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Jubilation as Ugandan church celebrates 10 years

Hundreds of Ugandan faithful and guests pack the new Global Evangelical church sanctuary during a ceremony to mark the 10 years anniversary and dedicate the new church located in Burlington, Massachusetts. Pic by H.Maina/Ajabu Africa

By Harrison Maina, Ajabu Africa News, Posted November 1, 2011

BURLINGTON, Mass.,_Pride and excitement rent the air on Saturday as hundreds of worshippers and guests congregated to mark 10 years since the inception of the Global Evangelical church, one of the fastest growing Ugandan community churches in Boston.

And to add icing to the cake, the historic occasion also served to dedicate a new sanctuary that the church that also has membership from worshippers from other East African countries has just completed purchasing in the city of Burlington, Mass., about a mile off Interstate 95 near the Burlington Mall.

Men dressed in impeccable suits, women , many of them clad in colorful traditional Ugandan Busuti’s, youth and children equally well dressed for the occasion started filing in to the new sanctuary as early as 1pm on Saturday with smiling faces full of anticipation for the official marking of the great accomplishment for a project that started 5 years ago.

The colorful event was presided over by the founding pastor of the church, Rev. John Baker Katende and was clearly a hallmark of a respect and dedication by the members of the church to their leaders who have guided the members to build a church they can call their own, and that can serve to accommodate the spiritual needs of every member.

Reading a brief history of the church during the dedication service, Elder John Matsiko, said that Global Evangelical church was started 10 years ago by a small group of Ugandans who congregated at Rev. Katende and Mrs. Robina Katende’s house in Waltham.

But due to the unwavering dedication and desire by Rev. Katende and his wife together with a dedicated board of elders to serve the members of the church, Global Evangelical church has grown tremendously over the years.

Church leaders and their spouses, Rev. John Baker Katende, left, Elder John Matsiko and Elder William Sserebe cut a ribbon to signify the official opening of the new Global Evangemicl church in Burlington, Mass..

The church has been renting space for worship at the Waltham Elementary school and maintained administrative offices at 267 Moody Street in Waltham.

But due to the determination dedication of the members and leaders, the church and can now afford to move to the new facility they have purchased in the nearby Burlington.

The 2 floor facility contains a 250 seat sanctuary on the top floor that also houses the pastor’s office, the pastors’ wife office, a secretary’s office, a media center, 2 Sunday school rooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen and 2 bathrooms.

The ground floor houses another kitchen, 2 bathrooms and a conference hall.

The facility is also well situated with ample parking for about 300 cars and is easily accessible from Exit 32b of Interstate 95 North or South near the Burlington mall.

“This church started in 2001 in a living room. The journey for this building started 5 years ago when we launched a project to raise $350,000 towards a down payment for a good building. We also wanted to have all the books of accounts in order for the purpose of building credit worthiness,” said Elder John Matsiko, chairman of the Board of Elders at the church.

Elder John added that it took the church 4 years to raise the $350,000 cash down payment through fund raisings and contributions from members and was ready to purchase a building in 2009.

However, the search for the suitable building was not easy as many cities around the Boston area where many Ugandans live would not approve them for traffic congestion fears.

Rev. John Baker Katende, pastor of the Global Evangelical church

“But by the grace of God, the city of Burlington approved us to convert an office building worth about $700,000 into a church and in May 2010, we were approved for the main mortgage,” said the man of God.

Elder Matsiko added that a well wisher who they have never met gave the church a $31,000 cash gift to finance the second mortgage.

“I talk right now, the church is in good standing financially with all our lenders,” added the church elder prompting loud applause by worshippers present.

He thanked all the members and friends who gave out with willing hearts to make the project come to reality.

Leading in the dedication and 10 year celebration service, the pastor of the church, Rev. John Baker Katende told worshippers and guests that the Global Evangelical church has been planted in the Burlington area with a mission to cause a positive impact on the surrounding community.

Rev. Katende, an experienced carpenter by trade, personally dedicated hundreds of hours of physical labor together with other church members to help convert a dilapidated office building into a shining sanctuary, and thus saving the church thousands of dollars in labor costs asked worshippers to use the church to do something for the glory of God.

“This church is set in this corner to impact the neighbors. We were approved to not just come here and praise the lord but to impact our world,” said the pastor well known in the African Community in Boston.

He cautioned worshippers to realize that God has given within them all the abilities they needed to accomplish great things for his kingdom.

“You have the wisdom, the ears, the size, smiles, endurance for long suffering and other gifts to achieve success for this life and for Godliness. Don’t just come here and then disappear,” said pastor Katende.

Jack R. Baguma, Men’s ministry president and master of ceremony

He cautioned worshippers to use their time well instead of wasting precious time in activities and quarrels that do not glorify the lord during the short time everyone have on this earth.

“Some spend 3 days in silence after quarreling with each other and refuse to work or help each other or the needy. We are supposed to bear good fruit so that even when we are gone, it remains to glorify the name of the lord,” added the pastor who has spent countless hours in mission trips to Uganda helping orphaned and poverty struck children.

The pastor thanked all the members and friends who have made tireless efforts to give their finances and efforts to help see the church buying project come to fruition.

He prayed that the lord bless everyone who will cry upon him for help in the new sanctuary.

“May this church be a place of healing for all those who come to you with sickness. May it be a place of comfort for all those who are suffering,” prayed the pastor.

A special dedication prayer was led by Archbishop David Makumbi a Bishop in a ugandan church in Boston.

Archbishop David Makumbi leads other pastors in prayers to bless the church

The Archbishop congratulated the global Evangelical church for their dedication to building a place of prayers and worship which will continue the revival of the gospel in New England.

The celebration service was marked by powerful, multi-language praise and worship music, ranging from English, Swahili, Luganda and Lingala by the church choir led by gospel worshippers, Solomon Senteza, Catherine Atwongyere and Men’s ministry president, Jack. R. Baguma.

Baguma also served as the master of ceremonies throughout the day.

According to many parishioners interviewed by Ajabu Africa, respectable and professional way of conducting church affairs by the leaders, high accountability and transparency on money issues, and scandal free nature of the church has helped it grow rapidly to about 300 consistent adult members in a span of 10 years.

Though predominantly Ugandan, the church has a membership of members from other countries including Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, Kenya and therefore conducts it’s worship services in English, with occasional interpretation into Luganda.

The service was followed by a colorful reception held at the Grace Chapel hall in Lexington where guests were treated to tasty Ugandan traditional dishes coupled with soft drinks, music entertainment and guest speeches.

Several pastors of other Ugandan churches attended the celebration and reception services including Rev. Samuel Mutyaba of the Life Chucrch in Medford, Rev. Christine Nakyeyune and of St. Peters Anglican church in Waltham, pastor Kawaala of the Healing Outreach Ministries, Pastor Frank Mwebesa , as well as Rev. Jared Mlongecha of the International Gospel church among others.

They all congratulated Rev. Katende and the entire Global evangelical church for the excellent example and leadership provided at developing Ugandan community in Boston.

“Global church has made it clear that it is a global church because the effects of your works have been seen throughout the world,” said Rev. Muytaba during a congratulatory speech.

He thanked Rev. Katende for his exemplary leadership of the church and his vast work at helping the sick and the needy in Uganda.

He said the Global Evangelical church serves as a great encouragement to other Ugandan churches in the region.

Guests toast to celebrate10 years of growth and a new church building

“Since we have a crowd of witnesses to look up to as it is said in Hebrews 12, even us at the New Life church are coming up,” said the pastor amusing guests present.

“We have to honor those God has established in our community as leaders. Global Evangelical church, you are leaders in the Ugandan community and we appreciate you.” he added.

Others speaking during the colorful and well organized reception were Elder William Sserebe, Mrs. Esther Kibaze.

To cap the colorful celebrations, several entertainment performances were provided by the Global church Sunday school and children’s choir, Mrs. Vivian Sserunjogi and David Kawalya who performed a reggae style inspired gospel hit and Catherine Atwongyere with more gospel hits.

And living up to tradition at any Ugandan event, a traditional dance worship entertainment was staged by a group of young children fluidly gyrating their hips and bodies led by 2 adult women causing great excitement to the guests.

The event was hailed by many as highly successful and well deserved.

It ended with cutting of a cake right on time as a power blackout rolled in caused by the early snowstorm hitting the north east.

Ajabu Africa would like to congratulate the pastor, elders and members of the Global
Evangelical church for the 10 th year of continued growth and the shining example of what one people with great leadership can do in the development of the Ugandan and African community in New England.

On the Net: http://globalchurch.us/