WESTERN PRESBYTERY COUNCIL MEETING

Last week was the annual Presbytery Council held this year in Senanga on 28 and 29 November. It only took us 3 hours to travel the 300km distance from Mwandi as the pontoon ferry at Sikuka is now in operation. Tarmac on the roads all the way too!

There were Pastoral and Finance Committee Meetings on the Thursday. The full Council convened on Friday, at Senanga Main Church and worked through till 2000h, despite the power cut; reading reports by torchlight. This meant that we completed all the business in a day. The UCZ Synod Bishop and General Secretary were both in attendance

After the opening hymn, HY5 (Psalm 37) and a prayer, Council followed its usual pattern with welcome, roll call and apologies. The main business of the morning was matters from Synod and Presbytery. Synod business ranged from fundraising for the new investment complex, Church Workers Conditions of Service, the new UCZ University College at Mindolo and the 2 theology students from Western Province. The importance of the establishment of Presbytery and Consistory Land Committees was stressed to help minimize embarrassing and difficult wrangles and deal with challenges to Church property. Guidelines concerning Charismatic Worship and the new Sunday School Syllabus had been published. We also remembered with affection the life, work and witness of Rev Alice Mulenga of the Community Development and Social Justice Department who died recently.

The Presbytery items were concerned with human resource issues and Church workers. Physical infrastructure dealt with manse renovations, the Lilelelo fence and JAA assets. Finances covered assessments, visitations and special Sundays. Events on the Church Calendar included Rededications, the MCF AGM and WCF National Rally, the Western Bishop’s exchange with Muchinga in May and the Synod Bishop’s Pastoral Visit in August 2014. 8 delegates were elected for the Synod Executive Meeting taking place in June. A Presbytery Committee was formed to begin making arrangements to celebrate the UCZ’s Golden Jubilee in January 2015. Finally, the Butoya Retreat was scheduled for September 2015

Thereafter, came reports from Consistories, Presbytery Committees, Health and Education Institutions and other Church groups. The meeting closed with a hymn prayer and the Grace.

The next morning as we were about to set out to return home we heard the news that the 54 Barotseland activists who had been facing treason charges had been set free as the Director of Public Prosecutions had entered a ‘nolle prosequi’.

Altogether 84 activists had been detained in August for allegedly agitating for the restoration of sovereignty to Barotseland. 30 activists had been released earlier last month at a court appearance. Amongst the latest releases we learned was Clement Sinyinda, the former Ngambela, the Barotse Prime Minister, who had also been charged with treason.

The Court told the activists that they were discharged, not acquitted, and could be rearrested at a later date should the state decide to do so.