The Episcopal Church of Sudan
Diocese of Terekeka Inaugural Diocesan Synod
24th January 2009
From notes by Rev. Charles Ogeno,
Chaplain to His Grace Archbishop Daniel Deng Bul Yak
The first synod for the newly inaugurated Diocese of Terekeka started with a word of prayer, led by the Honourable Magistrate Peter the Mothers’ Union leader of the Diocese of Juba.
His Grace Archbishop Daniel Deng read a reading: Romans 12: 1-8
As Bishop of the Diocese of Juba, His Grace Archbishop Daniel chaired the inaugural synod, and opened with encouraging words:
Today we welcome the Diocese of Terekeka into the family of ECS dioceses and at the same time remind the new diocese of its obligation to this family. Work sincerely for the development of the Diocese of Terekeka and always keep this idea in your minds. Today we fill the official seats of this diocese and decided who will be given official authority. They should be people who are totally committed to work for the ECS as there is a lot of work the Church can do in Terekeka. There is a need for quality education and healthcare – hospitals and schools must be established by the Church and can be established, as this area has now been deemed to have the capacity to act alone as a full diocese.
This process was discussed several years ago in the House of Bishops, and I was selected to chair an Assessment Committee to vet areas in terms of their capacity to be created full dioceses. The criteria set by the Assessment Committee of the House of Bishops that all areas requesting diocesan status must fulfill before being considered for the same are:
- Having a vehicle for the bishop
- Having a house for the bishop
- Having money for development
- Having a diocesan office
In 2008 I received a letter to the effect that:
- Terekeka Archdeaconry had a draft constitution
- Terekeka Archdeaconry had an account at the Nile Commercial Bank
- Terekeka Archdeaconry had a pro-Cathedral
- Terekeka had vehicles for the bishop
- Terekeka had a house for the bishop
- Terekeka had four proposed archdeaconries, each with a committee of five people – Terekeka, Zemeza, Tidilo and Tali
What I have not seen yet is a list of all the clergy and Mothers’ Union members for Terekeka.
The members of the synod then confirmed that this letter had indeed been sent to the province and that the criteria mentioned had been fulfilled.
The synod then affirmed that the preferred candidate for Diocesan Bishop was Rt. Rev. Micah Leila Dawidi, and unanimously nominated him to be put forward to the General Synod as the sole candidate for the post of Bishop of Terekeka.
Peter Luka Matayo then addressed the synod, saying he was very happy and grateful to Almighty God for giving his people the Diocese of Terekeka and affirmed +Micah Dawidi as the community’s choice for bishop. He related a Mundari saying that the chief whose hand cannot hurt people has to continue to lead the community.
The Chief said that +Micah Dawidi would be the only person who could unite the Mundari and that whilst only 20 elected representatives in the synod were officially affirming him as their choice for bishop, the community unanimously agreed with them simultaneously.
The Mothers’ Union Leader reiterated this stance by adding that the first Archdeacon of Terekeka, John, had said on his death bed that if God took him, +Micah should be the one to continue to lead the Christians of Terekeka and be responsible for Christ’s Church here and the safeguarding and welfare of the people.
A representative of the youth then thanked the synod for being allowed to speak, and promised the youth’s help in building a proper Cathedral, just as they had assisted in building the church and pro-Cathedral. The youth also affirmed their faith in +Micah as a good leader, and said that to stand against him would be tantamount to a crime, given his popular mandate.
Parable: “Coming together is the beginning, working together is the development”
His Grace the Archbishop concluded by saying that getting the diocese has been the easy part for Terekeka, but continuing it, developing it and caring for it will be the difficult work. Above all the new diocese must bring people together and unite them in order to bring change in Terekeka.
His Grace is carried into Terekeka on arrival
His Grace addresses the people in the pro-Cathedral, translated by Juba Diocesan Secretary Rev. Moses Kose
His Grace blesses the new Terekeka Diocesan Office
His Grace blesses the new Terekeka Diocesan Vehicle – one of the criteria for becoming a new diocese met by the people of Terekeka
His Grace and Bishop Micah Leila Dawidi, Bishop-Designate of Terekeka, view St. Stephen’s ECS Primary School
His Grace leads the opening devotion at the first Diocesan Synod of the Diocese of Terekeka in the pro-Cathedral
His Grace prays before conducting the inaugural service in the Terekeka pro-Cathedral on Sunday 25th January 2009
His Grace addresses the congregation in church on the Sunday morning – officially inaugurating the new diocese
The dignitaries of Terekeka County on the front row listen to the inauguration speeches