Pendu Mania at 19:51, 21 January 2026

2026-01-21T19:51:34Z

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{{Short description|Christian denomination in India}}
{{Infobox Christian denomination
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| name = Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church
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| image = Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church.jpg
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| abbreviation = JELC
| type =
| main_classification = [[Protestant]]
| orientation = [[Lutheran]]
| scripture =
| theology =[[Luther's theology]]
| polity =
| governance =JELC Central Office, Jeypore, Odisha
| structure =
| leader_title = Bishop
| leader_name = Rt.Rev.Anant Kumar Nag<ref name="LWF">{{Cite web |url=https://www.lutheranworld.org/content/jeypore-evangelical-lutheran-church |title=Lutheran World Federation, ''Member Churches - JELC'' |access-date=2019-09-02 |archive-date=2020-11-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125222009/https://www.lutheranworld.org/content/jeypore-evangelical-lutheran-church |url-status=dead }}</ref>
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| associations =
| area = [[Odisha]]
| language =[[Odia language|Odia]]
| liturgy =Lutheran
| headquarters = [[Jeypore]] 764 001<ref name="LWF"/>
| origin_link =
| founder = {{unbulleted_list|[[Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany|The Schleswig Holstein Evangelical Lutheran Mission Society of Germany (SHELM)]] [[Vikram Dev III]]}}
| founded_date = {{start_date_and_age|1909}}
| founded_place = [[Odisha]]
|recognition={{unbulleted list|[[World Council of Churches]]|[[Lutheran World Federation]]|[[National Council of Churches in India]]|[[United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India]]}}| separated_from =
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| congregations_type =
| congregations =Works predominantly in the Undivided Koraput Dist and Aruku Valley and Jagdalpur.
| members = 250,000
| ministers = More than 100
| missionaries =
| churches =
| hospitals =Christian Hospital Nabrangpur (German Hospital), Christian Hospital Bissamcuttack
| nursing_homes =Nursing college (Christian Hospital Bissamcuttack)
| aid =
| primary_schools =JELC Primary School Jeypore, Koraput, Nabrangpur, Malkagiri District
| secondary_schools =JELC High School Jeypore, Koraput, Kotpad, Nabrangpur
| tax_status =
| tertiary =
| other_names =([[German language|German]]) Jeypore Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche;

([[Latin]]) Jeypore Ecclesiae Evangelicae Lutheranae;

([[Hindi]]) जयपुर इवेंजेलिकल लूथरन चर्च;

([[Odia language|Odia]]) ଜୟପୁର ଇଭାନଜେଲିକାଲ୍ ଲୁଥେରାନ୍ ଚର୍ଚ୍ଚ
| publications =
| website =
| slogan =Thy Kingdom Come
| logo =
| footnotes =
}}

'''Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church''' is a major [[Lutheran]] Christian denomination in [[India]]. It was established in 1882. At that time, the founder of [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany|The Schleswig Holstein Evangelical Lutheran Mission Society of Germany (SHELM)]] in [[Germany]] was [[Pastor]] Christian Jensen, who was praying for the people of India. Pioneer missionaries Rev. Ernest Pohl and Rev. Herman Bothmann came to India and reached the [[Koraput district]] of [[Odisha]] on 31 May 1882 and started mission work.

== Foundation ==

[[File:Jeypore Church.jpg|thumb|An old picture of JEL Church]]

In late 19th century, when the missionaries arrived, they faced several challenges; one of them was laying the foundation of a church. At first, they visited the king of [[Bastar state]] in [[Jagdalpur]] to seek approval for constructing a church and preaching [[Christianity]] in the region but were denied permission for the purpose. However, they later went to the neighbouring [[Kingdom of Jeypore|Jeypore state]] which was ruled by Maharaja [[Vikram Dev III]] and he granted them the permission and a plot where accordingly, the JEL Church was constructed in 1909.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Week-long Christmas celebration begins today in Jeypore|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2018/dec/25/week-long-celebration-begins-today-1916178.html|access-date=2021-06-29|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref>

The Germans were able to learn the local language, culture, customs, and the traditional system of the natives. The first woman, Asimuti Behera of the village Joba under the Kotpad mission station, was baptized by the missionary Timmke on 6 December 1886. A minority of local populace also volunteered for the mission programmes.

== Service ==
Apparently, it was from Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church that [[Christianity]] spread to other parts of southern Odisha such as [[Malkangiri]], [[Nabarangpur]], and [[Rayagada]]. Subsequently, the community members set up three major Christian hospitals in [[Bissam Cuttack]], Nabarangpur, and Lamtaput in [[Koraput district]] to serve people from all religious backgrounds. The first Indian president, A. C. Kondpan, served two terms from 1954 to 1962. He was followed by the German missionaries, and then the second bishop of JELC., from 1972 to 1978. During this time, the JELC experienced a period of significant growth and progress. Kondpan was regarded as a visionary leader.

Now the church has more than 250,000 members. It has its own rules and regulations approved by IGR of Odisha, as per the society registration act of 1952, and the [[synod]] has four elected officers: [[bishop]], synod chairman, secretary, and treasurer. They serve for a term of four years. The current office holders are bishop of JELC Bidhan Kumar Nayak, synod chairman Anant Nag, secretary Praful Bhatra, and treasurer Jasbir Paul. The headquarters of JELC function in Pohl & Bhothmann Bhavan, JELC central office, pin code -764001.

Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church is associated with the [[National Council of Churches in India]], [[United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India]], [[Lutheran World Federation]], and [[World Council of Churches]].<ref name="lutheranworld1">{{cite web |url=http://www.lutheranworld.org/Directory/ASI/JeyporeEvLuthCch-EN.html |title=India |website=www.lutheranworld.org |access-date=15 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091116114849/http://www.lutheranworld.org/Directory/ASI/JeyporeEvLuthCch-EN.html |archive-date=16 November 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.casa-india.org/download-form2.php?form_name=488ff3b2d36f5nn.doc |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121210082258/http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:XACiP6CsA6QJ:www.casa-india.org/download-form2.php?form_name%3D488ff3b2d36f5nn.doc+Jeypore+Evangelical+Lutheran+Church&cd=16&hl=de&ct=clnk&gl=de |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-12-10 |title=1 |publisher=Archive.is |date=2012-12-10 |access-date=2016-09-02 }}</ref>

JELC has its unofficial Oriya-language Lutheran Hymns Book Android App,<ref name="JELC Song APP">{{Cite web|url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.arleneandashertechnologies.jelcchurch&hl=en_IN|title = JELC Church – Apps on Google Play}}</ref> offered by Premasis Satman.

== See also ==

* [[Christianity in Odisha]]
* [[Christianity in India]]
* [[Martin Luther]]

==References==
;Notes
{{Reflist|3}}
;Further reading
* {{cite book
| author=Otto Waack
| title=Church and mission in India: the history of the Jeypore church and the Breklum Mission (1876-1914)
| year=1997
| volume=II
| url =https://books.google.com/books?id=dB7kAAAAMAAJ&q=girls+boarding+kotpad
| publisher=Northelbian Centre for Worldmission and Church World Service by the Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge
| isbn=9788172143985
}}
* {{cite book
| author=Otto Waack, Cynthia C. Lies
| title=Church and mission in India: the history of the Jeypore church and the Breklum Mission (1876-1914)
| year=1997
| volume=I
| url =https://books.google.com/books?id=Ix7kAAAAMAAJ&q=jensen+kotapad
| publisher=Northelbian Centre for Worldmission and Church World Service by the Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge
| isbn=9788172143473
}}
* {{cite journal
| author=S. Vasantharaj Albert
| title=Orissa: Church and People Groups
| year=1992
| volume=
| issue=
| url =https://books.google.com/books?id=9VYxAAAAMAAJ&q=theological+seminary+kotapad
| publisher=Church Growth Association of India
| isbn=
}}
* {{cite journal
| author=Kenneth Gill
| author-link=Ken Gill (bishop)
| title=Count us Equal: The Ministry of Women in the Church of South India
| year=1990
| volume=
| issue=
| url =https://books.google.com/books?id=tCJrGwAACAAJ&q=count+us+equal+kenneth+gill
| publisher=Association of Theologically Trained Women in India
| isbn=
}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline}}

{{Churches in India}}
{{Lutheran World Federation Churches}}
{{coord missing|Odisha}}

[[Category:Lutheran World Federation members]]
[[Category:Lutheranism in India]]
[[Category:Affiliated institutions of the National Council of Churches in India]]
[[Category:Lutheran denominations]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Odisha]]
[[Category:Christianity in Odisha]]
[[Category:Education in Odisha]]
[[Category:Schools in Colonial India]]
[[Category:1882 establishments in India]]

Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church - Revision history

Pendu Mania at 19:51, 21 January 2026