Menu
Menu
In 1968, a handful of brethren in Romford, Essex, England had already been holding committee prayer group meetings. Soon after, Brother Colin Ringwood, the first English member of the Church, began joining their prayer meetings. On October 29, 1972, a bigger group of brethren gathered at a committee prayer meeting. The group then sent a letter to the then Executive Minister, Brother Eraño G. Manalo, informing him of the increase of their number and seeking for his advice.
Just weeks later, on November 15, 1972, Brother Eraño Manalo replied to the letter and appointed Brother Colin as head deacon of London, England. The following year, on May 21, 1973, Brother Cipriano P. Sandoval, one of the primary helpers of Brother Eraño Manalo, with the help of fellow minister, Brother Joven V. Rosquites, was instructed to visit the group to appoint the first group of Church officers in Europe.
On September 3, 1973, the Local Congregation of London (now Battersea)—the first local congregation of the Church Of Christ in Europe—was officially established, coinciding with the official registration of the Iglesia Ni Cristo in London, England.
In a relatively short span of time, the Iglesia Ni Cristo spread across Europe. That same decade, the 1970s, the works of the Church reached Germany (1976), Austria (1978), Greece (1979), and Italy (1979). In the 1980s, the establishment of group worship services of the Iglesia Ni Cristo in France, Spain, and Sweden increased the number of countries reached by the Church.
By 1994, the Church had reached over 10 countries in Europe. In response to the growing needs of the Church, the Ecclesiastical District of Europe, which is the first ecclesiastical district in the continent, was established on July 27, 1994. Brother Eraño Manalo announced such development himself during a worship service he officiated in Rome, Italy. Assisting him in organizing the district was the then Deputy Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo.
To effectively tend to the needs of the rapidly growing Church in Europe, the Church Administration reorganized the district on May 31, 2000 into two new ecclesiastical districts, namely Northern Europe and Southern Europe.
From Northern Europe came the Ecclesiastical District of United Kingdom, which was established on July 5, 2012. From the United Kingdom District came the Ecclesiastical District of Ireland, which was established on September 3, 2023. The Ecclesiastical District of United Kingdom was then renamed as the Ecclesiastical District of Great Britain.
The year 2019 saw the rise of the ecclesiastical districts of Central Europe and Western Europe. Meanwhile, in Southern Europe, three more ecclesiastical districts were established: Milan, now Italy North (December 17, 2018), Spain (January 15, 2019), and the Mediterranean (July 23, 2019). With the addition of these new ecclesiastical districts, what was left of the former Ecclesiastical District of Southern Europe is now known as the Ecclesiastical District of Italy South.
In July 2010, the Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo Manalo, inaugurated the INC Europe Main Office (EuMO) located in Heathrow, London to help oversee the growing Church in Europe. Since then, the Church in Europe has grown in number and in strength, with many more congregations established and houses of worship purchased and renovated throughout the continent.
On September 17, 2023, Church Of Christ members from all ecclesiastical districts comprising over 40 countries commemorated the Church’s 50th year in Europe by giving all praise and thanks to the Lord God in a special worship service at the OVO Arena Wembley in London, United Kingdom, led by the Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo Manalo. This milestone was a manifestation that God keeps fulfilling His promises to His nation in these last days. He has bestowed countless blessings upon His Church. From the Far East to the distant corners of the European continent, the Church Of Christ continues to flourish, touching the lives of people from various backgrounds and cultures.
