Get to Know: Faith Christian Church of India, Ballwin
Faith Christian Church of India (FCCI) is a mission church of The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri. The Rev. Clive Samson and the Rev. Sujanna Raj founded the mission in August, 2017 and serve as its pastors.
This incredibly diverse congregation has its roots in the Church of South India, which is a combination of many Christian denominations, including Anglican. FCCI prides itself on being inter-denominational and multi-lingual. Their members come not just from India, but also from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and other countries. English and Tamil are the primary languages used in worship services, but you’ll also hear readings, prayers, and songs in Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada, Gujarati, and Marathi.
“Language is not a barrier to worship,” says Rev. Clive. Together as this one big community, FCCI’s mission is to be a witness to the world through the Spirit and Christ's love.
This international faith community regularly worships at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Ballwin (as separate congregations). They have a strong music ministry that involves international college students. Their ministry work also focuses on children and community outreach. Rev. Clive says his main goal is to unite people through faith and connect this mostly immigrant community with their new home in the St. Louis area.
“This is a place they can come and express their faith in their own languages,” Rev. Clive says. “There will be a lot of noise there. Every Sunday will be a kind of Pentecost in our church!”
This mission church's membership has grown to about 10 families, with 30-40 people attending services each week. Rev. Clive and Rev. Sujanna hope their mission grows even more, with the help of a $30,000 grant they received from the Episcopal Church this year to expand their ministry.
Hear from Rev. Clive and Rev. Sujanna to learn more about FCCI on “The Genesis Project” Podcast from the Episcopal Church.
Vital Stats:
Church name: Faith Christian Church of India (FCCI)
Address: 444 Brightfield Trail (St. Luke’s Episcopal Church)
City: Ballwin
Phone: 314-755-5598 or 314-737-7796
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.faithchristianchurchofindia.com/
Sunday worship services: 12 p.m. (noon)
Mission Statement: Be a witness to the world through the Spirit and Christ's love.
Clergy:
- The Rev. Dr. Clive Samson
- The Rev. Sujanna Raj