AME Church Bishop urges members to remain steadfast

Source: AME Church Bishop urges members to remain steadfast | Sunday News (local news)

Sunday News Reporter

THE African Methodist Episcopal Church South West Zimbabwe Conference yesterday had a pastors’ ordination service that was presided over by the Bishop of the church’s 20th Episcopal District, the Rt Reverend Dr Frederick A Wright, at Gumtree Church in Bulawayo.

The ordination service was one of the highlights of the five-day annual conference which started last Wednesday, where stations of the church in the geographical locations of Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South met to account for their work in the year under review. 

In his message to the congregates ahead of the conference, Bishop Dr Frederick A Wright, who is based in America, thanked the church for remaining steadfast under difficult conditions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“To our triumphant 20th Episcopal District, Mother Supervisor Jennifer Dixon Wright and I proudly welcome you to the 2022 Annual Conference Series. We extend thanks to the Presiding Elders, Pastors, Ministers, Lay Leaders, Missionaries, YPDers (Young People’s Division) and members for your love, sacrifices and support. We recognise the great challenges you have experienced to overcome the economic inflation, natural disasters, and the coronavirus. Yet, you embraced the word “triumphant” to remain steadfast, unmovable, consistently engaging in the work of the Lord determined not to be denied in your calling for Kingdom Building.

“Let us move forward together fulfilling our theme for our Episcopal District “Building on a Legacy: Why should the work cease? Nehemiah six verse three. God has given us the opportunity to recapture the glory that natural disasters, economic inflation and a pandemic attempted to destroy. So, let us build a “Team Concept” to empower our unity to do our best ministry for all of God’s people. The best is yet to come!”

During the ordination service, which was preceded by a service to remember church pastors who passed on in the year under review, in which the Presiding Elder for Matabeleland North District, Rev Phillip Gava, spoke about the good work done by some of  the departed, the Bishop said ordained pastors were soldiers of the cross.

AME Church South West Zimbabwe Conference 8 October 2022 Ordination Service @ Gumtree, Mat East District (Bulawayo)

“On one hand the Lord takes away, on one hand he gives. He has taken away some of our pastors and he has given us new pastors. We have lost soldiers of the cross, and we have received soldiers of the cross. That’s how God works. We give God praise for the hand that takes, and we also give him praise for the hand that gives. This is one of the key moments of the conference where we recognise that God brings in people to work for the church. The ordination service is special,” he said. 

Pastors ordained yesterday were Rev Precious Ncube, Rev Samkeliso Kutadzaushe and Rev Pen Mdluli.

Presiding Elder of Matabeleland East District, Reverend Eustice Bekithemba Ginya counselled the newly ordained pastors to soldier on even if “their best is not enough”. He added that pastors have to fulfil the mandate they have been given by God, and they have to preach the word of God “where there are even two people, and where there is no financial gain”.

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