1.0 EARLY HISTORY OF THE EPRC

PREAMBLE: ―All authority in Heaven and on Earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:18-20 ).

2.0 INTRODUCTION AND EARLY BEGINNING

Empowered by this Biblical mandate, the founders of the EPRC, formerly known as the Presbyterian Church of Ghana Mission (PCGM), swam across the tide and cut against the grain to establish this church in the Bronx, New York. The architects, Rev. Andrew Akwasi Aboagye, Mr. S.K. Atakora (Presbyter), Edward Ansong (Presbyter) were invited to the house of Ms. Mercy Asiedu to pray for her. At the next meeting, Janet’s household joined the group for prayer and that meeting became the genesis of the church on May 3rd,1998 at the residential address; 2059 Davidson Avenue, Apartment 2C. Hitherto the members were worshipping with the Presbyterian Church of Ghana in Harlem, New York. Membership began to increase and on May 24th, 1998 the group moved to another apartment of Mercy Asiedu which was more spacious. Twenty five (25) members were present that day.
They included; Rev. A. A. Aboagye, Edward Ansong, S.K. Atakora, Mercy Asiedua, Asante Asiamah, Joyce Boakye, Emma Boakye, Derek Boakye, Alberta Boakye, Boafoo Boakye, Boakyewaa Boakye, Otema Boakye, David Martey, Andrew Martey, Ruth Aboagye and others. Elders; Alfred Bediako, Grace Obeng and others joined later. On August 2nd 1998, the group moved to 1272 Ogden Avenue, Bronx, NY 10452 with the assistance of Rev. Dr. Jon Norton of the RCA.
Thirty three worshippers worshipped in the Ogden Church the first day. The first session members (interim) of this new group were:

• Rev. A.A. Aboagye (Chairman),
• Seth Atakora (Senior Presbyter),
• Edward Ansong (Clerk of Session),
• Late Oko Danso(Treasurer).

Other members were:

• Betty Osei-Mensah,
• Janet Dwamena,
• Mercy Asiedua, and
• Alfred Bediako.

The church grew rapidly to about 80 members worshipping every Sunday at the Ogden Sanctuary.

3.0 SUDDEN BREAK-UP:

The PCGM suffered a break up in 2003 on the issue of whether to be a fellowship or an affiliate under the PCUSA-Presbytery of New York City and the Reformed Church in America (RCA) or to operate as Presbyterian Church of Ghana Mission directly under the Presbyterian Church of Ghana. The congregation was sharply divided on this issue and about 80% of the 120 membership left to form the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church of Ghana in Bronx, New York. The remaining group pastored by Rev. A.A. Aboagye continued to worship at the Ogden sanctuary, however, under serious financial difficulties. Within a year, membership grew up to 45. But the PCGM suffered a more serious trauma when the Rev. A.A. Aboagye left to respond to a call in Columbus, Ohio to be the Organizing Pastor for the Ramseyer Presbyterian Church. During that same period, the Classis of New York (RCA) decided to close down the United Highbridge Reformed Church with whom the PCGM shared the Ogden facility. The PCGM was asked to vacate the premise to an Interim Administrative Committee of the RCA to decide on the fate of the RCA property, either for sale or re-designate its utilization in the community.

4.0 THE PCGM CONGREGATION IN SURVIVAL STRUGGLE

The PCGM without; a leader, funds, a place of worship was faced with a triple challenge for survival. A Prayer Warrior Team was formed to network with some PCG leaders including Catechist Aboa-Offei, Elder Samuel Asare, Rt. Rev. Dr. Yaw Frimpong Manso (Moderator, PCG). The Team of Warriors and the whole congregation sprang up to action and prayed for God’s intervention in their situation. Members were: Elder Alfred Bediako, Bright Kwaku Duah, Elder Christina Serwaa, Elder Grace Obeng, Elder Ophelia Obeng, Johnson Saka Adomako, Kennedy Opare and others.

It was this same period of struggle for survival that Elder Dr. David Ofori, Jnr. also joined the church. With his administrative and entrepreneurial skills, Dr. Ofori led the church as Chairman of the Session and Interim overseer. He, with the help of the session, recovered and secured the church’s bank account, salvaged the church’s official documents and equipments and launched an economic recovery campaign to restore the church’s depleted coffers. He also pursued the affiliation process with the PCUSA and RCA. Together with the session and the entire congregation, he worked tirelessly for a new Pastor from PCG who will lead the Congregation to her dream land. Before the Rev. Dr. Amoah-Kuma came to take over the spiritual and temporal oversight of the Church, the Rev. Joseph Kusi-Achampong and his wife Rev. Georgina Achampong offered pastoral care and leadership to the Orphaned congregation.

The fruit of the partnership with PCUSA and RCA is the release of Rev. Dr. Kwame Amoah-Kuma to take spiritual and temporal oversight of the church. This struggle was supervised by a dynamic Task Force set up by the Presbytery of New York City with its membership as: Rev. Pauline Haynes (Chair), Rev. Peggy Thomas, Rev. Dr. Glen Missich, Rev. Dr. Jon Norton, Rev. Samuel Atiemo, Rev. Agnes Blackmon, Elder Dr. David Ofori, Elder Nana Osei-Nyarko together with the Stated Clerks of both PNYC and Classis of NY(RCA).

The outcome of this partnership is the birth of the Emmanuel Presbyterian Reformed Church.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!