Tag Archives: Anglican Church

The Archbishop of the Provincial Church of Uganda, Rev. Dr. Samuel Stephen Kazimba Mugalu, hands over a copy of the holy Bible to Rev. Dr. John Kitayimbwa during his ordination at All Saints Cathedral on Sunday, December 6, 2020.

‘This call on my life is to serve God’s people’ – newly ordained UCU Deputy Vice Chancellor

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The Archbishop of the Provincial Church of Uganda, Rev. Dr. Samuel Stephen Kazimba Mugalu, hands over a copy of the holy Bible to Rev. Dr. John Kitayimbwa during his ordination at All Saints Cathedral on Sunday, December 6, 2020.
The Archbishop of the Provincial Church of Uganda, Rev. Dr. Samuel Stephen Kazimba Mugalu, hands over a copy of the holy Bible to Rev. Dr. John Kitayimbwa during his ordination at All Saints Cathedral on Sunday, December 6, 2020.

By Douglas Olum

Atop the Nakasero Hill in Kampala, on a clear December 6, 2020, Sunday morning, sweet melodies from a Christian hymn song ring through the open doors and windows of a towering, red-tile-roofed, cream painted building, into the trees, houses and the open sky of the neighborhood. Men, women and a few children were trickling into the All Saints Cathedral premises, to praise and worship God as life returns to Ugandan Churches after six months of the COVID-19 induced closure.

Inside, 13 men and three women were set to be ordained into Christian ministry for the Anglican Church; two of them as deacons and 14 as priests. Among them was the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs, Rev. Dr. John Kitayimbwa. He was being ordained into priesthood. According to the Anglican Church of Uganda, priests are called to be servants and shepherds to proclaim God’s word.

Rev. Dr. John Kitayimbwa with his family shortly after his ordination.
Rev. Dr. John Kitayimbwa with his family shortly after his ordination.

With his hand raised up high, Dr. Kitayimbwa, the father of three and husband to Rev. Lydia Nsali Kitayimbwa, was singing and praising the Lord; his face lit with joy. Right behind him was his wife, equally full of joy.

“Seeing him join this great ministry really keeps me excited, and I know that not even the sky is the limit,” Mrs. Kitayimbwa said after the service, “I know God has a lot in store for us so we just pray that He humbles us and we remain under his Mighty hand that He may use us to the glory of His name.” She said having her husband join the Christian ministry was both a great spiritual support to her and a sign that the presence of God rests in their home, where their ministry starts.

As the service commenced, Kitayimbwa said that he felt a very heavy weight over his shoulders, presumably signifying the weight of the task ahead of him. But with God’s guidance, he believed he would weather the test of time and bear fruits.

“My major role now is that of a priest because when you are called to come close to God to be with God in His vineyard to work with Him, it is a blessing,” Dr. Kitayimbwa said, “Whether I am at UCU or outside UCU, this call on my life is to serve God’s people, and I will do it diligently.”

Asked what impact he thinks his ordination would have on his service at the university, Dr. Kitayimbwa said, “I am going to freely share the word of God even as I do my role as the DVC at UCU. I am going to try and follow Christ as I imitate Him in order to draw more people to the Kingdom of God. In whichever situation, I will ask myself what would Christ have done? And I think that is what is going to be my motto going forward.”

Dr. Kitayimbwa holds a PhD in Computational Biology, and he is a senior lecturer in mathematics. He was first ordained as deacon in 2019, the same year he was appointed as Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at UCU.

Dr. Kitayimbwa said his calling to be a priest started a long time ago but it took him time to realize that he was being called. And now, whatever achievement he attained in his past life, he counts it but loss, like Paul says in Philippians 3:8-10 (8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.)

The Dec. 6 ordination service was presided over by the Kampala Diocese bishop who also doubles as the Archbishop of the Provincial Church of Uganda, the Most Rev. Dr. Samuel Stephen Kazimba Mugalu.

The Archbishop reminded the new priests that their answer to the calling was a life-time commitment for God’s glory and strengthening of His Kingdom. He noted that they would only be able to maintain the call by praying, believing and relying on the strength of God and his grace given in the Word, and not their individual strengths.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org. Also, follow us on FaceBook and Instagram.

New Chaplain shares personal aspirations and expectations for Uganda Christian University community

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The Reverend-Engineer Paul Wasswa Ssembiro
The Reverend-Engineer Paul Wasswa Ssembiro

Introduction:
The Reverend-Engineer Paul Wasswa Ssembiro is no stranger to Uganda Christian University (UCU). A mechanical engineer, teacher and preacher, his careers have taken him different places, including UCU. He has been an Assistant Lecturer at Makerere University and Kyambogo University, has worked as a Provincial Secretary to the Church of Uganda and served as National Team Leader of African Evangelistic Enterprise. With his education and experience, he emerged in the new role of University Chaplain at UCU, Mukono, when the previous Chaplain, Rev. Nyegenye Rebecca Margaret Ajambo, left for another position at All Saints’ Cathedral, Kampala, earlier this year. His official, full-time appointment is effective November 2019. Uganda Christian University Partners spoke with him to learn about his inspiration in the role, his background, and expectations for the larger UCU community.  The interview is edited for clarity.

By Brendah Ndagire

What inspired you to accept the role as Chaplain at UCU?
I have been ministering to UCU since 1999, visiting this campus as a speaker during “Mission Week,” for the student/staff community worship and during chapel time. I have specific gifts, such as oratory skills, leadership, Christian ministry, and my general experience working with a university as it relates to its community. I have preached at Makerere University, Kyambogo University, and at UCU. Comparing audiences at public universities, I think that UCU is a wonderful fit for me.

The Rev. Eng. Paul Wasswa Ssembiro outside Principal’s Hall
The Rev. Eng. Paul Wasswa Ssembiro outside Principal’s Hall

What does your role as Chaplain entail?
It is a broad role. Primarily, it entails spiritual formation for the university community. Whatever we do as a ministry team within the chaplaincy falls into a wider umbrella of spiritual formation. We pray and believe that as people come to UCU to pursue their studies, they would encounter Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal Savior, and find wholeness. We pray that they would grow fully because that is something that is hard to realize in our Christian development.  Spiritual growth is not about information but about formation, and becoming more and more like Jesus. But we also have a resident community among staff members. The chapel ministry serves this community, and the community outside UCU.

Is that an institutional or personal view of the role?
It is a personal view which interfaces with the general institutional view.

What is a scripture that defines your work as a Chaplain?
That is a difficult question. One will be Ephesians 4:11-13, with text that talks about the fact that God appoints ministers for the sake of equipping other people and what other people would do in the ministry … and the goal of ministers God appoints is that people come to the full stature of Jesus Christ. The particular scriptures talks about apostles, teachers,  pastors, prophets, evangelists, and to me, chaplaincy fits into that.

What do you anticipate would be the most difficult part of being a University Chaplain?
The most difficult part would be the fact that the audience (young adults) is trying to discover what God is calling.  I think spiritual stability for  young people enrolled at UCU is a unique challenge that would make walking with them towards spiritual formation an uphill task. This is particularly (challenging) because young people are independent and they want to try out different things before they discover themselves.

The other challenge is that for now we do not have a chapel structure for community engagement throughout the week in terms of organizing activities related to spiritual development.

What do you think are the solutions to the above anticipated challenges?
Inevitably, Uganda Christian University needs to think about coming up with a comprehensive development plan for the chapel. That would include a sanctuary, that is, a place to worship, and hopefully with some outside space where students or staff can meet for other chapel activities. For now we are using Nkoyoyo Hall, and we are grateful. But in terms of a larger place where students or staff can come for prayer meetings, seminars in large or small groups, that is still lacking.

What do you find rewarding about your new role?
The most rewarding aspect of this role is recognizing that UCU is a great gift to Uganda and Africa at large, and it is rewarding to be a part of this community. Secondly, when God gives you the opportunity to pastor a community,  it is important to recognize that you are responsible for sending out people in the community as agents of transformation. Thinking about UCU in particular, it is important for me to recognize that I will be part of the process of three or four years forming the spiritual nature of its students. I think that is truly a great great reward. Part of our work as a Chaplaincy is participating in the training of Anglican priests in Uganda through Bishop Tucker School of Theology, and I consider it a privilege too, to be a part of that process.

What do you think are the major needs of the people (students and staff) you serve at UCU?
First, the staff at UCU needs to recognize that part of the work they are doing here is aiding students to integrate professional development with spiritual formation since UCU is primarily a Christian institution. For example, if I come to teach mechanical engineering, how I train students at UCU matters. The values and ethics I pass on apart from the scientific aspect of the program, would ensure that I am developing an engineering student who is primarily God fearing, a graduate who honors God, with the sense of mission, and who go in a job environment to make a difference and be different in a job market. Thus, UCU staff need to appreciate that calling to make a difference in the lives of the students they are teaching. I hope we walk that journey together.

To the student community, the need is that they are able to find/discover their purpose and calling in God, and also solidify it. There are so many opportunities for serving God in our country, and I hope that we if students are able to participate in spaces we organize at UCU, they would be better equipped to serve our nation fully.

 With your background in engineering, are you hoping to take on the role of teaching in that area at UCU at some point?
I have  a passion for teaching. That is why I call myself a teaching evangelist. I also love my engineering profession but as to whether that would translate into teaching within UCU’s engineering department, is dependent on how stretched I am in the chaplaincy role. But if I got that opportunity to teach engineering, I would see it as a platform for mentoring and supporting someone to develop professionally and rooted in Christian principles and ethical values.

Since you are based at the main campus in Mukono, how are you planning to reach out to students studying at UCU’s regional campuses?
The chaplaincy takes a central role in programming and setting up spiritual programs for students who are not studying at the main campus. We plan that Tuesday and Thursday community worship hours are available to all students through their deans, and/or an appointed chapel representative.

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More information about UCU’s Chaplaincy and Bishop Tucker School of Theology and Divinity at Uganda Christian University can be obtained at: http://ucu.ac.ug/bishop-tucker-school-of-theology.

To support UCU Theology students, contact Mark Bartels, executive director, UCU Partners, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org, or donate directly at: https://www.ugandapartners.org/donate/

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Acting UCU Deputy Vice Chancellor for Development and External Relations, Mr. David Mugawe (UCU Partners photo)

Church leases house, land for UCU SoM expansion

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Acting UCU Deputy Vice Chancellor for Development and External Relations, Mr. David Mugawe (UCU Partners photo)
Acting UCU Deputy Vice Chancellor for Development and External Relations, Mr. David Mugawe (UCU Partners photo)

By Douglas Olum

In the words of the Rev. Dr. Stephen Noll, “Uganda Christian University (UCU) is the greatest investment of the Anglican Church in Sub-Saharan Africa.”

As the expressions of the first and former UCU Vice Chancellor resonate, the Church has not only prided in the university, but also has continuously pledged and rendered necessary supports as needs arise. One example of this support is manifested through the recent move in which the Provincial Church of Uganda leased for five years a building and land for the expansion of the UCU School of Medicine (SoM) that was opened in 2018.

The acting UCU Deputy Vice Chancellor for Development and External Relations, Mr. David Mugawe, said the given land located on Namirembe Hill, near the SoM current site, will be used to build additional classrooms to accommodate between 80 to 100 students. The SoM student body will increase by roughly 60 a year to 300 by 2023.

He also said the building given by the Church will be repartitioned to serve as a laboratory for studying microbiology as well as provide additional classroom space.

This development comes at a time when the university is preparing to admit the second lot of 60 students from more than 400 SoM applicants for the academic year starting August 2019. Mr. Frank Obonyo, a UCU Communications Officer, said the current school facility cannot accommodate a larger number of students than what the school has at the moment.

Mr. Mugawe says the university shall not renew the tenancy after the five years because “We hope that by that time we shall have already built our permanent home that shall accommodate students for all the five years and with more laboratories, all in one place.”

The permanent home is to be constructed at the current site. An American consultant and architect, Mr. Michael Reid, was in Uganda between late March and early April to study the site in order to generate the artistic impression for the home. The university has received the artwork and is expected to kick-start a major fundraising drive and contract awarding for the infrastructural development soon.

“We are excited that the School of Medicine is growing,” Mr. Mugawe said. “We want to move away from the practice of responding to the same need every year. And we believe our five-year strategic plan will get us there.”

However, he called for partnership from various individuals and institutions to help the university meet its goal.

“Operating a sensitive project like the School of Medicine is a journey you cannot walk alone. That is why we are calling for partners to support us, whether with their expertise, financially or technically,” Mr. Mugawe added.

When the school opened in August last year, a total of 60 pioneer students were admitted to pursue the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, and the Bachelor of Dental Surgery.With the School now training doctors, both the government of Uganda and the university administration are hopeful that UCUSoM graduates will be part of the positive transformation of the country’s health service delivery.

During the school launch in September last year, the Uganda Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, said that while there are many institutions training doctors and nurses in the country, professional ethics has been a huge challenge among the health practitioners, with many of them abandoning patients, stealing drugs from government hospitals or unnecessarily soliciting for money from patients.

The Minister, who also is a pediatrician, expressed hope that the doctors from UCU, just like graduates of other professions who have exhibited uniqueness in the country, would come up to fill the gap by serving patients with not only medical expertise but also diligent and Christian hearts.

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For more of these stories related to Uganda Christian University (UCU) programs, students and graduates, visit https://www.ugandapartners.org. If you would like to support UCU, contact Mark Bartels, Executive Director, UCU Partners, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org or go to https://www.ugandapartners.org/donate/

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Rev. Eric Noel at St. James Cathedral in Ruharo, Mbarara Municipality. (UCUPartners Photo)

Reverend Eric Noel: Transitioning from primary teaching to priesthood

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Rev. Eric Noel at St. James Cathedral in Ruharo, Mbarara Municipality. (UCUPartners Photo)
Rev. Eric Noel at St. James Cathedral in Ruharo, Mbarara Municipality. (UCUPartners Photo)

Note: Reverend Eric Noel serves as one of the curates at St. James Cathedral in the Ruharo neighborhood of Mbarara municipality (southwestern Uganda). After graduating with a Master of Divinity in 2015 from Uganda Christian University Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology, he was posted to the country’s western Ibanda district where he served for one year before he was transferred to St. James Cathedral, which has an estimated congregation of 2,000. Similar to most churches, more women attend St. James Cathedral than men.  Ages vary among four Sunday services that include a children’s service, two youth services (attracting urban youth, including neighboring university students) and a service for the elderly that is conducted in Lunyankole, the native language of Mbarara. Recently, UCU Partners spoke with Rev. Noel to learn about his priestly experience. Part of his story is shared below.

By Brendah Ndagire

How did you come to study at the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology?
I started out as a primary school teacher within Uganda’s education system, and as a simple small-scale farmer. My career trajectory was very different from other theology students UCU. Many students joined UCU when they had served in the church for a long time, including as lay leaders. They came with Biblical interpretation knowledge and experience. But for me, I began with teaching and farming, with limited Bible interpretation skills. However, it is not surprising that most teachers in Uganda end up becoming church leaders, because teachers can do practically anything.

Rev. Noel at St. James Cathedral
Rev. Noel at St. James Cathedral

How did UCU prepare you for your priestly role?
UCU prepared me very well. The knowledge and experiences I was exposed to were very important for the work I am doing at St. James Cathedral. It is interesting to look back and recognize that the moment I was ordained, God opened up a door for ministry in Ibanda and now here in Ruharo.

What theology class stood out for you?
Biblical Interpretation and Church History. Everything was very new to me, and it was fascinating to learn how to interpret the Bible, and to know how the Church started and grew into a very powerful institution globally.

What scripture defines your work?
John 3:16, which states, “For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” At St. James Cathedral, we make it clear that it is upon people to choose life, and live, and that to not do so, they perish.

What about a scripture that defines you as a person?
I love the scripture where God says, “Let us create man in our own image…”, it has taught me to really love myself because I am the real image of God. I never used to love myself, as a dark-skinned man. But when I started to think about that particular verse in the Bible, and knowledge that I am made in the image of God, I learned to love myself.

How many other churches within the area are Anglican?
There are many Churches of different denominations, but for administrative purposes, St. James’ Cathedral as a parish has four other daughter Churches affiliated to the main parish Church, and we have nearby parishes such as Kyamugolani, All Saints Church in the center of the town, and others. There are more Churches in rural areas that are a part of St. James Cathedral as a deanery. It is called a deanery because it is a center with the seat of the Bishop.

What is it like for you to minister to the congregation in this community?
In an urban setting, it can be challenging because of time management. Since we have four services every Sunday, we feel like we are rushing the service to prepare and get to another service. Secondly, people in the urban setting are transient, and this presents a challenge when it comes to pastoral visits. Sometimes, I can go to what I believe is someone’s house, and I find that she or he moved to another neighborhood.

What do you find rewarding about your role?
I served the government for 20 years as a primary teacher and head teacher in the public education system. The money I was earning there was greater than the money I was going to make in the church setting. My desire and intention has always been to serve the Lord regardless of income. Ultimately, whatever remuneration I get, I am grateful to God.

Do you have any other economic activity apart from your spiritual role?
I am a farmer as well. However my farm is located away from Mbarara municipality, and that brings certain challenges of supervision, and monitoring. I have coffee, banana, and tree plantations. That is something I have always done while I was teaching as well since 1995. I am doing really well especially when I enjoy the fruits of my farming labor.

What is the most difficult part of being a priest in this community?
Moving from one parish to another really affects building relationships, community, children and the priest’s family life. Moving impacts children’s education performance. Sometimes moving to new parishes makes it difficult for a priest to have a “home.” This may be challenging especially when we are thinking about retiring.

What is your biggest reward serving the Lord?
As He says, those who love Me, I also love them. When we pray and commune with God we understand serving the Lord, brings peace; loving Him promises eternal life; then, I know my greatest reward is in Heaven.

Thinking about the local Church in Uganda, what do you think is the biggest challenge facing the Church in Uganda?
False teachings within different Churches. People have developed ideas on how they can squeeze money from poor people. Since our people are faced with many economic and social problems, bad people take advantage of that situation to get money from poor and underclass people. With so much unemployment among Ugandan youths, some Church leaders declare to them that, “now is the time you are going to get employed, or to go overseas on a plane.” With those false and empty promises, many young people and adults leave authentic Church spaces for prosperity Churches. Such promises have dire consequences, including suffering and human trafficking.

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More information about Bishop Tucker School of Theology and Divinity at Uganda Christian University can be obtained at: http://ucu.ac.ug/bishop-tucker-school-of-theology.

To support UCU Theology students, contact Mark Bartels, executive director, UCU Partners, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.orgor donate directly at: https://www.ugandapartners.org/donate/

Also follow and like our Facebook, Instagram and Linkedin pages.

Rev. Tomson Abaho – Challenges and rewards at St. James’ Cathedral in Ankole Diocese

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Rev. Tomson Abaho at his office in St. James’ Cathedral, Ankole Diocese  (UCU Partners photo)

 Note: This story is part of a series designed to communicate the life of priests in Uganda. One such priest is the Rev. Tomson Abaho Kankuba, who has been working since 2017 as curate (assistant to the dean) at St. James Cathedral Ruharo in the western Uganda Ankole Diocese. In 2014, he graduated from Uganda Christian University (UCU) with a Master of Divinity degree and was ordained, accepting a post at All Saints Cathedral in Mbarara Municipality. The UCU Partners Clergy Scholarship Fund supports students like Rev. Tomson at Bishop Tucker School of Theology and Divinity. This interview is edited for clarification.

By Brendah Ndagire

How did you get drawn into Church ministry?
I grew up in the church and in a Christian home. My father is a retired priest. My brother and I got drawn to Church ministry because of the experiences we observed our father go through as a priest in this diocese. As a child I observed that his life as a priest was quite tough because of the environment we lived in. For example, he used to ride bicycles long distances for about 40 up to 50 kilometers (25 to 31 miles) to do pastoral visits or go to Church. This was hard a time. Today, the services have been brought closer to people. Priests these days travel shorter distances to go to church and preach the gospel to the people.

Rev. Tomson Abaho at St. James’ Cathedral, Ankole Diocese.   (UCU Partners Photo)
Rev. Tomson Abaho at St. James’ Cathedral, Ankole Diocese.   (UCU Partners Photo)

What did you do before you became a priest?
I was a primary teacher, teaching English and music. I have a bachelor’s degree in education.

Share with us about your experience working at St. James’ Cathedral in Ruharo.
I have liked being part of St. James’ Cathedral. Each one of us is gifted differently. I love teaching, counseling, preaching, and children’s ministry. And I have been given the opportunity to do what I am passionate about as a priest.

What is it like to move around ministering to people in the community?
The pastoral work here in the urban setting is interesting. Because most people are employed, to visit them, you have to make an appointment or visit them over the weekends. For old or sick people, you have to organize to meet them at their homes, to pray with them and offer them sacraments, take Holy Communion, and share and comfort them. You have to be very flexible in time for ministering.

What do you see as the most rewarding aspect of your role?
People accepting Christ. It gives me joy when I preach, counsel, and when I teach and someone fully realizes that Christ truly saves. It gives me comfort and peace in my heart. The joy it gives me when someone accepts Christ feels like that of a football player scoring a goal.

Outside of the Church’s salary, do you have another source of income?
For priests who serve within the urban setting, we do not have enough time to do anything outside of our Church work. Time is generally limited. By 7:30 in the morning, I am expected to be here at my office and leave around 6 p.m. from Monday to Sunday. It is impossible to think about having another source of income through business or farming. The other challenge is limited access to land where a priest can farm within an urban setting. We cannot do large-scale commercial farming.

What is a scripture that defines your work?
1 Peter 5:6, “Humble yourself before the mighty hand of God.” In all I do, I love to humble myself. In we all we do, we need to be humbled whether in simple or big experiences. When you humble yourself, God lifts you higher.

What is a scripture that defines you as a person?
Psalm 139 describes how God knows me in and out. It shows that there is no single thing about me that God does not know. He knows me. And that is important for me to recognize because He knows me, He plans our work, and I am follower of Christ because He knows me. As Jeremiah says, “He formed us in our mother’s wombs, and knows every single hair on our heads.” I find that powerful.

What is the most difficult part of being a priest?
In ministry, you can’t completely know the people you are leading. It is challenging to lead people you do not truly know. For example, it is difficult to observe Christians fighting, some cheating, causing conflicts, and Church leaders who are not exemplary to their flocks. Secondly, the general lack of financial resources to run day-to-day Church activities. But amidst of all this, we are still standing and God is faithful.

How did UCU prepare you for your priestly job?
The education I attained from UCU is very important because the people we are serving and leading are highly educated. Sometimes, the “pews are higher than the pulpits.” This means that you stand from the pulpit and recognize the congregation is challenging you. The education I acquired from UCU has equipped me so well to fit in a community where we can reason together, we can share experiences and when I am interpreting the Bible, it feels good to know I am doing it with people who are also Biblically knowledgeable. The urban setting has so many people who are very educated, some are teachers, while others, students in universities. The education priests get at UCU helps them to match the knowledge of the congregants.

How was that experience for you?
Before UCU, I had the experience of serving in my local church as lay leader/chaplain and had training in chaplaincy. When I joined, it was starting afresh to learn more about theology, theory and practice. And the great aspect of being a student was learning how to engage with people in the field. The practice of theology is different from the theoretical aspect of it.

The local Church in Uganda usually faces many challenges. What do you think are challenges facing the local Church in Ankole Diocese?
Leadership in government and politics has generally influenced the leadership in our Church in some way. The Church and the government are inseparable. Most people do not recognize that but the government cannot exist without the Church, and the reverse also can be said. And we have to work together to transform our communities. But we have seen that politicians come to Church and use their money to influence the Church. That breeds corruption because many people are money oriented. It also shuts down dialogue because Church leaders are not expected to speak on political or government related issues.

The second challenge is these mushrooming Churches. There are so many “prophets, and prophetesses” forming churches in Mbarara. And people are following them without finding out where they are trained, how they are grounded in theology. Many of our congregants divert to these churches because they promise them riches.

What opportunities do you see that the local Church can seize to transform its community?
Training priests. When we train them, they will know what to do. Human resource is a good tool we can use to transform the Church, community, and nation at large. Education also is a powerful and transformative tool. Priests need to be educated and grounded in good theology so that they can teach, preach, and interpret the Bible. From there, people will be able to convert and know what to believe, and our society will change, and we will have a strong Church in Ankole diocese.

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More information about Bishop Tucker School of Theology and Divinity at Uganda Christian University can be obtained at: http://ucu.ac.ug/bishop-tucker-school-of-theology. To support UCU and her sister Universities’ clergies, contact Mark Bartels, executive director, UCU Partners, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org or donate directly at: https://www.ugandapartners.org/donate/

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Rt. Rev. Dr. Joel Samson Obetia

Ugandan Pastors ‘Preach, Teach and Reach Out’ Under Trees and in Huts

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Rt. Rev. Dr. Joel Samson Obetia
Rt. Rev. Dr. Joel Samson Obetia

By Patty Huston-Holm

 Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 1 Peter 5: 2-3

Biblical scriptures guiding pastors are many. There are directions regarding what a church leader should not do – don’t over indulge in alcohol, for example. And there are directions for what that leader, the pastor, should be and do – like teach, feed “the sheep” and heal the sick.

In Uganda, pastors and the people they serve take this role to heart and practice.

“Pastors here are expected to do about everything,” said Rt. Rev. Dr. Joel Samson Obetia of the (Anglican) Church of Uganda. “African pastors in general are multi-task persons.”

On an August morning and from his office on the Uganda Christian University (UCU) campus in Mukono, the retired bishop from Madi and West Nile Diocese shared stories and his thoughts on a Ugandan pastor’s role. One example involved g-nuts, also known as ground-nuts.

G(round)-nuts – popular Ugandan snack
G(ground)-nuts – popular Ugandan snack

G-nuts, a staple legume crop grown in East African soil, is a relatively inexpensive source of protein, magnesium, iron and fiber. Ugandan adults and children eat them as a snack or as part of a paste over rice, potatoes and a starchy banana called matooke. The tiny nut covered in a thin, reddish, edible skin is meant for the mouth – not the ear.

But it was a g-nut in a boy’s ear that had a Ugandan pastor up in the middle of the night and driving a mother and her child to a hospital, Bishop Obetia recalled. Another recollection involved a 14-year-old who fell gathering mangos, suffered a ruptured liver and died.  It was a bishop who helped with the three-hour transport to bury the body.

“Pastors here preach, teach, and reach out to about every part of the community,” he said. “They administer the sacraments, but they also do school scholarship fundraising, engage in political matters, give advice about sickness and finance and sacrifice from their own family time and budgets to give to the larger body of the church.”

Even today and wearing the title “retired,” Bishop Obetia’s work is tireless. He counsels from his office and his home on the campus and serves as a practicum placement coordinator for theology students. If a pastor’s family is to survive, the wife and children must understand that many times the needs of others in God’s flock come first.

Bishop Obetia recalled growing up with a father who was a church lay pastor preaching at 14 churches and supervising four parish teachers. When Obetia became a pastor, it was understood by his five children that as visitors came, they would be displaced from their sleeping rooms. When elevated to Bishop, the responsibility still exists.

“When you accept a leadership role in the church, your own family – your wife and children – pay the price of sharing you,” he said. “The presence of a pastor is valued at most gatherings, whether these are directly affiliated with the church or not.”

Of Uganda’s 44.4 million people, roughly 4 of 5 are Christian.  One-third of Ugandans are affiliated with the Church of Uganda, which has 37 dioceses headed by a bishop. The number of individuals with the title “pastor” and the exact number of churches are more difficult to pin down.

“Many of our churches are still under trees,” Bishop Obetia said. “Our churches are like broadcasting stations . ..”

Whether under trees or in a mud-and-wattle hut or stately brick building, the church is the hub of community activity. In addition to sermons, churches are the location for marriage introduction ceremonies, weddings, funerals, and for settling disputes. Beyond the pastor’s opening and closing prayers, he or she is often the mediator for political arguments and the moderator of social and economic concerns.

“Sundays, especially, can get very long,” the Bishop said.

A downfall of the title “pastor” in Uganda is the number practicing without credentials, training and a full understanding of the Bible. While some “overnight” pastors who get a calling without formal preparation are properly sharing the Word, others are not. Preaching false doctrines perpetuates misinterpretation of God’s message and Jesus’ teaching.

In its 21st year, UCU attempts to combat this problem by providing a quality spiritual and academic education. The mission is to “equip students for productive, holistic lives of Christian faith and service.” The historic Bishop Tucker Theological College, which trained clergy and educators during its 84-year history from 1913 until it evolved into UCU in 1997, upholds that mission. What is now known as Bishop Tucker School of Theology and Divinity  (http://ucu.ac.ug/academics/faculties/bishop-tucker-school-of-theology) is Uganda’s oldest theological School affiliated to the Church of Uganda. The main disciplines are Theology, Divinity and Child Ministry.

“Here, we train in character…that our lives speak louder than our words,” Bishop Obetia said. “We reinforce that academic excellence and character work together.”

Less-credentialled pastors, combined with tribal traditions, illiteracy, corruption and choices are a challenge for Uganda, according to the Bishop. The hope is always in Jesus Christ, which overcomes all else, he added.

“The Gospel has not been extinguished,” he said. “There is no culture that cannot be saved. In today’s world, we just need to work a little bit harder.”

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Over the next week, UCU Partners will feature stories of theology graduates practicing as pastors in various regions of Uganda. Individuals desiring to contribute to theology scholarships at UCU can contact Mark Bartels, UCU Partners executive director, at mtbartels@gmail.com for more information.

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