The Presbyterian Church in Rwanda - February 2021 Update

The Presbyterian Church in Rwanda (EPR) has more than 300,000 members and is composed of seven autonomous presbyteries located all around the country. There is an office of the General Synod, which acts as the headquarters of the church, in Kigali. The Head Office oversees most of the administration and organization of the church. Like other institutions in Rwanda, the 1994 genocide affected the church which lost sixteen of its pastors and many members. Since the genocide, much emphasis has been placed on training the younger generation in peacebuilding and reconciliation, but the church also faces the challenge of caring for many orphans and widows, most of whom still suffer from trauma. We recently received this update on Outreach/EPR partnerships from EPR President Rev. Dr. Pascal Bataringaya:

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the best and blessings in this new year 2021. We are still facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a very complicated situation, but we keep our hope and our faith in God and we know that he is in control. We keep you in our prayers

Scholarships for Presbyterian Students at PIASS - November 2020 Update

Dear friends,

We greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Outreach Foundation is committed to helping equip the global church with capable leaders, particularly in areas like Rwanda where the church is growing. The Presbyterian Church in Rwanda (EPR for the French name “Eglise Presbyterienne au Rwanda”), needs trained pastors for their many young and vibrant congregations. In recent years, Outreach and partners have helped train five pastors who graduated from the theology department at the Protestant Institute of Arts and Social Sciences (PIASS) and are now leaders of EPR congregations. There are currently several Presbyterian students sponsored by The Outreach Foundation in the theology program. This update includes stories from two of these students who are studying at PIASS thanks to your generous gifts.

Scholarships for Presbyterian Students at the Protestant Institute of Arts and Social Sciences (PIASS) and Kay Day - Update

Dear friends and family,

In August, I witnessed what God has been doing with your support through the Protestant Institute of Arts and Social Sciences (PIASS) for the ministry and the church here, and I was humbled by it.

Each August, the Presbyterian Church of Rwanda holds a church-wide-evangelism rally for four days, hosted by a different presbytery each year. The culmination of the rally is the annual ordination service on Sunday. This year the event was held in Zinga Presbytery, in the eastern region, about four hours from PIASS. Ten new pastors were ordained. Seven of them had been my students. I had preached at five of their weddings, baptized two of their children and been on the dissertation team of four of them as they completed the requirements for graduation. I was delighted to watch as they raised their right hands to pledge to serve Christ and the church and to see the presidents of their respective presbyteries place robes and stoles on them. Then all ordained pastors in the congregation were invited to come forward and lay hands on them as they were prayed for. What a joy to be a part of these bright young men and women accepting the call of Christ on their lives.

Africa, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationSeptember 11, 2019Kay Day, Scholarships for Presbyterians at PIASS, Rwanda

Scholarships for Presbyterian Students at the Protestant Institute of Arts and Social Sciences (PIASS) and Kay Day - July 2019 Update

Dear family and friends,

Greetings from Rwanda. We are still rejoicing about the Protestant Institute of Arts and Social Sciences (PIASS) graduation held last month. Since we utilize a 12-month calendar for studies, graduation is usually held in late September or early October, but this year it was postponed until June so that we could hold it on the new campus of PIASS in Karongi, in the western province. The delay was so the new building could be finished and inaugurated. Although the building was not quite complete, the graduation was still held there. It was a major undertaking. Since most of our classes are held on the main campus in Huye, where I live, almost everyone and everything had to be transported to Karongi. Several of the staff went ahead of time to set up the venue. On graduation day, June 19, the rest of us followed in an elaborate caravan.

Africa, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationJuly 30, 2019Kay Day, Scholarships for Presbyterians at PIASS, Rwanda

Kay Day PC(USA) and Scholarships for Presbyterians at PIASS- October 2016 Update

What is involved in reconciliation, pardon and reconstruction? How does that relate to our call as Christians and our struggles within the world? What role can or does the church play in all of this? These were some of the topics of “Winter School” in February 2016 at the Protestant Institute of Arts and Social Sciences (PIASS). It was a “winter break” for twenty students and four faculty from The University of Geneva (Switzerland) who came to participate, but a welcoming summer for hosting the event at PIASS for our twenty students and theology faculty and four students and two faculty from ULPGL of Goma and Bukavu (DR Congo).

Africa, Missionaries, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationOctober 13, 2016Kay Day, Scholarships for Presbyterians at PIASS, Rwa

Partner Updates