IPC UK & Ireland Region
From the year 2000 onwards there were influx of Indians, especially the Keralite nurses into United Kingdom for work. These nurses settled with family in various cities of UK had been struggling to find Malayalam language worship places. Kerala Traditional Pentecostal Churches were in scarcity in the country except few churches in main cities. Discussions were started in 2007 to form an IPC region with existing few churches in UK and Ireland which was further advanced during the visit of Pastor K.C. Thomas (then Kerala State Secretary). However, it took few more months to reach an understanding and the region came into reality on 10th May 2008. At the initiative of Pr. Jacob George, an inaugural meeting was organised at Bethany Pentecostal Church, Birmingham and IPC UK & Ireland Region was inaugurated and dedicated for the glory of His Kingdom by Rev. Dr. T. Valson Abraham (then IPC General Secretary). There were five churches from the cities of Derby, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bristol and Dublin in the formation of the Region.
The Region has since been registered as a Church Charity on July 2008, under Charity Number 1131252. The current Trustees on board are Pr.Jacob George, Pr.Babu Zachariah and Br. K.T.Thomas. Antecedently Br. T.O.John, Br. Kunjumon George and Pr Babu John were also adorned as Trustees.
The initial administrative team were; Pr.Jacob George (President), Pr. Babu Zachariah (Vice- President), Pr. C.T.Abraham (Secretary), Br. Sam Mathew (Joint-Secretary) and Br. G.Samuel, (Treasurer). Since then, Br. K T Thomas (Babychayan) had taken over as treasurer. Pr. T.S.Mathew and Pr. Babu John too served the region as Promotional Secretary. During the year 2015 Br.John Mathew and Pr. Seejo Joy have joined the team as Treasurer and Promotional Secretary respectively.
In July 2019, under the supervision of Rev. Dr. K.C.John (then General Secretary), Region had selected new working team with Pr.Babu Zachariah as President together with Pr. C.T.Abraham (Vice-President), Pr. Jacob George (Secretary), Br. Mathew Sam (Joint-Secretary) Br.John Mathew (Treasurer) and Pr.Wilson Baby (Promotional Secretary). There are additional 34 council members selected from different churches. Pr.Jacob George and Br.Sam Mathew continued to be region representative to the General Council, Kumbanad, Kerala.
The Region started in 2008 with just 5 churches has grown into 28 churches in 2020 with twenty five ordained ministers and six evangelists. The Region regularly conducts annual conventions in different cities. The region has Sunday School; PYPA (Youth); Evangelism and Prayer Boards actively involved in their departmental responsibilities. The women too play their role with regular meetings called Sahodari Samajan.
“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” (Luke 10.2). Therefore, it is our prayer that the Lord may help us to send more workers out into the field which is already ripe for the harvest. Please join us in prayer so that we may be able to save the last soul from perishing.
All glory and honour to the Lord, who is our Ebenezer brought us so far!