Lawyers, Judge ordained Deacons in Anglican Church

This past Sunday a group of servants of God, including practising lawyers and a judge, were ordained as Deacons in the Anglican Church. The ordained deacons are Lekono Orekolotse Malabola, Andries Matlhare, Munyaradzi Samuel Mubata, Nelson Kiama Mwaniki and Monkgogi Patrick Rampha. The special service, held at the Anglican Cathedral Church in Gaborone, attracted guests from the different parishes in Botswana, as well as visitors from parishes in Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa. The mood in the church was electric as congregants celebrated the ordination in praise and song. In a brief address, Reverend Metlhayotlhe Beleme, Bishop of Botswana, noted that it was impressive that there were legal heads in this group. He pointed out that to be a deacon one has to have a profession which means that the appointed deacons can operate from anywhere in the world. He said that with lawyers and a judge in the church’s midst, congregants should rest assured that there would be order. “With these gentlemen around, we hope that there will not be any stories that someone ate the church money,” he said to roars of laughter from the congregants. Beleme also noted that this was a new chapter in the lives of the ordained deacons as it elevated their duty to serve God. In a moving sermon, Reverend Celestino Chisimba noted that it was important for Christians to always remember that they had a duty to be of service to other people. He noted that helping people was an act of service to God. He encouraged the deacons to serve with humility without showing off and without expecting anything in return. The role of the deacon in the Church is to focus on ministry that deals with caring for the poor, sick and marginalised and those on the fringes of society. The deacon assists with certain duties in church but also sheds light on secular world so that issues such as social justice and others are brought to the attention of the Church.