Gambia

The Methodist Church The Gambia

The Methodist Church The Gambia (MCG) is responding to its call to “spread Scriptural Holiness through the land by the proclamation of the Evangelical Faith and to bring Worship, Teaching and Service”.

Since gaining autonomy in 2009, MCG has been on a dynamic journey of growth and transformation.

With unwavering commitment, the Church continues to expand its core ministries—evangelism, education, healthcare training, and agricultural development—bringing hope, empowerment, and spiritual renewal to communities across The Gambia.

In 1818, the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society (WMMS) were invited by the British colonial Governer of Sierra Leone and the Gambia to support liberated slaves in the region.

WMMS responded in 1821 by sending Rev. John Morgan and Rev. John Baker to Kombo, St. Mary Island.

In 1823, Janjanbureh (then Georgetown) was chosen as a settlement for freed slaves, where the first Methodist church was built. Rev. Morgan established a school and agricultural project in 1824, which remains vital today.

Within 14 years, WMMS had built churches and schools across the country, including Bathurst (now Banjul): education became central to its mission.

Later, under Rev. John Naylor (1956–1966), a health programme was launched in Marakissa and expanded to other regions. In 1970, the Methodist Mission Agricultural Programme was founded in Brekama, offering crop cultivation and training in horticulture and animal husbandry. These initiatives reflect the Church’s enduring commitment to social development which continues to this day.