United Methodist Women’s Fellowship conventions lined up

By The Standard | Aug. 13, 2017

The United Methodist Church (UMC) women’s fellowship — Ruwadzano RweWadzimai (RRW) — of the Zimbabwe Episcopal Area, will be holding conventions in the coming next two weeks.

BY EUNICE KADIKI

Conventions are a time when women and people of the UMC come together for the purposes of revival

The first two conventions will be held in Murewa and Clare from August 16 to 20, with the other two scheduled for Mvuma and Nyambeya from August 23 to 27.

Traditionally, since the formation of the women’s organisation in the UMC in 1929, people would take time to go out into the forest and camp. Hence, the four venues — Murewa, Clare, Mvuma and Nyambeya — are camping grounds. Church circuits, groups, families and individuals will go out and pitch their tents and camp at the respective grounds for four days.

Such conventions are what culminated in the holding of the historic Ebenezer Convention attended by over 55 000 United Methodists at the National Sports Stadium in August 2014. This demonstrates the critical role women play in the life and mission of the church and society in general.

Conventions are a time when women and people of the UMC come together for the purposes of revival — reviving their spirits and reviving the church. It is a time of prayer, upliftment and reflection. Powerful preachers are always lined-up. Individuals can also take time away from the preaching to go and pray separately in a quiet place.

Besides sermons and singing, a communion service is held and there are teachings that are given at conventions. For example, in recent conventions, teachings have been given on self-care, cancer awareness and waste management. The teachings given are of topics that relate to the daily lives of women and all attendees to the conventions.

A special and ground-breaking highlight is the inclusion of powerful child preachers at these conventions. On the musical front, the conventions celebrate both the traditional brand of ngoma nehosho together with the contemporary worship through praise teams.