PASTOR Veikko Munyika was consecrated as the new bishop for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) Western Diocese on Sunday at a ceremony presided over by Bishop Shekutamba Nambala and witnessed by scores of church members.
Munyika (61), who has been a missionary pastor, was elected during the ELCIN synod of November last year and takes over the baton from Bishop Josaphat Shanghala who has retired.
President Hifikepunye Pohamba, Cabinet ministers, high ranking government officials, tradition leaders and many other community leaders also attended the ceremony.
Special representatives at the ceremony came from the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission (FELM), the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Evangelical Church in Angola, as well as the Evangelical Church in Namibia and the United Church Council in Namibia, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Republic of Namibia and the secretary-general of the Council of Churches in Namibia (CCN), Maria Kapere.
Bishop Nambala told Bishop Munyika to be humble, to serve the people with respect and to be ready to suffer and sacrifice for them. He also advised Munyika to be a trustworthy Bishop, a good helper and always be ready to pray for his believers in his Western Doicese and the church as a whole.
Bishop Munyika urged Namibians to pray for the country and to work hard to develop the country, taking over from where their leaders left off.
“In the church, the leaders of the new generation have to start where the older leaders such as Bishop Kleopas Dumenis, Apollos Kaulinges, Johannes Sindano and Tomas Shivutes, ended,” he said.
Bishop Munyika called on Namibians not to rely on government and donor drought relief food, but have to work hard to get food for themselves especially when in a season when there are good rains.He said people must not go to cuca shops and drinking places when they are supposed to be in their mahangu fields.
Bishop Munyika, ascension comes at a time the church faces challenges including infighting among members, especially between Okahao congregation and the Western Diocese about the transfer of Pastor Hulda Shau-Aitana.
President Pohamba, told the congregation that the ELCIN Western Diocese and the whole ELCIN church has received a really humble servant of the people because the life of Munyika, has been a life of service to the community, to the church and to the nation as a whole, since his ordination as pastor at the tender age of 28 in 1981.
“I have no doubt that your commendable experience as a teacher, community leader and as a pastor has prepared you sufficiently to serve as a Bishop of the Western Diocese of ELCIN, and I congratulate you most sincerely on your election. May God continue to bless you and guide you in this role of leadership and great responsibility,” President Pohamba said.
