Global South Anglican

A report by Aileen Ngu, Director of Communications, Church of the Province of Uganda

The Most Rev Henry Luke Orombi, Archbishop of the Province of Uganda, consecrated Rev Joel Obetia (48) on Sunday, 27 November 2005 in Arua, Uganda, as Bishop-elect of Madi / West Nile Diocese, together with the consecration of a priest of the Church of England, Rev Sandy Millar (65), as Assistant Bishop in the Church of Uganda. 

Sandy Millar’s appointment was the result of the Church of Uganda responding to exploratory discussions initiated in England in 2004 and has had the full support and encouragement of the Archbishop of Uganda, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, and the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres. The House of Bishops of the Church of the Province of Uganda also keenly supported this mission initiative.

Bishop Millar read law at Trinity College, Cambridge, and was ordained at Cranmer Hall, Durham.  He joined Holy Trinity Brompton in London in 1976 as curate, and left as Vicar.  He is currently serving at St Mark’s, Tollington Park, North London.  He is also one of the founders of the Alpha course that is now running in more than 35,000 churches of all denominations in 153 countries.  Bishop Millar is married to Annette and they have four children.  He will be licensed to serve as Bishop in Mission in the Diocese of London at a special service at St. Paul’s Cathedral on 9th February 2006.

Bishop Joel joined Bishop Tucker Theological College, Mukono, in 1990 to study theology and was ordained in 1994.  He was severely tested in his disbeliefs on ordination in the early years when he met his wife, Joy Abia Kayeny, who had already been ordained in 1985.  He realised the challenge was that no one would be able to change the situation and image of the church if all stayed away.  His vision now is to make the ministry appeal to young people in order to meet the needs of all.

In a show of close collaboration, Bishop Joel Obetia’s pastoral staff was presented to him by Holy Trinity Brompton.

Bishop Joel is currently completing his Ph.D at Oxford Centre for Mission Studies, Leeds University, and is due to have his viva in February 2006. He had been a faculty member at Uganda Christian University in Mukono.  He and Mama Joy have five children.

Both Bishops pledged canonical obedience to the Archbishop of Uganda, to be bound by the Church of the Province of Uganda’s constitution and to resign if requested to do so by two-thirds majority of the House of Bishops.

In his address, Archbishop Orombi remarked that this consecration puts the Church of Uganda firmly on the global Christian map.  This is evident with the enthronement recently of Archbishop John Sentamu, a Ugandan, as Archbishop of York.  He also said that the Anglican Church is going through a period of sickness, especially on the issue of homosexuality, but the Global South is offering treatment by remaining faithful.

President Yoweri Musoveni of Uganda, who was represented by Professor Mongo Kagonyera, Minister for General Duties, said in his message that the church could do more by working in partnership with the government to promote programmes geared at lifting poverty.  He urged the church to help in the fight against corruption, and to teach, especially the youth, responsibility and accountability.  He also commended the church in sensitising and mobilising the people for health and education.

It was an occasion for great rejoicing, dancing and drum beating which concluded the five-hour long consecration in Arua, a town with a population of 60,000 in north-western Uganda, close to the borders of Sudan and the Congo.  The event was attended by around 8,000 people, who were not only fed lunch, but were also entertained to songs from Mother’s Union, music by the Boys Brigade band, and cultural dances.  The splendour of the robes of the Bishops and the newly elected Bishops were a sight to behold. Tee-shirts bearing Bishop Joel’s face and the text “Forgive as the Lord forgave you Col.3.13” on the back, together with paper baseball caps and other memorabilia were on sale. It was a day not many who were there are likely to forget.