Posted: October 18, 2019
To share news and a sense of identity among the 4,900 baptized members of the 22-congregation Mennonite Church India Dhamtari CG (MCI), a magazine committee resurrected Mennonait Mandli Samachar Patrika – a Hindi-language news magazine for the Mennonite church – in 2015.
Pastors, bishops, women leaders and youth leaders from MCI contribute articles to the editorial committee who publishes the quarterly 50-page publication.
Mennonait Patrika contains news from the churches, Bible study material, current affairs, future program, prayer requests, articles for Sunday school children and youth, and reprinted articles from Mennonite World Conference. MCI covers the costs of distributing 1,000 copies to MCI church members via local congregations.
“We find the articles [from MWC Info and Courier] very useful, so we requested permission to publish relevant articles for our people to read as many members don’t have access to an electronic copy,” says Vikal Pravin Rao, former MCI executive secretary and member of the publication committee.
“I become Mennonite after marriage and I am still learning about Anabaptism and Mennonites,” says Shailja Sonwani, a deaconess at Sunderganj Mennonite church, Dhamtari. “I find Mennonait Patrika, very useful to learn about Mennonites and Anabaptist faith. Also, I like the Bible study.”
Started in 1935/36 with support from Mennonite Mission Network, Mennonait Patrika’s editors included MMN server workers Marie Moyer, the second India bishop of MCI Obdiah Paul Lall. Bible translator Stephen N. Solomon was at the helm when the publication was discontinued in 1971.
In 2015, under the leadership of Vikal Rao, the MCI Executive Committee formed a committee to resume the publication.
Harendra Milap is the chair of the magazine committee formed by 5 members of the MCI Executive Committee.
—Mennonite World Conference release
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