Anilsharma at 16:55, 27 November 2025

2025-11-27T16:55:52Z

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{{short description|Christian denomination in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}
'''Evangelical Church of Maraland''' is a church in southern [[Mizoram]] in northeast [[India]]. It was founded by English missionary Reverend and Mr [[Reginald Arthur Lorrain]] (brother of missionary [[James Herbert Lorrain]]) in 1907. It is the largest church among the [[Mara people]]. It is one of the three Mizoram churches pioneered by English missionaries in the 19th century; others are [[Mizoram Presbyterian Church]] and [[Baptist Church of Mizoram]].

== History ==
Prior to his arrival in [[British India]], the Rev. Reginald Arthur Lorrain founded [[James Herbert Lorrain#Lakher Pioneer Mission|Lakher Pioneer Mission]] in 1905 in London.<ref>{{cite book| author=Lorrain, Reginald Arthur|url=https://archive.org/details/fiveyearsinunkno00lorriala |title= Five years in unknown jungles for God and empire|year=1912| publisher=Lakher Pioneer Mission|place=London}}</ref> Two years later he arrived in Saikao (also known as Serkawr), a sleepy town in [[Siaha district]] of [[Mizoram]]. The church began as an Independent Church of Maraland (ICM) which later split into the Evangelical Church of Maraland, India ECMI and [[Congregational Church in India]] (Maraland); his ministry oversaw all the Mara-inhabited areas of British India that included Mara people in western Myanmar, which now function as a separate church under the name of Mara Evangelical Church after the [[partition of India]] in 1947.

The church held a series of celebrations for the 100th year of the Gospel to the Mara people and land in September (26 September 2007) and November 2007.

Rev. S.T. Zawsi is the present moderator of the [[Synod]] of the Evangelical Church of Maraland.

== Association/membership ==
The Evangelical Church of Maraland (India) is a member of
*[[World Communion of Reformed Churches]]
*[[India Evangelical Mission]]
*[[All India Sunday School Union]]
The church had more than 30,000 members and 74 congregations in 2004.<ref name="reformiert-online">{{cite web|url=http://www.reformiert-online.net/adressen/detail.php?id=134&lg=eng|title=Address data base of Reformed churches and institutions|author=Christoph Fasse|publisher=reformiert-online.net|access-date=2014-06-06|archive-date=27 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827072858/http://www.reformiert-online.net/adressen/detail.php?id=134&lg=eng|url-status=live}}</ref>
It also has a partnership with [[Mara Evangelical Church]] in [[Myanmar]].{{fact|date=December 2018}}

== Name ==
The Evangelical Church of Maraland (India) continues to use the word "Maraland" signifying the un-administered part of the world. [[Maraland]] was not part of any country until the British conquered the area inhabited by the [[Mara people]] in 1922,<ref>The Lakhers by N. E. Parry (1932)</ref> whereas the church was already founded in 1907.

==Theologians holding doctorate degrees==
*Rev. Dr. T. Laikai, D.D (Senate of Serampore University, India),<ref>Senate of Serampore University, India. Official website [http://www.seramporecollege.org/ www.seramporecollege.org] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919181246/http://www.seramporecollege.org/ |date=19 September 2016 }}</ref> 2004.
*Rev. Dr. M. Zakonia, D.Min (United Theological Open University, India), 2002.
*Rev. Dr. Laiu Fachhai, D.Th (Stellenbosch University, South Africa),<ref>[[Stellenbosch University]], Official website [http://www.sun.ac.za/ www.sun.ac.za] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126051209/http://www.sun.ac.za/ |date=26 January 2021 }}</ref> 2007.
*Rev. Dr. S.T. Zawsi, D.Min (University of Jerusalem, India),<ref>University of Jerusalem, India official website [http://www.ujglobal.org/ www.ujglobal.org] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331142649/http://www.ujglobal.org/ |date=31 March 2012 }}</ref> 2012.

== See also ==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080915034651/http://www.marachristian.net/?page_id=12 Evangelical Church of Maraland (ECMI) Entry at MaraChristian.net]
* [[Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India]]
* [[List of Christian denominations in North East India]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
The following websites contain a good articles and information on Evangelical Church of Maraland (India):
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20091207044315/http://www.maraland.net/ Maraland.NET: Home of Mara people on the internet]
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20040827024519/http://www.samaw.com/ Samaw.com - First English blog from Maraland]}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080529045533/http://www.marachristian.net/ MaraChristian.net - Mara Christian Network]

[[Category:Reformed denominations in Asia]]
[[Category:Christian organizations established in 1907]]
[[Category:Churches in Mizoram]]
[[Category:Members of the World Communion of Reformed Churches]]
[[Category:1907 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Evangelicalism in India]]
[[Category:Christianity in Mizoram]]
[[Category:Evangelical denominations in Asia]]

Evangelical Church of Maraland - Revision history

Anilsharma at 16:55, 27 November 2025