OUR

HISTORY
The Church of Pentecost was founded by Pastor James McKeown (1900-1989), an Irish missionary sent by the Apostolic Church, Bradford in the United Kingdom to the Gold Coast (now Ghana) in 1937. The precursor to the church of Pentecost in the United Kingdom was the Pentecost Association of UK and Eire (PAUKE). Prior to the formation of PAUKE, many Ghanaian Christians in London were members of Ghana Christian Fellowship. The church had begun as a fellowship among Ghanaian migrant community. This community was created with fellow brethren that had travelled and lost their salvation upon life in the U.K.

Detailed History

1970s to 1980s

Key Figures

The key Pentecostal figures in these groups and churches in the 1970s and early 1980s were Elder Emmanuel Apea (an official of the Ghana Embassy in London), Elder Kofi Asamoah, Elder John Acheampong, Elder Abraham Doku Lawrence (who later became an Elim Church Pastor), Elder Kabenia (now deceased), and Brothers Samuel Okwei-Nortey (now Elder, and former National Deacon), Kontoh (now Elder), and Newton Nyarko (now Apostle)

1989

October

Pastor Kwame Blankson was sent by the COP Executive as the first chaplain (Resident Missionary_ to the Pentecost/PAUKE community in London

Ilford assembly created

Ilford assembly served as the central church of PAUKE
1991

Vauxhall

Vauxhall assembly created (Now Camberwell assembly)  

(The outward expansion of PAUKE started in August 1991 with the planting of its second assembly)  

 *A total of eleven (11) assembly were opened during the pioneering leadership of Pastor Blankson. During this period membership grew from around 30 in 1989 to 1000 in 1996. 

1992

Croydon & Wembley

Croydon assembly– (1st P/Elder – Elder Samuel Opoku Boateng) 
Wembley assembly (now Harlesden) – (1st P/Elder – Elder Ampoma Sakyi) 
1993

Tottenham

Tottenham assembly is created – (1st P/Elder – Elder Kwame Nkrumah) 
1994

Hackney

Hackney (English) now FGT-PIWC is created -(1st P/Elder – Elder Anthony Antwi Darkwah) 
1995

4 New Assemblies

East ham assembly is created – (1st P/Elder – Elder Sam Okwei-Nortey) 

Tooting Bec assembly (now Clapham South) is created – (1st P/Elder – Elder Ntim Gyakare)
New Addington assembly is created – (1st P/Elder – Elder Slyvester Wiafe)
Deptford assembly is created – (1st P/Elder – Pastor Osei Owusu Afriyie)

1996

The second Resident Missionary

Highgate assembly (now archway) is created– (1st P/Elder – Elder Kojo Yeboah) 

Pastor Blankson leaves as resident missionary  

Apostle Robert Asomaning Sarpong arrives as second resident missionary  

(His vision was to continue to evangelize London and to consolidate the pioneering work of his predecessor) 

Frequent worship begins at the Carter Place building  

Edmonton assembly is created  

1999

The third Resident Missionary

Apostle N. A. O. Amegatcher arrives to serve as the third Resident Missionary 

Apostle Amegatcher’s vision was to reach out to other cities and towns in the UK and to win other nationals for Christ. Thus he oversaw the planting of Churches outside of London. This included cities like Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Harlow, Oxford, Crawley and Reading.

During this time the planting of Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) were initiated in almost all the Districts between 1996 to 2006  

Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) refers to the Church of Pentecost’s internationally focused English-language churches, which maintains the church’s strong tenets, while adapting the worship experience to better suit the demographic of the nation’s populace.

2001

First National Youth Conference

First National Youth Conference held at Derbyshire, a week-long gathering of all young people of the church under the leadership of Pastor (now Apostle) George Korankye
2006

The fourth Resident Missionary

Apostle M. S. Appiah arrives to serve as the fourth Resident Missionary 

Under his leadership that the Church was de-centralised into two administrative Areas i.e. Manchester Area and London Metropolitan Area 

The flagship Monday Prayer Clinic at Dagenham is established – this has been a weekly prayer programme with connotations inspired from engaging in Spiritual health checks as one would a physical health check.

2008 - 2010

August

The church  acquired its own charity number as the Church of Pentecost-UK (COP-UK). 

The planting of the first Church of Pentecost Worship Centre in Cardiff in South Wales 

UK church was also involved in pioneering missions work in the Indian ocean islands of Seychelles and Mauritius.  

First National outdoor crusade dubbed ‘In the Name of Jesus’ held at Lordship recreational grounds, Tottenham

Apostle Newton O. Nyarko returns back from missions in Greece and Israel to the U.K. as Area Head of the London north area.

During this time the number of districts increased from 13 to 16 (with 17 ministers) 

2011

April

First residential National Easter Convention was also held at Nottingham 

August

Apostle Newton O. Nyarko becomes the fifth National Head and the first UK-called minister to assume the headship of the Church 
2013 - 2015

Growth

National Youth Conference returns after a hiatus since 2009, under the new leadership  

Pastor (now Apostle) Edmund and Mrs Appiah were transferred from Fountain Gate Tabernacle PIWC District to lead the churches in Finland as National head 

By 30th June 2014 the total membership stood at 13,768, comprising 8,237 adult members above 19 years, 1,585 Teenagers and 3,951 children 

August 2015

Pastor (now Apostle) George and Mrs Susan Korankye return from missions in Greece and Israel to the U.K. as Area head of Manchester Area  

Pastor Raymond and Mrs Martha Odei were transferred from Fountain Gate Tabernacle PIWC District to lead the churches in Greece and Israel as National head 

2016

The 6th National Head

Apostle Osei Owusu-Afriyie is the 6th National Head and the second UK-called minister to assume the headship of the Church 

Pastor Abraham and Mrs Rose Arthur were transferred from Glasgow District to lead the church in Ukraine as National head  

2022

Our 7th National Head

Apostle Dr Lord Elorm Donkor and his family the office as National Head on 18th September 2022.
Indeed, God has been faithful! As of 2019 the church had a total membership of 19,230 members, 159 local church branches and 342 new converts within the year. In the years before this newly ordained ministers have been sent on missions from the United Kingdom to Hong Kong, Cyprus and Turkey.


His promises are never failing and He continues to build His church. To God be the Glory!