Trinity United Church exists to provide an interdenominational Christian environment for worship, evangelism and nurture for people from all social backgrounds.
In the spirit of the Apostolic tradition, the congregation shall endeavour to make it possible for its members to pool their talents for the growth and edification of the body of Christ both locally and internationally.
Trinity United Church was founded in 1967 as a result of house-to-house evangelism and crusades embarked upon by some students of the then Trinity College in the mid-1960s. These activities were initially held around the University of Ghana Staff Village and resulted in the formation of a fellowship which grew to become Trinity United Church.
In 1967, the then Principal of the College, Rev. Eugene Grau, gave permission to the fellowship to worship in the College chapel. Rev. De Graft Johnson, a Lecturer at the College, became the first Minister-In-Charge of the newly-formed congregation. Members of all sponsoring churches of the College were then invited to join the congregation. The sponsoring churches were the Methodist Church, Ghana; Presbyterian Church of Ghana; Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana; African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and the Anglican Diocese of Accra. The new Church became a model of Church Unity, reflecting the ecumenical composition of the College.
CHURCH LEADERSHIP In 1968, Rev. F.K. Dankwa, a Presbyterian Lecturer at the College, was put in charge of the Church by the then Principal; and the foundation of the Church was then firmly established. Rev. Dankwa worked in the congregation for four years during which the Church experienced significant growth both in membership and quality of worship. Rev Peter Barker took over for three months and handed over to Rev.Sam Prempeh who also left in 1974 for further studies. Rev. I. K. A. Thompson, the first African Principal of Trinity College, took over as Pastor of the Church. By this time, groups like the Church Choir and the Women’s Fellowship had already been formed. The Men’s Fellowship was later formed in 1981. By the end of Rev. Thompson’s term in 1978, a Youth Fellowship had also been formed.
Mr Mullen-Essien was the first Church Steward from 1968 to 1980 at which time a properly constituted Church Council was not yet in place. Therefore, when Rev. Dr A. A. Akrong, a Lecturer at the College, took over in September 1979, there was a call for a Church Council to run the Church’s affairs. The Church had by then grown significantly with members coming from not only the Staff Village but also the University of Ghana campus and areas around the Legon Community.
The first church constitution was promulgated in August 1980 with a Church Council in place. Mr J. S. Jackson then became the Church Steward Mr F. K. Amfo was made the Secretary, and he served in that position for a considerable length of time and handed over to Mr K. A.Essandoh.The Children’ Service (Sunday school) saw rapid growth and at a point was reckoned as thelargest in the District, thanks to the good work of Dr Esther Megill and Rev.Asamoah-Okyere, both Lecturers at the College, and the ministerial students inpractise.
As the congregation grew in size, Rev. Asamoah Okyere was appointed an assistant toRev. A. A. Akrong who left in 1984, and Rev. Asamoah-Okyere then became the Minister-In-Charge for one year. Then came Rt. Rev. MaClean Agyiri Kumi as Minister-in-Charge, after whom Rev. Dr Ofosu Adutwum took over as Minister-In-Charge from 1985 to 1989. Rev. Dr R. Aboagye-Mensah took over the role from 1989 to 1994. Rev. Dr J. O. Y. Mante was Minister-In-Charge from 1994 to 1999. All these Ministers-In-Charge, like their predecessors, were lecturers at the Seminary.
In September 1999, the President of the Trinity Theological Seminary, Rev. Prof. Emmanuel K. Asante became the Minister-In-Charge of the congregation for five years (1999 to 2004). Rev. Dr Cyril Fayose also a lecturer at the Seminary succeeded him as the Minister-in-Charge from 2004-2009. Before the end of the term of Rev. Prof. Asante, Council invoked a constitutional provision for the appointment of an Associate Minister. So Very Rev. Andrew Mbeah-Baiden, a past Assistant Minister, was duly appointed in September 2004 to occupy this position. Rev. Seth Kissi, a one-time Assistant Minister and lecturer at the Seminary took over from Rev. Dr Cyril Fayose in 2009. Rev. Seth Kissi served as Minister-in-Charge for five years and was succeeded by Rev. Dr Kris Ewontomah from 2014 to 2019. The current Minister-in-Charge, Rev. Dr Martin Obeng took over in 2019.
Some of the past Ministers-in-Charge have moved on to assume leadership of the Presbyterian, Evangelical Presbyterian and Methodist Churches of Ghana. They are Rev. Dr Sam Prempeh – Presby Church; Rev. Dr Robert Aboagye-Mensah; Rev. Prof. E.K. Asante– the Methodist Church; Rev. Dr Cyril Fayose – Evangelical Presbyterian Church and Rev. J. O. Y. Mante – Presbyterian Church. Others have occupied other high offices both in their churches and in the state.
The history of the Trinity United Church will be incomplete without mentioning the great contributions of Assistant Ministers. They were post-ordination students and served two-year terms at various periods. During their tenure, the Assistant Ministers bore the burden of the Church, placing their gifts and skills at the disposal of the Church. It is therefore right to mention the following who served the Church in this capacity: Very Rev. Paul Boafo; Rev. Abamfo Atiemo, Rev. Cephas Omenyo, Rev. Kofi Amfo Akonnor, Rev. E. K. Ofori, Rev. Frank Twum-Baah and Rev. Asare Larbi. The others are Rev. Akonnor Ampofo, Very Rev. A. Mbeah-Baiden, Rev. Paul Adu Jr., Rev. Anokye-Nkansah, Rev. Richardson Andam, Rev. Samuel Nana Agyeman, Rev. E. Asare Amoah, and Rev. (Mrs.) Rebecca F. A. Abladey. The rest are Very Rev. Samuel Boadu-Ayeboafo, Rev. Seth Kissi, Rev. Fiifi Foh-Arkhurst, Rev. Isaac Etuah Jackson, Very Rev. Joshua Tawiah, Rev. Isaac Osei Karkari, Rev. William Akuamoa, Rev. Frank Adu, Rev. Gordon Kwaku Duah, Rev. Enock Aboagye Twum and Rev. Daniel Yeboah.
The Constitution of the Church makes provision for the election of a Church Steward who serves as the lay leader and business manager of the Church, assisting the Ministers to ensure a smooth running of the fellowship. At various times the Church Stewards have been Mr Mullen Essien, Prof. J. S. Jackson, Mr E. Decker, Dr R. B. Turkson, Mr L. A. Odotei, Mr Philip Quartey, Dr K. Agbemabiese, Mr Eric K. Asare, Mrs Jane Asante, Mr William Ofori-Owusu, Prof. Ebenezer Owusu, Mr Oppong Kyekyeku, Mr Atta Agyepong, Mr Solomon Adjetey-Sowah and Mrs Vida Kwapong-Akuffo. The incumbent Church Steward is Mr Nii Adokwei Abrahams.