it was on 8^th September, 2002 that what was Blantyre Police Prayer House, was elevated at a very colourful ceremony to Mudi CCAP, later to change its name to mount pleasant CCAP. This was the last prayer house of St. Michael and All Angels Church.

As a new Church in urban setting, there were concerns as to how it would cope with membership dominated by a dynamic youth and an active Christian community at a time when the congregation was carrying out a big church project.

Eleven years later, the congregation has not only completed the church building, it has furnished it, bought a house and renovated a modern standard Manse, bought a mini bus and a set of modern musical instruments. Its membership has expanded and it has set itself into a position reckoned by other big and old congregations in Blantyre City Presbytery, for which I am grateful to God Almighty.

I am also grateful to everyone who has helped in cash and kind to make Mt Pleasant CCAP what it is today and to all those who have joined us in our celebrations today.

On a sad note, I regret to announce the death of our session clerk Mr. Maxwell Mlenga on 13^th October 2012. May his soul rest in God’s eternal glory.

In this booklet you will find how Mt Pleasant has evolved, what it has done and its aspirations for the future.

You are all welcome to Mt pleasant CCAP, the centre of worship as we proudly call it. May God Almighty bless you and your families abundantly.

Rev. M.Chilapula

Moderator

08.09.13

Introduction: Mount Pleasant CCAP, which is situated on the slopes of Mount Pleasant, Blantyre, has today 8^th September, 2013 clocked eleven years as a fully-fledged congregation. Glory be to God.

1. Mission Statement: To lead and win souls to the saving Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and to facilitate spiritual growth individually and collectively as a church.
2. Vision: To become a vibrant, spiritual alive CCAP congregation and a centre of worship in the City of Blantyre.
3. How it started: Presbyterian Christians living in Blantyre Police lines and surrounding areas used to travel to St. Michael and All Angels for prayers, something which was not convenient for police officers after knocking off from night shifts, their children and the sick.
4. Police Lines Mulaga: in 1965, five families started Mulaga Prayers at Late Kachibeketes house led by Mr. Kachibeke, Mr. Andreya Nankumba, Mr.A Mlelemba, Mr. A Aggrey Masamba and Evangelist Shadric Wame, Mr. Richard Chiani and Evangelist Gongolo (PTS, Limbe) under Rev. Masamba of St Michael and all Angels. These prayers caught the attention of Christians around the camp and a number of attendants started to grow.
5. Police Prayer House: Due to increased number of Christians, police Lines Mulaga became a prayer house in 1970 under St. Michael and All Angels and the Malawi Police Force Chaplain (since it was established in the police camp). Permission was also granted by the then Inspector General to conduct prayers in the then police welfare Canteen building.
6. Need for expansion: By 1984, the number of Christians grew to over 115 members comprised of police officers, immigration officers and those from sunny side Mandala Mbayani etc.

A request to extend police canteen in order to accommodate the increasing number of members was rejected by the Inspector because the building was the property of Malawi Government.

7. First building committee: on 21^st October, 1990, St Michael and all Angels session approved appointment of a Building Committee for police prayer House under the chairmanship of Mr S O Hara with Mr. Mlaga as its Treasurer. They opened an account with National Bank of Malawi with an initial deposit of K3,400.00.
8. New Church Site and Building: following the refusal to expand the police canteen, the then chef immigration Officer kindly allocated the current church plot for an alternative church building.

The foundation stone for this magnificent church was laid in November,1993 by Rev. T.N Maseya. Its foundation was done by a contractor from Mulanje but failed to continue due to lack of capital. 

Mr. H J Malenga of Kalimambondo Building Contractors came to the church rescue. He built the walls up to wall plate level using church’s rescue. He built walls up to wall plate level using church’s meagre collections and from assistance by St. Michael and All Angels and the former president Dr Bakili Muluzi.

After the walls were completed, four years passed before roofing the church because the congregation could not afford steel trusses. Through the mercy of God Almighty a well-wisher, who never prayed at the church, offered to buy the trusses and using the iron sheets which the church on condition that he remained anonymous. Unfortunately, five months after roofing the church, he was called to the Gods kingdom. May his soul rest in God’s eternal peace.

9. Church Membership and collections: Following this lone contribution, the church’s membership and contributions started to pick up. with a church membership now at 1053,our paper Sunday collections have progressed as follows:

10. Mudi CCAP: with a church membership of about 900, the congregation moved from the police welfare canteen building in April 2002 and on 8^th September 2002, Blantyre City Presbytery elevated Mudi Prayer house, the last prayer house of St. Michael and All Angels to Mudi CCAP.
11. Change of Name: Three reasons urged the congregation to change its name from Mudi CCAP to Mt. Pleasant CCAP, viz:-
12. There was already a church bearing that name of Mudi CCAP in Blantyre North Presbytery.
13. The congregation had moved from the bank of Mudi Rive to the slopes of Mt. Pleasant.
14. The congregation was not happy to continue associating itself with the foul smelling of mudi River when it had moved from its bank to the slopes of Mt. Pleasant Hill.
15. Pleasant CCAP Eleven Years On: It is right and proper to grorify and exalt God almighty for the eleven years, Mount Pleasant has put up this magnificent church building, furniture, a beautiful manse, a mini bus and modern musical instruments.

Since the Church is Centrally located in the city of Blantyre, it has developed a strategic plan which seeks to promote Spiritual and membership growth in the church through pulpit worship, Bible Study, Prayer and Fasting, Discipleship, Evangelism and training sessions and committee Management and through fellowship through social gatherings like this one.

In order to implement the above stated mission, Mt Pleasant CCAP has identified the following 13 Key Strategic Pillars:

1. Church Organisation and Leadership
2. Leadership elections
3. Milaga Management
4. Worship Ministry
5. Evangelism and Training
6. Mvano Ministry
7. Youth Ministry
8. Sunday School Ministry
9. Parish Management
10. Building and Development
11. Cross Cutting issues
12. Church Finances
13. Membership

13. Now the Church Offers: the service of worship namely; contemporary, English and Chichewa services.

English Sunday school.

Intercessory and daily devotions, morning prayers.

14. Way Forward: it is the wish of the church to:
15. Start working on multipurpose facility with an open theatre for hire for fundraising.
16. Construct an imposing bell tower to give it a full church structure.
17. Enhance participation of all church members both old and new.
18. Tribute : to Mrs M. Banda, Messrs J A Nkhoma, F Mpeketula and the Late Mr. W Y Kachika (may his soul continue to rest in Gods eternal peace) for their valuable contributions to the production of this booklet and to everyone who has made Mt Pleasant CCAP to be what it is today for organising the 2013 celebrations.