The East Parade Church, so called because of its proximity to the East side of the Parade Grounds, on the Mahatma Gandhi Road at the bustling intersection of Dickenson Road in Bangalore turned 140 on October 6, 2003.  It is a church, which has had associations with the military garrison which shifted to Bangalore from Srirangapattana after the defeat of Tipu Sultan in 1799.

The origins of this church go back to 1819, worship being conducted in the small Methodist School on the Dharmaraja Koil Street. With the increasing number of parishioners, the need for a larger building was felt and in 1829 the land for the East Parade Church was bought for Rs 3,825.

In 1860 it was decided to enlarge chapel to provide 150 additional seats.

Maj R H Sankey prepared a plan of the church at an estimated cost of Rs 21,000 plus Rs 3,000 towards furnishing. Col Dobbs laid the foundation of the church on October 6, 1863, as a part of the jubilee of the Methodist Missionary Society. The new Methodist chapel, as it was then called, was declared open for worship service on Sunday, February 18, 1866.

Founded by the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society, East Parade Church today serves the spiritual needs of worshippers from two different cultural and linguistic backgrounds – the Tamil and Malayalam congregations of the Church of South India.

It’s Christmas time again and the 30-strong choir of the C S I Malayalam congregation, is all set with their choicest of carols announcing the birth of Christ on that first Christmas night two thousand years ago. The East Parade churches’s carols service will be held on December 15 at the church at 6 pm.

The choir is one among the few choirs in the City that has ventured into western classical music. They will begin the evening with “Where will we see him - Song by Don Besig and Nancy Price.” This is an  advent song that narrates how God’s own son is to be found in a Manger with animals keeping him warm. The writer then wonders how we are going to find him.

A bright star  will lead us there and we will hear angels rejoicing and singing of  peace on earth. That is how we'll find him when he first appears. The song has one more question; what are we going to give him when he is born? While Kings and shepherds bring gifts for him, we have our hearts and love to offer to him. The song ends affirming that we will give our love when he comes.

The choir will render  “With Cheerful Notes”from The Ninth Chandos Anthem by George Fredrick Handel composed between 1717 and 1718.

The all time favourite “Go, tell it on the Mountain,” arranged by Roland M Carter, is a song that celebrates nativity. Some of the popular carols such as “Glory to God in the Highest (The Angel's Song) by Giovannni Battista Pergolesi, this is a lively and exciting rhythmic setting of the angels' song.  “Mary's Boy Child”, composed by Jester Hairston, 1956 will be sung in its original form based on West-Indian Calypso Rhythm. The choir will also sing select pieces from traditinal Malayalam carols.

The Church also has a well groomed junior choir. They will sing of  candles, gifts and the birth of Christ.