Classification Protestant Polity Presbyterian | Theology Reformed | |
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Associations All Africa Conference of Churches; World Communion of Reformed Churches; World Council of Churches; South African Council of Churches Region South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia Origin 26 September 1999
Port Elizabeth | ||
The Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa (UPCSA) was formed and constituted in 1999 as the outcome of the union between the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa (RPCSA) and the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa (PCSA).
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These two churches shared the same origin dating back to the 19th century when Britain took over the Cape Colony. Their distinctive characters were that the Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa was constituted among soldiers and settlers who arrived in the Cape in 1820, spreading North into Zimbabwe and Zambia. The Reformed Presbyterian Church on the other hand was a product of Scottish missions intended for the indigenous Africans, which started at Lovedale Mission in Alice. It became autonomous in 1923.
In 1896 the first Presbyterian congregation was founded in Rhodesia at Bulawayo, and later in 1903 in Salisbury (now Harare). Now there are 2 Presbyteries in Matabeland and Mashonaland. Currently there are 10 congregations and 5,000-10,000 members.
The motto Nec tamen consumebatur is adapted from the Latin translation of Exodus 3:2 "...The Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet it was not consumed"
In 2004 the UPCSA celebrated its fifth anniversary after having spent much of that time in forging structures of union.
In 2015, a church court decided that "the Presbyterian church allows gay marriage" ruling that each minister may act according to his or her conscience.
Presbyteries
The Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa has 253 congregations and 80,000 members and is divided into the following Presbyteries (regional districts):
South Africa
Tembisa
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Associations/Ministry Groups
The Basis of Union is a contract that was signed in September 1999 entered into between the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa (PCSA) and the Reformed Presbyterian Church in South Africa (RPCSA). Under this contract, the two churches would join and become one: the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa (UPCSA). Article 13 of the basis of union states that, as a condition of the union, both churches are to bring 4 associations each and the 8 associations would unite to form only 4 associations (one women's association, one men's association, one girl's association and one youth association).