History

A BRIEF HISTORY

PRELIMINARY SURVEY: In mid-1994, the Rev. Kobina Ofosu-Donkoh, a student of Temple University in Philadelphia, together with his wife, Baaba, decided to plant a Ghanaian church for the Ghanaian community in the metropolitan Philadelphia area, having discovered the presence of a reasonable number of Ghanaian residents in the city and its suburbs and the absence of an authentic Ghanaian place of worship in the area. Between January and August 1995, Rev Ofosu- Donkoh conducted a survey on a proposed Ghanaian community church, the response of which was enormously in support of the proposal. The responses demonstrated the need for a Ghanaian church to cater for the spiritual needs of Ghanaian Christians in the area.

In the summer of 1995, Rev. Ofosu-Donkoh accepted an invitation by Mrs. Louisa Gyandoh, wife of Temple University’s law professor. Samuel O. Gyandoh, to conduct a private memorial service for her late sister, Josephine Mensah, at their Elkins Park residence, and he seized the opportunity as a test case. The positive reaction of those in attendance and the general expression of gladness for a taste of Ghanaian worship service confirmed the need for a Ghanaian church to be established in Philadelphia.

THE INITIAL FELLOWSHIP MEETINGS: In consultation with Ambrose and Joana Darko, the Ofosu-Donkoh family invited a group from among the survey respondents to meet in their Temple University apartment #103 in Cooney Hall at 1300 Cecil B. Moore Avenue on October 14, 1995 to discuss the formation of the new church. In attendance were Kobina Ofosu-Donkoh, Baaba Ofosu-Donkoh, Ambrose Darko, Joana Bartplange Darko, Rebecca Okyere, Nicholas Mensah, Emmanuel Nkansah, Joseph Addai Frimpong, Larissa Frimpong, Janet Mensah, William Opare, Peter Debra, and Akosua Debra. These constituted the founding members of the proposed Ghanaian congregation, and became its steering committee. They also served as its core members, as they held their very first service on this day before the deliberations began.

Rev. Kobina Ofosu-Donkoh suggested the name, “United Ghanaian Community Church” (UGCC) for the proposed congregation, which was unanimously approved, with the objective of opening its doors to Ghanaian Christians of all denominations. It was in light of this objective that the motto “Serving Christians of All Denominations the Ghanaian Way” was adopted. December 25, 1995 was further approved as the inaugural day of the new church. From this day until Christmas Day in 1995, the core group held mini-services on Sundays and Bible study and prayer on Fridays and Saturdays at the Ofosu-Donkoh residence in Temple University, while at the same time planning and discussing strategies for the proposed inauguration.

Led by Ambrose Darko, Rev Ofosu-Donkoh consulted with Rev. Dr. Edward Casey Jones, Pastor of Holy Trinity-Bethlehem in Logan-Philadelphia, for a temporary place of worship in their premises. Dr Jones graciously offered us their Sunday School premises for worship on Sundays from 2pm to 5pm and for meetings and Bible studies on Friday evenings. This was in early October 1995.

INAUGURAL SERVICE: The UGCC was outdoored and inaugurated by the Rev. Edward Casey Jones on Christmas Day, December 25, 1995. Kobina preached the maiden sermon. In attendance were about 120 worshippers, most of whom were invited guests. The first sacrament of baptism was administered on that day to infants Michael Mensah and Jessica Opare. Nicholas Mensah provided music through musical equipment borrowed from Nicholas Okyere – a tape player, an amplifier and 2 loud speakers.

CHARTERED: The United Ghanaian Community Church was admitted into the Presbytery of Philadelphia as a New Church Development (NCD) in 1996, through the hard work of the Rev. Dr. Robert Rigstad, then Associate Executive Presbyter in charge of the Presbytery’s NCD. After 5 years as NCD, the UGCC was chartered by the Presbytery on January 21, 2001 as the first African immigrant congregation of the Presbyterian Church, USA (PCUSA). Rev. Kobina Ofosu-Donkoh was officially installed as pastor, while eight newly elected elders and six deacons were ordained and installed as well. By this time, the Presbytery had relocated the UGCC to the the premises of the defunct Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Germantown, near LaSalle University.

PERMANENT PLACE OF WORSHIP Four years later in the summer of 2005, the Presbytery again relocated the UGCC to the facility of the defunct Melrose-Carmel Presbyterian Church in Cheltenham, PA. As we soon out- numbered the size of the Melrose-Carmel facility, the UGCC, with help of the Presbytery, eventually acquired her own permanent place of worship at 251 East Waverly Road in Wyncote, PA on January 16, 2014. We held our service of dedication for the new premises on September 14, 2014. The Executive Presbyter, Rev Ruth Santana-Grace preached the sermon, while the dedication was conducted by Rev Ofosu-Donkoh and the Very Rev. Dr. Yaw Frimpong-Manso, pastor of our sister congregation, Emmanuel Presbyterian-Reformed Church in the Bronx, NY.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Compiled By Rev. Kobina Ofosu-Donkoh, Ph.D.

Founding Pastor