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- Crusades -

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MUBENDE/MITYANA DISTRICT DECEMBER 2012

SUBJECT: ABUNDANT LIFE PASTORS AND LEADERS' CONFERENCE REPORT

LOCATION: MUBENDE AND MITYANA DISTRICT, UGANDA

DURATION: 28TH NOV-6TH DECEMBER 2012

Introduction

Abundant Life International Ministries (ALIM) believe that God has called them to equip the Church of Christ in Uganda to ensure that it gets rooted in deep Biblical teaching and truth as it matures and grows. The purpose of carrying out these conferences in Mubende and Mityana is to bring men and women to the truth of God's Word. Amidst religious infiltration and confusion, where the "gospel" of lies and "compromise" is prevalent; the truth regarding salvation, worship, discipleship and commissioning remains intact and untainted within the pages of God's Word, the Bible. For Christ Himself said: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words will never pass away" (Matthew 24:35).

ALIM's commitment to organizing and funding these teaching conferences is to encourage the church of Christ to continue with the simple message of Jesus Christ, preaching and teaching the Word of God and to ensure "that the Church is thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tim 3:17).

Pastor Ernest Howie and Mike Smith posing for a photo with the Executive committee members of the Mityana Pastors Fellowship

The ALIM team under the leadership of Pastor Ernest Howie (NI) in company of Pastor Mike Smith from New Life Church of Stow market/Suffolk England held a conference in the district of Mubende (28th November to 1st December) and Mityana from 3rd to 6th December 2012. The two towns are all located in Central Uganda West of Kampala City.

The conferences were both coordinated by Samuel Sombi, the ministry coordinator for crusades and conferences with the assistance of Pastor Henry Sewanyana of Victory Life Restoration Church, Mubende and Pastor Augustine, the Chairperson Mityana Pastors’ Fellowship. The two Pastors coordinated the activities ranging from chairing the organizing committee meetings, to overseeing the entire programme during the conference. The conference average attendance was 300 in Mubende and 800 participants in Mityana.

Crusade

1.00 VENUE

The conference in Mubende was held in Victory Life Restoration Church and Life House Community Church in Mityana. Conferences in each district started at 9.00am and ended at 5.00pm with praise and worship interludes. 2.00

ACCOMODATION

The conferences were both residential for participants from far towns and communities, and those who live nearby commuted. Seventy delegates were residents in Mubende and 270 in Mityana respectively. Meals were provided for all the participants. The conference officials hired the catering services that prepared and served the meals. 3.00

EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TEACHINGS

The effectiveness of the teachings was measured by the level of commitment that the participants exhibited by attending sessions all through the 4 days of each conference. The teachers of the word provided notes for all the messages that they delivered. Audio Recordings were made for all the messages during the conferences and they were available to the participants on request.

Pastors and leaders making a positive response to the message by Pastor Ernest Howie

The teachers of the word through research identified some cultural practices and traditions that keep the church in sin and called for a transformation that comes through the renewal of mind as indicated in Romans 12:2.

Failure by the church leaders to show affection to their spouses in public Payment of bride price demanded by the girl's parents Pressure on young people to make expensive marriage ceremonies. Some church leaders having more than one wife.

At the end of the session, 33 couples were wedded in Holy Matrimony and their marriages sanctified before God, 17 in Mubende and 16 in Mityana respectively. The pastors and leaders present, just like it has always been where these conferences have been held previously, resolved never to put a price on their daughters again by demanding dowry. They also resolved to start a campaign against bride price and the practices that place demands on young people in church to go for expensive wedding ceremonies. The demand for expensive weddings causes strife in the church and those who cannot afford ends up living together without being wedded in the sight of God.

To the glory of God, 16 couples were married in the sight of God in Mityana on the 05th and 6th of December 2012.

PROGRAMME

4.00 RADIO

Pastor Ernest and Mike Smith had an opportunity to minister to the Masses through radio. Many people called in to appreciate the messages while others called in to seek prayer, an indicator of how effective the media was. Radio broadcasting is one of the major avenues for spreading the good news of the saving power of Jesus Christ in Uganda. This is because many people, particularly those in the rural areas, have access to the radio, which is widely listened to.

Pastor Ernest Howie and His interpreter Pastor Samuel Sombi during the radio broadcasting

5.00 OTHER MAJOR ACTIVITIES DURING THE PERIOD OF MINISTRY

GRADUATION CEREMONY

One of the Partner Churches, Victory Life Restoration Outreach Ministry is committed to training lay Church members for ministry. This is to prepare them for service in the church of Christ. The training takes six months and it covers themes like church theology, the trinity, Baptism, Salvation eschatology, among others. When need arises, those who are trained are commissioned and posted out as Pastors to the ministries satellite branch churches. During this year’s graduation, Pastor Ernest Howie was the Chief Guest. During his speech, Pastor Ernest encouraged those graduating to put the knowledge they had acquired into practice, since applied knowledge is power. The graduates were awarded with a Certificate of Ministry.

A total of 21 candidates were passed out after completing a six months training for the Award of a certificate of Ministry.

MY FATHER'S HOUSE CHILDREN'S HOME

During the trip, Pastor Ernest and Mike visited My Father's House children's home that is supported by Abundant Life International Ministries (ALIM). They presented Christmas gifts to the orphans in the home from their sponsors back in Northern Ireland. ALIM also shared with the community the Love and joy of Christmas by giving all the household members present (400 in number) a food pack composed of Rice, Sugar and Soap..   

Pastor Ernest and Mike blessing the food packs before giving them to the community members During the same visit, Pastor Ernest blessed the ongoing construction for house Number 2 that is going to be a residence for the male Children. They are currently staying in a classroom that has been partitioned with boards to form bed rooms. After they have moved, the partitions will be dismantled and the room will go back to its original use as part of the steadily growing school..

MFH Children's choir entertaining community members Dancing, merry making and praising God was the order of the day as the children entertained the community; a mood that reflected the joy in the hearts of children that God has brought their way. 15 children were blessed and commissioned to move on with their studies as they graduated from Nursery to Primary one come 2013.

MFH Graduating children from Nursery to Primary line up for commissioning

6.00 APPRECIATION

I do register our thanks to God for enabling His servants Pastors Ernest and Mike to do all that you have read in this report in 14 days. Many thanks go to the Howie Christian Charitable Trust for the financial support that facilitated all these activities right from the conferences, to community gifts and children's home children support. We appreciate the efforts of the Local pastors in Mubende and Mityana whose support and effort led to successful conferences in the aforementioned places. We appreciate the efforts at MFH and we pray for a blessing upon the Director and his team 

Blessings to all, ALIM/HCCT-UGANDA.

 

 

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