Background
Blantyre Synod
The CCAP is the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian, part of the world-wide church. Blantyre Synod is the component part of the CCAP for the Southern Region of Malawi.
Our mission is as follows:
The proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of mankind; the shelter, nurture and spiritual fellowship of the children of God; the promotion of divine worship; the preservation of the truth; the promotion of social righteousness and well-being of mankind. Different departments and institutions have been set with specific mandates to pursue programmes to achieve the objectives in order to fulfil the mission of the Synod.
The Church is Presbyterian
By "Presbyterian" we refer primarily to our form of Church government, which is by democratic Courts composed of ordained Ministers and elders. These Courts are so formed that Ministers (or "Teaching Elders") are never in a majority.....we recognize no hierarchy of priests or bishops. The Moderator of the Synod is the "first among equals", being for that time, recognized as the Chairman.
The Synod has many churches and one of them is Mt. Pleasant CCAP.
Mt. Pleasant CCAP Church Historical Background
In 1965, five families started Mulaga Prayers at Late Kachibekete’s house by Mr. Kachibekete, Mr. Andreya Nankumba, Mr. A. Mlelemba, Mr. Aggrey Masamba, Evangelist Shadric Wame, Mr. Richard Chiani, Evangelist Gongolo (PTS, Limbe) led by Rev. Masamba of St. Michael and All Angels. These prayers caught the attention of Christians around the camp and a number of attendants started to grow. Presbyterian Christians living in Blantyre Police lines and surrounding areas used to travel to St. Michael and All Angels for prayers, something which was not convenient for police officers after knocking off from night shifts, their children and the sick.
Due to increased number of Christians, Police Lines Mulaga (Home cell) became a prayer house in 1970 under St. Michael and All Angels and the Malawi Police Force Chaplain (since it was established in the police camp). At first, request to extend police canteen in order to accommodate the increasing number of members was rejected by the then Inspector General of Police because the building was the property of Malawi Government. Following the refusal to expand the police canteen, the then chef immigration Officer kindly allocated the current church plot for an alternative church building. Then permission was later granted by the then Inspector General to conduct prayers in the then police welfare Canteen building after thorough negotiations and consultations.
By 1984, the number of Christians grew to over 115 members comprised of police officers, immigration officers and those from Sunny Side, Mandala, Mbayani and other surrounding townships. As the then new Church in urban setting, there were concerns as to how it could cope with membership dominated by a dynamic youth and an active Christian community at a time when the congregation was carrying out a big church project. On 21st October, 1990, St. Michael and All Angels session approved appointment of a Building Committee for police prayer House under the chairmanship of Mr. S. O. Hara with Mr. Mlaga (or Mlanga) as its Treasurer. The first church account was opened at National Bank of Malawi in the city with an initial deposit of K3, 400.00.
Mt. Pleasant CCAP Church originally known as Mudi CCAP was elevated at Police Prayer House at a very colourful ceremony. With a church membership of about 900, the congregation moved from the police welfare canteen building in April 2002 and on 8th September 2002, Blantyre City Presbytery elevated Mudi Prayer house, the last prayer house of St. Michael and All Angels to Mudi CCAP.
Change of Name – From Mudi to Mt. Pleasant CCAP
Three reasons compelled the congregation to change its name from Mudi CCAP to Mt. Pleasant CCAP are as follows:-
- a.There was already a church bearing that name of Mudi CCAP in Blantyre North Presbytery.
- b.The congregation had moved from the bank of Mudi River to the slopes of Mt. Pleasant.
- c.The congregation was not happy to continue associating itself with the foul smelling of Mudi River when it had moved from its bank to the slopes of Mt. Pleasant Hill.
Church Site and Building Project
The foundation stone for this magnificent church was laid in November, 1993 by Rev. Thomas N. Maseya. Its foundation was done by a contractor from Mulanje who failed to proceed with the project due to lack of capital. Mr. H. J. Malenga of Kalimambondo Building Contractors came to the church rescue. He built walls up to wall plate level using church’s meagre collections and with support from St. Michael and All Angels and former president Dr Bakili Muluzi.
After the walls were completed, four years passed before roofing the church because the congregation could not afford steel trusses. By God’s mercy, a well-wisher, who was not congregating at the church, offered to buy the trusses on condition that he remained anonymous. Unfortunately, five months after roofing the church, the well-wisher was called to the God’s kingdom. The church building was then roofed using the iron sheets which the church bought.
Church Membership and collections
Following this lone contribution, the church’s membership and contributions started to pick up with a church membership now at 1,053. Over Fifteen years later, the congregation had not only completed the church building, it had furnished it, bought a house and renovated a modern standard Manse, bought a mini bus and a set of modern musical instruments. Currently, the membership has grown and it has set itself into a position reckoned by other big and old congregations in Blantyre City Presbytery. Members of the church have contributed quite a lot in cash and kind to make Mt. Pleasant CCAP what it is today.