Classification Protestant Theology liberal Reformed Region Ghana | Orientation Calvinist Polity Presbyterian | |
Associations World Council of Churches
World Alliance of Reformed Churches
World Communion of Reformed Churches
Christian Council of 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.
Contents
History
It was founded by German missionaries on November 14, 1847 in Peki. 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. 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.
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. The current moderator of the General Assembly of the church is Very Rev. Dr. Seth Senyo Agidi. He succeeded Rt. Rev. Francis Amenu, who was the first Moderator of the General Assembly in 2015. The last Moderator of the General Synod was Rt. Rev. Dr. L.K Buama whose term ended in 2009.
Past moderators
The first moderator was elected in 1922 when the Togo and Gold Coast branches of the church held their first Joint Synod.
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.
Education
The church is active in education and has established numerous primary and secondary schools, and a university college. Some are:
Health
The EP Church has also been active in providing health care. Its facilities include: