Chennai Project
The Church / School in Gudalur, Southern India
The Cathedral project to form links with St George's Cathedral, Chennai has taken a leap forward in the proposal to build a new church in the village of Gudalur.
Gudalur is in the pastorate of Maduranthakam. The village is one of 13 under the care of Pastor Paul Williams and is a Christian dalit village shared with Hindus.
The proposal is to construct, subject to planning permission, a framed structure with columns resting on independent footings. The walls will be of brick with aluminium sliding windows. The main entrance doors will be of Padak wood. In all a very splendid-looking building.
We have negotiated extra to this contract the drilling of a borewell, the provision of an electrical motor and pump, to service a water closet and wash basin, within a toilet building.
This very exciting venture is supported by the Dean and Chapter and the congregation of Rochester Cathedral.
We have begun fundraising and to date have received both large and small sums of money taking us beyond the half-way mark of the £20,000 required to successfully fund this project.
This has been a very pleasing response from people of all ages who can both see and understand the plight of the dalits in India.
I would commend this work to your prayers and generosity. Should you wish to donate and support this project, please make your cheque payable to the Dean and Chapter of Rochester and write on the back "CHENNAI". Should you be in the Cathedral and would wish to donate, please use a yellow Gift-Aid envelope and submit your name and address, and mark on the reverse "CHENNAI".
Inside of the south door of the Cathedral is a small display; do please look and should you wish to know more please do not hesitate to ask.
We are in regular communication with an engineer in Chennai and an update of progress will be displayed on the board inside the south door.
See the website of St. George's Cathedral here.
Many thanks for reading this.
Ian Rouse
