Watoto Church to celebrate 40 years at Kololo

This Sunday, June 23, Watoto Church will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a huge celebration at Kololo Independence Grounds.

The huge, family affair, anniversary dubbed Big 40 Anniversary Service will see some of the biggest names in the gospel entertainment industry such as Bethany Music from Louisiana, US take to the stage.

That day will also see Watoto choir launch its album at 3:00pm featuring the Watoto Children’s Choir and Bethany Music.

After the service, the congregation will be treated to fine banqueting in their cell groups.

On Thursday, June 20, the visionary and passionate founder of Watoto Church, Gary Skinner, launched his book, Where Faith Lit The Way, at Watoto Church Down Town in Kampala, which details a historical narrative of what God has done at Watoto Church over the past 40 years.

Next Tuesday, June 25, the church will launch the Bobi Agribusiness Institute in Gulu.

How it began
In 1984, during a civil war, Gary and his wife Marilyn planted Kampala Pentecostal (KPC) Church, which later became Watoto Church to speak hope and life to the nation. The cell-based, community church has more than 38,000 people gathering in-person and online weekly to celebrate the value and purpose they’ve found in Jesus Christ.

They passionately believe that the local church has the responsibility to solve community problems. Watoto Church cares for the community holistically through over 2,700 small groups that meet weekly.

In 1994, they founded Watoto Child Care Ministries in response to the cry of millions of children who had been orphaned or left vulnerable as a result of war, poverty and disease. Since they started, they’ve placed thousands of orphans in families, empowered thousands of vulnerable women to reach their own families and communities, rescued babies and former child soldiers, kept over 30,000 girls in school, and sent more than 100 children’s choirs across six continents.

As Watoto continues to work alongside the nation's most vulnerable, they aim to rescue individuals and raise each one as a leader in his or her sphere of influence so that, in turn, they will rebuild the nation.

Over the past 40 years, the challenges facing Uganda and Africa have changed, but their vision remains the same. In all of this, Watoto remains a local church committed to celebrating Christ and caring for the community.

In February 2023, Gary and Marilyn Skinner handed over the leadership of Watoto to their successors, Julius and Vernita Rwotlonyo.