Mateer Memorial CSI Church

In 1900, the Rev. Arthur Parker took charge as missionary and the construction of the new church building in the LMS Compound was undertaken in four years (1902-1906). It was dedicated on December 1, 1906 by Rev. R. W. Thompson, the Foreign Secretary of the LMS who was heading a deputation as part of the centenary of the Travancore Mission (estd. in 1806 by Ringeltaube at Mylaudy). For more details see the account by a member of the deputation, published in February 1907 (read pdf).
This was not a new church but a new building for the Trivandrum church which was founded in 1838. The congregation met for the last time at the Cantonment chapel and went in a procession to the new church at LMS Compound. The pastor (Rev. John M. Kesari), the church committee (the third committee since 1900 when Indian deacons were first appointed in this church), the congregation, all remained the same. Because of this, the shift of location was not much mentioned in the Church Committee minutes. The new church building was named Mateer Memorial Church in honour of the second missionary. Only the building was new. The church established in 1838, the first Christian church in the city, found a new house, where it has continued to be a beacon of light.