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PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN UGANDA - OFFICE OF THE SECRETARIAT ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR 2016

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ACRONYMS AND ABREVIATIONS TO THE REPORT ANTS (All Nations Theological Seminary)

ARTS (Africa Reformation Theological Seminary)

BACDCME (Bachelor of Arts in Child Development Children’s Ministry With Education)

BATS (Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies)

CBC (Community Bible Churches)

CECA (Community Evangelical Church of Africa)

CPC (Covenant Presbyterian Church)

DBS (Diploma in Biblical Studies)

DEECD (Diploma in Education Early Childhood development)

DPTE (Diploma in Primary Teachers Education)

DR. (Doctor)

DVN (Deverre Nasten)

FCUE (Foundation Course to University Education)

GA (General Assembly)

GLS (Global Leadership Summit)

GPC (Grace Presbyterian Church)

ICRC (International Conference of Reformed Churches)

KAH (Kids At Heart)

MTW (Mission to the World)

NCHE (National Council for Higher Education)

NF (Net Foundation)

OPCU (Orthodox Presbyterian Church Uganda)

PCA ( Presbyterian Church in America)

PCU (Presbyterian Church in Uganda)

PGDP (Post Graduate Diploma in Higher Education and Pedagogy)

PGDP (Post Graduate in Higher Education and Pedagogy)

PR (Pastor)

RCN/L (Reformed Church of the Netherlands Liberated)

TBI (Trinity Biblical Institute)

TF (Tear Fund)

TNA (Transforming Nations Alliance)

Trinity Center for World Missions (TCWM)

UM (Utrecht Mission)

USA (United States of America)

WCIU (Westminster Theological Institute Uganda)

WOE (Women of Excellence)


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1. Project Environment Describe the project environment in which the activities were implemented. The secretariat office has been engaged in mobilizing the PCU fraternity for concerted effort and corporate service while carrying on with the work of ministry. The youths and women departments at the secretariat office have continued to focus on capacity building among the youths and women groups within the six PCU presbyteries this entire previous year 2016. There are now established core groups of trained personnel within each presbytery that are liaising with the youths and women departments at the secretariat office for continued work ministry in each one of the PCU presbyteries. Besides, the women department has directed its efforts towards training Sunday school teachers in each one of the presbyteries; a move that has produced good fruits as presbyteries now have competent tutors who can effectively handle the PCU covenant children. The Mobile School of Theology continues to carry on its work of taking theological education to the grass-root PCU folks who are unable to join formal training settings like Westminster Christian Institute Uganda (WCIU), Africa Bible University (ABU), All Nations Theological Seminary (ANTS), and Africa Reformed Theological Seminary (ARTS). The school is looking forward to graduating some of its students who are about to complete their certificate studies together with WCIU students in May 2017. The monitoring and evaluation process for the activities of the various departments above have been carried out by the secretariat office in liaison with the PCU/GA administration and finance committee comprising of its chairman, the PCU/GA stated clerk, and all chairmen of other PCU/GA standing committees i.e. Education and Publication Committee, Evangelism and Missions Committee, Mercy and Diaconate Committee, and Project Development Committee as well as the secretariat office staffs.

2. Management and Organization.

2.1 Human resources Related to the funded project There are currently three full time staffs and three part timers at the PCU secretariat office. The ending year 2016 saw a change of PCU/GA standing committees’ members. New chairmen and members for GA standing committees were elected in July /2016 PCU General Assembly. Similarly, an additional number of representative board members were added on the PCU board of directors from each PCU presbytery. The orientation exercise for all the incoming committee members together with the new PCU board members was organized and carried out by the secretariat office.

DOCTOR EMMA KIWANUKA ORIENTING THE NEW APPOINTED COMMITTEE AND BOARD MEMBERS

The term of office for the PCU secretariat office coordinator also expired in July 2016. However, the PCU General Assembly requested him to keep around for another six months until December 31st, 2016 while the PCU/GA Administration and Finance Committee try to source around the PCU fraternity for a fitting new replacement. By Dec 31st, 2016 two candidates had applied for the post having submitted their curriculum vitae to the PCU/GA administration and finance committee for vetting. Of the two applicants, only one was found qualified for the position according to the committee’s assessment, but then he too had some


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respites or impediments that could not allow him to immediately take on the coordination work as was required by the committee. Nonetheless, he was given a period of six months to sort out his encumbrances or else fresh request would be made to the PCU fraternity to float other names for vetting. Meanwhile, elder Fred Kabenge, the former coordinator at the secretariat office was deferentially requested to help with the coordination office work for yet another six months period beginning from Jan/2017 as the PCU/GA Admin and Finance Committee further pursues the process of getting a substantive secretariat office coordinator.

PCU/GA ADMIN AND FINANCE COMMITTEE VETTING CANDIDATES FOR THE COORINATION OFFICE

During the concluded year 2016, elder Fred Kabenge was also appointed to serve as the liaison person for Trinity Centre for World Mission (TCWM) within the great lakes region in addition to his work as secretary and lecturer at Westminster Christian Institute Uganda. At Westminster Christian Institute Uganda, Dr Emma Kiwanuka is the current appointed Principal of the Institute, elder Happy Robert is the Registrar and Deputy Principal, elder David Kimera is the estates officer, elder Ben Tumugabi acting bursar, while Don John Ssali is the dean of the school of education. All the above assigned responsibilities too are in addition to each individual’s role as a lecturer at the institute. We are glad to report that all those who completed their training program at Westminster in pursuit of a Post Graduate Diploma in Higher Education and Pedagogy through the financial support of UM/DVN i.e. Elder Happy Robert and Elder David Kimera are now involved as full time administrators and teaching staff at Westminster Christian Institute Uganda. In Kapchorwa Presbytery, a new stated clerk was voted into office in April/2016, while a new team of leaders was added to the PCU fraternity during the PCU/GA in July/216 when former Orthodox Presbyterian Churches in Uganda (OPCU) merged with the PCU to become the sixth Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in Uganda. What is more, a number of PCU African instructors involved with lecturing at Westminster Christian Institute Uganda with the Institute Principal inclusive have pursued additional studies in higher education in the past years and were all able to graduate last year 2016. The principal graduated with a doctorate in ministry while the other folks obtained post graduate diplomas in Higher education and pedagogy.


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WCIU FACULTY GRADUATES WITH PGDP LAST YEAR

ALL KIWANUKA FAMILY GRADUATES WITH REV. EMMA KIWANUKA EMMERGING WITH A DOCTORATE IN MINISTRY

2.2 Networking and Coordination Related to the funded project The secretariat office has also encouraged and appreciated efforts made by its various departments towards networking with other Christian agencies. The women and children’s department as well as the youth department have networked with other Christian agencies in an attempt to get exposed to best practices that lead to more effective Christian service. Connections have been made with both local and foreign organizations by the individual departments and the secretariat as a whole. The youths’ department has worked with Transforming Nations Alliance (TNA), and Community Evangelical Church of Africa (CECA), while the women and children department has made contact with Global Leadership Summit (GLS), Tear Fund (TF), Women of Excellence (WOE), Net Foundation (NF), and Kids at Heart (KAH). The secretariat office has worked in close liaison with Trinity Centre for World Missions (TCWM) whose overall objective is to disciple men and women throughout the great lakes region equipping them for the work of ministry at established Trinity Biblical Institute (TBI) Centres.


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Five centres have so far been established; in the northern, eastern and western parts of Uganda, in South Sudan, and in western Kenya. The general plan is to begin at least a centre in each one of the Great Lakes countries which include: Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Tanzania, and Ethiopia. The facilitators involved in the training work within these centres are generally PCU pastors, lecturers from Westminster Christian Institute Uganda (WCIU), student teachers from Africa Reformed Theological Seminary (ARTS), and visiting missionaries from the Presbyterian Church in America (are PCA) who are working in collaboration with Trinity Centre for World Missions (TCWM).

ELDER MOSES BAGEYA AND MARGARET EBILOYO AJJU TRAINING AT TRINITY BIBLICAL INSTITUTE IN GULU

PCU/GA STATED CLERK PR. MILTON LIPA AND CATE NATTABI

TRAINING AT TBI CENTER IN KAPCHORWA


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MISS. CATE NATTABI AND ELDER FRED KABENGE TRAINING AT TBI IN ENDEBESS WESTERN KENYA

Westminster Christian Institute Uganda is also closely associated with the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) in the area of program accreditations. This has helped the institute to begin offering programs that are both nationally and internationally recognized; making possible the pursuit of further studies by those graduates who always wish to advance their academic achievements. Two programs in the school of theology i.e. (Diploma in Biblical Studies - DBS, & Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies – BATS), and three in the school of education i.e. (Post Graduate Diploma in Higher Education and Pedagogy – PGDP, Foundation Course to University Education [bridging Course] - FCUE, and Diploma in Education Early Childhood Development – DEECD) have been accredited by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE). Presently, the writing of three more programs i.e. (Post Graduate Diploma in Divinity – PGDD, Bachelor of Arts in Child Development Children’s Ministry with Education – BACDCME, and Diploma in Primary Teachers’ Education-DPTE) is in progress. A number of students have enrolled in the above accredited programs although not every one of them has the ability to shoulder the school tuition requirements. Those who have applied for scholarship at the institute and succeeded have been granted some scholarship assistance in form of matching grants intended to be supplemented by their individual financial commitments. The grants are normally given only after students have met their obligation. Priorities for scholarship offers are generally directed towards those students that seem promising as a future human resource base for the work of ministry not only for the PCU fraternity and agencies but also for the wider body of Christ. The PCU has had ongoing corporation with different organizations and agencies among which has been the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) through its agency, Mission to the World (MTW); Community Bible Churches (CBC) in USA; South Coast Presbytery (PCA); World Reformed Fellowship, and International Conference of Reformed Churches within the Africa Region. The women & children department, youths’ department, MSOT, and WCIU have also worked with RCN/L, PCA/MTW, CBC missionaries, and Kyambogo University lecturers in implementing the various work plans that have been drawn by these PCU/GA departments and agencies through teaching during seminars/conferences, youths camps, women retreats, and through lecturing at WCIU when semester for full time students and modules for in service school teachers are in progress. Missionaries from reformed networks have also worked alongside some PCU local churches in gospel outreach missions in prisons, local communities, market places, medical clinics, and PCU Christian schools.

3. Progress of Project

3.1 Progress of activities Describe the activities of the project and the outcome of the activities of this project done this period. If you use a Logical Framework (LF), please fill in the progress in the LF reporting guidelines (then no need to write under 3.1)


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UM/DVN has funded ten (10) PCU small projects proposals in five (5) out of the now six (6) PCU Presbyteries during the year 2016. This offer has been in addition to the former sixteen (16) small and medium projects proposals that UM/DVN office has funded through the PCU secretariat office during the previous last five years. The Secretariat Office Coordinator working in collaboration with the Chairman of Project Development Committee have moved around different PCU presbyteries to monitor, evaluate, and accordingly advise the recipients on the state of the funded projects. The coordinator has also used these monitoring and evaluation trips to strengthen and encourage through the preaching and teaching of God’s word the various PCU local churches confronted by physical and spiritual challenges within their different contexts. COVENANT INFANT SCHOOL – YOUTH PROJECT COVENANT INFANTS KID POSING FOR A PHOTO

COVENANT INFANT SCHOOL KIDS ON SPEECH DAY PR. DEUS PRAYS AND PREACHES ON SPEECH DAY


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ELDER SMITH DELIVERING ELDER SMITH SHARING THE GOSPEL WITH PRISONERS SUPPORT AID TO THE PRISONERS INSIDE THE PRISON CELL

ROOFED WCIU LIBRARY PCU – BUKWENDA CLASS BLOCK UNDER CONSTRUCTION

COVENANT WOMEN FIREWOOD PROJECT STALL STOCK OF FIRE WOOD FOR COVENANT WOMEN PROJECT


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PCU BUNAKIJA CHURCH PRAYING TO GOD PR. ROBERT WANYAMA PREACHING IN CHURCH

The PCU held its General Assembly in July 2016 at WCIU campus and was also privileged to host the International Conference of Reformed Churches for the Africa Region with the theme: Effective Approaches for Sharing the Gospel with Muslims. The conference was attended by member ICRC churches from Africa and two representatives from the Reformed Church of the Netherlands Liberated (RCN/L). Some member churches in Africa were unable to attend either due to financial constraints or ongoing fragile political situations back in their home countries e.g. South Sudan. Three key note speakers from Cameroon, Kenya and the Netherlands respectively presented papers during this conference.

REPRESENTATIVES FROM PCU PRESBYTERIES OF GULU, KAPCHORWA, SEMULIKI, AND PCU/GA ADMIN & FINANCE COMMITTEE OUTGOING CHAIRMAN

REPORTING ON THE WORK OF MINISTRY AT THE PCU/GA GULU REPRESENTATIVE KAPCHORWA REPRESENTATIVE


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SEMULIKI REPRESENTATIVE OUTGOING PCU/GA CHAIRMAN ADMIN& FINANCE CO

ICRC AFRICA REGION DELEGATES CONVENING FOR AFRICA REGION CONFERENCE AT WCIU

DELEGATES PRAY AS ICRC CONFERENCE OPENS DR. DIRK PRESENTING HIS KEYNOTE MESSAGE

ICRC DELEGATES ENGAGED IN EARNEST PRAYER TO GOD PR. DEUS BYEBIROHA MINISTERING GOD’S WORD


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PCU has also been represented in two fora outside Uganda i.e. in Cameroon and Ghana with a goal of having mutual exchange and learning. Those who represented the PCU in Cameroon encountered some stiff challenges most especially in terms of communication. Much of the proceedings of the conference were carried out in French with no opportunity for interpretation offered for those who could not comprehend the French language. For those who represented the PCU in General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ghana, there was good flow of communication since the country has English as its official medium of communication. Much was therefore learned by the PCU delegates during this meeting. The Church is highly organized in its administration and leadership. It has quite good planning for much of what is done. Their infrastructure is well developed with many schools, hospitals, universities, technical institutes, hotels, guest houses, and modern agricultural, and media centres. The denomination has a fairly sizeable number of congregations with a big cross section of the leadership team holding Ph.D. degrees. This was pretty impressive to the PCU representatives who saw it as a valuable move the PCU would seriously equally consider for its current and future church leadership development. Nonetheless, it was also sad to learn that despite all the impressive development and high level of organization this church has, it was substantially bending towards liberal trends and was in alliance with renown liberal ecumenical bodies like the World Council of Churches (WCC), and World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC)1 This situation therefore raised a red flag that led the PCU to give up on its intention of seeking out for closer working partnership with it. Further invitations have been of recent extended to the PCU to attend the Synod of the Reformed Church of the Netherlands liberated (RCN/L) scheduled for April/2017, the international Conference of Reformed Churches (ICRC) scheduled for July/2017 in Ontario Canada, and the Reformation 500 celebratory conference scheduled for Oct/2017 in Wittenberg Germany. The PCU would very much love to have representatives at each one of these fora for continuous mutual learning and exchange.

On a special note, we would wish to extend our gratitude to UM/DVN office for granting the PCU an extension of the deadline from July 01st, 2016 – Dec, 31st, 2016 when the PCU secretariat office would be moved to the new office site. The secretariat office together with the PCU/GA Project Development Committee has been engaging the entire PCU fraternity for financial support to help make further progress in developing the basic secretariat office structure and make it usable by the agreed upon deadline. Out of the many entreaties extended to all PCU stakeholders, the Lord has been able to touch individual families, churches, and at least one (1) presbytery within the PCU fraternity to collectively contribute a total amount of UGX 4,986,000 towards the finishing works of PCU secretariat office basic structure (Exod35:20-21).

The finishing works are still going forward but the secretariat office was moved to the new site on Wednesday Jan 11th, 2017. We would wish to apologize for not being able to promptly meet the Dec 31st, 2016 deadline as we had ardently desired to do so and therefore earnestly beseech UM/DVN office to accept our deep apology in that respect (Prov16:1, 9; 19:21).

DEDICATION PRAYER MEETING AT THE SITE GROUP PHOTO AFTER DEDICATION PRAYERS AT THE SITE

1 Presbyterian Church in Ghana. Retrieved on Jan/12th/2016 from https://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches/presbyterian-church-of-ghana; cf. https://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches

https://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches/presbyterian-church-of-ghana

https://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches


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3.2 Changes in comparison with Schedule Plan Describe why the changes took place and which consequences this will have. One major change in the scheduled plan was in meeting the deadline for moving the PCU secretariat office from its temporary operating space to the new site. Shifting to the new site was supposed to take have taken place by July 01st, 2016 but this was not possible due to scarcity of funds to have the place ready by the set deadline. A humble appeal was made to UM/DVN office to grant the PCU an extra six months period of grace to continue working on the structure and have it ready by Dec 31st, 2016 which request was graciously granted. Through resource mobilization and lobbying by the secretariat office among the PCU fraternity, some funds have been realized to allow further progress on the basic PCU secretariat office structure although we have also been ten (10) days behind schedule to move to the new PCU secretariat office site due to yet a few difficulties we have encountered in receiving some pledges made by the PCU fraternity. We would therefore wish to further tender our sincere apology to UM/DVN office for running into this extra delay to meet the second prescribed deadline of Dec 31st, 2016. Another delay we have gotten into has been with fixing shutters in the library building and purchasing text books for the school of education. There has been some procedural issues at the bank which caused interruptions to release the funds from the PCU’s account to that of Westminster Christian Institute Uganda. However, this has been done and carrying out the above two commitments is now underway.

The third delay has been in writing of the three new WCIU programs for submission to the National Council for Higher Education which was meant to be completed by December, 2016 and have them submitted in Jan/2017. The writing is also still in progress because of the above mentioned delay brought about by the bank prerequisites, but we hope to have it done at the earliest time possible as we now target the April sitting of the National Council for Higher Education for their accreditation. 3.3 Major Achievements. Optional, but at least annual reporting on this topic Despite the numerous challenges PCU has run into during the course of the year ending 2016, there has been also some key

areas of success for which we are very grateful to the Lord Almighty. The following has been the major key achievements:

1. The development of a basic structure for the PCU secretariat office that started in Jan/2016 and which has now reached a

usable point by the secretariat office staffs although it still requires further finishing works to be carried out on it.

2. Westminster Christian Institute Uganda (WCIU) had its first graduation of students under its new status as a licensed Higher

Institution of learning by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) in May/2016.

3. Graduates of May/2016 who were directly supported by UM/DVN office during their course of study are now involved with

WCIU administration and lecture in various courses at the institute.

4. WCIU principal Dr. Emma Kiwanuka successfully completed his doctorate program in May/2016 becoming the second

doctorate degree holder within the entire PCU fraternity.

5. Two more WCIU programs in the school of education i.e. Post Graduate Diploma in Education and Diploma in Education

(Early Childhood Development) were accredited by NCHE in Jun/2016 for a period of five years.

6. PCU organized and successfully held its annual General Assembly in July/2016.

7. PCU was represented at two international fora i.e. in Cameroon and Ghana in July/2016 and Aug/2016 respectively for

mutual exchange and learning.

8. PCU organized and hosted the historical official opening of the International Conference of Reformed Churches (ICRC) on

the continent of Africa in Aug/2016.

9. Westminster Christian Institute Uganda’s New Library structure got roofed in Nov/2016.

10. The PCU secretariat office secured a draft finance policy manual which is yet to be fully approved by the board of directors.

11. The office is also in the process of securing the operations manual to help regulate the administrative duties of the PCU at

the General Assembly level.

12. Election of the first Guild President for Westminster Christian Institute Uganda (WCIU) was effected in Nov/2016.


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3.4 Weakness / Threats Optional, but at least annual reporting on this topic There is need to have well-developed internal control systems at all levels of the PCU structures. Sessions, presbyteries and the General Assembly still face the challenge of developing good policy manuals for effective service at all these different levels. Even those that are already in existence like the Book of Church Order, and Missions Policy would require closer adherence to them if the desired positive and effective results are to be achieved within the PCU administrative systems. As the PCU think of further expansion, it is also faced with the challenge of having in place an effective mechanism for sustaining the people involved in the work of ministry. Graduates from WCIU and other reformed higher institutions of learning have found themselves struggling to survive or adequately support themselves and their families while serving the church. This has been so most especially for employees doing the work of ministry in areas where churches are struggling economically. These people face very stiff challenges which have prompted some to abandon church ministry and seek for other alternative fields of service that would offer better remuneration, something that has always threatened the work of ministry. PCU has fallen victim of desertion, most especially by those who got the privilege of studying abroad and got high quality professional skills. They were unwilling to return to the hostile living conditions back home. Those who managed to study abroad and were able to return home as well as graduates from our indigenous higher institutions of learning find themselves overloaded with multiple tasks due to scarcity of skilled personnel, yet they get very disproportionate remuneration for the work they are doing due to lack of a strong financial resource base set up by the PCU. A clear case in point is WCIU, which is an agency of the PCU where staffs are taking on numerous tasks due to limited personnel but are not getting enough for their sustainability. This kind of situation poses a big risk towards the PCU’s human resource base and would need to be seriously addressed if effective work is to continue being carried out within the PCU. 3.5 Best practices/Lessons Learnt Optional, but at least annual reporting on this topic A growing sense of team work among the PCU fraternity is beginning to help the denomination to carry on its work without predominantly looking outside for the required assistance although even with this growing sense of unity among the PCU fraternity, still the saying of the English Poet John Donne that, “No man is an island” still stands.2 As secretariat office, we are thankful to God that the PCU fraternity is becoming increasingly supportive and corporative whenever we have approached it as an office with any critical need that would require collective efforts to alleviate or eradicate it. Out of the ministry challenges that PCU ministers have wallowed in for the past few decades, WCIU has critically tried to think of various possible solutions to this dilemma chief among which is the training of bi-vocational pastors and other Christian workers. This has meant developing programs that can offer an extra skill to those who are training for ministry so that as they graduate and join ministry, they have something to utilize as a way of supplementing their scanty remuneration from their fields of service. At the moment, many mission agencies are also beginning to rethink their approach to ministry and missionary works, tending to incline towards employing bi-vocational ministers for more effective church service and ministry.3 Paul was a Tent-Maker who labored for his personal support and that of his companions in the gospel ministry. He was not dependent on anyone for support apart from a few exceptional cases when his close partners in the gospel ministry like the church at Philippi, came to his rescue (Act20: 33-35; 2Thes3:7-9; Phil1:3-5, 4:15-16). PCU through Westminster has become intentional in trying to develop this philosophy of ministry among its students or future ministers - the very reason why WCIU is developing and submitting programs for accreditation to National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) with bi-vocational components. Unlike in the western world where a seminary or university student graduate and join ministry with full assurance of a good salary with all the accompanying fringe benefits, in Africa it is always the direct opposite. An African graduate holding the same qualification like a graduate from the western world may end up getting just a tenth of the salary together with all the companying benefits paid to a western counterpart when he joins the ordained church ministry. As mentioned earlier on, this situation has compelled many resourceful professionals in the third world churches to seek for greener pastures elsewhere. This is a big

2John Donne. No Man is an Island. Retrieved on Jan/09th, 2017 from http://www.dictionary.com/browse/no-man-is-an-island 3 Ray Gilder. The Demands and Benefits of Bivocational Ministers. Retried on Jan 12th, 2017 from http://www.lifeway.com/Article/pastor-bivocational-minister-demands-benefits; Cf. Chuck Lawless. 10 Reason Bivocational Ministry Matters. Retrieved on Jan 12th, 2017 from http://thomrainer.com/2014/08/10-reasons-bivocational-ministry-matters/; Ben Connelly. Five Perks for Being Bi-Vocational. Retrieved on Jan 12th, 2017 from http://www.christianitytoday.com/pastors/2013/january-online-only/five-perks-to-being-bi-vocational.html; Barclay College. Mission/Bi-Vocational. Retried on Jan 12th, 2017 from https://www.barclaycollege.edu/undergraduate/campus/missions/bi-vocational.html

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/no-man-is-an-island

http://www.lifeway.com/Article/pastor-bivocational-minister-demands-benefits

http://thomrainer.com/2014/08/10-reasons-bivocational-ministry-matters/

http://www.christianitytoday.com/pastors/2013/january-online-only/five-perks-to-being-bi-vocational.html

http://www.christianitytoday.com/pastors/2013/january-online-only/five-perks-to-being-bi-vocational.html

https://www.barclaycollege.edu/undergraduate/campus/missions/bi-vocational.html


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challenge of brain drainage which the PCU and the entire church in Africa has to deal with if she is to develop and retain quality personnel for the rapidly increasing church growth in Africa. Remember it has popularly been said that the church in Africa is a mile wide and an inch deep.4 This is so due to lack of proper discipleship by qualified Christian workers. If healthy and quality PCU or the larger church in Africa is take shape, then challenges that the well trained personnel is facing in Africa must be dealt with decisively in order for the church to get and retain quality skills in her bounds. 3.6 Major impact on target group Annual reporting on this topic The secretariat office through its coordination office has engaged in monitoring and evaluation of the various activities carried out by its different departments. Counseling and guidance has been given wherever implementers in the various specific contexts have required change or improvement for better service. The women and youth departments have developed core groups of people who are now actively involved side by side together with them in the service of the Lord within the PCU Presbyteries. The PCU has developed an increased sense of unity and corporate service to the Lord through the coordination office. Situations that demands concerted effort have always been communicated to the entire PCU fraternity with good and encouraging responses. A case in point is the development of the basic structure for the PCU secretariat office site. Individual members, churches, and presbyteries have generously contributed towards this historical land mark in the life of the PCU. There has also been an increase in the chain of networks both at home and abroad from which the PCU has benefited in terms of learning the best practices employed by other segments of Christ’s body for more effective service in the work of ministry. PCU on the other hand has been a blessing not only to the body of Christ in Uganda, but also to the entire church of Christ in the great lakes region. Three quarters of the facilitators identified and recommended by the PCU secretariat office to help in the teaching ministry of Trinity Center for World Missions (TCWM) whose mission is to establish and strengthen Biblical, Grace-filled, Christ-centered, Gospel – preaching, Self-supporting and reproducing churches have come from the PCU.5 In this way, PCU has become a big human resource aiding in training the trainers of the larger body of Christ within the Great Lakes region. Similar efforts are also being made by Westminster Christian Institute Uganda, an agency of the PCU currently supported by UM/DVN office through the PCU secretariat Office to offer training services to the broader body of Christ. The institute is dedicated to the advancement of the cause of Christ through theological education that is faithful to the inerrant scriptures preparing God’s servants to communicate the Gospel of Christ to our changing world by integrating the bible in every body of knowledge offered to students in its diverse and growing chain of study programs.6 3.7 Human interest stories Optional, but at least annual reporting on this topic; One or two human interest stories in which beneficiaries describe how your activity has influenced his/her life. The head teacher of the youths’ nursery school project at Covenant Presbyterian Church Mutungo testifies highly of God’s gracious hand by which the youths were enabled to begin this project through UM/DVN office support. The school has continued to grow in terms of students’ numbers and academic excellence. Kids that graduate from this nursery school to join lower primary schools elsewhere have been attested to as being one of the best in their performances. Out of the school incomes, the school administration gladly made a financial contribution towards the development of the basic structure of the PCU secretariat office structure at its new site in Bweya Wakiso District. Another story of interest is from the women and children’s department. Among the mentored PCU groups by the women and children departments, we now have individuals who are very actively involved in the training activities of the PCU at the local, regional and national level. Two such people are Margaret Ebiloyo and Sarah Aneno who are now current students at Westminster Christian Institute Uganda. Being under the mentorship of Miss. Cate Nattabi the head of the women and children’s department at the secretariat office, they can both testify of how they’ve grown and benefited while traveling extensively with her

4 Lausanne Movement. Theological Trends in Africa: Implications for Missions and Evangelism. Retrieved on Jan 13th, 2017 from http://www.lausanneworldpulse.com/lausannereports/920/03-2008; Gospelink. Benefit of Training Student Leaders, Retrieved on Jan 13th, 2016 from http://www.gospelink.org/content/why-train-students, 5 Trinity Center for World Missions. Retrieved on Jan/11/2017 from http://www.trinitycwm.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TCWM-Vision-2016-01.pdf 6 Westminster Christian Institute Uganda. Retrieved on Jan/11/2017 from http://wciu.ac.ug/index.php/about-us/

http://www.lausanneworldpulse.com/lausannereports/920/03-2008

http://www.gospelink.org/content/why-train-students

http://www.trinitycwm.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TCWM-Vision-2016-01.pdf

http://wciu.ac.ug/index.php/about-us/


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and given the opportunity to engage in the training of women and children leaders at different PCU local churches and presbyteries. 3.8 Planning next period If the planning is different from original planning The PCU secretariat office’s plan is to continue with its coordination work while also engaging in the monitoring and evaluation process. With the moving of the secretariat office to the new site, the office is now planning to embark on the campaign of developing a comprehensive master plan for the office site, which includes the building up of a permanent office block and establishment of an income generating project for the secretariat office activities. Westminster Christian Institute Uganda is a growing center of excellence in education which is beginning to attract students who love to pursue their academic studies in a setting with a Christian environment. One of the growing challenge for the school is accommodation for the students. Since the secretariat office property is in close proximity with WCIU, this challenge can be turned into an opportunity by setting up a hostel block whose apartments could be rented out to WCIU students and an income generated to aid the secretariat office in its administrative overhead costs. The office would also love to expand on its land property as there are willing land owners adjacent to office site who wish to sell off their land properties. Buying these portions at this point would be wise since in Uganda every year that goes by land prices appreciates.

4. Annexes

4. 1. Financial overview Expenses compared to allocated budget in this period and total period, with % spent of the budget and balance fund Please, see prepared end of year audited report for the period Jan-Dec, 2016 when made available in about three weeks’ time from now according to the auditor’s office. Prepared by: Fred Kabenge (Acting Coordinator at PCU Secretariat Office and Institute Secretary Westminster Christian Institute Uganda) Date: Jan/13th/2017

Documents

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN UGANDA - OFFICE OF …wrfnet.org/sites/default/files/Presbyterian Church of Uganda Report... · ANTS (All Nations Theological Seminary) ... Rwanda, the Democratic