Presbyterian Church in Uganda

The Presbyterian Church in Uganda was founded in the 1970s by the Ugandan pastor Keefa Sempangi,{{cite web|url=http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/19/650189|title=Mukono residents get free eye treatment|date=18 September 2008|publisher=NewVision|accessdate=14 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402095856/http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/19/650189|archive-date=2 April 2015|url-status=dead}} who had pastored that time a large Pentecostal church in Kampala, the Redeemed Church, he was a member of the Parliament in that time. In 1973 Kefa Sempangi had to emigrate, because of the persecution of Idi Amin. He settled in the Netherlands, where he had been introduced the Reformed faith.{{Cite web|url=http://ministryblue.com/kefa.html|title=Kefa Sempangi}} Later he was invited to study in the United States and become a student of the Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.{{cite web |url=http://1stpresuganda.org/history.htm |title=Welcome to PCU History |accessdate=2013-05-05 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130313092612/http://www.1stpresuganda.org/history.htm |archivedate=2013-03-13 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.pcusecretariat.org/history.htm |title=History |accessdate=2013-04-05 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615095857/http://pcusecretariat.org/history.htm |archivedate=2013-06-15 }}

He returned home in 1979 with the help of American missionaries and began to start the Presbyterian church. The first church was organised in that year in Kampala, Uganda; this was the First Presbyterian Church in Kampala, Uganda. The church organised Westminster Theological Seminary in Uganda to train and equip national pastors. A split occurred in the church in 1989 when the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Uganda was formed.{{Cite web|url=http://www.reformiert-online.net/adressen/detail.php?id=13341&lg=eng|title = Address data base of Reformed churches and institutions}}{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=edhZ_g-RvyMC&q=reformed+church+in+ethiopia&pg=PA152 |title = Historical Dictionary of the Reformed Churches|isbn = 9780810870239|last1 = Benedetto|first1 = Robert|last2 = McKim|first2 = Donald K.|date = 2009-10-06| publisher=Scarecrow Press }}

The PCU founding congregations across Uganda, the number of churches and members are growing rapidly.[http://www.deverrenaasten.nl/projects/view/25/oeganda-pcu-algemene-kosten-nld-5bbr Deverrenaasten Netherlands website] The church is a member of the World Reformed Fellowship.{{cite web |url=http://wrfnet.org/web/guest/aboutwrf/membershiplist |title=The World Reformed Fellowship - Membership List |accessdate=2013-02-17 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120730014055/http://wrfnet.org/web/guest/aboutwrf/membershiplist |archivedate=2012-07-30 }}[http://www.reformiert-online.net www.reformiert-online.net] There have been mission projects in Central Uganda, and across the country.{{cite web |url=http://1stpresuganda.org/daughter%20churches.htm |title=Some of our Daughter Churches |accessdate=2013-12-17 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217221812/http://1stpresuganda.org/daughter%20churches.htm |archivedate=2013-12-17 }}

The Orthodox Presbyterian Church (USA) begun work in Mbale, Uganda since 1995, and later the mission moved to Karamoja. The Orthodox Presbyterian Churches in Mbele holds provisional membership in the PCU, but they are full incorporated as Mbale Presbytery.{{Cite web |url=http://www.opum.org/about-us/ |title=About Us @ OPC Uganda Mission |access-date=2013-05-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304043605/http://www.opum.org/about-us/ |archive-date=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www.pcusecretariat.org/presbyteries.html |title=Presbyteries |accessdate=2013-05-05 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120427003753/http://www.pcusecretariat.org/presbyteries.html |archivedate=2012-04-27 }}[http://www.opc.org/whatis.html/Foreign%20Missions Orthodox Presbyterian Church website]

The church has Presbyterian government. In the local level there is the congregation with teaching elders, ruling elders and deacons, the presbytery is the middle governing body, currently there are Semuliki Presbytery, Kapchorwa presbytery, Gulu, Kampala, Central, Mbale presbyteries and Rwenzori and Eastern presbyteries are in dialogue to integrate into the Presbyterian Church in Uganda.{{cite web |url=http://pcusecretariat.org/presbyteries.html |title=Presbyteries |accessdate=2013-03-01 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120427003753/http://www.pcusecretariat.org/presbyteries.html |archivedate=2012-04-27 }}

The General Assembly is the highest level of government. The church maintains its headquarters in Kampala, Uganda.

The Presbyterian Church in Uganda is theologically Reformed church, that subscribes the historic creeds:

• Apostles Creed
• Westminster Confession of Faith
• Westminster Shorter Catechism
• Westminster Larger Catechism{{cite web |url=http://www.pcusecretariat.org/whoweare.htm |title=Who we are |accessdate=2013-04-25 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120427003803/http://www.pcusecretariat.org/whoweare.htm |archivedate=2012-04-27 }}

Reformed theology is

• Universal
• Evangelical
• God is Sovereign

God is initiates the Covenant of Grace

• Total depravity
• Unconditional election
• Limited atonement
• Irresistible grace
• Perseverance of the saints{{cite web |url=http://www.wtcwtsuganda.org/index.php/reformed-theology |title=Our Reformed Theology |accessdate=2013-04-25 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103214031/http://www.wtcwtsuganda.org/index.php/reformed-theology |archivedate=2012-11-03 }}

• Sola Scriptura
• Sola Fide
• Soli Deo Gloria
• Sola Gratia
• Solus Christus{{cite web |url=http://1stpresuganda.org/beliefs.htm |title=Welcome to Our Beliefs-Page |accessdate=2013-05-05 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130703160857/http://1stpresuganda.org/beliefs.htm |archivedate=2013-07-03 }}

Westminster Theological seminary and College begun in 1996 in the worship center of First Presbyterian Church in Kampala. First students were Ugandan. Classes begun in Zana in 1998.{{cite web |url=http://www.wtcwtsuganda.org/index.php/our-history |title=Our History |website=www.wtcwtsuganda.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111022172450/http://www.wtcwtsuganda.org/index.php/our-history |archive-date=2011-10-22}} Student number grew rapidly. Students from Sudan begun to come in 1999. New facilities were built A seminary was founded in 2007.[http://www.wtcwtsuganda.org www.wtcwtsuganda.org] The Seminary is the official theological institution of the Presbyterian Church in Uganda. It is located now in Kampala, Uganda.{{cite web |url=http://www.wtcwtsuganda.org/index.php/our-church |title=Our Church |website=www.wtcwtsuganda.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105224725/http://www.wtcwtsuganda.org/index.php/our-church |archive-date=2012-11-05}}

The Presbyterian Church in Uganda has fraternal relations with the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated) through the Reformed Mission Utrecht.[http://www.deverrenaasten.nl/projecten Deverrenaasten Netherlands website]{{cite web |url=http://www.bbk.gkv.nl/oeganda/718/ |title=BBK - Internationale contacten - landen - afrika - oeganda |website=www.bbk.gkv.nl |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020070259/http://www.bbk.gkv.nl/oeganda/718/ |archive-date=2013-10-20}} and the Presbyterian Church in America through the Mission to the World.{{cite web |url=http://www.pcusecretariat.org/partnerships.htm |title=Partnerships |accessdate=2013-04-05 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120427003743/http://www.pcusecretariat.org/partnerships.htm |archivedate=2012-04-27 }}

• Religion in Uganda

{{Reflist|2}}

• [http://www.wtcwtsuganda.org Westminster Theological Seminary website]
• [https://www.facebook.com/zanacpc Zana Community Presbyterian Church]
• [https://www.opum.org Orthodox Presbyterian Uganda Mission [OPUM]]

{{World Reformed Fellowship}}

{{Christianity in Uganda}}

Category:Presbyterian denominations in Africa

Category:Presbyterianism in Uganda

Category:Members of the World Reformed Fellowship