Oct. 5, in Gitega, Burundi
Theme: “I will build my church” (From Matthew 16:18)
Officiating bishop: Bishop Daniel Wandabula
Location: St. Peter’s Cathedral
Guest speaker: The Rev. W. Odongo Thomas, Kenya and Ethiopia Annual Conference
Church officials:
• Bishop Daniel Wandabula, resident bishop
• The Rev. John Ntahoturi, legal representative
• The Rev. Emmanuel Sinzohagera, deputy legal representative
• The Rev. Lazare Bankurunaze, bishop’s assistant (absent)
The legal representative and dean of superintendent briefing:
The legal representative and dean of superintendents of the Burundi Annual Conference took the opportunity to welcome delegates from the 13 districts.
Ntahoturi thanked God for bringing each delegate safely to the gathering. He also thanked God for protecting the guests of honor. “For sure, your dedication to us is because you love our annual conference,” he said.
Ntahoturi said he was pleased with the number of delegates who attended the special session, even though they were together only two months ago and the cost of travel can be great. He said that commitment showed that the work to be done at the special session would be good.
During the second session of the Burundi Annual Conference, four delegates were elected to 2020 General Conference. The special session was called to elect two more delegates.
The legal representative thanked God for “the miracles taking place in the church.” He informed the delegates that the church has already prepared a five-year plan and urged different districts to do so by developing their own planning program in their respective districts.
He took the opportunity to thank different districts and parishes for the good work they are doing and promised to help when in need. He also vowed to provide technical assistance and counseling for their projects. “We want to be different from the past. The church wants to develop different projects, and that's what our president wants us to do in this country,” he said.
He said he hopes the church will reach its goal. “However, above all, prayer comes first and without prayer we cannot get anywhere,” he said.
He expressed his gratitude to the vice president of the country's electoral committee at the national level, who was the guest of honor during the second session of the Burundi Annual Conference. The vice president expressed her wish for the church to help during the 2020 elections.
The legal representative ended his briefing by informing the delegates about the partnership between the church and the non-government organization Hope International. The organization will help seniors in targeted areas, he said. The church has already signed the agreement and soon the organization will begin its work in three regions: Rutana, Ruyigi and Chankuzo.
Opening worship:
The resident bishop announced the theme of the October special session: “I will build my church,” from Matthew 16:18. As he was reflecting on the Scripture, he said he saw that the passage is not about Peter, but about Christ.
He said, “Peter is called the rock in Greek petros, which literally means a rock. It is a nickname, but Jesus uses a different word when talking about his church.”
The bishop said, “Christ uses the word petra, which is not a nickname but a concept, and on this concept of my identity the son of the living God I will build my church.
“Christ’s church is not Wandabula’s church, is not Ntahoturi’s church, but Christ’s church,” he said.
When the bishop reflected about the Scripture, he said he saw three more important things he wanted to share with the delegates:
He said, “Christ is our confession and it is the confession that makes us to be a true church. It is Jesus first that picks us and holds us accountable as Christians, and secondly, Christ is our cornerstone; Psalms 118:22 speaks prophetically about Jesus Christ.”
He said that Jesus is not only the cornerstone, is not the head stone, but is the living stone, and when we accept Jesus Christ, we also become a living stone. Also, he said, that as a cornerstone marks the identity of a building and as Christ is the foundation on which the church is built, the Christians, and especially the delegates present in this meeting and who believe in him, will find their identity in Christ.
Thirdly, the bishop said “Christ is our conqueror. Christ has many names, but I love ‘conqueror.’ I have gone through many battles, but I always give this battle to the Lord who is conqueror. This Christ we believe, this Christ we confess is so powerful. He is loving. He is caring. The Scripture tells us that he came to give each one of us life and gives us life abundantly.”
Wandabula noted that, “As you go through life and you get problems, ask for resurrection power. Yes, I know in this world we go through many challenges, through many storms, but always, call upon conqueror. He will see you through. That power enabled Jesus to raise from the dead and it is that power that removed the stone.”
The bishop advised the delegates as they continue living to call upon this power. He said, this power will help whenever sickness rises, when people are in poverty, when there are disasters and when the conference must elect delegates. “God always sees us pass through,” he said.
Resident bishop informs delegates about special session of the Burundi Annual Conference:
Bishop Wandabula welcomed the guests of honor, church leaders and all delegates present. He said it gave him great honor and joy to address the special session of the Burundi Annual Conference. He said he was overwhelmed to see the cathedral full of delegates and observers. To him, he said, it shows that Burundi church members are serious about God’s business.
The resident bishop informed the delegates that the conference secretary of the Burundi Annual Conference during the second session did not have the right information about how many delegates the Burundi Annual Conference was to send to 2020 General Conference. The resident bishop called the special session to meet the requirement for 2020 General Conference.
“Burundi Annual Conference is entitled to send three clergy and three laity to next General Conference and also elect the same number of reserve delegates or more reserve delegates as the conference will decide,” he said.
The delegates who attended the election included 318 clergy and 328 laity.
Guest speaker gives tips about election to the delegates:
Guest speaker the Rev. W. Odongo Thomas shared information to help delegates during the election. He reminded the delegates what he taught them during the previous session about how delegates are calculated.
2020 General Conference clergy delegates:
• The Rev. Jean Ntahoturi, head of the delegation
• The Rev. Lazaro Bankurunaze
• The Rev. Emmanuel Sinzohagera
2020 General Conference lay delegates:
• Zéphirin Ndikumana
• Silas Habonimana
• Godelieve Manirakiza
2020 General Conference clergy reserves:
• The Rev. Jérémie Niyonkuru
• The Rev. Joseph Hatungimana
• The Rev. Valentine Cimpayne
• The Rev. Jean Bosco Ngendakumana
• The Rev. Fidèle Mayanja
• The Rev. Emmanuel Mpitabavuma
2020 General Conference lay reserves:
• Pacis Alarine Irambona
• Edith Ndimurwanko
• Valérie Mpawenayo
• Rubin Ntamavyariro
• Vanessa Nshimira
• Albert Havyarimana
— Pepi Mbabaye, Conference Coordinator, Burundi Annual conference
Theme: “I will build my church” (From Matthew 16:18)
Officiating bishop: Bishop Daniel Wandabula
Location: St. Peter’s Cathedral
Guest speaker: The Rev. W. Odongo Thomas, Kenya and Ethiopia Annual Conference
Church officials:
• Bishop Daniel Wandabula, resident bishop
• The Rev. John Ntahoturi, legal representative
• The Rev. Emmanuel Sinzohagera, deputy legal representative
• The Rev. Lazare Bankurunaze, bishop’s assistant (absent)
The legal representative and dean of superintendent briefing:
The legal representative and dean of superintendents of the Burundi Annual Conference took the opportunity to welcome delegates from the 13 districts.
Ntahoturi thanked God for bringing each delegate safely to the gathering. He also thanked God for protecting the guests of honor. “For sure, your dedication to us is because you love our annual conference,” he said.
Ntahoturi said he was pleased with the number of delegates who attended the special session, even though they were together only two months ago and the cost of travel can be great. He said that commitment showed that the work to be done at the special session would be good.
During the second session of the Burundi Annual Conference, four delegates were elected to 2020 General Conference. The special session was called to elect two more delegates.
The legal representative thanked God for “the miracles taking place in the church.” He informed the delegates that the church has already prepared a five-year plan and urged different districts to do so by developing their own planning program in their respective districts.
He took the opportunity to thank different districts and parishes for the good work they are doing and promised to help when in need. He also vowed to provide technical assistance and counseling for their projects. “We want to be different from the past. The church wants to develop different projects, and that's what our president wants us to do in this country,” he said.
He said he hopes the church will reach its goal. “However, above all, prayer comes first and without prayer we cannot get anywhere,” he said.
He expressed his gratitude to the vice president of the country's electoral committee at the national level, who was the guest of honor during the second session of the Burundi Annual Conference. The vice president expressed her wish for the church to help during the 2020 elections.
The legal representative ended his briefing by informing the delegates about the partnership between the church and the non-government organization Hope International. The organization will help seniors in targeted areas, he said. The church has already signed the agreement and soon the organization will begin its work in three regions: Rutana, Ruyigi and Chankuzo.
Opening worship:
The resident bishop announced the theme of the October special session: “I will build my church,” from Matthew 16:18. As he was reflecting on the Scripture, he said he saw that the passage is not about Peter, but about Christ.
He said, “Peter is called the rock in Greek petros, which literally means a rock. It is a nickname, but Jesus uses a different word when talking about his church.”
The bishop said, “Christ uses the word petra, which is not a nickname but a concept, and on this concept of my identity the son of the living God I will build my church.
“Christ’s church is not Wandabula’s church, is not Ntahoturi’s church, but Christ’s church,” he said.
When the bishop reflected about the Scripture, he said he saw three more important things he wanted to share with the delegates:
He said, “Christ is our confession and it is the confession that makes us to be a true church. It is Jesus first that picks us and holds us accountable as Christians, and secondly, Christ is our cornerstone; Psalms 118:22 speaks prophetically about Jesus Christ.”
He said that Jesus is not only the cornerstone, is not the head stone, but is the living stone, and when we accept Jesus Christ, we also become a living stone. Also, he said, that as a cornerstone marks the identity of a building and as Christ is the foundation on which the church is built, the Christians, and especially the delegates present in this meeting and who believe in him, will find their identity in Christ.
Thirdly, the bishop said “Christ is our conqueror. Christ has many names, but I love ‘conqueror.’ I have gone through many battles, but I always give this battle to the Lord who is conqueror. This Christ we believe, this Christ we confess is so powerful. He is loving. He is caring. The Scripture tells us that he came to give each one of us life and gives us life abundantly.”
Wandabula noted that, “As you go through life and you get problems, ask for resurrection power. Yes, I know in this world we go through many challenges, through many storms, but always, call upon conqueror. He will see you through. That power enabled Jesus to raise from the dead and it is that power that removed the stone.”
The bishop advised the delegates as they continue living to call upon this power. He said, this power will help whenever sickness rises, when people are in poverty, when there are disasters and when the conference must elect delegates. “God always sees us pass through,” he said.
Resident bishop informs delegates about special session of the Burundi Annual Conference:
Bishop Wandabula welcomed the guests of honor, church leaders and all delegates present. He said it gave him great honor and joy to address the special session of the Burundi Annual Conference. He said he was overwhelmed to see the cathedral full of delegates and observers. To him, he said, it shows that Burundi church members are serious about God’s business.
The resident bishop informed the delegates that the conference secretary of the Burundi Annual Conference during the second session did not have the right information about how many delegates the Burundi Annual Conference was to send to 2020 General Conference. The resident bishop called the special session to meet the requirement for 2020 General Conference.
“Burundi Annual Conference is entitled to send three clergy and three laity to next General Conference and also elect the same number of reserve delegates or more reserve delegates as the conference will decide,” he said.
The delegates who attended the election included 318 clergy and 328 laity.
Guest speaker gives tips about election to the delegates:
Guest speaker the Rev. W. Odongo Thomas shared information to help delegates during the election. He reminded the delegates what he taught them during the previous session about how delegates are calculated.
2020 General Conference clergy delegates:
• The Rev. Jean Ntahoturi, head of the delegation
• The Rev. Lazaro Bankurunaze
• The Rev. Emmanuel Sinzohagera
2020 General Conference lay delegates:
• Zéphirin Ndikumana
• Silas Habonimana
• Godelieve Manirakiza
2020 General Conference clergy reserves:
• The Rev. Jérémie Niyonkuru
• The Rev. Joseph Hatungimana
• The Rev. Valentine Cimpayne
• The Rev. Jean Bosco Ngendakumana
• The Rev. Fidèle Mayanja
• The Rev. Emmanuel Mpitabavuma
2020 General Conference lay reserves:
• Pacis Alarine Irambona
• Edith Ndimurwanko
• Valérie Mpawenayo
• Rubin Ntamavyariro
• Vanessa Nshimira
• Albert Havyarimana
— Pepi Mbabaye, Conference Coordinator, Burundi Annual conference
Like what you're reading? Support the ministry of UM News! Your support ensures the latest denominational news, dynamic stories and informative articles will continue to connect our global community. Make a tax-deductible donation at ResourceUMC.org/GiveUMCom.