More than a Palm Sunday
Sunday 2 April 2023 saw the Palm Sunday celebrated throughout the world. In South Africa, predominantly, we see congregations going around the neighbourhood waving Palm leaves, singing and praying for the people. These street marches, which are mainly led by the Allen Christian Evangelical League (ACEL) end up in churches with the Palm Sunday Worship commencing. Often, many unchurched people follow them to churches.
This year, however, we have seen the Nkosi Memorial AME Church in Tlhabane, MM Mokone Conference of the 19th Episcopal District do more than the usual. Led by their Pastor, the Rev. Sebego Zepahaniah Moremi, members of the Nkosi Memorial AME Church embarked on a pothole fixing project and tree planting. These potholes are as a result of lack of road maintenance over a long period. Having been appointed to the church only five months ago, Rev. Moremi wasted no time to ensure that the AME Church is not an armchair critic when it comes to the church being part of the community. The Church moved from the comfort of the pulpit to the streets.
Present were the Rev. Lekubela Simon Moobi, Presiding Elder of the Ga-Rankuwa District, who came not as a spectator, but was hard at work. This sterling work was witnessed and reported by the Herald Newspaper based in Rustenburg (see insert). Rev. Moremi is grateful to Bishop Ronnie Elijah Brailsford for the 19th Episcopal District’s four core principles. ‘Go to the people, Love the people, Serve the people, and Empower the people’, as well as Presiding Elder Mexico, who emphasises these four core principles during the Quarterly Confereces. This four core principles are what the Nkosi Memorial A.M.E Church is built on, so their holy week was held at members’ homes rather than the sanctuary in order to revitalise class meetings.
