The 2021 Kivu Annual Conference met July 4-10 at Samaria Office United Methodist Church in Goma, Congo.
Bishop Gabriel Yemba Unda officiated.
Speakers included Collins Etchi Ako, a missionary with United Methodist Global Ministries; the Rev. Wembo Lushima, coordinator of pensions in East Congo; Dr. Damas Lushima, general coordinator of health in East Congo; Jean Tshomba, emergency coordinator in East Congo; Sylvestre Muthoma Bushiri, director of the bishop's office; Kabeya Makosa Francois, mayor of Goma; and Judith Osongo Yanga, director of communications in East Congo.
Conference leaders decided to strengthen the evangelism sector despite the COVID-19 pandemic by starting to practice evangelism online.
Considering the low participation of the faithful in Sunday worship and weak increase in statistics this year, it was recommended to the statistician of the annual conference to take into account the statistics of all the schools and charities.
Conference leaders decided to split the Fizi District into two. Henceforth, the Kivu Annual Conference comprises six districts: Goma, Beni, Bukavu, Uvira, Fizi and Tanganyika, the newly created district.
Speakers sympathized with families who lost members because of COVID-19, Ebola, cholera, the volcanic eruption of Nyiragongo in May 2021, and the insecurity that has shaken Beni, Masisi, Haut Plateau of Uvira, Bunyakiri, Fizi (Minembwe) and Bunia.
Bishop Unda delivered a batch of drugs to disaster victims from United Methodist Global Health and supplies of food and other necessities to orphans of Goma from United Methodists.
Resolutions or action related to the coronavirus:
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- Bishop Unda and the mayor of Goma, Kabeya Makosa François, reminded United Methodist faithful of the need to respect COVID-19 safety precautions. The conference recommended each local church have handwashing kits available at all entrances and that thermometers be available to measure the temperature of the faithful.
Resolutions or actions related to the postponed 2020 General Conference, now set for 2022:
- - Conference leaders recommended that delegates be ready for the General Conference, set for 2022. The Kivu Annual Conference supports male-female marriage.
No churches disaffiliated or left the conference.
No local churches closed, but three in the Rwenzori and Mambasa Circuit in Beni were burned by Allied Democratic Force rebels. Finances also decreased in some districts because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of delegates was reduced to comply with health regulations. The delegates are the Rev. Esther Kachiko Furaha and Adalbert Tshomba Ngoy.
Twenty-two people were ordained while five were commissioned or received into associate membership. Their average age was 38.
Two clergy retired. Membership stands at 26,932, up from 26,003 in 2020.
Worship attendance was 12,656, down from the previous year because of COVID-19.
Church school attendance was 5,746, up from 4,952 in 2020. There were 410 professions or reaffirmations, down from 512 the previous year. Twenty adults and young adults participated in small groups, down from 43. Worshippers engaged in mission totaled 100, up from 62.
The conference committed to:
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- Increase awareness to fight COVID-19
- Strengthen evangelization
- Be vigorous in the fights against epidemics such as Ebola, cholera and malaria
- Extend the Mother and Child Health Program to districts that have health centers
- Help the churches and people affected by the eruption of Volcano Nyiragongo and the violence of the Allied Democratic Force rebels in the Beni District
Bishop Unda named six district superintendents:
The Rev. Henry Jean Robert Kasongo Numbize in the Goma District
The Rev. Clément Kingombe Lutala in the Bukavu District
The Rev. Germain Masinda Mukosasenge in the Beni District
The Rev. Tatwa Kasereka in the Uvira District
The Rev. Badeux Muunga in the Fizi District
The Rev Rigobert Mtaka Byammese in the Tanganyika District
— Philippe Kituka Lolonga, communicator in the Kivu Conference.
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