Primate election

Tomorrow, Tuesday September 15th, the Anglican Church of Nigeria will hold elections to nominate a candidate to the position of the Archbishop of All Nigeria. The enthronement of Archbishop Akinola’s successor as Primate will not occur for months to come, but the House of Bishops will convene to decide tomorrow. As one of the leading provinces in the Anglican Communion,
this election is immensely important. Please join our Nigerian brothers and sisters in prayer tonight and tomorrow as they pray for the House of Bishops during these elections.

Some specific prayer points include travel to and from the meeting, protection of families and dioceses left behind, unity, clarity, and ears to hear the Lord. As the Lord calls the next Archbishop, pray that the Lord will equip and guide him. One of the Nigerian bishops emphasized that there is much work to be done ahead, but they are not willing to give up. May we join with them in his prayer that Nigeria will continue to “shine forth, stand up for truth, pursue righteousness and justice.”

Hat tip: StandFirm

Congo primate election

The Anglican Church of the Congo has elected Bishop Henri Kahwa Isingoma of the Diocese of Boga as its next primate. Isingoma will succeed Archbishop Fidèle Dirokpa, who has served as primate of the French-speaking province since 2003. A date has not yet been set for Dirokpa’s retirement or Isingoma’s enthronement.
Isingoma is married to Mugisha. They have six grown children and one grandchild. Isingoma became bishop of Boga in April 2007 after having previously served as bishop of Katanga. He is a member of the Anglican Consultative Council.
A photograph can be found here.

O Jesus,
You are the Living Word. We pray that Henri will submit to You, that his heart will be filled with Your praise, and that his vision will remain upon You. May You be enthroned in the center of his heart. Be his life, his breath, his healing, and his health. May he bring hope and healing and health to the Anglican Province of Congo and to the Anglican Consultative Council. Amen.

An Encouragement to Pray for Bishop Mouneer Anis

I was reminded and encouraged by a friend today to be praying especially in these days for Bishop Mouneer Anis, the Primate of Jerusalem and the Middle East, who is a member of the Primates Standing Committee.

Primates Standing Committee
The Most Revd Dr. Phillip John Aspinall (Australia)
The Most Revd Dr Mouneer Hanna Anis (Jerusalem and the Middle East)
The Most Revd Henry Luke Orombi (Uganda) – Unable to attend
The Most Revd Katharine Jefferts Schori (US based)
The Most Revd Dr Barry Cennydd Morgan (Wales)

It seems especially important to uphold Bishop Mouneer in prayer as the other orthodox Primate, Bp. Orombi of Uganda will be unable to attend the ACC meeting.

May the Lord encourage and strengthen Bishop Mouneer daily and give him the mind of Christ in each decision he will be making in the days ahead.

This prayer from the 1928 BCP service for the ordination of a bishop comes to mind:

MOST merciful Father, send down, we beseech thee, upon this thy servant thy heavenly blessing; and so endue him with thy Holy Spirit, that he, preaching thy Word, may not only be earnest to reprove, beseech, and rebuke, with all patience and doctrine; but also may be, to such as believe, a wholesome example in word, in conversation, in love, in faith, in chastity, and in purity; that, faithfully fulfilling his course, at the latter day he may receive the crown of righteousness, laid up by the Lord Jesus, the righteous Judge, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen

New Primate of Kenya: Eliud Wabukala

A new Primate was elected in Kenya last Friday.  I find it a bit interesting to have to rely on secular media for both the news of the election and the results… ACNS has nothing about this yet.

Wabukala elected as Anglican Church head

Bishop Eliud Wabukala has been elected as the new archbishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK).  The Archbishop-elect, formerly of Bungoma diocese was elected in a ceremony that lasted over five hours at the All Saints Cathedral. He won on a simple majority, after they all failed to garner the mandatory two thirds of the votes. He beat three other contestants including Joseph Wasonga of Maseno West diocese, Samson Mwaluda of Taita Taveta diocese and Stephen Kewasis of Kitale diocese.

Speaking to the press after his election, an elated Wabukhala expressed gratitude to the church for the peaceful transition. “I would like to thank the Anglican (church) and particularly the electoral college, for the peaceful election they have carried out, and for maintaining the integrity of the church,” he told reporters. He says he is ready to take the baton from where his predecessor, Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi left, noting that the challenges are indeed opportunities.

“We know there are challenges to do with building bridges among our community, reconciling people and healing. We shall continue with where he has left. Our aim is to ensure the gospel is preached and taught, and possibly med [sic ??] to make people live it in this country” he added.

From here.

See also:  here, here, and here

Archbishop Wabukala will be enthroned on July 5 at a service at the All Saints Cathedral, but will assume office on July1.  Archbishop Nzimbi will still hold office until June 30.

Photo credit:  Anglican Church of Kenya

Update: Here is some more information about Bp. Wabukala from the Wycliffe College website from October 2008 (Bp. Wabukala is an alumni of Wycliffe and spoke there last fall.)

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Eliud Wabukala, W94

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Wabukala is the Bishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK), Diocese of Bungoma. He chairs the ACK provincial Colleges Council and the ACK Constitutional Review Commission also known as ‘the Wabukala Commission’. A graduate of Wycliffe College, Makerere University and St. Paul’s College Limuru, Bishop Wabukala has previously served as an Academic Dean of St. Paul’s, a lecturer, and an administrator in the provinces.

The bishop, who earned his Masters degree at Wycliffe College, is chairman of the National Council of Churches of Kenya, a coalition of 29 protestant churches and para-church institutions.

His ministry goal is “to reach the entire nation with a holistic gospel which informs all of life.” His focus is “not on numbers, but the entire nation.” His own diocese, the Diocese of Bungoma, has 200,000 to 300,000 persons, which is made up of 50 parishes. There are 300 churches (10 churches to one parish).

Most recently, Bishop Wabukala has been an instrumental member of a peace planning commission with the Kenyan government to find a solution to the politically-instigated violence in that country. Kenya’s political unrest was sparked by the irregularities in the national elections in late 2007 where the opposition leader Raila Odinga appeared to have won the poll. Between 500 – 1, 000 people died as a result of the violence.

Pray for the election of a new Primate for Kenya

The Anglican Church of Kenya will be electing a new Primate on Friday.  Here are some of the details:

The next head of the Anglican Church in Kenya will be known on Friday when the 150-member electoral college elects the archbishop of Nairobi.

“There is minimal contact allowed between the bishop and the person nominating them and the church does not allow for campaigns,” he said. Bishop Dena said the next archbishop must be a holder of at least a Masters degree in theology, be 45-60 years in age, be a well-known spiritual leader, development-oriented and have been a bishop for at least five years.

The college members — a diocesan bishop, two priests and two lay persons from each of the 30 dioceses — will gather at the All Saints’ Cathedral in Nairobi at 9am to elect, by secret ballot, the man to replace Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi.

The candidate will be installed and enthroned, the Anglicans say, as the head of the 4.5 million member church in a grand ceremony on July 5.

No campaigns

A public relations officer at the church’s headquarters on Wednesday said that the preparations for perhaps the biggest event in the church’s calendar this year are going on well. But church leaders declined to give reporters interviews “for fear that their remarks could work for or against one of the four candidates”.

In the contest are Maseno West bishop Joseph Otieno Wasonga, Kitale bishop Stephen Kewasis, Taita bishop Samuel Mwaluda and Bungoma bishop Eliud Wabukala. In an interview on Monday, the church’s equivalent of a secretary-general, Bishop Lawrence Dena said no direct campaigns were allowed and tomorrow’s election is considered a mere formality as the “head has already been identified by God”.

Read the whole article here.

Lord, go before the leaders of the Province of Kenya, with your most gracious favour, and guide them with your continual help, that in all their works begun, continued and ended in you, [and in the election of a new Primate], that they may glorify your holy name, and finally by your mercy receive everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Thanks to Kendall Harmon for the heads up on this news, it had not been on my radar screen at all.  (Maybe Jill knew of this, however. She’s the one who keeps track of events for our prayer calendar.)

Pray for the GAFCON Primates Meeting in London

Unfortunately, I’ve been offline much of the past 2 days, and have limited internet access today so am not sure if one of my L&B colleagues has already posted a prayer request for the GAFCON Primates meeting in London that started yesterday.  The Living Church reports:

Eight archbishops are meeting in closed-door session at a London hotel this week to review plans for the creation of a new Anglican Communion province to be known as the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA).

Seven primates: Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi of Kenya, Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria, Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini of Rwanda, Presiding Bishop Gregory Venables of the Southern Cone, Archbishop Valentino Mokiwa of Tanzania, Archbishop Henry Orombi of Uganda, Archbishop Justice Akrofi of West Africa; along with the Most Rev. Peter Jensen, Archbishop of Sydney (Australia) began talks on April 14 at hotel near Heathrow airport.

The whole story is here.

Please uphold the meeting and all named in your prayers!

New primate of Melanesia

The Anglican Church of Melanesia has a new Archbishop. He is the Rt Rev David Vunagi who is currently the Bishop of the Diocese of Temotu in Solomon Islands.  Formerly a science teacher, he trained in theology in Auckland, New Zealand and New Westminster, Canada.  He is 58 years old. 

In 2005, he said

People have become very busy to accommodate the things of God. To them, God seem not to play any part in their lives. This is a big problem and we are trying to address it by emphasising the training of both clergy and laity. The training that we offer looks at particularly the areas of faith development, the power of prayer, knowledge of scripture, and the social conscience of our people.  Our aim is to help people realise the significance of the Gospel in their lives.

O God,

Abram believed in You, and You credited it to him as righteousness.  We pray that Your servant David will commit all that he is and ever would be to You.  May his belief in You be without qualification, and his trust so full of love that he will abide in You and You in him.  When his faith is weak, send the Helper, Your Holy Spirit, to help his unbelief. 

Oh, for the faith that is credited as righteousness!  Amen.

Genesis 15:6, 2 Timothy 2:11, Mark 9:23

Melanesian primate appointment

This week the Church Electoral Board sits to make the appointment of the next primate. The meeting takes place in North Guadalcanal at the Community of the Sisters of the Church.

^{Hebrews 3:12-19}

See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. As has just been said:
   ”Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”

May it be so for the Church Electoral Board in Melanesia, dear Lord.  Amen.

Primates

John 14:26 (New International Version)
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Dear Heavenly Father,
We thank You for the gift of the Counselor, Your Holy Spirit. We thank You for the name of Jesus, the name that is above all names, at which every knee shall bow, in heaven, on earth and under the earth. We pray that the primates will not be distracted from the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
Guard them from the destruction that comes when the faith of the apostles is abandoned. Grant them teachable spirits.
Come, Holy Spirit. Come to the primates in Alexandria and as they return home. Amen.

Bernard Ntahoturi

Chairman of the primates drafting group and primate of Burundi.

Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. Psalm 42:7
Holy Spirit, sweep over Your servant Bernard.
This is what the LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: I will go before you and will level the mountains ; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. Isaiah 45:1-3
Father Almighty, Bernard has been sumoned by name for this task. Go before him. Break down the strongholds. Reveal to him Your treasures hidden deep within his spirit.
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Psalm 51:6
Jesus, You are our wisdom.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Psalm 46:4-5
Holy Spirit, You are that river whose streams make glad! Help Bernard at the break of day.
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14
Jesus, may Your living water become a spring in Bernard’s spirit, welling up to eternal life.
However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”— but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10
Father Almighty, reveal to Bernard what You have prepared for those who love You by Your Holy Spirit.
Indeed, of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one were born in her, and the Most High himself will establish her.” The LORD will write in the register of the peoples: “This one was born in Zion.”
Selah
As they make music they will sing, “All my fountains are in you.” Psalm 87:5-7
Lord, Bernard is one of Your children. Establish him. May the Anglican Communion sing to Your glory. Amen.

Primates drafting group

A drafting group has been appointed consisting of five primates — archbishops Bernard Ntahoturi of Burundi (chair), Paul Kwong of Hong Kong, Alan Harper of Ireland, Ian Ernest of the Indian Ocean, and Carlos Touche-Porter of Mexico. The Rev. Canon Gregory Cameron, deputy secretary general of the Anglican Communion, is serving as secretary of the drafting group, which will prepare a communiqué for release towards the end of the meeting.

Dear Heavenly Father,
As they work on the drafting committee, may Bernard, Paul, Alan, Ian, Carlos, and Gregory search for You with all of their hearts and seek Your glory. Amen.
John 7:18, Jeremiah 29:13

Lists

Primates attending meeting: David, Paul, Phillip, Mauricio, Bernard, Frederick, Albert, Martin, Dirokpa, Rowan, Paul, Ian, Alan, Nathaniel, Mouneer, Benjamin, Francis, Charles, Carlos, Stephen, Peter, Purely, James, Emmanuel, Idris, John, Thabo, Gregory, Daniel, Valentino, Henry, Catherine, Barry, Justice, and Errol

GAFCON Primates Council: Peter, Gregory, Benjamin, Henry, Emmanuel

Archbishop of West Africa

Most. Rev’d Dr. Justice Ofei Akrofi who was enthroned as Archbishop in 2004. There are 15 Dioceses within the six majority-Muslim countries (Ghana, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, and Cameroon). Their chief object is to bring into submission to Jesus Christ themselves and those with whom they come into contact.
Though the sub-region of West Africa is generally rich in natural resources, the absence of judicious utilization, external debt burden, ethnic conflicts , political instability, etc. have contributed to much poverty. Inadequate funding is the major problem. The nation of Ghana recently made a peaceful transition of government following a closely contested election, and the church was a leading voice for humility and cooperation.
All Saints Anglican Church of Charlotte, NC, is under the ecclesiastical authority of Archbishop Akrofi. Akrofi licensed Rt. Rev. John Guernsey, who was consecrated by Ugandan Archbishop Orombi, to be their visiting missionary bishop.
In a statement released in April 2008 following a meeting of the bishops and standing committee of the province, West Africa resolved to “continue to be in communion with the See of Canterbury as we unequivocally and unambiguously remain in the Anglican Communion.” However, the dioceses in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Gambia, Guinea and Cameroon said they “out rightly condemn and reject the unacceptable action” of some Western churches in blessing same-sex unions and ordaining and licensing non-celibate homosexual clergy. While affirming the on-going need that homosexuals should be “treated pastorally,” the province said moves to give gay blessings and clergy “official recognition and acceptance by the Church of God as a standard form of life is quite another stand which we cannot and dare not accept. We further urge all members of the Communion to tread very cautiously in these trying and challenging moments” the province said, urging a halt to “name-calling.” “Reducing the conversation to Liberals versus Conservatives is not helpful; it only adds fuel to an already inflamed situation,” they said. (Hat tip: Conger)

Our Father in heaven,
We pray that Your servant Justice will walk in the meekness and gentleness of Christ, speaking truth and casting down falsehood, speaking honor and casting down dishonor, speaking justice and casting down injustice, speaking purity and casting down impurity. May he speak that which is pleasing, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy and capture every thought to the obedience of Christ, in Whose name we pray. Bless him, Father, and bless this province. Amen.
Philippians 4:8, 2 Corinthians 10:1-5

Archbishop of Nigeria

Nigeria is the fastest growing province in the Anglican Communion. Two hundred eighty-seven congregations have been planted in the last twelve months.
The Most Revd Peter Jasper Akinola is a leading voice among the Global South primates. He has resolutely challenged “the reality that a small, economically privileged group of people has sought to subvert the Christian faith and impose their new and false doctrine on the wider community of faithful believers.”
The communique of the Nigerian bishops from their January 2009 meeting:

Following the Primate’ report on the meeting of the GAFCON Primates Council with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the House of Bishops, while expressing support for this effort to build bridges, stressed that in any effort to bring restoration to the Communion there can be no compromise on the need for genuine repentance by those who have walked away from the ‘faith once delivered to the saints’. We are, however, delighted by the continuing fruit of GAFCON, the developing Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans around the world, the work of the GAFCON Primates Council and the emerging Anglican Church in North America.

Eternal Godhead,
We thank You that the province of Nigeria is being soaked through and through with Your presence. We thank You for its roots of Holy Scripture; its trunk of prayer, fasting, healing, deliverance, and witnessing; and its fruit of crusades, revivals, church planting, prayer teams, night vigils, ministerial training, church programs, and the recognition of all the gifts You have given Your holy people. Holy is Your name.
They stand in the midst of a Communion in schism and a nation in tension. Turn their hearts to the freedom of Christ. Drive out sin and disobedience. Strengthen them to stand firm and cast aside the yoke of slavery.
Pour Your Spirit upon Peter, give him the hope of righteouness, and quicken his love. May he lead the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) in showing forth the genuine love of Christ. Amen.
Galatians 4:21-5:6

Psalm 37:1-6 (ESV)
Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.
Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your justice as the noonday.

Primates

The primates of the Anglican Communion are meeting in Alexandria.

Lord, we ask you to stand with the Primates of the Anglican Communion. Hold back their feet from every evil way. Amen.