
The aims of the visit will be:
• to celebrate the partnership, and develop our mutual trust and friendship
• to share in a variety of opportunities for worship, prayer, learning and social events
• to share stories of life and faith with one another
• to learn about the context for mission from the perspective of a minority faith
• to enable more people from both areas to experience the enrichment and insights that partnering another church/area brings
We are asking for your prayers for the group as we prepare for the visit, and please continue to hold us in your prayers during our time away. We shall be participating in worship services, leading and preaching as requested; we shall visit some of the community projects and initiatives; and we shall be offered the privilege of attending special engagements as invited guests, including the inauguration of the new building at the Christian Hospital Berhampur. The District and MWiB have been contributing financially to ensure the future of this vital resource. Thank you for your prayers, and for your interest and support of the partnership.
Deborah
Read about the Christian Hospital at Berhampur
A leaflet has been produced giving the history and current status and needs of the hospital at Berhampur.
Cuttack Sunday Services 2023
District News 2023 - District Partnership with the Diocese Of Cuttack, Church Of North India, and update on our financial support for the Christian Hospital at Berhampur
Before he left the District to take up his role as President of the Methodist Conference, Reverend Graham asked me to pass on a huge, heartfelt ‘thank you’ to everyone across the District who has raised donations for the Christian Hospital at Berhampur – either as individuals, as churches and Circuits, or as members of District MWiB.
Berhampur is located in the Ganjam District, southern Odisha, a predominantly rural area where the population is made up of largely Tribal and Dalit people. They suffer considerable challenges in terms of deprivation and poverty, poor nutrition, disease – such as malaria and tuberculosis, and infant and maternal mortality. The Christian Hospital offers a high standard of compassionate care at affordable costs, under the Directorship of Dr M K Nanda. A vital aspect of the Hospital’s work is the integral Nurses’ Training College, through which women are not only equipped with much sought-after professional skills, but are also empowered to generate sustainable change in their homes and communities.
New government regulations meant that the hospital – which is over 100 years old – was unable to meet the requirements without a rebuild of the core structures. In 2019, Dr Nanda oversaw the drawing up of plans for new buildings and renovations to some of the existing blocks which will give space for 170 beds, additional and enhanced services, and accommodation for the increased number of staff required. The work is now in its final stages and it is hoped to complete in one month.
Following a commitment of support made at our District Synod in September 2021 we have been able to send donations totalling just over £19000 towards the work. District Methodist Women in Britain, who are also supporting the hospital as their chosen charity, have contributed to this figure, and currently have a further £2788.96 ready to send.
Thank you very much for such a wonderful response to this work. It is important that we continue to raise funds as we are able, as the hospital will be carrying significant debts and will need our ongoing support to reach a sustainable position.
Our partnership with the Diocese of Cuttack is thriving, and this month has seen a visit from the Bishop of the Diocese, Rev N K Nanda, and his wife Jyoti, to the UK to attend the Lambeth Conference. Following the Conference, the Bishop and his wife were able to meet with Rev Graham and Alison Thompson in London, and then spent 4 days in the District, where he met with members of previous District visits, and was hosted by Rev Alison Richardson in Crediton.
We do hope that the next months might see us able to arrange a short visit by some friends from the Diocese, and that we shall soon be able to plan a return District trip to Orissa.
In the meantime, thank you once again for your financial support of the vital work of the Hospital. Please do continue to send your donations into the District Treasurer, gift aided if possible; or by direct bank transfer to CAF Bank, Plymouth & Exeter Methodist District, Sort Code: 40 52 40, Account Number: 00019090
Please reference the gift as 'Christian Hospital’ and ask for a Gift Aid Form from Rebecca Campion (finance@pemd.org.uk).
You can also support through District MWiB, and your local Church MWiB representative will let you know how you can do this.
You will be helping to improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable people, and demonstrating supportive partnership in the wonderful work already being done
Rev Deborah Kirk, on behalf of the District World Church Committee
A Prayer for the Diocese of Cuttack in India
A Prayer for India that has been prepared for us by Deborah Kirk.
Visits & Further Information
2018 Visit to Orissa (D)
2020 Visit (D)
Cuttack | Plymouth & Exeter Methodist District (pemd.org.uk)
Cuttack | South West Peninsula District (swpmethodist.org.uk) - website under construction