United Congregational Church of Southern Africa
October 2009

The United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA), one of Global Ministries' partners in mission, has churches in five countries in southern Africa (Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe) and is both multiracial and transnational.  It also has a diverse history, being constituted by churches who trace their history to Congregational missionaries from both Europe and the United States.

On October 4, 2009, the twenty churches of the Kei Region gathered together in a community hall to celebrate being Congregationalists. The morning began with a parade where bands marched and congregants carried banners. The parade led through King William's Town and into the hall where the service took place.  Worship began with songs of celebration from the choir, prayers of joy from the ministers, praises and hymns from the congregation, and a sermon from the General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Prince Dibeela. This was indeed a day that the Lord made and we rejoice both in the history of the UCCSA, the privilege of being partners in mission, and the many and varied ways its churches are ministering with and to their communities today. 

Revs. Jon and Dawn Barnes

Jonathan and Dawn Barnes are missionaries with the Kei Regional Council of the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa, South Africa.  They serve as development officers in the Kei region of the Eastern Cape of South Africa.