The Jewett Memorial Baptist Church here is all set to witness a flurry of religious activities during the 150th year celebrations beginning Thursday.
Theologians from the USA, Canada and South Africa as also from different parts of the country will throng the city for the sesquicentennial celebrations till May 29, according to pastor Rev A. John Prabakar.
JMB will showcase the traditional folk arts like dappu and kollattam during the fete which will be attended also by representatives of Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches, Baptist Convention of Telugu Churches, An auditorium will be declared open on the occasion. The foundation stone will also be laid for a spacious prayer hall on the Church premises during the fete.
Humble beginnings
The JMB mission has endeared to the people of Ongole by setting up a string of educational institutions and hospitals, including Andhra Baptist Mission (ABM) high school and College, Mrs Harriet Clough Memorial (HCM) girls high school and American hospital. JMB had a humble beginning in 1866 when Dr.Lyman Jewett organised a sunrise prayer on a hillock along with three others.
It became popular under American missionaries including Rev. John Everett Clough and Rev.James M. Baker before Independence and under indigenous pastors, including Rev. Alagala Veeraswamy, the first Telugu pastor, and contributed to the socio-economic development of the people in the region. The historic church, a major landmark in the city, survived bomb blasts in 2002.
