A glimpse of the history of CSI Zion Church

In 1734, Governor George Martin brought 230 weavers to the banks of the Coovam river to weave cotton cloths.  In 1847, Reverend Myron Winslow & John Scudder built a small church on a small piece of land in Chintadripet purchased from G.V Naidu by the missionaries of the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Mission.It is the only church built by the Americans in Chennai. In 1888, it was christened as Zion Church.

On 3 April 1865,the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Mission gave away Zion church to the Church Missionary Society for a sum of Rs.10,000. In 1870, the Madras Governor Sir.Napier gave one portion of the land for public use and now this portion is called the Napier Park. His wife donated the pumping station land to the church to construct a school. In 1878, the Christen Missionary Society donated the Church Bell which till date is the oldest in Chennai after the George Fort’s Bell. The  Pipe Organ in the church was made in England in 1895. The stain glass paintings are of European models that dates back to more than 3000 years. In 1958, the Christian Missionary Society handed over the church to the Church of South India (CSI). Our church celebrated its 150th year in December 2003.

Currently, we are celebrating the 171th year.