Members of the Global Evangelical church in Burlington gather with celebrate their thanksgiving gift to the church pastor, Rev. JBK Katende during a thanksgiving holiday service on Sunday. Pic by H.Maina/Ajabu Africa.
By Harrison Maina, Ajabu Africa News, Posted November 30, 2011
BURLINGTON, Mass.,_Worshippers at the Ugandan Global Evangelical church in Burlington, MA surprised their pastor and his wife with keys to a sleek white sport utility, fully loaded top of the line Cadillac Escalade ESV over the thanksgiving weekend.
The Pastor, Rev. John Baker Katende and his wife, Mrs. Robina Katende stared in disbelief as they were led to the church’s parking lot where the car had been parked. The gift was an appreciation for the hard work they do in leading the fast growing Ugandan community church.
The couple also received a guitar and numerous small gifts.
The car and the gifts were presented last Sunday during a thanksgiving service held at the new church dedicated a month ago.
It was a culmination of a four month effort headed by a parishioner, Joseph Bwogi who impressed upon church members to unite and purchase a better car for their pastor. Members felt that the car the pastor was driving was too old and that it needed replacement.
The new gesture was the second time that the church members have come together to purchase a car for their pastor who many say he has reached out to every individual in their hour of need without discrimination.
In 2004, a few years after the church was started in Waltham, members came together to purchase a Lincoln town car sedan for the pastor.
One afternoon in 2006, the pastor and his wife were involved in a car wreck while driving from church. The car was damaged beyond salvage.
“The car was totaled and the insurance paid for the salvage,” said Bwogi. “He added a few thousands and purchased his next dream car, a Lincoln Navigator.”
However, over the years the Lincoln navigator aged and the cost of maintenance and fuel shot up making Bwogi and other church members want to do something.
Bwogi said that he thought that they had a responsibility to do something for their pastor for his dedicated service and his leadership of one of the largest African community churches in Boston.
“Pastor Katende has visited and transported people when they are stuck by the roadside, from hospitals, from jail and even from their homes,” said Bwogi. “He has been very supportive of us and in fact many of our family members are in this country because of him.”
Joseph Bwogi (center), thanking members of the Global Evangelical church for successful completion of the project to buy their pastor a new car. Looking on is Josephine Mugisha and Apostle Frank Mwembesa.
Despite the fact that Bwogi had been involved in community based self- help money lending co-operative project that failed, he asked the same members to come together once again. This time they were raising money to buy their pastor gifts.
“And today, I am glad to stand here and tell you that despite the failure of the old project, the new project we started together was successful, he said. “After this service, I request you to come to the parking lot and witness it,” said Bwogi, with the crowd cheering on.
He thanked Josephine Mugisha, the leader of the women’s ministry who was very supportive of the project and the church members for their generosity. Bwogi said that many church members contributed between $100 and $1,000 towards the project. They raised almost $37,500 the full price of the car.
“I have no words to express my gratitude for this gesture,” said Pastor Katende to a cheering crow in the parking lot. “Thank you all who participated in this effort and may God bless you all.”
His wife meanwhile mingled with other church members posing for pictures.
Many members praised the pastor for what he has done in their lives.
“This shows what can happen if you lead people well and treat them equally”, said Richard Mukasa.
“I think that it is awesome to get pastor Katende the best car out there. It protects him from a lot of temptations,” said Apostle Frank Mwembesa who led the thanksgiving service.
Earlier in his sermon, Rev. Katende asked worshippers to learn how to be thankful to the lord all the time for the things that happen in their lives.
Reading from the book of Luke 17: 15-20, Rev. Katende said that some people in America have stopped using thanksgiving holiday as a day to invoke the Holy Spirit for the blessings they receive but they see the holiday as a great day to mark the start of Black Friday.
The service attracted various church groups including the children’s ministry, the youth, and the mothers’ ministry to honor the pastor for his leadership.
“We are happy that we were able to make the dream of our pastor come true”, said Josephine Mugisha, the mothers’ ministry leader.”
Edited by Jeff Kanani View an Ajabu Pictorial below.Pics by H. Maina courtesy of Ajabu Media.
