OUR HISTORY...

After over 80 years in Quito, English Fellowship Church has become increasingly international in its makeup, while maintaining its focus on faithfulness to our Lord Jesus Christ.  "EFC" was born in the hearts and minds of D.S. and Erma Clark, in the 1930s. They were a British couple from Jamaica who had come to Ecuador with the Christian and Missionary Alliance.

In 1934, the Clarks began opening their home with a desire to minister to people who were far from home and had a desire and/or a need for Jesus-focused fellowship in their native language of English.  Mrs. Clark also began hosting a weekly tea for women, which grew into weekly Bible studies. Before long, the “Sunday English Fellowship” was meeting in several missionary homes.

For a number of years the English Fellowship met in different church buildings around Quito. Then, in August of 1962, the EFC Board approved construction of a church building on its present site, which opened in October of 1963. 

The past few years have seen a significant transformation of the church – both its structure and its Sunday morning atmosphere. We completed a lengthy process of becoming a completely independent church, moving out from under the legal and administrative umbrella of the HCJB mission. The church is now overseen by a team of Elders, and supported by a growing Deacon ministry. 

EFC started as a “missionary fellowship” aimed at ministering to missionaries serving in Quito, and that was its predominant identity for decades. When many missionaries left Ecuador in the mid-90s, we watched in wonder as God brought many Ecuadorians into our church family. In more recent years we have seen many more people from all other the world become a part of the church body, as Quito has become more and more international in its makeup. 

WHAT TO EXPECT TODAY…

When you show up at EFC for Sunday Morning Gathered Worship you can expect to be welcomed by the people of the church, regardless of your nationality. You will find that we are a mix of people from all over the world who are learning to follow Jesus together. We meet in the Sanctuary for live Gathered Worship, and offer streamed involvement in the Hall and the green space outside

Our Gathered Worship is normally conducted in English, though you’ll hear many different languages spoken before and after. At times, translations into different languages are available, if you are still working on your English. Our times together include worship through music, prayer and preaching. We celebrate the Lord’s Supper once a month, usually on the first Sunday of the month. And we celebrate baptisms when the opportunity arises. 

Foundationally, EFC is a church that: teaches and adheres to God’s Word; proclaims the Good News of salvation for sinners by grace through faith in Jesus, God’s only Son, who died on the cross for our sins and was raised again for our salvation; values community as a church family; seeks to make disciples of Jesus; desires to make an impact for God’s kingdom throughout the world.