June 2013 Newsletter

  

       
Dear Friends in the Ministry.

Greetings from Church of Uganda, here in Namirembe.

I want to appreciate all our friends and partners for the prayers and support received for the Ministry to Children in Uganda since my taking office. I can confidently say that the Ministry is getting to another level as improved skills, involvement and planning of children’s work and ministry are taking centre stage. 

My major work has been the great task of equipping all leaders to not only organize but add value when the children come for church worship, in the schools and within their communities.  I believe that Character transformation, Life-skills acquisition and Bible based/ Christ Centered living in the lives of the children is for today and tomorrow.  This task is for all leaders in the Ministry. Our new Children’s Discipleship Curriculum has been very helpful as a resource for empowering Children’s Teachers and Leaders within this new approach. 

It is also very encouraging and exciting to see that there are many men (father figures) getting involved in Ministry to Children. I greatly appreciate what is happening for the work of the Ministry in most of our Dioceses. The activities to the young people in Churches, Schools and Communities are beginning to be considered. We continue to equip and empower all Children’s Leaders in ‘The Intentional Ministry Approach’ through Discipleship of Children. I am also putting emphasis on family roles as a model for making a difference in the transformational process of the children, because I believe ‘charity begins at home’.

During the last Quarter, with my Discipleship team; Editar, Blessed, Fiona and our driver, Samson, we have equipped over 740 Trainers of Trainees in 7 Diocesan Centers with the new COU Children’s Discipleship Curriculum that was launched in the Provincial Assembly in August 2012. These are in addition to the other 784 trained from October to December 2012. We have so far reached about 1524 Children’s Leaders (i.e ordained, lay, volunteers and full time) in the last 10 Months around Uganda. These are already training others so we estimate about twice the number to be already using the curriculum.  With an average number of Children per Parish estimated at 200 when multiplied by 1524 ToTs reaching more 2 in each Parish church, School or a Club then over 609,600 Children are already being taught with our new curriculum.  (In just 15 Dioceses out of 34). We praise God, for this growth and I know that we are growing on!  

My target is go all around the 34 Dioceses and I am trusting God to provide us support all through. I have seen that when we train and empower Leadership Teams, they are motivated and equipped. The testimonies of transformed children and leaders are enormous and we are equally determined on. It has been hard work, often keeping us in the field for weeks, and then travelling the bad roads in the country side with the minimum financial support but we are still saying Praise God!  

In the coming quarter; in addition to training more Children’s Leaders in Dioceses, we have planned on 4 Chaplains regional conferences, with emphasis on the Lay Ministers who teach, lead and mentor Children while in Schools. These will include the Patrons of all Christian Associations because we are working with them to ensure that our major cause of discipleship of Children by Leaders is emphasized. 

We will also be having Children Celebrate Jesus, an annual event that bring children together for 1 day in Dioceses around the Province. This has already been happening in many of the ‘urban’ dioceses but I have planned to see it extended to the ‘rural’ diocese of Western, Eastern and Northern Uganda because I believe that Jesus loves the Children there too.

Please continue to pray and support us, because it is not by power nor by might but by the Spirit of God. We want to do God’s will even as we traverse the Country.

 As his word affirms,      

But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to myself."  John 12:32