FRIENDS OF SERAMPORE The UK support group for one of the greatest and most historic of India's Christian institutions, which still has a vital and unique role to play.

July 2007 Newsletter

"I am glad to enclose a cheque for £4000 ... Please treat as an anonymous donation." That was the letter we, the Secretaries, received from one of our members in April. Of course we e-mailed the Principal at once, asking whether we should send it straight away, or keep it and include with our annual remittance in the autumn. He replied:
"The wonder of God's grace is that when you have something for us, it is exactly at the time of need. The academic year ending now, we have to find some Rs.230,000 (£2800) to meet the deficit of Theology department.'

You can imagine how thrilled the donor was that his gift had been so timely. The balance of the £4000 has been used to get the department off to a better start for the next year.

In his reply, Dr Lalchungnunga also said,
"We had a meaningful Good Friday service this morning. Seven of us teachers shared messages, one each from the seven words of Jesus from the cross, but we disciplined ourselves so well that the service could be over, with other items, within 1 hour 15 minutes! We plan to have bilingual Easter service at St Olave's Church at 8am where the Theology community of the college will join the local Bengali congregation. I will preach and a Bengali professor of New Testament will interpret."

The Principal came to the UK to attend meetings of the International Council of Higher Education in Oxford at the beginning of June, especially meeting people involved in Christian institutions – participants 'came from Kenya, Uganda, Ecuador, Mexico, Japan, USA, Korea, UK and India.' He felt that the time was well spent, and he was able also to meet the BMS leaders, and others.

It was our great joy to have him with us for one night. While here he wanted to walk on "the beautiful Malvern mountains", which he remembered with much pleasure from his previous visit – this time, he has drenching rain to remember! We took him on to Cheltenham, where a young Mizo friend, Rinengi, was married recently.

We made plenty of notes while we talked, from which the following are a selection. There are plans to start a department of Sociology and Education. They would also like to offer postgraduate studies in Physics or Sanskrit or Bengali, the departments best suited, but "the teachers need motivating" – in other words, they are not being offered sufficient to cover the heavy additional work that will be involved!

The National Cadet Corps has been restarted (its heyday was in the 1960s, when India was involved in wars with China and with Pakistan). More importantly, with Government encouragement, the College has become engaged in the National Service Scheme, in which students take part in community service – this is being headed by a certain Philosophy teacher who is also Bursar of the ASC Department, and also helps in the MTh and DTh courses. A busy man!

The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage is distributing funds on behalf of Kolkata Municipal Corporation, and has chosen to give some to the College for renovation of the Carey Cemetery. This will allow for big improvements, including a residential caretaker.

We asked about the religious situation, in view of all that one hears about persecution of Christians in India, and were told, "Not in Serampore – there is too much respect for the College." One surprise was to learn that there is now a mosque immediately outside the back gate of the College.

You can find out more from the following websites, which are well worth visiting: www.seramporecollege.org, and www.senateofseramporecollege.org. From the former comes the following:

"A unique addition to the College is a Calcutta University 3 Year Degree Course in Communicative English. The students have to sit for examination at the end of the first two years. Third year consists of On the Job training, Teacher's Training (four weeks), a Project, and paper on Entrepreneurship.
"This College has a complete Language Laboratory where students learn not only Spoken English but compèring on TV and radio... This course prepares the candidates to face 21st century employment market with confidence."

From the Senate site we catch the flavour of the wider reach of the College:
"At the Convocation in February 2007 at Shillong, Meghalaya, there were more than 1000 graduates. Bishop Mar Iraenios, suffragan Metropolitan of Mar Thoma Church, Dr Ahn Jae Woong, a Korean theologian, and Mr Jamir, Governor of Indian state of Goa, a Baptist from Nagaland, were honoured with D.D."

It is of interest to note that Michael Laird, who taught History at the College in the 1960s, contributed the article on Christianity in Banglapedia (http://banglapedia.search.com.bd).

Friends of Serampore annual accounts for 2006

Please ask if you would like to see a copy of the more detailed inspected accounts

There we leave this newsletter, in expectation of your continuing support with your prayers, interest and financial giving.

With warmest greetings to you all,

Edward and Rosemary Williams

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