Binay Gazmer

To,
The Moderator,
Council of Evangelical Presbyterian Churches of Sikkim,(CEPCS)
Gangtok

Date: 03.06.2011

Subject: Seeking information on the disciplinary action of the local Church.

Sir,

I, Binay Gazmer of Syari, East Sikkim, presently residing at Rabong, South Sikkim would like to appeal to the Council with the following facts:

In my letter no. 03/BG/R/2010 dated 28.01.2011 to your good self, I had sincerely raised few questions on my expulsion by the local church and I waited patiently for the answer for more than four months. As I have not received any answer from your good self, I am compelled to bring this matter through the media.

As per Chapter III, Para 3 of the Constitution of CEPCS, “Discipline shall be administered by the Church committee. The purpose of church discipline is to purify the Church and to lead back to Christ those who have fallen in sin.”… “Where possible Churches should not PROCEED to excommunication until all other means have been exhausted.”

Were any of these above said steps ever taken in my case before implementing a judgment against me?

The word ‘expulsion’ is not found in the constitution of CEPCS instead the word ‘excommunication’ is used under discipline and these two words bear two different meanings. Is expulsion from the church constitutional?

Though both of me and my wife were convicted in the same sin and we were the members of different presbytery under same CEPCS, only I was ‘expelled’ whereas my wife was ‘excommunicated’.

Another Para of the letter written from the then Secretary, Local Church committee vide 164/2/LCC/EPC/Gtk/2007 dated 26.02.07 warned me of going to print media along with my photo if I continue to produce myself as the member of EPCS, Gangtok. How does the Church, a religious Institution justify the threat of media in an official letter??

Why is this kind of discrimination reflected against me? Is it on the basis of caste? As I belong to the Scheduled Caste Community? So, do I understand that CEPCS has caste discriminations? The Christianity preaches equality of castes and creeds but it seems that your CEPCS propagates caste discrimination among your members. Am I the first person to do such unconstitutional act? How many members of the Church were expelled so far for any unconstitutional acts? Moreover, I am not at all interested to produce myself as the member of such Religious Institute like Evangelical Presbyterian Church where the decisions are taken on caste basis.

I do hope that the Council will provide me with the satisfactory answer to the query made under the purview of my right to information within a month.

Thanking you,

BINAY GAZMER,
LIMBOO KATERA,
GANJU LAMA PATH,
RABONG 737139,
SOUTH SIKKIM

 

Comment