6:00 AM
Holy Communion
The Lord's Table at first light — kept every Sunday, without fail.
English
II✦Our Story
A mother church of the Deccan
In 1879, Rev. William Burgess of the Wesleyan Methodist Mission began holding services in the homes of a handful of Telugu and Tamil families in Secunderabad. A small chapel (Wesley Hall) on Market Street soon followed — and from that hall grew the congregation the city knows today as Wesley Church, Secunderabad.
The present sanctuary rose between 1911 and 1914, on ground sanctioned in 1902 to Rev. Benjamin Pratt — a missionary who was his own architect. Rev. Frederick Lamb and Rev. Charles Walker Posnett supervised the work and raised the funds; the foundation stones were laid by Rev. Benjamin P. Wesley and Rev. Posnett. In 1927, Rev. Frank and Mrs. Elizabeth Sackett added the upstairs Assembly Hall and the great portico that still welcomes worshippers today.
Wesley Church has always been more than its walls. Mrs. Lillie Burgess opened schools for girls when few would; the work she began in 1884 endures as Wesley Girls' High School. From this mother church were born congregations across the twin cities — and today more than 9,000 members worship here in Telugu, Tamil and English, carrying on the work of 1879.
1879
The beginning
Rev. William Burgess holds the first Telugu & Tamil services in Secunderabad homes.
1884
Education for girls
Mrs. Lillie Burgess purchases the campus of Wesley Girls' High School.
1892
A costly devotion
Mrs. Burgess and her children are lost at sea returning from England. Her schools live on.
1902
Ground secured
Rev. Benjamin Pratt, missionary and architect, obtains sanction for the present site.
1914
The tower rises
The present sanctuary, built from 1911, is dedicated for worship.
1927
Growing room
The Sacketts add the upstairs Assembly Hall and the portico at the entrance.
2011–16
Centenary
New granite flooring is laid; celebrations close in thanksgiving with 77 confirmations.
Mother of many congregations
As Secunderabad grew, Wesley Church planted congregations across the twin cities and beyond — many of which have since grown into pastorates of their own:
Maisireddy Pally
Jagadgirigutta
Bowenpally
Malkajgiri
Abangapatnam
Bazarhathnoor
Begumpet
ARP Camp Shakkarnagar
