Thousands of people in Malawi’s northern city of Mzuzu attended the special celebrations over the weekend to mark the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the original Christian mission in Livingstonia. On Saturday, PCI’s Moderator, Right Rev Dr Trevor Gribben, preached at the opening of the celebrations.
The Moderator, Right Reverend Dr Trevor Gribben The Moderator, Dr Gribben, preaching through an interpreter during the service of thanksgiving.
Founded by Scottish Presbyterians in 1875, it led to the setting up of the Synod of Livingstonia, and 49 years later with the Synod of Blantyre in 1924, the establishment of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP), one of PCI’s global mission partners.
Today the CCAP consists of five synods, three of which are in Malawi, the remaining two are in Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Synod of Livingstonia has 214 congregations and more than 1,600 prayer houses throughout Malawi’s northern region, with around 200,000 adult members, its General Secretary, Rev William Tembo, attended and spoke at PCI’s General Assembly in June.
On Saturday morning, the Moderator joined the anniversary march from the Synod offices to the Mzuzu football stadium for the public thanksgiving service, where he preached on the theme of the celebration ‘Tell the people to move forward’ from the Book of Joshua.
Speaking after the service, Dr Gribben said,
In advance of arriving I recognised that it was a real privilege to be invited to preach at the Livingstonia Synod 150th celebration service. Having stood before the crowd of several thousand, and preached in the Mzuzu Stadium, it was not just a privilege but it was also an amazing experience.
There was a real sense of listening as we looked together at Joshua 3 and God's guidance for going into our future, looking to and trusting Him. It was indeed a great honour.
Malawi Celebrations
Following the service, Dr Gribben was presented with a special carved wooden plaque by Synod Moderator, Rev JM Kamisa, which commemorated PCI's contribution to the Church in northern Malawi.
While the President of Malawi was expected to attend, he was unable to. However, he was represented by the Minister of Agriculture Hon. Sam Kawale, who the Moderator met.
Around three quarters of the country’s 22 million people claim membership of a Christian church. PCI’s relationship with Church of Central Africa Presbyterian, which is Malawi’s largest reformed denomination, began in the mid-1950s.
In 1958 Rev Bill Jackson became PCI’s first missionary to go to Malawi and since then more than 90 men and women from PCI have followed in his footsteps. Some of them attended celebrations with Dr Gribben.
Overseas Visit, Moderator, Global Mission, Partner Churches & Organisations, Commemorations
The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI), Right Rev Dr Trevor Gribben, has been given the honour of preaching at the Mzuzu football stadium in northern M…
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