On Wednesday, March 22,2023 the UEM Africa Reginal Assembly was officially opened. The opening service was held at ELCT-ECD Azania Front Cathedral led by Bishop Dr Alex Gehaz Malasusa and Rev Joseph Mlaki. The sermon was given by the UEM Chairman of Africa Reginal Board and Vice Moderator Bishop Rev Dr Mothusi Letlhage.
The UEM Africa Reginal Assembly focuses on the “The Beam in Our Eye; Discrimination in Church and Diaconia’ from Mathew 7:2-3, the assembly consisted delegates from UEM member Churches from Africa.
FROM LEFT Rev. Dr. Msafiri Joseph Mbilu, the Bishop of ELCT-North Eastern Diocese, and Rev. Volker Martin Dally the UEM General Secretary. participated in the UEM Africa Regional Assembly,from 20th to 26 March 2023.
Bishop Rev Dr Msafiri Joseph Mbilu was one of the delegates from North Eastern Diocese and for the first-time other Bishops welcomed him with awe because before North Eastern Diocese leadership never attended these important assemblies as in Hebrew 10:25 “…and lets us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near’.
Alongside Bishop Rev. Dr. Msafiri Mbilu, there were other delegates from North Eastern Diocese; Rev. Happiness Diu who was representing Women and Norah Manase who was representing North Eastern Diocese Youth.
Through this assembly the UEM member Churches will have time to reflect on UEM corporate identity, their past, where they are and where they want to be in the future as UEM Africa and globally.
In additional Bishop Rev Dr Alex Gehaz Malasusa of ELCT-ECD who are the host of the assembly, Bishop Rev Dr Malasusa reminded the assembly that” The incidence of COVID 19 should remind us of the importance of emergency preparedness as churches. We need to have plans in place for emergencies like pandemics, floods. Epidemics and fire outbreaks” and on behalf of other African Church leaders thanked UEM for standing with them in that difficult period for the financial support that eased the difficulties of life they were facing.
