HISTORY OF THE
CHURCH OF
PENTECOST-
UK
MILTON KEYNES DISTRICT
Taking stock of God’s faithfulness over the past decade to COP-UK
Milton Keynes is a huge undertaking. The truth is that the blessings of God to the District is so great and bountiful that we can count but not name them one by one when we factor in the unseen aspect of God’s manifold blessings to COP-UK. All around us we see tangible evidence of God’s grace characterised by increase, promotion, favour, provision, healing, honour and most importantly his presence with the flock at The Church of Pentecost- UK, Milton Keynes District
COP-UK Milton Keynes had its first service on
the 20th of February 2000 in a room at
29 Fishermead Boulevard in
Milton Keynes. Six people attended the inaugural meeting under the leadership of Pastor Isaac Abankwah who was then an Elder of the church. Currently COP-UK has one hundred and thirty one members in addition to others who regularly visit but are yet to take up membership. Over the years the faithfulness of God is seen through growth and increase. The church continues to record growth in spiritual things and in things physical, COP-UK members have by God’s unfailing grace gained valuable points in the area of marriages, child births, professional development, career progress, healing, financial success etc We believe scripture in Job chapter 8 verse 7 (NIV) “Your beginning will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be” aptly epitomize the story of COP-UK.
As we mark a decade of excellence and we render thanks to God for all his goodness to COP-UK we think it’s in order to bless God for the lives of men of God who have toiled in the vineyard of the Lord at COP-UK in particular and our district generally.
We say well done and God bless you to the following personalities:
Apostle & Mrs Amegatcher
Apostle & Mrs M.S. Appiah
Apostle & Mrs O.O.Afriyie
Rev & Mrs Kwasi Otoo
Rev & Mrs Korankye
Overseer & Mrs Abankwah
Elder Ernest Asare- Ankomah
Elder & Mrs Addo
We also acknowledge with gratitude to God the highly valued service rendered by Presbyters and movement executives past and present to the progress of God’s work. May God richly bless you.
Following the inaugural meeting at Fishermead, the church later relocated to the
Netherfield Meeting Place. God blessed the work at COP-UK and it grew in leaps and bounds to the glory of His name. The church initially met on Friday evenings and Sunday mornings. However owing to the growing demand of the work the church started a Sunday evening prayer meeting to accommodate the needs of those who could not attend the Sunday morning service owing to work commitments.
The church had a distinct Holy Ghost vibrancy in its worship and various people served the Lord with their all. The then Resident Missionary, Apostle Amegatcher and Mrs. Dorothy Amegatcher worked diligently to support the baby COP-UK. They regularly spent weekends in
Milton Keynes visiting and encouraging members in the things of God. Overseer Abankwah’s congenial personality coupled with his capacity to shoulder responsibility helped grow the work. From time to time Apostle Amegatcher sent officers to support the District during Sunday morning services. Some of those who availed themselves to be used by the Lord in the early days of the church in
Milton Keynes are Elder Anthony Darkwa and Deaconess Jean Darkwa the present national Women’s leader, Elder Otoo, Elder Dr Mensah and Deaconess Doris Mensah and Elder Asare Ankomah who later relocated to
Milton Keynes. Rev Kwasi Otoo built on the solid foundation laid and having been endowed with the implements of labour to break ground by our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ carved Emmanuel Assembly out of COP-UK in July 2003. The work continued to prosper during the ministry of Apostle Osei Owusu Afriyie from late summer 2003 to end of August 2007. Prior to the establishment of COP-UK Milton Keynes Apostle Afriyie and others have spearheaded outreach campaigns in
Milton Keynes to break ground for the work of the Lord. Rev George Korankye and his family arrived on
the 1st of September 2007 to continue the work of the Lord. The ministry of Pastor Korankye has been a great blessing to the work of the Lord in the District. These ministers of the gospel were ably supported by Elders Abankwah, Asare Ankomah, Accorley and Addo who have served and in the case of Elder Addo continues to serve as the Presiding Elder.
In 2002, Elder Nana Ocansey and Deaconess Narkie Ocansey were the first people to be ordained in the District as Deacon and Deaconess. In July 2003, Rev Kwasi Otoo who was in charge of the District carved an Akan Assembly christened Emmanuel Assembly out of COP-UK to meet the needs of Christians who preferred Akan services to worship service in English. Towards the end of August 2003 COP-UK, Emmanuel and Luton were put together in a District designated as the
Milton Keynes and Luton District. Pastor Edmund Appiah who was then an Elder of the church has initiated evangelistic efforts which resulted in the establishment of the church at
Luton. Pastor Osei Owusu Afriyie as he then was was posted to the District as the District Pastor.
Pastor Isaac Abankwah then an elder of the church who by God’s grace played a pivotal pioneering role in the life of COP-UK was transferred to Emmanuel Assembly as the Presiding Elder. Elder Ernest Asare Ankomah who had then relocated to
Milton Keynes took over as the Presiding Elder. God continued to bless the work at COP-UK and growth recorded necessitated the relocation of the Sunday service to a bigger hall at
Langlands
School. The church later moved to Simpson school before finally relocating to James Mckeown Hall. Prior to the establishment of Emmanuel Assembly the national leadership of the church provided COP-UK with a grant of £5000 which was added to funds raised by the District to purchase the seventeen seater mini bus currently used by the District. At the time the bus was purchased the assembly was looking for a driver and Deacon Alex Darko volunteered to drive the bus. He discharged his duties with distinction and ferried worshippers to and from meetings for many years. He blazed the trail in this area of ministry and young men like Deacon Okyere, Deacon Adjei Fordjuor, and Brother Ato Enchill have followed his noble example. COP-UK continued to grow in all spheres and has in the past decade continued to preach the good news of the gospel passionately.
Missions have been part of the pre-occupation of COP-UK and the District played a key role in the establishment of
Bethel, Wellingborough and Bedford Assemblies. It provided officers to serve these assemblies at the time of their foundation. Elder Ameyaw was sent to preside over
Bedford when the church under the District Pastorship of Apostle Afriyie opened a branch in
Bedford. In the case of Wellingborough Elder Charles Kumi and Deacon Thomas Adueni were sent to support the work. Elders Appiah and Asare Ankomah with the support of the then Presbytery at COP-UK supported the initial work at
Bethel.
At the end of Elder Ernest Asare Ankomah’s term of office, Elder Martin Kofi Accorley succeeded Elder Asare Ankomah as Presiding Elder. Elder Accorley served the Lord with distinction and at the end of his term he was succeeded by Elder Emmanuel Addo the present Presiding Elder. It’s in order once again to place on record our appreciation for the selfless devotion to the work of the Lord by presbyters past and present. In the area of the work of the women’s movement the District recognises and appreciate the good work of all the women and their leaders past and present. We say God bless you to Deaconess Philomena Asare Ankomah, Deaconess Gladys Adjei Fordjour , Deaconess Narkie Ocansey , Deaconess Naana Bentsiwah, Deaconess Ivy Essiam and all those who have served and continue to serve on the executive committee of the Women’s movement. The Youth Ministry has grown remarkably strong over the past decade and as we celebrate the faithfulness of God, we bless God for the lives of Elders Hope, Mante, Fosu Twum, Deacon Caleb Amegatcher, Deaconness Ivy Essiam, Deacon Leonard Adjei Fordjour, Deacon Okyere and Deaconess Adjoa Adomah for their commitment in shaping young lives for the purposes of God. The men cannot be left out as we celebrate the faithfulness of God in the past decade and we take this opportunity to salute the men for their sterling effort in promoting the work of the Lord. It is particularly noteworthy to place on record the good work done by Elder Essiam, Deacon Oduro Boateng, Brother Nana Nunoo and other great men of God who have served on the PEMEF executive. As we look back with gratitude to God for a decade of excellence we praise God for the lives of past and present members of the Living Praise Choir whose angelic voices have through the ministry of the Holy Spirit soothed many a troubled soul. COP-UK run a best in class Sunday school service and as we acknowledge the growth of the work in this area, we recognise the hard work and dedication to duty of all teachers past and present. We say may the good Lord bless you for your effort in planting the word of God in the lives of these precious ones. We note with appreciation the work of Mrs Nana Yaa Hope, Deaconess Ivy Essiam, Mrs Sandra Okyere, Brother Kofi Sarfo, Sister Dora Amoah and Mrs Ama Goodger.
The care and maintenance of church property diligently is a huge responsibility. Many saints have served the District well in this area. On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of COP-UK, we salute you and wish you the very best of God’s rich blessings. We note with appreciation the efforts of Brother Abraham As are, Brother David Otroku, Elder Kingsley Fosu Twum and Deacon Oduro Boateng.
We note with gratitude to God, the support of Apostle Amegatcher, Apostle M.S. Appiah, Apostle Osei Owusu Afriyie, Pastor George Korankye, Pastor Isaac Abankwah, Elder Ernest Ankomah, Elder M.K. Accorley, Elder Emmanuel Addo and their spouses. The executives of the district past and present cannot be forgotten at this time.
We say God bless you to Pastor, Aseidu McCarthy, Elder Kofi Danso, Elder Nana Ocansey, Elder Hope, Elder Samuel Essiam, Deacon David Ampofo, Deacon John Amoa Gyekye (First District Secretary), Pastor David Baah, Bro. Walter Kpentey, Bro. Samuel Adjei, Bro. Albert Yaw Boateng, Deacon Alex Darko, Deaconess Asare Ankomah, Deaconess Gladys Adjei Fordjour, Deaconess Naana Bentsiwaah, Bro. Sammy Adjei, Bro. Michael Sasu, Bro. Abraham Asare, Deaconess Verity Darko, Deacon Eric Appiah, Deaconess Faustina Mensah, Deacon Henry Sarkodie, Mr and Mrs Ameku and others too numerous to mention for your highly valued support during the early days of the church.
As we look forward to the future we are assured by the precious word of the Lord in Matthew 16 verse 18 that the Lord will build his church and the gates of Hades will not be able to overcome it. We pray that COP-UK members will continually seek the Lord with all our heart even as we grow in intimacy to our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. To the youth l will urge you to reach the ends of the world with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. You can use your skill and understanding of new media technology coupled with intimacy with Jesus to raise the banner of Jesus as the only saviour and Lord to the nations of the world. May God bless you.
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