History

Church of South (CSI) Holy Trinity Church, Albany, is a Church of South India (CSI) worship center in Albany, the Capital Region of New York.   CSI Congregation of Albany had a humble origin as an ecumenical prayer group. The prayer group was started on Good Friday, April 9, 1993, by a CSI family along with an Orthodox family.  In the absence of a worship facility/ fellowship in Albany for the Malayalee community during those days, these two families came together for an informal prayer in keeping with Malayalee Christians' Good Friday tradition. The prayer group was initially known as the Albany Prayer Group, which conducted prayer meetings occasionally at attendees' residences. Gradually more families of different Christian denominations joined the prayer group.  With this, the prayer group has grown in strength by the grace of God.  The congregation was initially known as Albany Prayer Group, which continued to gather regularly and formed a fellowship named United Christian Fellowship (UCF) after a few months. All Christian denominations, such as Malankara Indian Orthodox, Malankara Syrian Orthodox, Malankara Catholic, CSI, and Mar Thoma, used to gather in UCF as an ecumenical fellowship and conducted worship services according to their respective liturgies based on the availability of pastoral services. Since there were no other Indian worship centers in the capital Region of NY during that time, all denominations gathered under United Christian Fellowship (UCF) for their spiritual needs. Rev. John J. Williams celebrated the first Holy Communion Service in CSI liturgy on October 16, 1993. United Christian Fellowship (UCF) was elevated as a Church in 2007 and named United Christian Church (UCC). CSI members remained a part of the UCC until November 2020.  CSI Congregation of Albany separated from UCC and formed an independent church named CSI Holy Trinity Church on November 27, 2020, under the spiritual guidance of Rev. Joby Varghese Joy. Even though CSI Holy Trinity Church is a CSI church, members of other denominations are actively participating in Sunday worship and events. Currently, the Church of South India members from different cultures and language groups worship together in one spirit.