BRIEF HISTORY OF LNBA-M CENTRE CHURCH, TAMEI FROM 1961
LNBA-M Centre church is one of the biggest early churches in Namraining (Tamei) at present. The church laid a great foundation of worshipping the Almighty God through faith in the midst of a rural remote community of the Liangmai tribe in Manipur, India. The church started as a Home Fellowship during the early 1960s, very soon after Namraining was founded with the favoured demarcation by Chiang (Langmai) village and Piulekluang (Tamah) village authorities.
In 1956, N. Hujubou and his brother N. Angambou were the first to reside in Namraining, followed by Tahung, Diging, Kingwangbou, Teleping, Majatbonang, Sangjinbou, Apingbou, Kendinang, Apokbou, Namlemang, Sangkhomang, Sangjunang, Arow, Achong, Silakbou, Aliang, Lewangbou, Hotpuibou, Hotliangbou and Mathat. Few years after, with the increasing number of Christian population in Namraining, the church was founded on September 3rd 1961, with the need to gather believers under one roof of Fellowship and building the Faith as one Church. The church elders anointed N.Hujubou to be the Pastor. The first church was called Tamei Baptist Church and the Church fellowships and Sunday services were conducted on an empty house of Kendinang. In 1962, Phungjakham, Lalthang, N.Palmai with the church executives; Namniathon, Taleping, Poudirai, Kingwangbou, Diging, Majatbonang and Tahung, ministered the fellowship and it’s members. The church then moved to Phungjakham’s residence on July 2nd 1963 until the New Building was inaugurated on February 8th 1964 and dedicated to God by, the then SDC, Poukhokam Kipgen. In the year 1971, the Church rented a house from Arow, until the time of Church’s renovation and renamed it as Station Baptist Church. The church was again renamed in the year 1080 as Tamei Headquarter Baptist Church and as Tamei Hill Town Baptist Church (THBC) on April 27th. Only in the year 1984, a new fellowship was formed for travelling conveniences on 28th April.
The Church was renamed as Town Baptist Church on December 30th 1994. This was when the Liangmai Naga Baptist Association requested the Church to be the Centre Church of the Association. The general body approved it and on 26th August 1995 henceforth, named and established the Church as LNBA-M Centre Church.
The following are the names of the Church:
1. Tamei Baptist Church - September 3rd 1961
2. Tamei Hq. Baptist Church - February 8th 19643
3. Station Baptist Church - 1976-79
4. Tamei Hill Town Baptist Church - April 27th 1980
5. Tamei Town Baptist Church - December 30th 1994
6. LNBA – M Centre Church - February 4th 1996
Role of ZBA in Foundation of the Church
On Thursday, 5th April 1979, Rev. Namthiurai, field Director ZBA, administered and organized the Church and the following list shows the members of different fields and churches who attended the meeting:
Rev. Mp. Namthiurai - Field Director, ZBA
Mp. Impeurei - Treasurer cum clerk ZBA
Rev. Hupaubou Newmai - Field Secy. NCF
N. Disonang - Treasure cum clerk NCF
ID.Thonbui - Youth Promoter NCF
Ap. Thomray - Pastor L. Pabram
Nk. Sying - Bible translator (Liangmai)
Mn. Dangpibou - Pastor Konphung
Chaliupingbou - Elder Konphung
Ngantang - Pastor, Langmaei
Rangkambou - Pastor Malek
The ZBA administration laid a great helping hand in laying the foundation of the Church in the gracious name of Christ in support of building a firm foundation of the Church in Him. It is the fruit of all these faithful believers’ voluntary gifts of acts that LNBA-M Centre bears at present and that the Church is able to celebrate its Golden Jubilee.
