CMC PRESIDENT WELCOMES BACK 40 MEMBERS FROM MLODZA CHURCH

The President of The Central Malawi Conference of SDA Church, Pastor Petro Sukali on Sabbath, February 6, 2022 led a congregation of Golgotha SDA church in Area 23,Lilongwe in officially welcoming fourty members of Mlodza church who had decided to rejoin the SDA family at Golgotha.

Mlodza church separated itself from the mainstream Seventh Day Adventist church in 1997 due to doctrinal differences on role of women in the church and church symbol.

Pastor Sukali commended the members for making a bold decision to come back to the SDA family.

He then appealed to the members of Golgotha to happily embrace the returnees and work together In spreading the Gospel.

''Heavens and earth are rejoicing today due to the return of these daughters and sons. Like a prodigal son, they have come back to their home,to their father. Let us all rejoice in welcoming them back. We need to love them, let them feel at home and allow them to use their talents in serving the Lord.

"Nobody should despise them,for they have come back to their father. Nobody should claim ownership of the church. This is the Lord's church''. Said Pastor Sukali.

Pastor Lloyd Kumwembe of Area 23 district encouraged the new members to remain steadfast with their faith, to be prayer warriors and always read the Bible.

Azel Majamanda,First Elder of Golgotha SDA Church said that the church had organised the welcoming party for Mlodza former members who had returned to the church since 2020 to make them feel welcome.

He said love is the main strategy they had used to win back the Mlodza members.

''Love conquers. We live with them in our community, we share the same faith, same Sabbath and interact during ceremonies. We have always treated them with love as our brothers and we shall continue loving them, and even those who have remained behind. Some of them are are now Elders while others are serving in various leadership positions". He said

According to Elder Majamanda, many more members had returned to Area 23 SDA church.

One of the returnees, Joseph Lekeni could not hide his joy after coming back.

''It has always been my desire to come back to my church.

I was the first to come back, and after a year my family followed. I found love and unity in the church. I felt we were wasting time on dwelling on minor doctrinal issues instead of working on our salvation''.He said.

The welcoming party took place at the close of a week long revival meeting which was conducted by Pastor Masauko Ganamba of Lakeview in Ntcheu.

Ten people got baptised on the closing day.

By Yunos Kamba.