CSI RAYALASEEMA DIOCESE

Following a resolution of the synod of the church of south India passed in January 1950, the Deputy Moderator, on July 16, 1950 declared in Kamalapuram that the dioceses of Anantapur, Kurnool and Cuddapah, which had been formed at the time of the inauguration of the church of South India, were in future to be one diocese to be known as the Rayalaseema Diocese. This necessitated the acceptance of a constitution for the new diocese, and a draft constitution which had been provisionally drawn up was accepted at a meeting of the Diocesan Council of the Rayalaseema Diocese held on July 17, 1950.

Since that time certain developments have taken place, especially with regard to the handing over to the Diocese of work which had hitherto been carried on by the Telugu combined committee of the London Missionary Society and the Arcot Coordinating Committee of the American Arcot Mission. The Diocese having accepted responsibility for this work, the constitution of the Rayalaseema Diocese passed on July 17, 1950, needed revision in order to include within its scope the new work. The subjoined constitution, which was passed by the Rayalaseema Diocesan Council at its meeting in October 1953, superceding the one passed in July 1950 and in force from April 1, 1954, has been further revised at meetings of the Rayalaseema Diocesan Council in October 1957, October 1961 and December 1967.

The present printing (December 2003) incorporates all amendments passed by Diocesan Councils and clarifications made by the Central Board to date. This also incorporates the synod Revised Constitution as per the resolution of the Synod Executive Committee dated 25th November 2002 and it was adopted in the Special Diocesan Council November 2003.

PREAMBLE

This Diocese is constituted in accordance with the rules laid down in Chapter VIII of the Constitution of the church of South India for the purposes and with the powers here in specified. Nothing in this Constitution shall be of any effect which is not in agreement with the Constitution of the Church of South India, and of which agreement the synod of the Church of South India shall be the sole judge.

The Rayalaseema Diocese of the church of South India was founded in and is committed to the faith that as the Body of Christ its whole calling and duty is to give itself up completely to expressing in its acts the compassion of Christ for the world:

  • In declaring to all men the true knowledge and worship of god;
  • In the ministries of healing the sick and of teaching;
  • In working to raise up the poor, striving for the spiritual and social betterment
    of mankind and promoting justice and charity among all men.

ARTICLE 1. NAME AND JURISDICTION

1.The name of the Diocese shall be the Rayalaseema Diocese of the Church of South India and the Diocesan Council of this Diocese shall be called the Rayalaseema Diocesan Council.

2.The jurisdiction of the Diocesan Council shall be the work of the Church of South India in the government districts of Anantapur, Kurnool and Cuddapah, also in such parts of the Government district of Chittoor as shall be allotted to the Diocese by the Synod of the Church of South India. The jurisdiction of the Diocesan Council shall also extend to cover the work already handed over and which will be handed over by any Missionary Society working within the area of the Diocesan Council.

3.This does not preclude any adjustments that may at any time be made between this diocese and the neighboring dioceses of the Church of South India with respect to certain definite areas and portions subject to the approval of the synod of the church of south India.