Fifth General Conference of Burundi Free Methodist Church

The Burundi Free Methodist Church held its Fifth General Conference in Ngozi from 15 to 16 May 2019.

The theme of this Conference is based on the Gospel according to Luke 4:18-19. “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”[a] "

Figure 1 : Some of delegates: the first on the picture is Rev Martin ntahonkiriye, superintendent of the Western conference and the second is Rev Claver Ndayisenga, superintendent of the Eastern conference


. According to Reverend Deogratias Nshimiyimana, current Bishop and Legal Representative of Burundi Free Methodist Church, Jesus is still the Messiah today; even today there are poor, exploited and captives. "We are therefore still his contemporaries and his word has lost none of its relevance," says the Bishop. 53 delegates representing about 170,000 members in 42 districts of Burundi Free Methodist Church were all present.

An honored conference

Figure 2: In the middle, President of the World Conference of Free Methodist Churches. On his left, Bishop LUBUNGA, then Bishop Hawkins Mugaya. On the right is Bishop Samuel Kayinamura and follows Bishop Hamlet

The Fifth General Conference was honored by Bishops and Reverends from different countries: Bishop Joab LOHARA, President of the FMC world conference; Samuel Kayinamura, Bishop and Legal Representative of Rwanda Free Methodist Church accompanied by 3 Reverends : Simeon Mushimiyimana, Erast Ndakekwa and Seth Bizimana SEMABARABARA; LUBUNGA W'Ehusha, Bishop and Legal Representative of the Free Methodist Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo accompanied by his wife, Hamlet KABASHENGA, Bishop and Representative of the Provisional General Conference of Uganda with his wife; and Hawkins MUGAYA, Bishop and Legal Representative of the Free Methodist Church in Kenya. There were also USA Guests: John Nally and his Spouse Diana Nally from Jackson Free Methodist Church and Wayne Thomas Vibbert and his wife Barbara Ann Vibbert Missionaries in Burundi.

 

Elections of the Bishop

Figure 3: special prayer for the Bishop and Legal Representative of Burundi Free Methodist Church. Bishop Deogratias Nshimiyimana is kneeling before the other Bishops and several Reverends

After 5 years, Burundi Free Methodist Church normally organizes elections. Reverend Deogratias Nshimiyimana is Bishop and Legal Representative of Burundi Free Methodist Church since 2014. At the fifth General Conference, he was re-elected by a maximum of 99%. During this new term of office, he undertook to make even greater efforts to proclaim the good news as desired by the Lord.         

Figure 4: The first in this picture is the Deputy Legal Representative, the second is Executive Secretary and then General Conference accountant before Bishop LUBUNGA Who is praying for them

It should be noted that Reverend Martin Ntahonkiriye was also re-elected as Deputy Legal Representative of Burundi Free Methodist Church, Reverend Evariste Bimenyimana re-elected as Executive Secretary of Burundi Free Methodist Church while Mrs Marie Ange Manariyo remains the Accountant of the General Conference of the Free Methodist Church in Burundi.