Introduction:
Keithelmanbi Military Colony with a household of above 700 is located about 5 Kilometers from Kangpokpi District Headquarters towards the state capital Imphal. Mention may be made that Keithelmanbi is one of the largest village in India inhabited purely by the Thadou Tribe. These villages consist of four (4) Churches and a Synagogue. Keithelmanbi Baptist Church (TBAI) is considered the Mother Church of all Churches in the entire village.
The Keithelmanbi Military Colony in its first settlement had few number of households scattered with a distance of half a furlong approximately occupying vast area of land. This form and style of settlement hinders unity and development in all walks of life. As the number of households multiplied in course of time, the villagers could somehow decide to unite in matters related to Village Administration and Church organisation. They have also realized to have a place of worship as an important step for a Christian life.
On the evening of the 7th November 1947, the first Worship Service led by Pu Paokhothang Kipgen was held in a school as no worship place of their own was constructed. Pu Sehkhohel Hangshing declared and dedicated the Worship Service to God and pronounced that the Worship Service had begun from that very night. Mention may be made of the following individuals who took part in the first Service as;
(i) Nk. Paokhothang Kipgen
(ii) Serg. Kimkhosat Lhouvum
(iii) Sehhang Lhouvum
(iv) Paolim Hangshing
(v) Hav. Hemseh Kipgen
(vi) Hav. Jangkhosei Kipgen
(vii) Sehkhohel Hangshing
(viii) Lamkhopao Hangshing
(ix) Paolen Lhouvum
A scene that could not be forgotten and heart touching event was that, excepting Pu Paokhothang Kipgen, the rest of souls mentioned above who have toiled hard have not lived to see the light of 50thYear of Service celebrated as Golden Jubilee on April 17,1999 as they had gone ahead for eternal rest in the bossom of the Lord.
After the first ever Worship Service was over, they immediately discussed about the first Pastor to be selected. With much prayers and long deliberation, Pu Thangleng Kipgen was chosen for the Pastor and Pu Hemseh Kipgen for the Secretary. Since that very night, Worship Service had begun and kept continued.
The need to construct temporary house to be used for a Church has arisen as they could no longer use a School for the purpose. So, they had constructed a house supported by earthen wall with thatched roof in the early part of the year 1948 for the purpose of worshipping together. That temporary Church was inaugurated and dedicated to the Almighty on the 18th of May 1948 in the midst of the congregation and the same has been used for a Worship place from that day onwards and the Pastor was Pu Lamkhopao Kipgen. Pu Hemseh Kipgen, Pu Khothang and Pu Onngul Kipgen were the Deacon, Secretary and Church Caretaker respectively.
As time rolled by, the Church had considerably developed in all respect and it becomes a complete and dependable Church. The Church members then decided to fix a date on which the Church has to be dedicated befittingly. As per their resolution Pu Hemseh and Pu Paokhothang have invited Dr. John Anderson, an American Baptist Missionary (ABM) for the dedication Minister. On the 7th of April 1949 the Church was dedicated with prayer and supplication and was declared a full-fledged Church. The Church members in return presented a Saipikhup Shawl (a traditional Shawl of Thadou Tribe) and a public feast was hosted in honour of Dr. John Anderson. The Pastor of that year was Pu SeipaoThangeo. Mention may be made that, the year 1949 has been considered as the base year of the Church Foundation and Pu SeipaoThangeo as the first Pastor as it was in this year that the Church has been declared a full-fledged Church.
The blessing power of God poured down from above that the Church member has multiplied considerably. The Church they were attending become so congested that they have decided to build a new bigger Church to fit them. A very interesting and unique resolution passed in the three meetings in connection with the construction of a new church building was the size of the pillar and the particular kind of wood to be used for the Church. They resolved that, only ‘Kheng Thing’ (Needle wood) measuring 3 Tuh in circumference (Tuhis a local measurement equivalent to the fist of an average man) should be used for the Church pillars. After three years of united efforts and unrest, the Church construction was completed in 1956. The new Church Building was dedicated to the Almighty by Supt. Pastor Tongkhopao. Unity, Cooperation and Integrity of the Church members maintained during the course of the Church construction were praiseworthy and commendable.
The Church they have completed in 1956 was not final. They were rather keen to build a better and more attractive Church in the form of a Pucca Building. For this purpose, they started piling-up stones, gathering sand, buying iron rods and other related building materials. In no time, they could complete the foundation of the proposed Church Building with a width of 45 feet and a length of 75 feet between the years 1960-62. Unfortunately, the idea of construction came to a halt for reasons known to the villagers and due mainly to the split of the Church fellowship. As such, development and activities of the Church construction was kept pending for some years.
With the formation of a Church Building Committee led by a Chairman and Secretary, the Church construction had been resumed in 1970-71. To enable the completion of the proposed Church building, the people started donations and fund drives in different ways. With great effort and enthusiasm, each and every individual contributed their abilities in the form of handicraft, weaving, carpentry works, etc. and the products were sold and the amounts were received by the Church Building Project Account. The Church members also engaged themselves in collective wage earnings by digging road connection between Keithelmanbi and Saikul. A huge amount of money has also been earned at Kangpokpi Cattle Farm and also by shouldering bundles of Maize from the Jhum cultivation at the hilltops beyond the Imphal River. They also joined hands together in transporting wooden materials from top of the Koubru Range for the New Church Building. The Women Society and the Youth Department tirelessly did their level best for the construction works as well. Contributions from other Churches have also been received for the same purpose.
After many years of hard work and selfless endeavours rendered by the Church members, the new Church Building has been finally completed in the year 1989 amidst the absence of love and dear ones who have left for their heavenly abode and have not seen the fruit of their labour. Thus, the new Church Building was dedicated to God, the Almighty on the 30th November 1989 by Rev. SeikholetSingson by pronouncing the following words as;
To God, the Father, Almighty, the Lord of Ages, this Church Building has been dedicated on the 30th November 1989 (Thursday),
Dedicated and Pronounced by Rev. Seikholet Singson.
The newly built Church has been used as a worship place till date and the Pastor at the time of inauguration was Pu Nehpao Lhouvum.
In 1961, a Christian School was established by the Church Authorities for molding the children both in religion and secular education. The school was under the strict care and management of the Board of Deacons under its Chairman and Secretary beginning from Class A to VI. In 1966, the Church Authority has given all responsibilities of the school to the State Government and was converted one of the Government Aided schools in Manipur.
One of the most important activities of the Church is the expansion of His Kingdom and Christian outreach through Missionary Project. The Keithelmanbi Baptist Church, thus, started its Missionary Project in 1990 and the first Missionary Challenge Meet was held under the leadership and guidance of Evangelist Laltingen Vaiphei. It was a fantastic and heart touching attendance that the congregation have offered their belongings in cash and in kind for the upliftment and spread of the Gospel especially to the unsaved individuals. The project was extended even to Burma and by deputing two missionaries by the name of Evangelist Sollenmu and his Evangelist friend. Micah Gurung was deputed in the Nepali Mission Field among the Nepalese of Manipur. However, due to certain unavoidable circumstances; the Missionary Project has come to a close in 1993. Yet, the project still continued under Thadou Baptist Association (TBA) till date under the sponsorship of the present Church members with great interest, enthusiasm and unity.
In 1949, when the Church was first established, it was affiliated to Kuki Baptist Association (KBA). After a decade (say in 1959), there was a big KBA Conference hosted by the Keithelmanbi Baptist Church. The Assembly unanimously resolved to join Kuki Baptist Convention (KBC) and Keithelmanbi Baptist Church got affiliated to it. However, after some years, there aroused different mindsets amongst the Church leaders with controversial names and other problems and the Church was re-affiliated to KBA. Again, after a gap of two years, the name KBA has been changed to Thadou Baptist Association (TBA) in the Association’s Assembly held at Haipi Village from the 28th September to 1st October 1971. Among the affiliated Churches, Keithelmanbi Baptist Church is one of the biggest Churches under TBA till date.
Thus, the Keithelmanbi Baptist Church celebrated its 50th Years of Church foundation on the 17th April 1999 as Golden Jubilee with gaiety and jubilation and the jubilee monolith was dedicated to the Almighty God by Rev. V. Sitlhou Executive Secretary TBAI. To commemorate the event in future, a choir has been formed under the name of Golden Choir and this Choir exposes the message of the Lord in the form of songs to mankind within and outside the Church.
With the blessing of God, the Church members keep multiplying and there is a need to construct a grand Church building and Building Committee has been constituted to tackle the project. For this purpose, a budget ranging from Rupees 12-15 Crores has been earmarked, and the construction of the Church building be made completed before the celebration of the 75th Year as Platinum Jubilee on 17th April 2024.
