Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana | |
| Classification | Protestant |
|---|---|
| Orientation | Presbyterianism |
| Origin | 1922 |
| Associations | World Council of Churches World Alliance of Reformed Churches World Reformed Communion Christian Council of Ghana |
| Geographical Area | Ghana |
| Statistics | |
| Congregations | 748 |
| Members | 600,000 |
The Evangelical Presyterian Church, Ghana (Ewe:Presbyteria Nyanyui Hame le Ghana) is a Protestant Christian denomination in Ghana. It is popularly referred to as the "EP Church". It has strong roots in the Evangelical and Reformed traditions.
Contents |
[edit] History
It was founded by German missionaries in the mid nineteenth century. These missionaries from the North German Mission Society (Norddeutsche Mission, Bremen), together with the Basel Mission in 1847 started work among the Ewe people in what is now the Volta Region of Ghana. By the beginning of World War I, there were two mission stations in the British colony of the Gold Coast and seven in the German territory of Togoland. The first of the mission stations was (Mission-Tove) in present day Togo.[1] After the war, Togoland was divided into two territories, the western one under British rule and the eastern one under French rule. The first synod of the mission stations in May 1922, despite the division of Togoland, declared itself the supreme governing body of the one “Ewe Church.” The church adopted the congregational order of the Bremen Mission. In 1923, Scottish missionaries began working in British Togo (Transvolta Togoland) which is now present day Volta Region of Ghana. The church in French Togoland (now Togo) was run by the Paris Mission. This led to separate development of the two halves though both churches share the same constitution. They also hold a common synod meeting every 4 years.[2]
[edit] Belief
The EP Church is a trinitarian church.
[edit] Church information
The church has its headquarters at Ho, the capital of the Volta Region of Ghana. It has over 600,000 members in nearly 750 congregations. The overall leader of the church is the moderator.[3]
[edit] Education
The church is active in education and has established numerous primary and secondary schools. Some are:
- Mawuli Secondary School, Ho, set up by Mr. and Mrs. Trosts, missionaries sent by the United Church of Christ.[4]
[edit] Health
The EP Church has also been active in providing health care. Its facilities include:
- Adidome Hospital[4]
[edit] Associations
- Christian Council of Ghana - member
- World Alliance of Reformed Churches - member
- World Reformed Communion - member
[edit] Partner churches
- Eglise évangélique presbytérienne du Togo
- Church of Scotland
- Bremische Evangelische Landeskirche(on German Wikipedia)
- United Reformed Church - A Ghanaian minister for London (formerly Ghanaian chaplain) works with the URC over four year term and the church of origin alternates between the Evangelical Presyterian Church and the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.[5]
[edit] References
- ^ Eglise évangélique presbytérienne du Togo. Address data base of Reformed churches and institutions. Reformed Online. Retrieved on 2007-08-02.
- ^ Presbyteria Nyanyui Hame le Ghana. Address data base of Reformed churches and institutions. Reformed Online. Retrieved on 2007-08-02.
- ^ Our hosts. Accra 2004. World Alliance of Reformed Churches. Retrieved on 2007-08-02.
- ^ a b General Ministries. Global Ministries (7 October 2005). Retrieved on 2007-08-02.
- ^ News from the Ecumenical Committee. United Reformed Church. Retrieved on 2007-08-02.
