THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NIGERIA MY CHURCH!
The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria is part of the
world-wide tradition of Reformed and Presbyterian churches, and so believes in
the Gospel of God's sovereign grace in Christ over all realms of life. The PCN
has adopted the Westminster Confession of Faith and other confessions of the
Reformed tradition as part of its doctrinal standards, subordinate standards
only to the scriptures. Presbyterian witness in Nigeria began in April 10, 1846
through the initiative of freed slaves from Jamaica, Scottish missionaries and
the kings of Calabar. The church initially operated as a Presbytery of Biafra,
with its constitution in 1858, then as a Synod of Biafra with its constitution
of 1921, and following that as the Presbyterian Church of Biafra with the
constitution of 1945. In 1952 the name was changed to Presbyterian Church of
Eastern Nigeria, and with Nigerian independence in 1960, it became The
Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (PCN).
Ordination (P&P G 14)
The PCN trains and ordain into the ministry all sexes men
and women. The first woman minister was ordained in 1982 in the person of Rev
Mgbeke George Okore from Ututu Presbytery of the Synod of the East. Today there
are over fifty women ministers serving the church. Every minister of the Church
both male and female are sworn to oath to keep Peace in all domain of ministry:
ORDINATION VOW NO. 6:
“Do you promise to
seek the unity and peace of this Church, to uphold the doctrine, worship,
government, and discipline thereof, and to cherish a spirit of brotherhood
towards all followers of the Lord
Minister replys:
YES I DO
MISSION
The church is currently engaged in mission work to
traditionally non-Presbyterian and non-Christian parts of Nigeria, Cotonou in
the Republic of Benin and Lomé in Togo, Burkina Fasso, Mali etc. This move into
mission is coordinated by the National Directorate Of Missions established in
1998. The PCN has churches in all the states
of Nigeria including Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. The present
concerns is the establishment of a Presbyterian university, Hope Waddell
University at Okagwe Ohafia to supplement the training of her ministers and
members already going own in her two theological Colleges Essien Ukpabio
Presbyterian Theological College Itu and Hugh Goldie Lay/Theological Training
Institution Arochukwu. Peace and Conflict Studies are taught in the two
theological instutions as compulsory subjects.
PARTNER CHURCHES
The partner churches of PCN are the Church of Scotland,
the Presbyterian Church in Canada, the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the
Protestant Church of the Netherlands.
Interchurch organisations
The PCN is a member of the World Council of Churches, the
All Africa Conference of Churches. She is a member of the Christian Association
of Nigeria, the Christian Council of Nigeria, the World Communion of Reformed
Churches, the ARCA and the Reformed Ecumenical Council and the Reformed
Ecumenical Council of Nigeria as of 2006.
POLITY STRUCTURE: CHURCH COURTS
The PCN runs a four-court system of church polity. These
are the session, Presbytery, Synod and General Assembly. Each court has elected
or appointed officers namely the moderators, clerks, and treasurers and appointed
legal advisers. These officers have their dressing code to indicate their
ranks. Each of the courts perform Legislative, executive and judiciary
functions within the church polity. The
courts are not autonomous but a family unit observing a hierarchy of court
order and relationships. The higher courts give orders to the lower courts
while the lower courts overture the higher courts.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY. (P & P 1989) PART G. 13.0100)
The PCN General Assembly is the Supreme Court of the
Church. The GA meets biennially with one third of the commissioners
representing the rest of their brethren. The General Assembly has a Prelate and
Moderator addressed as the Most Reverend. The GA Clerk is called the Principal
Clerk and also has a Deputy Clerk. The G A Treasurer is now addressed as the
General Assembly Accountant. The General Assembly Executive Committee (GAEC)
does work of the GA while the GA is yet to meet. The General Assembly executes
her technical services through technical and professional Boards, Committees
and Commissions. Example of these technical board include Medical, Finance, Finance,
Personnel and Training etc.
REGIONAL SYNODS (P & P 1989) PART G. 12.0100)
The Synod is the appeal court in the Presbyterian system
for the Presbyteries under her. When there are disputes among Presbyteries and
high ranking church officers, the synod usually looks into the matter in the
Presbyterian system. The PCN has at
the present nine Synods. Synods have Moderators and Clerks with a Treasurer as
her officers. Synod meet once a year but
her services are carried on during the year by a Synod Executive Committee
(SEC) Synods also have technical committees that handle her services. Such
committees may include Synod Education. Finance, Ministry, etc. Committees, The
PCN has the following Synods at the Present:
• Synod of
Akwa with head office at Uyo
• Synod of
Calabar with head office at Calabar
• Synod of
the East with head office at Ohafia
• Synod of
East Central with head office at Abakaliki
• Synod of
Mid-East with head office at Afikpo
• Synod of
North with head office at Abuja
• Synod of
South Central with head office at Aba
• Synod of
Upper Cross River, with head office at Ugep
• Synod of
West with head office at Yaba, Lagos
PRESBYTERY: (P & P 1989) PART G. 11.0100)
The Presbytery in the Presbyterian church of Nigeria is
the conciliar Bishop that handle the conflicts and cases of ordained ministers,
parishes and worship centres Presbytery is created by the Acts of the GA and
inaugurated by the Synod Presbytery oversees the affairs of the parishes and
minister within her boundary. They oversee the places of worship and services
of ordinal. Presbyteries officers
include Presbytery Moderator, Clerk and Treasurer. The moderators though not
bishops has purple has dress code for ecumenical reasons. The Presbytery
officers make up the executives of the Presbytery. Presbytery is an open court
and voting membership include all the inducted or received ministers within the
bounds and equal number of commissioned elders in writing from parishes or
equalized by the power of the presbytery. In attendance to Presbytery could
include such resource members as the Parish treasurers, GA officer holders
within bounds, Probationers and Provers, Arms leaders etc. These have no voting
rights and cannot be part of the Presbytery meeting in camera.
SESSION (PARISH) (P & P 1989) PART G. 10.0100 &
G. 07.0100)
Personal cases and conflict between members of the Church
are handled by the Parish Session in a closed court form. Session settle
conflicts and bring peace to members and the parish. Each created and inaugurated Parish has a
Parish Session, formerly called kirk (church) session, as the court of first
instance for the members and congregations within the Parish. Each Session is
moderated by an inducted minister. Only elders ordained and admitted by the
Session are members of the Session. The Session is the only CLOSED COURT in the
PCN polity. None members are not allowed into the Session unless on invitation
for specific agenda. Session information are not for general consumption unless
those for intimation. Sessions determine who is a member of the PCN.
PARISH BOARD.
This was formerly called congregational Board. The Board
membership is equal number of elders to equal number communicant members drawn
from parish roll book. One third of these equalizing members retired annually
and are replaced during the stated annual meeting. The Parish Board is not a
court but a committee that handles the material and financial resources of the
Church. The inducted minister of a
parish, by office, is the chairman of the Parish Board, but where he declines,
a member of the Board could be elected to do chair the board for a period.
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