Southern Malawi Anglican Diocese unveils new priest

The Anglican Diocese of Southern Malawi has unveiled a new Priest for Soche Hill Parish in Blantyre. He is Reverend Father Andrew Manda who was presented to the Congregation and community in Soche Hill at a function held at Saint Andrew’s Anglican Church.

Father Manda receiving gifts
Archdeacon Mapundula inducting Reverend Father Manda

The colourful function was attended by among other delegates fellow Anglican Priests and Parishiners and many other Christian Churches within the City of Blantyre with Venerable Patrick Mapundula representing Lord Bishop Alinafe Kalemba.

Venerable Mapundula thanked the Priest for taking up the challenge of ministering God’s people at Saint Andrew’s Parish and it’s out station, Saint Thomas which forms Soche Hill Anglican Parish.

The event, according to Venerable Mapundula who is leader of Soche Archdeaconry that has Soche Hill, Soche Christ The King, Chilobwe and Manase Parishes, under his arm, is very important as the arrival of a Priest at a Parish has a magnitude relevance.

“It is an important event because for the Priest it is like been empowered in a new sphere of work while to the Congregation it is a new lease of life in the worship, and to the community it is like having a man of God in their midst,” said Venerable Mapundula.

The Church Warden, Mr. George Tamutamu thanked the Diocesan Bishop the Right Reverend Alinafe Kalemba for considering the Parish with a Priest, after the loss of Reverend Father Constantine Kaswaya, who was also Anglican Prisons Chaplain for the Diocese. He died in 2015.

Archdeacon Mapundula asked the Priest and the Congregation to promote positive and relevant change which would bring more people closer to God and at the same time God’s glory be glorified to all.

The service is called induction and according to the Anglican Church, this is the appointment of a Priest to take spiritual care and cure of a Parish and the assigning of the rights and emoluments whereby the Priest is given Symbols of Ordained Ministry.

They include a Water Vessel, Bible, Anglican Prayer Book and Order of Service, Stoley, Olive Oil, Bread and Wine, Church keys, and a Priest Seat, which Reverend Father Andrew Manda received, and said with the help of God and His chosen people, will serve God and His people as it pleases the Lord.

“It is a calling and the Heavenly Father whose calling I listened will help me do the right things to His glory. I will obviously be closer to God through prayer and Holy Scripture and shall continue stirring up the gift of God to make Christ known to all,” said Reverend Father Manda.

The service was graced by among others, Reverend Father Richard Chilomo and congregation from Chilobwe Anglican Parish, Reverend Father David Mponda and faithful from Manase Anglican Parish, Christians from Anglican Parishes in Bangwe, Chichiri, Soche Christ The King and Nkolokoti. There were Choirs and Guilds such us Mothers Union, Avuwi, daughters of The king, Saint Veronica.

There was also Bishop Manase of the Faith of God Church, Christians from Namame Catholic Church, Church of Christ, Mpachika CCAP, and Evangelical Church, which the Church Warden said was a spirit of oneness and thanked them all.

“We thank all who came from the Anglican Churches and many other Churches. God bless them all. We are also thankful to our traditional leaders such as Group Village Misesa for gracing the occasion,” said the Warden.

According to the Anglican Diocese of Southern Malawi Events Committee, Andrew Manda was ordained as a Deacon in August 2015 and as a Priest in August 2016 by Bishop Alinafe Kalemba. He was born in Likoma but settled in Nkhotakota.

Manda first worked as an Administrative Assistant at CCAP University of Livingstonia and later as a Secondary School teacher. He went to Leonard Kamungu Theological College in Zomba where he obtained a Diploma in Theology. He also holds a Diploma in Business Administration.

The gathering gave out some gifts to the new Priest which Reverend Father Manda said was a good gesture.

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