Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana

The Evangelical Presbyterian 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.

History

It was founded by German missionaries on November 14, 1847 in Peki.^[1] 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.^[2] 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.^[3]

Belief

The EP Church is a trinitarian church.

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.^[4] The current moderator of the General Assembly of the church is Very Rev. Dr. Seth Senyo Agidi.^[5][6] He succeeded Rt. Rev. Francis Amenu, who was the first Moderator of the General Assembly in 2015.^[7] The last Moderator of the General Synod was Rt. Rev. Dr. L.K Buama whose term ended in 2009.^[8]

Past moderators

The first moderator was elected in 1922 when the Togo and Gold Coast branches of the church held their first Joint Synod.^[9]

• Very Rev. Andreas Aku - (1922)
• Very Rev. David Bensah (1923 – 1926)
• Very Rev. E. Awuma (1927 – 1939)
• Very Rev. B.S. Amegashie (1940 – 1951)
• Very Rev. M.W. Akama (1952 – 1956)
• Very Rev. E.K. Galevo (1957 – 1968)
• Very Rev. A.K. Abutiate (1969 – 1972)
• Very Rev. C.K. Dovlo (1969 – 1972)
• Very Rev. Noah Komla Dzobo (1981 – 1993)
• Very Rev. Japhet Ledo (1993 – 2001)
• Very Rev. Livingstone Komla Buama (2001 – 2009)

Since 23 August 2008, the church changed from Synod status to General Assembly status. Since then, the Moderator is now officially known as 'The Moderator of the General Assembly'. The first Moderator since this change is Rev. Francis Amenu.

• Very Rev. Francis Amenu (2009 – 2015)
• Very Rev. Seth Senyo Agidi (2015 – date)

Education

The church is active in education and has established numerous primary and secondary schools, and a university college.^[10] Some are:

• Mawuli Secondary School, Ho, set up by Mr. and Mrs. Trosts, missionaries sent by the United Church of Christ.^[11]
• Evangelical Presbyterian University College established in 2008.^[10]
• Mawuko Girls Secondary School also at Ho.
• Hohoe E. P. Secondary School at Hohoe.

Health

The EP Church has also been active in providing health care. Its facilities include:

• Adidome Hospital^[11]

Associations

• Christian Council of Ghana - member
• World Communion of Reformed Churches - member

Partner churches

• Eglise évangélique presbytérienne du Togo
• Church of Scotland
• Evangelical Church of Bremen
• 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.^[12]

References

External links and sources

• Official Website
• Presbyteria Nyanyui Hame le Ghana
• Eglise évangélique presbytérienne du Togo
• Information about Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana
• Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ
• News from the Ecumenical Committee (United Reformed Church)