This year, the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) — a committed member church of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) — marks a year rich with memory and meaning. At the heart of its celebrations is the centenary of the ordination of the first African Ministers of Word and Sacrament in 1926 — a watershed moment that reshaped the church’s identity and strengthened its place within the global Reformed family.

The story of PCEA is deeply interwoven with the wider Reformed tradition. Founded in 1891 as the East Africa Scottish Mission by members of the Free Church of Scotland, the mission was later entrusted in 1897 to the Church of Scotland. From humble beginnings in Kibwezi, and later in Dagoretti and Thogoto, the church grew through evangelism, education and medical ministry, laying foundations for a vibrant Presbyterian witness in East Africa.

By 1920, church governance structures were taking shape. Six years later, after more than a decade of rigorous theological formation, eight African elders were ordained: Jeremiah Waita, Joshua Riunga, Musa Gitau, Simion Karechu, Solomon Ndambi, Joshua Matenjwa, Paul Kahuho and Benjamin Githieya.

“They were charged with evangelization, teaching and church planting,” says Eld. Henry Kianduma. “This they did with very few resources but with hearts full of zeal to spread the love of Christ.”

Their ordination marked far more than a ceremonial milestone. It signified the emergence of indigenous leadership within a church still under missionary oversight and operating in a complex colonial context. Their ministry unfolded amid cultural tensions, as Christian teaching confronted certain deeply rooted practices, including female circumcision and forced marriages.

“It came with its share of suffering and discouragement,” Eld. Kianduma reflects. “Yet these eight men, together with their wives, worked hand in hand to fight some of the retrogressive cultures and to empower women.”

The wives were instrumental in shaping the church’s social witness. In 1922, they founded the Council of the Shield — today known as the PCEA Woman’s Guild — which remains one of Kenya’s most influential churchwomen’s movements. Their leadership nurtured discipleship, promoted education and strengthened the dignity and agency of women in church and society.

The centenary year also highlights 50 years since the 1976 General Assembly decision to open theological training and ordination to women. That bold step bore fruit in 1982, when Rev. Dr. Nyambura Njoroge became the first woman ordained in PCEA at just 21 years of age. Her ministry would extend into the global Reformed communion; from 1992 to 1999 she served on the staff of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC), one of WCRC’s predecessor bodies, becoming the first African to join its staff in Geneva.

The year 2026 further commemorates 70 years since PCEA attained autonomy in 1956, following the merger of the Gospel Missionary Society and the Church of Scotland Mission. That same year, PCEA joined the global ecumenical movement, becoming a member of both the Alliance of Reformed Churches and the World Council of Churches. In 1970, Nairobi hosted the uniting General Council that formally created WARC — a historic gathering that strengthened the bonds of Reformed churches across continents and contributed to the journey that would eventually lead to the formation of WCRC in 2010.

Education has also been central to PCEA’s witness. Among the milestones being celebrated is the founding of Alliance High School, established through collaboration among Presbyterians, Anglicans, Methodists and the African Inland Mission. Created in defiance of a colonial administration that saw little need for African secondary education, the school remains Kenya’s only ecumenical high school and one of its leading academic institutions.

Today, PCEA numbers millions of members across Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, with a growing diaspora presence around the world. Rooted in Scripture and Reformed theology, and governed through parish sessions, presbyteries, regional councils and a General Assembly, it continues to witness to Christ in congregations, schools, hospitals and communities.

As one of the member churches of WCRC, PCEA’s journey from mission outpost to autonomous church, from male-only ordination to inclusive ministry, mirrors the broader story of the global Reformed communion — a story of reform, renewal and faithfulness across generations.

“Glory to God for our African forefathers and mothers in Christian faith,” says Eld. Kianduma.

In celebrating a century since the ordination of its first African ministers, PCEA not only honours its past but also reaffirms its commitment within the World Communion of Reformed Churches: to nurture faithful leadership, pursue justice, strengthen ecumenical partnerships and proclaim the gospel with courage in East Africa and beyond.

Photos: All Images are from PCEA.