2018 North Katanga Annual Conference

The 2018 North Katanga Annual Conference was held July 1-5 in Kamina, Congo, with Bishop Mande Muyombo Guy officiating. The theme of the gathering was "Give So That You May Be Given" from Luke 6:38.

Guest preacher during the conference was Peter Matthews from the West Ohio Conference. Deanna Stickley Miner, a deaconess from West Ohio, also attended, representing Bishop Gregory Palmer who presides over the West Ohio Conference.

Matthews brought greetings from Palmer and thanked the bishop for bringing him home to North Katanga. He invited the annual conference participants to live in abundance on the subtheme: "I Want More"' by coming together in unity, love and spirit. God wants abundance in West Ohio, in the Congo, in the North Katanga Conference and in Kamina, he said. But he posed the question, "How does one get more?" Through Geneses 32:24, one needs to be in solitude (God's time), be willing to struggle, to know, to love for abundance to happen, he said.

As chairperson of the annual conference, Bishop Muyombo addressed his vision for the North Katanga Episcopal Area as follows:

• Wellbeing of pastors by improving pastors' salaries;
• Global health by renovating health facilities;
• Training both men and women as leaders in North Katanga.

Miner, who is a board member of the General Board of Global Ministries, said she was amazed to see the renovation of Shungu Clinic and Lupandilo. The work of Global Ministries, she said, is to help make the vision of providing health care come true and to support what the annual conference is doing.

She also thanked God for the amazing aviation ministry of Jeanne and Gaston Ntambo. During the 48^th session of annual conference, leaders of North Katanga blessed and dedicated the rebuilt (Lima Romeo) smaller plane of Wings of the Morning. The renovation of the smaller plane is to help save lives and souls in North Katanga, Miner said.

The last day of the annual conference was marked by the voting of the amendment on gender equality between men and women. The annual conference participants were about 900 lay and clergy. The amendment on gender equality passed with 70 percent of votes.

On July 8, North Katanga celebrated 50 years of Methodism in North Katanga. Bishop Kasap Owan from the South Congo Episcopal Area, Bishop Lunge Onashuyaka from Central Congo, Dr. Andre Bokondoa and national government officials and provincials joined the North Katanga Episcopal Area for the celebration. They also recognized the work done by pioneers starting from John Wesley, Booth, Shungu, Onema Fama, Katembo Kainda, Bishop Ntambo Nkulu Ntanda in Drcongo and North Katanga in particular.

Retired Bishop Ntanda addressed celebrants by saying, "One is blessed to be the blessing."

The North Katanga Annual Conference continued the following week with four days of pastoral training. Almost 720 laity, local pastors and elders were selected to attend the pastoral school. Teachers from the West Ohio and North Katanga conferences led the classes.

The pastoral school theme came from 2 Corinthians 3:5-6 and topics were:

1. Bible and social transformation
2. Evangelism and community engagement
3. Homiletics
4. Finances and stewardship
5. Methodist liturgy
6. Ethics and morality
7. Discipline and Methodist doctrine
8. Christian education
9. Sexual ethics and how to live within boundaries

Becky Posey Williams, senior director of Sexual Ethics and Advocacy for the Commission on the Status and Role of Women said, "Healthy boundaries are very important and are about integrity." If women are harassed, it is because of power. Misuse of power undermines the status and role of women, she said during the pastoral school.

She invited participants to challenge one's own culture to identify things that are causing harm and that fail to respect another's integrity.

Donnetta Peaks, teacher of Bible and social transformation, observed the attentiveness of spouses, laity and clergy during class.

Through conversation with United Methodist women and men, the Rev. Betty Kazadi Musau  exhorted women on three rules of John Wesley as a Wesleyan way of living: Do no harm, do good and stay in love with God. The idea is to share with women and help each other on sexual issues that harm women in North Katanga.

Kyoni Kazadi, a member of United Methodist Women, thanked God for the presentation as an eye-opener for women to be alerted. Members of the laity group wanted to get a hard copy of The Book of Discipline for mutual knowledge on Methodism.

Todd Anderson, district superintendent from West Ohio, preached the last day on "love in fellowship" from Acts 2:43-47. The early church showed us the way to live by continuing to teach the apostles doctrine, being in relationships, fellowship, breaking of bread and in prayers to stay in love with God and each other.

The Rev. Mbayu Ilunga Watete, chairperson of the board of ordained ministry, joyfully thanked Muyombo who shared the vision with Palmer to equip laity and clergy from North Katanga. In his closing remarks, he thanked teachers from West Ohio and from North Katanga by saying: "All of us were at the school of prophets."

The North Katanga Episcopal Area took the resolutions to have pastoral school as a building capacities program for both laity and clergy for two years as mutual learning, updating each other for ministries in North Katanga. During the annual conference, 36 pastors were ordained as elders, including two women.

One clergywoman from United Brethren was received as an associate member and appointed as assistant to academic service at Kamina Methodist University; she is a doctor in systematic theology and graduated from Protestant University in Cameroon.

Delegates for the 2019 special General Conference were not replaced, except for one who was put under discipline. Delegates who attended the 2016 General Conference were reconsidered. Delegates for the 2020 General Conference were elected in North Katanga, with 25 laity and 25 clergy.

Membership of those who attended the 48^th session of the annual conference stands at 900, up from the 47^th session.

Professing members for 2017 stands at 746, and adults and young adults in small groups for 2017 stands at 2,625 members, worshippers engaged in mission stands at 1,240 members.

The Rev. Betty Kazadi Musau, secretary of the Central Congo Conference