ECSS convenes synod with pledges to pray for country


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ECSS convenes synod with pledges to pray for country
ECSS Bishops listen to the speech of Vice President, Gender & Youth Cluster Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior at All Saints Cathedral, Juba (photo credit: Mamer Abraham/The City Review)

The long-awaited eleventh synod of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan (ECSS) kicked off in Juba yesterday as clerics rope the country in their prayers.

The internal dispute between ECSS and defrocked Jonglei Internal Province (JIP) Archbishop Reuben Akurdid Ngong is one of the items on the agenda to be discussed.

The synod is expected to confirm the approval of 20 dioceses, including the other three dioceses created by Archbishop Akurdid last year.

Akurdid created the three dioceses of Anyidi, Makuac and Cueikeer without prior permission from the office of the highest authorities of the Church.

Speaking at the opening yesterday, the Primate, Dr Justin Badi, said the Synod would carry out its deliberations and prayers for the nation during the synod.

 “We are grateful that delegates from all the 61 dioceses are within the Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan, and it is our prayer that the deliberations for prayer for the nation will be heard by our heavenly father,” he said.

“So, we urge all our faithful to continue to pray for the synod and we are grateful to our government that was able to send Her Excellency Rebecca Nyandeng this morning to grace the opening session of the synod to encourage the delegates,’’ he added.

 ‘‘We continue to pray for our President, His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit, and all the vice presidents and all those in the government that the spirit of God will touch them and bless their lives’’.”

The Vice President, Gender and Youth Cluster, Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior, in her statement, warned that the devil was already working in the church to divide it.

“The devil has come to the church and is playing very hard with us. He is deviating our leaders instead of directing their flocks and they are scattering their flocks,” she said.

 “I will not say I am lucky because Christ is my friend and my husband, especially as a widow like me, Jesus is your husband,” she said.

“When Doctor John died, I told the people in the parish that my husband died, but I had another husband. People started to move. Where is that husband?” the VP added.

“ I said Jesus Christ is my husband. Now I have the double portion, the spirit of my husband and the spirit of Jesus Christ,” Nyandeng said.

ECSS-JIP saga

The defrocked Akurdid, who was too old to submit his apology to the office of Primate for his case to be discussed, skipped the Synod.

Last month, the Primate failed to lift the defrocking without the prior consent of the synod.

Members of Bor Community led by Chairperson of Greater Bor Michael Makuei Lueth and the Chairperson of Bor Community Ajuoi Magot pleaded with the Primate to pardon Akurdid, a move the Primate declined given the fact that it could only happen after an apology from Akurdid.

Dr Badi primarily requested the governor of Jonglei State, Deenay Chagor, to intervene in the ECSS-Akurdid’s case to allow ECSS to recover its property in the state and allow the newly enthroned Archbishop Moses Anur to access the state.

Akurdid also wrote his letter to the governor, claiming he was still the state archbishop, and that he would only step aside when the dioceses in question (Anyidi, Makuac, and Cueikeer) were approved.

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