History page 9

In 1952, Mr. G. V. Cobble who was to be ordained deacon this year, had served our Church with great loyalty and commitment. Subsequently, a farewell social was given to Rev. and Mrs. Ward at the beginning of the year which was also attended by members of the Whitefield and Coxtown Churches. This function also welcomed our new Presbyter, the Rev. T. F. Mellor and Mrs. Mellor.

In 1953, the highlight of the year is the change of the name of the Church from St. John’s Hill Church to Wesley English Church. A letter written by our former Bishop Rt. Rev. N. C. Sargant, is given (right)

The attendance at both the services were good, the evening services were very well attended, Mr. G. V. Cobble, who had been for year a valued assistant to the Presbyter in- charge,was ordained as Deacon. With the new name of “Wesley English Church”, our history now enters the Post- Colonial era or the new “Church of South India” era, and truly in a very literal and spiritual sense had to work out its own salvation within a new framework.

This historical record was presented at the Centenary Celebration on July 31st 1988. Due to contstraints of space, it is not possible to publish the entire history. However, the complete history of the Wesley English Church will published later.

Hemalatha John is a long-standing member of the Wesley English Church. She is a former Professor and Head of Department of English at the NMKRV Autonomous College for Women, Bangalore. Currently, she is a visiting faculty of the Post Graduate Department of English, Jain University, Bangalore.