CSI Michigan, Church of South India, CSI Church, CSI Congregation of Great Lakes

"The unseen hand of the Lord gracefully guides, directs, and preserves His children by orchestrating circumstances, very often, in unexpectedly profound ways."

Established on May 06, 1990, the Church of South India (CSI) Congregation of Great Lakes, Michigan, owes its inception to the visionary efforts of Rev. Christopher J. Kurian, a Presbyter of the CSI Madhya (Central) Kerala diocese. The genesis of this congregation can be traced back to a surprising phone call I received from the Presbyter in April 1990, an individual previously unknown to me. In that conversation, he proposed organizing a Holy Communion service. Despite initial skepticism, I committed to reciprocate if my endeavors proved successful.

With prayer and determination, I reached out to friends -Bajee Thomas (Mallappally), Joy John (Mundiappally), Mathew Varghese (Thalavady), & Johnson Stephen (Quilon) whom I knew were CSI members in Kerala, and informed them of my dialogue with Presbyter. Their information allowed me to contact more CSI families, George Chandy (Kottayam), Varghese Kurian (Kottayam), Shaji Thomas (Mallappally), Jayaraj Thomas (Trivandrum) and Saraja Samuel (Mallappally). Buoyed by optimism, I invited the Presbyter to Michigan. Mr. Thomas Koshy of Christ Church, Chicago, facilitated the visit, bringing CSI order of service copies. With Bajee Thomas's assistance, we visited the CSI families on the same day itself, though the visits lasted till early morning, laying the foundation for what was to come.

On Sunday, May 06, 1990, a Holy Communion service unfolded at 9:30 a.m. in the basement of Mr. Johnson Stephen, with nine CSI families - Bajee Thomas, Joy John, Mathew Varghese, Bobi Chandy, Varghese Kurian, Saraja Samuel, Jayaraj Thomas, Shaji Thomas, George Chandy and four non-CSI families participating. This service sowed the seeds of CSI in Michigan, leading to a meeting where I was entrusted to coordinate efforts to form a CSI congregation in Detroit.

Two weeks later, a prayer meeting at Mr. Joy John's residence culminated in a unanimous decision to establish a CSI Congregation in Michigan. Monthly Holy Communion services and weekly cottage prayer meetings became our routine, fostering fellowship among families. The desire for a permanent church found fulfillment when we learned that the First United Methodist Church of St. Clair Shores might be available for our use every Sunday afternoon. Rev. Christopher Kurian, with his proactive approach, handled the necessary formalities at the pastoral level.

In September 1990, our congregation was inaugurated, witnessing the participation of pastors and members from local Indian-origin congregations and the United Methodist Church. This inaugural service marked the first-ever worship gathering in the Detroit area with the collective participation of all Indian-origin churches, echoing the CSI motto that "we are one in Christ."