A 50-year-old partnership that celebrated an ending and marked a transition in 2011 was reignited today (Monday 11 June), at United Reformed Church House in London.

The Revd John Proctor, General Secretary of the URC, and Mr Alan Yates, Moderator of the General Assembly, met with the Rt Revd Dr Seth Agidi, Moderator of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana (EPCG), the Revd Dr Emmanuel Amey, Clerk of the EPCG General Assembly, the Revd Frank Anipa, minister of EPCG’s Milton Keynes/Luton parish, and the Revd Derrick Sena Dzandu-Hedidor, who began his ministry in the EPCG and is now Clerk of the URC’s Southern Synod, to reaffirm a longstanding relationship and sign a new partnership agreement between the two churches.

Mr Dzandu-Hedidor explained that the partnership began with the English Presbyterians in 1961 when chaplains were sent from Ghana to serve with the denomination. During that time, the work of the chaplains led to the growth of EPCG parishes in the UK. But, when the last chaplain completed his service with the URC in 2011, the partnership lost momentum.

Mr Proctor spoke about how he hopes the new agreement will impact congregations.

‘Some EPCG and URCs use the same building,’ he said. ‘We hope to deepen and strengthen those relationships in those places. I would also like to see our churches having a greater understanding of the work of God in Ghana.’

Mr Yates explained how effective the EPCG was in Ghana.

‘I first met with EPCG when invited to their General Assembly,’ he said. ‘It was a fantastic affair. I was welcomed very graciously and left in awe of the work that the Church was carrying out there. The EPCG has opened clinics, universities, schools, care centres, lots of things that, in the UK, you would expect the government to do, the Church does. I have a huge respect for what they do in the name of Christ in Ghana. It was a real privilege to see.’

Mr Proctor continued: ‘Partnerships like this help us to understand that Jesus’ work reaches across nations, and binds us together in friendship. This important truth helps churches to contribute to the common good of our multicultural society.’

^{Picture 1: The Revd John Proctor shaking hands with the Revd Emmanuel Amey}

^{Picture 2: From left to right, the Revd Derrick Dzandu-Hedidor, Mr Alan Yates, the Rt Revd Dr Seth Agidi, the Revd Dr Emmanuel Amey, and the Revd John Proctor}