South Sudan govt donates $9,000 to Episcopal Choirs in Juba
By Isaac Vuni
April 21, 2008 (JUBA) — The government of Southern Sudan (Goss) minister for Gender, social welfare and Religious Affairs, Mrs. Mary Kiden Kimbo, has last night 20th April 2008, donated nine thousand dollars to various groups of Episcopal Church of the Sudan (ECS) choirs and children who sang and entertain guests at the enthronement ceremony of Anglican Archbishop of the Sudan.
Minister Kiden distributed the donation to groups of; Panyana Trumpet, four thousand dollars, ECS joint Choir, three thousands dollars and Gabat Sunday School Children, two thousand dollars respectively. She made the donation during evening reception at All Saints Cathedral yesterday.
In her keynote address, Minister Kiden reiterated the government of Southern Sudan commitment in supporting and encouraging Sudanese Churches to embracing variable developmental programmes that benefit the entire people of Southern Sudan.
The provincial dean of the ECS, Rt. Rev. Nataniel Garang observed that the enthroned Archbishop would be faced with lots of challenges pertaining to the spiritual and physical welfare of the church especially during the extraordinary circumstances where majority of the people are still returning to re-construct their houses from zero.
Nevertheless, he adds, the Most Reverend Dr. Daniel Deng Bul has accepted to take the holistic development of the church through pastoral, evangelization, education, medical and social services provision for the common good of the people of the Episcopal church of the Sudan including other Christian denominations working in Sudan and missionaries.
Rt. Rev. Garang assured the huge congregation that the newly enthroned Archbishop of the Sudan would be constantly guided from biblical text and verses that says, “I will get rid of anyone who whispers evil things about someone else; I will not tolerate anyone who is proud and arrogant”.
Another similar biblical reading taken from the letter of St. Paul to Corinthians, chapter four verses one to two which states that God in his mercy has given the church leaders work to do and not to discouraged people. “We put aside all secret and shameful deeds, we do not act with deceit nor do we falsify the word of God in the full light of truth; we live in God’s sight and try to comment ourselves to everyone’s good conscience, says biblical verses.
After administering oath of office, the dean of the province presented to the most Reverend Dr. Daniel Deng the Primatial cross, symbolizing his authority as the primate and chief shepherd of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan and Metropolitan Bishop of Juba to lead the church of the Sudan to witness the genuine authority and true joy of the world which comes through walking the way of the cross with Jesus Christ and the lord.
The Dean advised the primate to set good example by emulating love demonstrated by Jesus Christ’s suffering, dead and practice his humility authority as the chief shepherd of ECS Church in the Sudan.
The diocesan bishops, clergy and laity gave him the Holy Communion vessels, a baptismal font, Holy bible, a key and constitution of the ECS as signs of purifying their hearts from all hatred, falsehood and prejudice.
They urges him to guide the peace loving Sudanese with wisdom and righteousness that has been established among Sudanese people and to give wisdom to those in authority so that they may administer justice, punish the wicked and root out vice.
The enthronement occasion was grace by the most Honourable Speaker of Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly James Wani Igga, Governor Clement Wani Konga of Central Equatoria state, Their Graces: Luke Orombi of the Church of Uganda, Mzimbi of the Province of Kenya and Emmanuel Kolin of the province of Rwanda, Ministers of Sudan Government at all levels, Bishops from USA, Canada and Sudan together with their accompanying delegations, members of diplomatic Corps and representative of International community and organizations operating in Southern Sudan among then of thousands faithful Christians who witnessed the enthronement of the fourth Archbishop of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan.
The Province of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan was established more than a century ago and it has built a strong foundation of Christianity that Holy Spirit has been guiding generations of Church leaders; bishops, pastors, mother’s union leaders, lay readers, youth, evangelists and the great laity have since been effectively working in the development of the ministries of the Sudan Church to the present.
(ST)