wfn.org | All Africa Conference of Churches 8th Assembly Closes with

[cfouke@ncccusa.org]

For Immediate Release

ALL AFRICA CONFERENCE OF CHURCHES 8TH ASSEMBLY CLOSES WITH WORSHIP

November 27, 2003, Yaounde, Cameroon -- "Celebrating in Hope" was the 
theme of the spirited Holy Communion service that concluded the 8th 
Assembly of the All Africa Conference of Churches, which met Nov. 22-27 
in Yaounde, Cameroon.

Hymns from across Africa and around the world animated the 1,000-plus 
member congregation, joined together at the Palais des Congres, the 
Assembly's venue.  Among highlights: Abel Nen, member of the Evangelical 
Church in Cameroon, conducted singing of the Assembly anthem, which he 
composed.

"One of the things we Africans cherish is dreams," said the evening's 
preacher, the Rev. Iteffa Gobena, President of the Ethiopian Evangelical 
Church Mekane Yesus.  "As Christians, we believe in dreams and also we 
are realistic people who believe in what's been done for us in our Lord 
Jesus Christ.  We go and claim and go to do it.  For Christians, dreams 
are a gift of the Holy Spirit."

At this 8th Assembly, he said, delegates have expressed many dreams - for 
example, that HIV/AIDS will not be the killer of tomorrow, that poverty, 
war and economic problems will not continue to be realities in tomorrow's 
Africa.

The preacher rejected a saying that was going around a few years ago 
that "Africa is a lost continent."

"If she is lost," he said, "she is lost in Christ and she is taken up 
into God's hands.  Today we trust in our God who has given us His hand to 
work with us in graciousness in Africa."

"Christ is calling us to take up the mission of rebuilding Africa," he 
said.  "He is calling us to be commissioned and empowered to take up the 
work that comes out of this Assembly."

The service included installation of the AACC's newly elected 40-member 
General Committee, a remembrance of ecumenists who have died since the 
last Assembly and a celebration of Holy Communion.  

It concluded with the benediction:  "All our problems, we send to the 
cross of Christ.  All our difficulties we send to the cross of Christ.	
All the devil's works we send to the cross of Christ.  All our hopes we 
set on the risen Christ."

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo   AACC 

AACC Media Team: (011) 237 966 3059 or 3063 through 11/29
Thereafter: AACC Communications, Nairobi: 254 20 444 1338/9
In the U.S.: 212-870-2252; In South Africa: 27 82 784-7693

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