We have had some excitement at Church, which we could well have done without. Nolbert Kunonga the Bishop of the Diocese of Harare and a bad man, and his political cohorts and episcopal supporters decided they would withdraw the Diocese from the Province of Central Africa, which includes all the other four Zim Diocese and the Church in Botswana, Zambia and Malawi. He cited the Provinces softness toward homosexuality as the reason. He announced at the Provincial Synod he was going to do it and when he got back here held a Diocesan Synod where he overrode the laity and with the support of his supporters in the clergy passed a resolution that they were pulling out. The Province responded by appointing Sebastian Bakare, retired, as an interim Bishop for the Diocese and we have had two factions since then. About 90% or more of the laity are against Kunonga and some clergy. For a couple of weeks there was chaos, as we had services in school halls and eventually got into church halls and last week received a Judicial Order that allowed us into church, but only 90 minutes after the last service of the Kunonga crowd. So our Rector prolonged his service so that the Bakare church service only started about 11.45 instead of 10.45.
What it has done is unite the congregations in a way nothing else ever has. We get 160-200 in our service and the Rector has less than 20 in his three services. The accounts have been separated so none of our money goes to "them". However, we are deprived of the rightful use of the church buildings and other assets. We know the whole thing is politically driven and the Sunday after Christmas we were back from the Doormans in Trelawney and went to Church unaware that there was any sort of problem. On arrival we saw a cop sitting in the parking area and then some 'heavies' with dark glasses on the steps but we all went in. The new Bishop was to take the service and we were delayed. Eventually the church Warden came in and said, "We have a problem". The Rector stalked down to the altar with a face some described as "long as a bad road" and when the Bishop came in, the Rector started shouting at him and the congregation. He said "This is my church so this man can't serve here." The congregation shouted back in unison" This is our Church and we want him to take the service." The CIO heavies tried to take him out so the congregation all filed out onto the lawn and started singing and praying in both English and Shona. The police, CIO and clergy of both factions then met in the vestry to sort it out. The CIO sent a police reservist to shush the singing, the Shona choir sang louder. Eventually the big shots all went to the Police Station and we carried on. We had to leave as we had another engagement. After we left the CIO sent the policeman to arrest the choir master and the choir surrounded him and said you cant have him. Eventually the outcome was no service but a lot of singing to the Lord was done. In other churches the riot police have been sent in to arrest our side when they are in services. We await the next exciting episode.
Kunonga and all his supporters have been excommunicated by the worldwide Anglican Church but he has now said he has formed his own Province and divided Harare Diocese into five Diocese so that it can be a Province. The Archbishop of Canterbury has said he is a bad lad, etc. We will find out tomorrow what is going on we have an 11.00 am service in the Church! We hope! No power, no water, no food, bad roads, and now no Church - darkest Africa returns! The new Bishop is supposed to be enthroned the first week in February we await with interest what will happen as Kunonga refuses to leave the Cathedral.
High Court says Kunonga Diocese 'non-existent': Lucia Makamure
High Court judge Justice Charles Hungwe yesterday said the Anglican Diocese of Harare which fired bishop Nolbert Kunonga purports to head cannot exist at law outside the constitution of the Church of the Province of Central Africa (CPCA). Hungwe said this when he dismissed an urgent application by the diocese represented by Kunonga for a spoliation order against the CPCA and acting Harare bishop Sebastian Bakare. Kunonga's diocese approached the court to bar the CPCA and Bakare from using Anglican property in the capital. "Applicant (Kunonga's Harare Diocese) cannot exist outside the constitution of first respondent (CPCA). It has no separate constitution of its own. It, therefore, has no structures of its own other than those set out in the constitution," Hungwe ruled. "The assets under contention are assets which respondent lays claim to. The question of ownership of these assets is not presently before me." Hungwe said it was clear to him that Kunonga's diocese was nowhere "near demonstrating that it has placed itself within the purview of those who confess to be Anglicans and who abide by the constitution" of their church. There is no claim that there was resolution of the synod of the diocese adopting this alleged breakaway (by Kunonga)," the judge ruled. He said Kunonga by breaking away from the CPCA violated the constitution of the church. What the papers do show is that Bishop Kunonga and the diocesan secretary and a handful of other worshippers have decided to leave the first respondent. They have, however, not followed the church's constitution, as such they cannot seek to rely on a constitution that they have so much violated. They claimed they have been despoiled by the acts of the second respondent (Bakare) whose only offence was to minister members of the first respondent," Hungwe's judgement read.
Hungwe said Bakare did not despoil Kunonga and the Diocese of Harare of anything when he accepted invitations to conduct services in the diocese. "I am unable to hold that where a bishop of one diocese is invited to minister in a different diocese and accepts such invitation by the faithful, such services as he may conduct amount to unlawful dispossession of whatever rights are held by the ordained bishop for the locality," the judge ruled. "In my respectful opinion no unlawful dispossession occurred in this matter|for to argue that entry into a church premise by a bishop of a separate diocese constitutes dispossession would be to stretch the mandament too far." Hungwe said the parties to the dispute, being men of the cloth, ought to resolve their disagreements in a "God-fearing manner".
Dear all,
We woke to a beautiful sunny day and praised the Lord for his goodness. When we arrived at the City Sports Centre around 9:15am the car park was already full of buses and cars and people were streaming into the Sports Centre. The Security and Usher teams were in force provided by the Youth and the Bernard Mizeki Guild. They had name cards identifying them and some had sashes as well. The choirs were in magnificent voice and the noise emanating from the inside was wonderful to hear.
By the time the service commenced the Centre was almost full and continued to fill during the morning. The Cathedral and St Stephen's had dressed the altar, lectern and the stage in white and green with two magnificent white arrangements of flowers on pedestals. The chairs for the bishops had white slip covers on them. The playing area had seats arranged in blocks with padded chairs in the front two rows for invited guests and dignitaries. The choirs sang the whole time and every now and then there would be a roar from the congregation. The Mothers Union were present in force and they made quite an impact in their blue and white uniforms. Two large screens had been set up so that people would be able to see some close-ups of the proceedings.The choirs were seated to the right in bays 13,14 and 15 and were all wearing white blouses or shirts.
Just prior to processions of the bishops the servers, sub-deacons, deacons and priests had filed in to sit in bay 16 immediately behind the altar. For those who know the Sports Centre, this bay is where the score board is situated. The service commenced with the arrival of the bishops. The first one was Bishop Peter Hatendi followed by those from Zambia, Malawi, Botswana and Zimbabwe. Each was announced and a brief curriculum vitae given stating where they had been trained, when enthroned as a bishop and other pertinent details. The bishops were led in down the aisle by servers wearing red surplices and priests. The teams rotated so they walked many hundreds of metres. The choirs continued to sing throughout the procession apart from when the announcements were made.
Bishop Bakare commenced the service which was partially in Shona and partially in English. The readings were Nehemiah 2: 11->; Psalm 99:1-9; 2 Peter 1:1-16 and Matthew 17: 1->. The Sermon was on Reconciliation and Rebuilding based on Nehemiah 4:1-4. The sermon was given in English with Rev Chris Tapera translating into Shona.
The Registrar Michael Chingore and the Deputy Registrar Vimbai Nyemba were commissioned by Bishop Bakare assisted by the Diocesan Chancellor Bob Stumbles.
The Peace took several minutes as people milled around greeting friends and passing on the Peace.The Collection Hymn followed with the ushers moving around with large plastic bags to receive the collection. This was then put into a fertiliser bag to present to Bishop Bakare. Perhaps not the most elegant of bags but it served the purpose very well and possibly many were not aware of it, but as we were sitting right near the altar we could see everything.
During the Collection hymn just before the Preparation of the Elements, Bishop Bakare went out of the Sports Stadium for several minutes. We were told by Pam Stumbles and Rhona Harris who went out briefly that this was a News Conference but it seemed strange to us to have one in the middle of the Eucharist. The ciboriums had been filled with wafers and the bottles of wine were put onto the altar, some decanted into the chalice and the consecrated wine was then poured back into each bottle. The Dean of the Province, Bishop Chama conducted the Preparation with Bishop Bakare also participating half-way through. The bishops then received communion, followed by the priests and their sub-deacons and servers. The priests and sub-deacons then administered the sacraments by intinction. Those on the centre section came up to the red carpet in front of the altar to receive and those in the bays moved either up or down as directed by the ushers. It was incredibly orderly and when one considered the size of the congregation took an amazingly short time.
The service had just about concluded at 1:25pm when the power failed and Bishop Bakare announced when the generator started that we would move to Plan B. Plan B was then revealed that as the congregation was so large and so many would like to be present and the cathedral would not accommodate everyone, the enthronement of the Bishop would take place at the Sports Centre. In effect Kunonga had apparently camped at the cathedral all night on Saturday and the cathedral was locked with guards so the service could not take place there. People who had been invited to the Enthronement and went to the cathedral were therefore unable to witness it, but those at the Sports Centre were delighted that they were going to be able to witness the entire ceremony.
The actual Enthronement was very simple as part of the pomp and ceremony could not take place. A chair was placed in front of the altar as the throne. The Dean of the Province presented Bishop Sebastian Bakare to the congregation so "that all may know him to be the rightly appointed and confirmed Bishop of Harare, and to give him that esteem and love which are due to him for the work's sake as one set over you in the Lord."
The certificates of Confirmation of Appointment were handed to the Registrar who also received from the new Bishop the Deeds of his Consecration and Collation. The Registrar having satisfied himself that these were in order then affirmed that "Sebastian Bakare is our undoubted Bishop"
The Bishop responded and thanked the congregation for their welcome and promised "to be a faithful shepherd and servant among us." He prayed that "the ministry which we shall share may be pleasing to God, and that it may strengthen the life of this Diocese and the whole Church of God."
He was led to a "suitable seat" and the pastoral staff was laid on the Altar. He then faced the congregation and promised "to respect, maintain and defend the rights, privileges and liberties of this Diocese and to rule in it with truth justice and love, not lording it over God's heritage, but showing myself in all things an example to the flock of Christ."
The Acting Dean then enthroned him as Bishop of Harare
The Acting Dean then blessed the Bishop who knelt before the altar. The Acting Dean then took the Pastoral staff from the altar and handed it to him saying " May the Giver of all grace enable you to be so merciful that you be not remiss, so to minister discipline that you do not forget mercy; that when the Chief Shepherd shall appear you may receive the never-fading crown of glory."
The Bishop was then presented to the people who welcomed him with a shout, ululation and clapping. The priests then expressed their loyalty to the Bishop while he was seated on the throne. This was followed by messages of solidarity. The first was given by Bishop Nywatiwa of the Methodist Church and a German lady from Africa University. Rev David Bertram (Christchurch, Polokwane - SA), St Aiden's Church Chitungwiza and the Bishop of Rochester had also sent messages. Bishop Hatendi also gave a message of solidarity and a message was read from the Archbishop of Canterbury. The message concluded with an invitation for Bishop Bakare to attend Lambeth Congress later this year. (Kunonga had not been invited to this meeting.)
The wives of the various bishops were also acknowledged. The service concluded with a Blessing and then the priests, etc. processed out followed by the bishops and lastly the Dean of the Province.We were pleased that so many people were able to witness this historic occasion in the rebuilding of our Diocese but were sad that we were denied the right to have it in the Cathedral. We feel too for those who waited in vain for the Enthronement at the Cathedral as I understand some people waited for at least two hours. Ruth Chard had spent several hours practising on the organ for the service.We hope that we will now be able to move forward in the love of Christ. So much unity and joy was expressed yesterday and our congratulations go to all who made this historic occasion happen so smoothly.
Trish McKenzie. Warden Avondale Church
4. From: "Avondale Parish" <avondaleparish.cpca@gmail.com
Subject: Supporters of pro-Mugabe bishop blockade cathedral - from ZW News 4 Feb 08
From Associated Press, 3 February
Supporters of pro-Mugabe bishop blockade cathedral, locking out worshippers
Harare - Supporters of an Anglican bishop who is a staunch supporter of Zimbabwe's ruling party blockaded Harare's cathedral Sunday, preventing the swearing-in ceremony of his elected successor. Police ignored a court order and did not intervene. Gangs of supporters of Bishop Nolbert Kunonga locked the doors and gates to the cloisters of St. Mary's Anglican Cathedral in downtown Harare and at least two worshippers who tried to enter were assaulted, witnesses said. The High Court on Thursday ruled that the swearing-in of Bishop Sebastian Bakare, voted bishop of the Harare Anglican province by local churches to replace Kunonga, should go ahead and Bakare's followers should be allowed to worship in the cathedral. But from early Sunday, Kunonga's supporters circled the cathedral entrances and barred entry to churchgoers showing up for Sunday services. A few police, watched by witnesses and reporters, did not intervene.
Bakare was later installed in an "investiture" ceremony as the new caretaker Anglican bishop of Harare at a service attended by several thousand worshippers at a sports arena across the city. The standoff was the latest incident in a bitter dispute that has racked the Anglican Church in Zimbabwe since Kunonga last year refused to hand over the cathedral, its administrative offices, its check accounts and vehicles to church elders after losing the election for bishop. In January, Kunonga declared he was breaking away from the Church of the Province of Central Africa, the regional Anglican governing body, and declared the formation of an independent Anglican Harare diocese that retained him as its leader. But in his court ruling Thursday, Judge Charles Hungwe ruled that declaration invalid, saying church elders across the region had not accepted the schism and it violated longstanding constitutional rules of the Anglican church in central and southern Africa.
He dismissed an appeal by Kunonga to bar Bakare from using church property for worship and said "men of the cloth ought to resolve their differences in a God-fearing manner". In an earlier ruling last month, the High Court permitted both Kunonga's and Bakare's followers to hold services in the cathedral at separate times while the issue of the bishop's post was resolved. Scuffles occurred at those services, watched over by armed police, and in one incident Kunonga snatched Bakare's bible from his grasp and threw it across the cathedral nave. In 2004, Kunonga faced a regional church court on allegations of incitement to murder, fostering ruling party politics, ethnic hatred and incitement from the pulpit during the often-violent seizures ordered by Mugabe and the ruling party of thousands of white-owned farms since 2000, and using intimidation against his opponents. That court adjourned in confusion and rancor before it could make a ruling on the behavior of Kunonga, a former lecturer in liberation theology in the United States.
Soon after becoming Harare bishop, Kunonga ordered the removal of memorial plaques and insignia honoring the country's dead before independence in 1980, including those of black soldiers who fought alongside the forces of Britain, the former colonial ruler, in World War II. Last month, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, head of the worldwide Anglican Church, said he unequivocally condemned the use of armed police and state machinery to intimidate Kunonga's opponents. "Kunonga's position has become increasingly untenable within the Anglican Church over the last year, as he has consistently refused to maintain appropriate levels of independence from the Zimbabwean Government," Williams said.
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