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AME expels reverends

AME expels reverends

THE African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church expelled two of its leaders during its 15th Episcopal District’s annual conference at Luederitz.

The 15th Episcopal District includes the church in Namibia, as well as congregations in South Africa’s Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and Angola. After having been suspended from their pastoral duties earlier this year, Reverends Hendrik /Gariseb and Petrus Simon Moses Kooper were voted out of their positions at the end of August.The charges brought against them, according to a media statement from the church, were that they disrespected the name and integrity of the AME, as well as that of American leader of the 15th Episcopal District, Bishop Samuel Green./Gariseb, along with a number of his congregation at Hoachanas, were said to have walked out of a church service, threatening unity in the church.The AME, in its statement, dismissed what it called, “misguided media coverage about a looming split within the African Methodist Episcopal Church” as devoid of any truth.It said the leaders and members of the church remained faithful, loyal and committed members of the church under the leadership of Bishop Green.Gariseb, speaking to The Namibian on Monday, said that he walked out of the service in protest against the church’s rule by American bishops who were not involved of the daily running of the church.”Our only sin was that we wanted to be self-determining.We don’t want to be led by an American bishop who only comes to the country twice a year,” he said.The church has distanced itself from the two former reverends, saying that the church “will forthwith not be held liable for the actions, legal contracts or agreements entered into by the said brothers, and hence all institutions, organisations and agencies are informed accordingly”.After having been suspended from their pastoral duties earlier this year, Reverends Hendrik /Gariseb and Petrus Simon Moses Kooper were voted out of their positions at the end of August.The charges brought against them, according to a media statement from the church, were that they disrespected the name and integrity of the AME, as well as that of American leader of the 15th Episcopal District, Bishop Samuel Green./Gariseb, along with a number of his congregation at Hoachanas, were said to have walked out of a church service, threatening unity in the church.The AME, in its statement, dismissed what it called, “misguided media coverage about a looming split within the African Methodist Episcopal Church” as devoid of any truth.It said the leaders and members of the church remained faithful, loyal and committed members of the church under the leadership of Bishop Green.Gariseb, speaking to The Namibian on Monday, said that he walked out of the service in protest against the church’s rule by American bishops who were not involved of the daily running of the church.”Our only sin was that we wanted to be self-determining.We don’t want to be led by an American bishop who only comes to the country twice a year,” he said.The church has distanced itself from the two former reverends, saying that the church “will forthwith not be held liable for the actions, legal contracts or agreements entered into by the said brothers, and hence all institutions, organisations and agencies are informed accordingly”.

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