Presbyterian Church in Ireland - Mission Overseas - Item

Skip Navigation

Montage of images showing the wide range of work carried out by Mission Overseas

PCEA UK Outreach

PCEA UK Outreach was born out of the desire to reach out to, and care for pastorally, the significant East African community, and Kenyans in particular, who are living and working in London, as well as other major cities in the UK.

Rev Edwin Kibathi baptising an infantIn April 2006, Rev Edwin Kibathi and his wife, Anne, were commissioned by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) to a new work of church planting ministry amongst the East African diaspora in the UK.

Since arriving in the UK in May 2006, and encouraged by the pastoral oversight of Plaistow Christian Centre, a United Reformed Church congregation, the Kibathis have planted a growing and vibrant church of Kenyan expatriates, mainly former members of the PCEA who have come to study or work in London.

At present there are some 50 adults, 20 teenagers and 15 children on the membership role of the PCEA UK Outreach congregation in London, and there are also two home groups meeting regularly.  

The work has many challenges, and pastoral duties extend to:

  • Orientation and advice for new arrivals.
  • Chaplaincy for those in transit or stranded at airports.
  • Visiting those in police cells, prison and detention centres.
  • Supporting people through court cases.
  • Providing a telephone support ministry for East Africans further afield in the UK.

There has also been opportunity to participate in some national events organised by the Office of the Kenya High Commission, London.

 

A youth meeting of PCEA UK OutreachPlans for the future include the possibility of a youth exchange programme for the young people from PCI and PCEA UK Outreach.

While there is a particular focus to the work in East London, the Kibathis have had pastoral contact with many Kenyans in the greater London area, indeed in a number of major cities in England and Scotland. During the PCEA Moderator’s visit to the UK in early 2009, the Glasgow and London meetings each attracted more than 100 people.


PCEA UK Outreach is currently meeting in London at:

Brickfield Christian Centre
Welfare Road
Stratford
London
E15 4HT

Opposite NEWHAM COLLEGE Stratford cumpus

Contact in Scotland:
Mrs Kimani - Tel: +44 (0)141 221 4259


Welcoming migrants and helping them integrate

It is very important that we in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) face up to the challenge of building a welcoming community for migrants. As the number of minority ethnic Christians grows in the UK and Ireland, new migrant churches are very much part of the growth.

PCEA UK Outreach serviceIt is recognised that a mono-ethnic church can be an important first step for new arrivals to our country, providing cultural roots at a time of feeling very uprooted. It provides an opportunity for new arrivals to worship in their heart language, with second and third generations hopefully bridging gap between cultures, and journeying towards multicultural worship.

One of the challenges is to empower church leaders in mono-ethnic congregations whatever the background, to strive for greater integration and to hold on to the vision of becoming diverse, inclusive and flexible multicultural congregations.

 

This page was last updated: 14/10/11
Bookmark and Share