On Monday 14 April, we continued our series of Faith Tours with a visit to the Church of God of Prophecy in Moss Side. We were warmly welcomed by Pastor Deloreevs "Della" Walters and Pastor Samson "Sam" Chen, who greeted us with a generous array of refreshments.

As there were some new faces, the tour began with introductions, giving everyone the opportunity to share who they were and what faith tradition they represented. A rich diversity of faiths and backgrounds were present.

Pastor Della began the session by explaining the wide range of services the church provides. These include weekly Zoom sessions, Sunday services, funerals, weddings, and baptisms. The church is also active in prison ministry, and runs a luncheon club from Wednesday to Friday, alongside a food delivery service for elderly members of the community. For the past 15 years, the church has operated a food bank, which is temporarily closed for renovations but is expected to reopen soon. In the meantime, a free soup kitchen will launch in May, alongside a breakfast club later on in the year.

Every June, the church holds a free community barbecue in the park to engage with local residents. There is also a Saturday school offering support for children in English and Math’s, and every two years, the church participates in an international youth conference in the Czech Republic.

Pastor Sam then provided an overview of the church's historical background. There are currently 220 members across three churches in Manchester. He shared that the Church of God of Prophecy is a Pentecostal Holiness Christian denomination, which originated in the late 19th century in the United States. It traces its roots to the Holiness Movement in Camp Creek, North Carolina, where, in 1886, a small group led by Richard Spurling gathered seeking a return to New Testament Christianity.

The movement gained momentum under Ambrose Jessup (A.J.) Tomlinson, who joined in 1903 and played a key role in structuring and spreading the church. With Quaker roots, Tomlinson brought a strong emphasis on divine guidance and spiritual experience. A leadership dispute in 1923 led to a division-one group retained the name Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee), now known as the New Testament    Church of God while the other became the Church of God of Prophecy. Since then, the Church of God of Prophecy has grown to become a global denomination with over 1.5 million members in over 10,000 churches across 125 nations

In response to a question about which Bible version is used, Pastor Sam explained that the King James Version is historically the authorized translation for worship, teaching, and doctrine within the church, although some members may consult other versions for study.

When asked about his favourite scripture, Pastor Sam cited the Book of Acts-the fifth book of the New Testament. He shared that he is especially drawn to this book because it highlights the importance of "doing"-living out faith through action.

Pastor Sam also addressed the perception that the church is a "Black Pentecostal" denomination, explaining that while it has strong ties to Caribbean communities, it embraces diverse backgrounds. In the early 20th century, A.J. Tomlinson sent missionaries to the Caribbean, which remains one of the church's most vibrant regions to this day.

He went on to outline the church's leadership structure. The Church of God of Prophecy is led by a General Presiding Bishop at global level, supported by General Presbyters who oversee multiple countries, and National Presiding Bishop or Overseers who lead the church within individual nations.

Pastor Sam also mentioned that an international conference will take place next year in Orlando, where all members are welcome to attend and have a voice in how church matters­ such as finances are managed.

After a further Q&A session, Pastor Della gave us a tour of the church building. The visit concluded with further refreshments and informal networking. Guests were also given a copy of The 'Biblical Principles, Beliefs and Practices of the Church of God of Prophecy' along with their Statement of Faith for further reading.

The feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive. Many found the visit to be warm, informative, and enriching, marked by open conversations, generous hospitality, and a genuine spirit of interfaith connection. Attendees appreciated learning more about the church's history and its ongoing community outreach.

We would like to extend our thanks to Pastor Samson "Sam" Chen, Pastor Deloreevs "Della" Walters for facilitating the tour, and our gratitude to Sheri Balogun for her invaluable assistance in coordinating the visit and graciously welcoming all attendees on the day.