1922-2022 ~ A Centenary of God’s Faithfulness
OUR HISTORY
At Bareilly Theological Seminary, Bareilly (U.P.),an English Department took birth in 1918, it was the beginning of what later came to be known as the India Methodist Theological College, and ultimately, Leonard Theological College.
On May 15, 1922 at Bareilly, the India Methodist Theological College officially came into existence with Rev. Dr. A. Lincoln Shute the head of the English department was given the responsibility as the Principal. The first graduating class who begun their studies at the former English Department were- K.D. Chatterji, Jiwan Das, Edwin Gershom, and J.R. Luke. By this time the search of the location for this new theological entity was completed. The property at Wellington House, 55 Rest Camp Road (now 36, South Civil Lines) was purchased in Rs. 56,129/- from Brigade Surgeon Peter Cullen along with the adjacent land with few buildings on it.
At Jabalpur the new academic year of India Methodist Theological College was opened on 13 July 1923, the faculty at this time included Dr. A. Lincoln Shute- Principal; Rev. Conway Boatman Professor; Mrs. Laura Ward Shute, Registrar; and Rev. Eli Stanley Jones as Lecturer on Evangelism . The student enrolment was thirty one, and eleven of whom were married. The teaching programme for the married students’ wives was started and it became the beginning of the “ Women’s School”.
OUR MINISTRY OF 100 YEARS
Since its beginning, the College was led by the following Principals:
- Rev. Dr. A. Lincoln Shute 1922 – 1925
- Rev. Dr. A. A. Parker: 1925 – 1935
- Dr. Herman J. Sheets: 1935-1936
- Dr. Orville L. Davis: 1938 – 1945
- Dr. M. H. Harper: 1945 – 57
- Dr. George S. Sahai: 1957 – 66
- Rev. Dr. John Radha Krishan: 1966 – 1981
- Rev. Jacob Paul: 1982-1992
- Rev. Dr. Godwin Rajendra Singh: 1992 – 2002
- Rev. Richard E. A. Rodgers: 2003 – 2015
- Rev. Dr. Naveen Rao: 2015 – till now
There were several plans in the making for the occasion of 100 years of celebration of Centenary in 2022. But when the time was coming closer to prepare for the celebration of the Centenary there was Worldwide Corona pandemic along with total lock-down for two and a half years since March 2020. This caused the shattering of normal life, financial loss to the churches and institutions, drop in the student enrollment. The College came to a point of reducing the salaries of its staff up to 60%. The College faced the dilemma of what to do, “to celebrate or to survive”.
In such a situation under the inspiring and encouraging leadership of Chairperson of the Board of Directors of LTC Bishop Dr. M. A. Daniel, another alumnus graduate of 1978, along with the motivation of Bishopamma Madam Asha Daniel the massive plan of Fund Raising was undertaken at all levels, local churches, regional conferences, College Board members, Executive Council Executive Board, and even at the global level of GBGM.
The whole MCI with its leadership under the respected bishops- Bishop E.D. Yesurathnam (1984 batch), Bishop N.L.Karkare (1983 batch) both alumni of LTC, Bishop Dr. Anilkumar John Servand, and Bishop Subodh C. Mondal, along with General Secretary Rev. Dr. Newton M. Parmar another alumnus (1984 batch), Acting Central Treasurer Mr. Sandip Thakor, Ass. General Secretary Mr. William Kumar came forward to help the College.
In such a situation the MCI stood with the College with all possible help and support. From the Regional Conference levels several of our alumni as Executive Secretaries of REB, District Superintendents, Senior Pastors, and our Deaconesses joined hearts and hands in prayers and support for the College in thankfulness and gratitude of what God has done in their lives through the ministry of LTC.
With the help of God and great initiative of Bishop Dr. M. A. Daniel, all our alumni, friends, and well wishers we stood here in ‘awe and wonder’ witnessing the unfolding of the miracle of God, witnessing the faithfulness of what God could do.
OUR VISION
“The Way of Life” in Greek ΟΔΟΣ ΖΩΣΑ is the motto proclaimed in the official monogram & seal of LTC. The Cross is nestled between the symbols of a Muslim architecture Arches on the top and it is rooted in the Hindu cultural & religious symbol of lotus at the bottom. This symbol means that the ministry of theological education is surrounded both at the top as well as bottom by the reality of religio-cultural plurality of India.
The most significant statement of our VISION is poetically expressed in the College Hymn – “Our Pentecost for India”,
composed by one of our faculty Rev. Dr. C. Stanley Thoburn during the golden Jubilee celebrations in 1972.
THE COLLEGE HYMN – OUR PENTECOST FOR INDIA
Marbled halls of ancient kingdom, mighty empires passed away;
Baffled lore and mystic longing join the cry for life today.
Open is the door effectual, see the multitudes that yearn,
Reaching up from crushed existence, ’tis for life their hearts do burn..
Refrain:
“ Show us Jesus” hear the cry of multitudes in thronging mart,
send us Lord, our Pentecost to bear the cross to India’s heart.“
Forth there goes the weary pilgrim seeking peace in lotus shrines,
Though the proffered ways are legion still the heart of India pines.
Christ the living way we offer, high we hold His cross of love.
Joyfully we join in service, build we beauty from above.
” E’re abide in me,” says Jesus , “Would ye fruits of spirit bear? “
Yea, abide in us, we pray Thee, grant us power to do and dare.
So we pledge Thee, who hast called us, in one fellowship sublime,
All we are in glad abundance, make us prophets of our time. AMEN