{"id":20365,"date":"2025-07-16T12:29:02","date_gmt":"2025-07-16T10:29:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/connexio.ch\/hope\/?p=20365"},"modified":"2025-07-21T08:12:55","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T06:12:55","slug":"erste-bischofin-in-der-dr-kongo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/connexio.ch\/hope\/en\/first-female-bishop-in-the-dr-congo\/","title":{"rendered":"Mujinga Kashala is the first female bishop in the DR Congo"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Mujinga Kashala is the first female bishop in the DR Congo<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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From July 10 - 13, the members of the Central Conference Middle Africa met in Kitwe, Zambia. During this time, Mujinga Kashala, the first female bishop in the DR Congo, was also elected. For our country coordinator, Blanchard Ayinza Boke, this is a great cause for celebration. <\/strong><\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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The election of Mujinga Kashala, superintendent and pastor in Southern Congo, as bishop is a historic event for him. She is the second woman to be elected bishop of the United Methodist Church on the African continent and the first in the former Central Conference of the Congo, as the Central Conference Middle Africa<\/a> until 2024.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Expected choice<\/h5>
Before her election, Bishop Mujinga was the pastor of the Centenary Memorial Parish in Lubumbashi. She is known for her dedicated service as a pastor, her closeness to the people and her election was expected by many delegates, especially from the Southern Congo Episcopal Region.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Strengthening faith<\/h5>
For Blanchard Ayinza Boke, it was the first time he had traveled to the Central Conference. He used the time to meet with other Methodists and was moved by the atmosphere: \"It is a time of joy when all Methodists gather to strengthen their faith in God, emphasize the unity of the church and elect their shepherds and shepherdesses.\"<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t $\"Blanchard$ \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Blanchard Ayinza Boke (left) with Bishop Kalema Ntambwe Antoine and Jean-Paul Dietrich<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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A new episcopal region emerges<\/h5>
Another highlight of this central conference was the definition of the new episcopal region. The DR Congo currently consists of four episcopal regions, which also include the following countries: Zambia, Tanzania and the Central African Republic.<\/p>
The majority of delegates voted in favor of establishing a new episcopal region within the existing North Katanga Episcopal Region. This new region is called the Tanganyika Episcopal Region. The bishop's seat is in Kalemie, the capital of Tanganyika Province.<\/p>
Bishop Tracy S. Malone, chair of the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church, led the election process and the establishment of the new episcopal region. She was supported by the Central African College of Bishops, as well as secretaries of the General and Central Conferences.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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A complete success<\/h5>
In his personal experience, the Central Conference Middle Africa was a complete success. \"The logistics and technology worked smoothly and the organization team mastered the challenges of such an event abroad excellently,\" summarizes Blanchard Ayinza Boke.<\/p>
\"For me, it was like climbing a mountain to pray, meditate, reflect and renew the entire Methodist Church - regardless of different opinions and hierarchical positions,\" he says.<\/p>
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t $\"Joyful$ \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFeatured image: Mujinga Kashala and Tracy S. Malone, photo: Chadrack Tambwe Londe,\nUM News\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Danka Bogdanovic, based on a report by Blanchard Ayinza Boke
Photos: private byBlanchard Ayinza Boke\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Strengthen the work in the DR Congo<\/strong>
War has been raging in the DR Congo for decades. Over 500 million internally displaced persons, sexualized violence against women, ongoing terror, hunger and poverty: this is everyday life for many people in this part of the world.
Promoting peace is the goal of Connexio develop and that is why we support a Peacebuilding project<\/a>.\u00a0
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Connexio develop,<\/abbr> Zurich, CH44 0900 0000 1574 7157 9, reference \"Peacebuilding DR Congo\".<\/div>Or click on the button to choose from various donation options.<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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