Transcript Episcopal Address for 2014

EPISCOPAL
ADDRESS 2014
• EBENEZER SPIRIT CONTINUES
AS WE MAKE DISCIPLES FOR
JESUS CHRIST.
Word of Thanks and
Appreciation
•
Coming out of the joy filled Ebenezer
Convention, my opening word is
“Thank you very much” for the job
well done. This word of thanks goes
to all of you clergy and laity, leaders
at all levels of the church and the
members of the United Methodist
church at large.
Word of Thanks cont……
 Specifically
give me space to name
members of the Cabinet,
Administrative Staff, Clergy and their
spouses, conference lay leaders,
district lay leaders, all key leaders of
the conference, our partners and all
of you indeed.
Word of thanks cont…..
 You
did your church great pride. The
Ebenezer event shall remain as a
constant source of our inspiration as
a church for a long time to come.
 Finally let me express sincere thanks
to the church for the support at the
wedding of our daughter Nyasha
Nhiwatiwa and Tinashe Makarau.
Condolences
•
Most of us might have lost someone ,
a friend, a relative, parent, child and
more. We thank our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ for assuring us that
when all is done on earth we have a
home not built by hands but by God
Himself.
Condolences cont….
 By
faith we affirm our belief that our
loved ones have gone to that
everlasting place where all of us will
follow.
Condolences cont…..
•
From among the clergy family, let me
lift the names of Rev K.Kahlari, Rev
G. Chinzou, Pastor Mujeni, Rev
Bvunzai, Rev Mugoti’s husband,
Mbuya Esnath Makuto, Mbuya
Kawadza, DS and Mrs Charwadza
lost their daughter Runyararo,
Condolences cont…..
 Rev
Kanjanda lost her husband Mr
Kanjanda,
 Rev Bhobho lost his father, and many
more whom I cannot claim to have
included .
 Other
reports will help in filling the
omissions.
Condolences cont…..
 Further
the church joined the
Chahwanda family in mourning the
death of our former head at
Dendera Mr. Chahwanda and his
father who died in a car accident.
Condolences cont…..
 Also
Mr Rhodes Chimonyo a former
Conference Worker.
 We
have all lost someone dear to us.
May their souls rest in peace.
Thank You For Achieving Objectives
in Various Ministries and Tasks

Let me express sincere thanks for
working hard as chairpersons of
committees, Boards and Councils:
Episcopacy, CONFAD, Council on
Ministries, Equit Compensation, Board of
Communication, Board of Pensions, Board
of Trustees, BOOMS, Organizations, our
Technical staff overseeing the
construction of the head offices, and all of
you leaders without exception.
Thank You for Achieving cont….
 You
are so committed in your work .
may God bless you all.
APPROACH
 As
you will notice, the approach and
layout of this Episcopal address is
different from those of the past. I will
not deal with the various ministries
and tasks which have been going on
in the Area as those will be readily
captured in various reports..
Approach cont….
 Groundbreakings
and dedication of
buildings went on well as planned.
Wesleyan Mobile Colleges went on
in 8 districts.
 Next
year 2015 we will be doing the
same in the 5 remaining districts
Approach cont…..
 After
recapturing some of the
promotional ways to our vision and
on the strategic plan itself, and the
focus on building of the head offices,
the address will turn on the
reflections on the Ebenezer
Convention.
Approach cont…..
 These
reflections will attempt to
draw on valuable lessons which we
can garner from the event for
strategic thinking and planning for
the future of our church.
 At
the end we will have a pictorial
journey to view what has transpired
throughout the year.
A call for Prayer
 As
a Church we join others in
praying that our country continues
to enjoy peace for time without end.
Further we pray the country will
receive adequate rain for this
planting season.
A Call for Prayer cont….
 In
as much as we pray that God
continues to give our leaders
wisdom in improving the economic
conditions in the country, we on our
part should work hard as
communities and individuals to uplift
ourselves..
A Call for Prayer cont….
 We
should learn more about
ZIMASSET and find ways in which we
can join fully in the development of
our surroundings and as individual
families
STRATEGIC PLAN
 For
our Vision, Mission, and Core Values I
refer you to the document you all know
or should be familiar with, that the
Strategic Plan 2013-2016. It is a
document which every leader in the
Episcopal Area should have on his or her
own desk for constant reference as we
do our ministries.
Strategic Plan cont…..
 Even
our reports at all levels of the
church should make intentional
reference to the Strategic Plan so
that we do not loose focus and miss
our targets.
I
am happy to say that we are doing
our best in aligning our goals and
objectives to the strategic plan.
Recapturing the Promotional
Episcopal Vision
Most if not all remember the
acronym BEB:
 B-Bringing
more people to Christ.
 E.-Ebenezer Convention.
 B-Building the Conference Head
Offices and other related structures
throughout the church.
Recapturing the Promotional
cont…
 We
should pat our backs for
achieving the E-Ebenezer Convention
in style by the grace of God. The last
B-Building of Head Offices is on an
encouraging track especially as we
witness the progress already made
on this structure at 10 Harvey
Brown , Harare, in the Zimbabwe
West Annual Conference.
Recapturing the Promotional
cont…
 For
the East Conference the plans
are that groundbreaking will take
place early in the coming year 2015.
Safari Mood
 Another
promotional catch phrase
was the Safari Mood. The idea was to
instill the sense of readiness and
urgency as we forge forward in doing
our work.
 We
still need this safari mood, the
spirit of ACTION, ACTION and
little talk.
CHABADZA
 The
Chabadza philosophy of giving a
helping hand to one who is already in
the field of work has given direction
and unique meaning to our
partnerships internationally and the
way we do mission locally.
Chabadza Cont….
 New
in the field of the Chabadza
context and doing well is the
Zimbabwe Norway partnership.
 The
spirit of Chabadza can be
expanded to include all the various
donations which we receive locally
from our dear church members and
individual families.
Chabadza Cont….
 On
this note let me draw your
attention to the gift of a lorry which
the Zimbabwe West Annual
conference received from a family
from within our church who
preferred to remain anonymous.
 We
say thank you to them and many
other doing marvelous deed to aid
the work of God.
OUR FOCUS IS ON THE
BUILDING OF THE
HEADOFFICES

Before I go further on another important
segment of my Episcopal Address, let me
call upon the attention of the delegates
and all the leaders clergy and laity in
abroad and at home, that all roads in the
United Methodist Church in Zimbabwe
lead to the construction sites of the head
offices.
OUR FOCUS IS ON cont…..
 This
is our own initiative. We should
not budget with the thought that
someone will come to our aid.
OUR FOCUS IS ON cont…
 We
are thankful for Baltimore
Washington conference which has
extended a helping hand to the
Zimbabwe West for the construction
of the Head Office.
OUR FOCUS IS ON cont…
 When
Kansas West heard what
Baltimore Washington did, they
hinted that they would also help with
a similar amount for the Zimbabwe
West.
 Apart
from these offers we do not
have any reason yet to expect
anything from anywhere.
OUR FOCUS IS ON cont….
 Building
of the head offices may not be as
exciting as the focus on the Ebenezer
Convention was, but I would like to
appeal to your creative abilities to make
the building of these structures be the
one thing our people shall be thinking of
until we are done.
OUR FOCUS IS ON cont…
 The
process might require that we
take the building of head offices as
High Priority over and above our
own building plans in circuits and
Districts.
OUR FOCUS IS ON cont…
 The
budget of the conference for the
construction of the offices should be
taken as the priority above everything
else.
 Talk
building the head offices, Think
building the head offices, Eat Building the
head offices Walk building the head
offices.
OUR FOCUS IS ON cont…
I
say all these encouraging words
knowing without doubt as you do
that we will do it, may the Lord be
our helper. The Ebenezer Spirit
Continues as we make disciples for
Jesus Christ.
MHURURU PA BASA
 As
a fund raising effort we shall have
what we will call Mhururu pa basa.
Leaders of the church will gather at the
building site and donate whatever they
can to speed up the process.
MHURURU PA BASA cont….
 More
so when each of the building
reaches the furnishing stage it is
through mhururu pa basa that
circuits will be allocated rooms to
furnish.
 Designers
would have mapped out
the type, quantity and quality of
furniture needed.
MHURURU PA BASA cont…
A
group of circuits will pick up a
room and furnish it. A plaque to give
credit to the circuits and district
would be placed in that room. A
date for mhururu pa basa will be
assigned.
MHURURU PA BASA cont…
 This
process is more so for the
ZWAC head office which has
advanced to almost that stage.
REFLECTIONS ON THE
EBENEZER CONVENTION
 We
can all come up with different and
even better analysis . I just happen to
have the privilege of doing so at the
seating of this annual conference.
REFLECTIONS cont….
First
 The Ebenezer Convention
demonstrated clearly that if we
accept whole heartedly that we want
to do something we will do it
irrespective of the challenges
involved.
REFLECTIONS cont…
 It
was amazing to see how all
districts were able to pay in full their
allocated budgets.
 Organizations, our
congregations
overseas all did their best in availing
their contribution.
REFLECTIONS cont….
 Our
take from this experience is that
as a church we are poised for greater
things to come as we pull our
resources together.
 May
this spirit of oneness continue
among us.
REFLECTIONS cont….
Second
 The event showed us that we have
able leaders from among ourselves.
The way the convention was planned
and run was superb.
REFLECTIONS cont….
 The
confirmation we get from this
experience is that we, the United
Methodists can plan and organize any
event regardless how big it might
sound in peoples’ ears.
REFLECTIONS cont…..
 If
ever the General Conference 2024
will come our way, you the present
and future leaders of this church will
be able to rise to the occasion and
do it in style.
REFLECTIONS cont……
Third
 The Ebenezer Convention rebranded
our name as a denomination in
Zimbabwe and beyond. The use of the
media both our own website and the
national media catapulted us on the front
row of churches in the country.
REFLECTIONS cont….
 We
were surely true to the call: “Go
and tell It on the Mountain…..” We
may want to think strategically and
make use of those opportunities
where the media may be helpful in
telling our story.
REFLECTIONS cont….
Fourth
 The Convention brought in the lime
light a variety of rich ministries
talent which the church has. The
children Youth ministries,
organizations, MUMC and RRW and
UMYF.
REFLECTIONS cont….
 The
fruits of the Music festivals were
harvested in the 1000 Voices Choir.
 That
choir mesmerized many more
so our partners who clicked cameras
one after another.
REFLECTIONS cont….
 In
those notations we surely do not
leave out our artist Fungisayi, what a
happy surprise to the congregants
Thank you organizers.
 The
preachers lived up to the
occasion. We have all we need as a
church. We thank God for that.
REFLECTIONS cont….
Fifth
 This Convention brought us together
and consolidated our fellowship as
one family.
 It was an affirming experience of
who we are even as we departed to
go back to our own respective places
of residence.
REFLECTIONS cont…..
 The
memory that one is not alone
will linger among us for a long time.
Sixth
 One thing which came out from the
people almost as they were leaving
the stadium is that they would like to
have another Ebenezer.
REFLECTIONS cont….
I
would like to think that you would
agree with me that there is no
problem with that. The only thing
which needs to be worked
administratively is after how many
years interval.
REFLECTIONS cont….
 One
can go further and say Ebenezer can
be adopted as a recurrent feature in our
church. The conferences can agree on the
number of years which should pass
before another Ebenezer Convention.
 Of
course we should know that it was an
expensive undertaking which took a lot
of time , energy and resources to plan.
But it can be done.
REFLECTIONS cont….
 My
humble request is that for now
and the foreseeable future we should
all work tirelessly on the
construction of the head offices.
Time for Ebenezer will always be
there for us.
REFLECTIONS cont…..
Seventh,
 Another thing which came out as an
isolated aspect about the convention
from the people is that, they would
not like to carry provisions to cook
at conventions.
REFLECTIONS cont….
 Leaders
can pick on that observation
and see how we can change some of
our practices for the better to align
with what our people aiming at.
 Could
it be that all the provision of
food be left to caterers?
REFLECTIONS cont….
 What
about at the annual
conferences, is it possible to
experiment with the approach we
used at the Ebenezer Convention in
the provision of food. Let us
deliberate in various for a.
 Hopefully, come
2016 we will be
ready to implement some of these
changes.
General Church Visits in
November 2014
 The Team
in the Commission on the
General Conference came for the
Feasibility Study on whether the
General Conference 2024 could be
held in Zimbabwe came in the
country on November 13 and
departed on November 24.
General Church Visits cont….
 Among
them were Rev Gere Reist,
the General Secretary of the General
Conference, Mrs Sara Hotchkiss, the
Business manager in the General
Council of Finance and
Adminstration (GCFA) and Rev Joa
Damiao of Mozambique.
 They visited hotels in Victoria Falls,
Harare , Mutare and Nyanga. The
event was well planned .
General Church Visits cont….
a.
Zimbabwe and the Philippine invited the
General conference to be hosted here
in 2024. After these visits the General
Commission on the General
Conference will assess what they saw
and make their decision.
General Church Visits cont….
 We
will be informed of the decision
at an appropriate time.
 We
are hopeful that Zimbabwe will
host the 2024 General Conference.
 Whatever
will be the outcome, one
thing is clear: We were in the event
of “Gaining Altitude” to use a
progressive language in aviation.
General Church Visits cont….
On behalf of the Episcopal Area I am
sincerely thankful for the job well done.
To you all our church leaders, the
Admin staff, Rev Dr. Marewangepo, Rev
Gurupira, Conference layleaders Mr
Mafunda and Mr Mataruka, Episcopacy
represented by Mrs Makadzange,
General Church Visits cont….
 Ds
Nyabote , pastors and laity in Vic
Falls, Ds Chitsiku, pastors and laity in
Mutare and more so the Hotel
Association of Zimbabwe and the
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, we say
thank you indeed.
ELECTIONS
 Among
the items of business which
we have are elections. Let us conduct
our elections harmoniously as we
usually do. Today it will be you who
will be elected, tomorrow it will be
him or her elected. We share in the
Kingdom of God.
ELECTIONS cont….
I
am looking forward to elections
which we will conduct in the spirit of
Ebenezer in love and within
reasonably short time. Think of
gender balance, those who live with
disability, age, and the youth.
Pictorial journey
I
leave you now to view the pictorial
journey in which we have moved
together. Here we will witness a variety
of ministries in which the church
celebrated.
Pictorial cont….
 Indeed
it is a journey of Gaining
Higher Ground in the Spirit of BEB.
Now take it as:
 B. Bringing people to Christ.
 E. Evangelism and
 B. Building of Head offices. In that
sense we still have BEB.
Conclusion
 We
will continue ministering in 2015 in
the spirit of BEB.
 May
the good Lord give you overflowing
blessings and Merry Christmas and a
happy New Year.
AMEN