The 2020 Zambia Annual Conference was held at Kafakumba Training Center in Luanshya, Zambia, Oct. 24-28. Bishop Kasap Owan Tshibang officiated.
Main actions enacted by the conference:
• Bishop Kasap will discuss with his Zimbabwe Episcopal Area counterpart, Bishop Eben K. Nhiwatiwa, the possibility of attaching two local churches to the Zambia Annual Conference. The two churches are geographically located in Zambia and operated by the Zimbabwe Episcopal Area.
• The age of youth in the church will be redefined to include church members ages 15 to 35, whether married or not.
There were no resolutions related to General Conference. No ordination of elders took place and no clergy from the conference retired.
The delegates for the delayed General Conference will be the same as those elected in 2019.
Clergy delegates:
Rev. Kenneth Kalichi
Rev. Bwalya Laishi
Rev. Robert Kilembo Shakikupe
Lay delegates:
Jonah Nkanza
Matildah Musonda Chishimba
Justine Kaluwaji
Only one delegate, Justine Kaluwaji, is under age 35.
During the conference, Bishop Kasap called for church unity and reminded delegates that Christ is the healer, quoting Luke 6:6-11.
The bishop also called on members of the church to support the idea of opening a United Methodist university in the conference, especially with the closure of one of the orphanage mission centers, Lord’s Mountain, in Zambezi, Zambia.
The conference continued to emphasize the Four Areas of Focus, especially in regards to Global Health. Bishop Kasap encouraged all members in the conference to stay safe from the outbreak of COVID-19. He called on local churches to follow the government’s guidelines to fight the pandemic, especially with the office of the conference health board closed.
Membership stands at 10,457, an increase from 2019.
Worship attendance stands at 10,220, an increase from the previous year.
Church school attendance stands at 7,368, up from 2019.
Professions or reaffirmations of faith for 2020 were 10,072, an increase from 2019.
Adults and young adults in small groups for 2020 reached 2,783, up from 2019.
— John Chikuta, director of communications
Main actions enacted by the conference:
• Bishop Kasap will discuss with his Zimbabwe Episcopal Area counterpart, Bishop Eben K. Nhiwatiwa, the possibility of attaching two local churches to the Zambia Annual Conference. The two churches are geographically located in Zambia and operated by the Zimbabwe Episcopal Area.
• The age of youth in the church will be redefined to include church members ages 15 to 35, whether married or not.
There were no resolutions related to General Conference. No ordination of elders took place and no clergy from the conference retired.
The delegates for the delayed General Conference will be the same as those elected in 2019.
Clergy delegates:
Rev. Kenneth Kalichi
Rev. Bwalya Laishi
Rev. Robert Kilembo Shakikupe
Lay delegates:
Jonah Nkanza
Matildah Musonda Chishimba
Justine Kaluwaji
Only one delegate, Justine Kaluwaji, is under age 35.
During the conference, Bishop Kasap called for church unity and reminded delegates that Christ is the healer, quoting Luke 6:6-11.
The bishop also called on members of the church to support the idea of opening a United Methodist university in the conference, especially with the closure of one of the orphanage mission centers, Lord’s Mountain, in Zambezi, Zambia.
The conference continued to emphasize the Four Areas of Focus, especially in regards to Global Health. Bishop Kasap encouraged all members in the conference to stay safe from the outbreak of COVID-19. He called on local churches to follow the government’s guidelines to fight the pandemic, especially with the office of the conference health board closed.
Membership stands at 10,457, an increase from 2019.
Worship attendance stands at 10,220, an increase from the previous year.
Church school attendance stands at 7,368, up from 2019.
Professions or reaffirmations of faith for 2020 were 10,072, an increase from 2019.
Adults and young adults in small groups for 2020 reached 2,783, up from 2019.
— John Chikuta, director of communications
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