United Methodists elect Ugandan pastor as new bishop
May. 31, 2006 News media contact: Linda Bloom * (646) 3693759* New York {315}
NOTE: Photographs are available at http://umns.umc.org.
By Andra Stevens*
MUTARE, Zimbabwe (UMNS) - The United Methodist Church's newest bishop is the Rev. Daniel Wandabula of Uganda.
Wandabula, 41, is a pastor and former dean of superintendents and project coordinator for the Uganda/Sudan District of the denomination's East Africa Annual (regional) Conference.
He replaces the late Bishop J. Alfred Ndoricimpa, who died last July, as resident bishop for East Africa, which includes Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
Wandabula was elected May 27 during a meeting of the denomination's Africa Central Conference on the Africa University campus in Mutare, Zimbabwe. Delegates were quick and decisive, giving Wandabula 81 percent of the vote on the second ballot.
"This was a great and historic event for the church, and you could feel it," said Bishop Eben Nhiwatiwa, leader of the denomination's Zimbabwe Area and host bishop for the central conference meeting. "The delegates have shown maturity, and this bishop has been given to us by God."
"The Holy Spirit was with the delegates. ... An election that was expected to take a day or a day and a half was over in a matter of hours," said Caroline Njuki, an executive with the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries.
The election got off to a tumultuous start, with some delegates questioning the candidates' slate and the voting process. But, in the end, the delegates opted for an open slate and voting began. The other two contenders were the Rev. Joel Ncahoruri and the Rev. Justin Nzoyisaba, both from Burundi.
In making their choice, the delegates spoke of the need for development, healing, reconciliation and unity within the church and in their various, strife-plagued countries.
"We saw in him the kind of character that showed that he could be a leader to our wounded countries and conference," explained Godelive Manirakiza, a lay delegate from Burundi. "It is good to give someone from outside Burundi the opportunity to lead. It will strengthen unity and promote healing."
"I am so excited in my heart because we wanted someone who is neutral, and we now have that in this leader," said Alice Wasilwa, a lay delegate from Kenya.
"He is a man from the new generation, and he is strong," said Bishop Jose Quipungo, the bishop for East Angola and president of the Africa Central Conference.
Quipungo and his fellow bishops pledged to assist and support their new colleague, noting that he faces a tremendous responsibility in the East Africa Annual Conference.
Seriously divisive issues exist within and among the different groups, ethnic and otherwise, that make up the annual conference. Years of war - in Rwanda, south Sudan and northern Uganda in particular - have resulted in large numbers of orphans and in dilapidated or destroyed infrastructure. Church members in the area point to a need for more trained pastors and for skilled professionals to lead development projects to help communities prosper.
"East Africa is an area that is facing a lot of challenges..." Nhiwatiwa said. "It needs a healing spirit, and we know that our brothers and sisters there will continue to show maturity and grow with their bishop."
"He will need to be a man of courage and firm convictions, loving his people but also helping them to transcend their differences," said retired Bishop Emilio De Carvalho of West Angola Conference.
Wandabula was consecrated May 28 at the Ehnes Memorial Church at the Old Mutare UMC Mission Center. He and his wife, Betty, married in January 2005.
He was ordained an elder in the United Methodist Church in 1994 and is studying for a Beeson International Leaders Doctor of Ministry degree with Asbury Theological Seminary. He earned both his master of divinity degree (1997) and master of theological studies degree (1998) from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Ill., and holds a diploma in practical theology from the Methodist Training Institute at Kenya Methodist University.
Before going to the United States for graduate studies, Wandabula served as administrative secretary to the Methodist Church in Uganda from 1991 to 1994 and as project manager for the Methodist Youth Association in Jinja, Uganda, from 1986 to 1988.
*Stevens is director of information and public affairs at Africa University.
News media contact: Linda Bloom, New York, (646) 369-3759 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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United Methodist News Service Photos and stories also available at: http://umns.umc.org
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