A Way of Life: Holiness (Sunday Reflections, July 2018)

This Sunday as part of our Way of Life series we take the second of the clauses in the baptismal commission:  “Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?”

There are a number of concepts here to be unpacked – sin, repentance, evil.  And I think  a particular risk for us, because on the whole we like talking about concepts, is that we don’t get to the application. we unpack theoretically, we don’t unpack practically.  So what, practically, does it mean to resist evil, to recognise our sinfulness, to repent and return to the Lord? What does this look like in your life today or this week? What does it look like for us collectively as the community of the followers of Jesus Christ in this place?

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Kigali trip: a tale of two rural churches

This is Pastor Emmanuel, assistant pastor of Masaka parish, and his wife Immaculate.  We are standing outside Gako church, one of the two local ‘satellite’ churches that are part of Masaka parish.  At least it would be one of the local churches if it was open.  As a sound, though incomplete, building it has been closed by the new government building regulations.

A Way of Life: One God, one body (Sunday reflections, July 2018)

 

I am using this morning/evening material from the Ely Way of Life recently published as a way of, as they put it, ‘raising the spiritual temperature of the diocese’.  We will be using this material through most of July and August.  Each Sunday the spoken material will be complemented by a leaflet, adds to what I have time to say in the next 10 mins or so.  I encourage you to use these next few weeks to think seriously about your spiritual temperature – are you too cool or just about right? 

Kigali trip: the contrasts of Kigali city

Kigali is a city of contrasts, with much development underway in accordance with the government’s ‘city plan’.  Here are a few photos taken in the city so that you can see something of this for yourself.

This could be in any city.

Kigali trip: a church building site

The current church building at Remera, a ‘suburb’ of Kigali, is too small for its congregation of 1,000.  They have managed to keep their main parish church open despite the new government building regulations that have meant that many churches have had to close (more about this in another post).  Not only that, they are building a new church next door, to seat 3,000!

Kigali trip: visit to the Anglican vocational college

The Anglican vocational college known as CEFORMI (a French acronym, the meaning of which I have forgotten!) takes over 200 students, aged 16 and above, for one year courses in practical skills.  Some of those studying here have come from very challenging backgrounds on the streets and are sponsored by charities.  Others pay the fee themselves.  All are learning a trade so that they are more likely to get jobs or can start their own small businesses. 

Kigali trip: Ely sponsored students

Ely Diocese sponsors a number of pastors and catechists (local lay ministers) who are training at Kigali Anglican Theological College (standing in the picture below).  Many pastors and catechists took up their roles without theological study or training in the practice of ministry.  The Diocese of Kigali is now gradually sending all its pastors and catechists through a training course for ministry at KATC.