From the Superintendent's DESK

The saints in Aberdeen, Scotland, rejoiced on Sunday, August 4, as years of fervent prayers for a permanent place of worship came to fruition. Tolu and I, along with our children, were privileged to be present for the dedication of our first Apostolic Faith Church in Scotland, located at Old Skene Road in Kingswells, Aberdeen.

The dedication service was beautiful and inspiring. It began with two orchestra numbers, including “He Is Here,” followed by the choir singing a reverent “Glorious Is Thy Name.” Then Mark Mfandarahwa, Western Europe District Superintendent, welcomed everyone and recognized special guests, including Juliet Aina, in whose home the work first began. As the service continued, Delight Nyoni of Birmingham, England, led the congregation of just over one hundred in joyous singing. Then Francis Odudu, the Regional Superintendent for Mainland Europe, offered the opening prayer.

During the announcements, Brother Mark gave a brief history of the work in Aberdeen. it began in 1998 when John Aina moved his family from Nigeria to Scotland and began holding Sunday services in his living room. The Ainas were young and busy raising a family, but that did not keep them from fully dedicating their lives to God’s service. They made sacrifices to provide services and meals in their home and to travel to other cities sharing the Gospel.

By 2001, the number of attendees had increased from four to fifteen. The group held a Christmas concert, and this led to greater interaction with the community. As attendance continued to climb, it became necessary in 2002 to move the services from the Aina home to a rented hall. That same year, Seun Ogunleye emigrated from Nigeria to attend school. He became instrumental in growing the work by inviting fellow students to the services. To further these efforts, the congregation sent buses to shuttle the students from various campuses.

When Brother Aina died in January of 2006, Sister Juliet became the group’s leader. Later, leadership passed to Winifred Eboh and then to Matthew Ibukun, who is the current pastor. During those years, the congregation grew steadily and produced two offshoot groups: one in Glasgow and the other in Edinburgh. This time of growth also necessitated several moves from one rented space to another. The saints prayed, longing for a permanent place of worship, and God answer those prayers with the purchase of the Kingswells Parish Church on June 12, 2024.

The service continued with the choir singing “Surely the Presence.” Then Brother Matthew gave the Scripture reading from Solomon’s dedication prayer in 1 Kings 8:33-39 and Victor Idowu sang “Bless this House.” Before the message, I brought greetings to the saints in Scotland on behalf of the Portland headquarters and the worldwide work, assuring them of prayers from around the globe. Also, reminding them of Europe’s history of revival and urging them to let this church be the first of many, sparking a revival that spreads across Scotland and beyond.

The message was taken from 2 Chronicles 6:20-21. It focused on the function of the house of God as not just an ordinary building, but one set apart for God’s purposes and glory. It was also brought out that a dedicated house is useless without dedicated people. Everyone was encouraged to consecrate their lives fully to God’s service as the Ainas did. Following the message, Brother Seun gave the dedication prayer, asking that God let His fire fall in Aberdeen and never burn out. Then the choir sang “To God Be the Glory” and Ola Balogun, the Regional Superintendent for Scotland, offered a prayer of benediction. The service concluded with a wonderful time of prayer around the altars.

Tolu and I felt so blessed to take part in this historic event—the dedication of the first Apostolic Faith Church in Scotland. We pray God will use this building for His glory, saving souls, and equipping and inspiring His people to share the Good News of the Gospel.