The church continues to make efforts to increase the skills of its accountants. Shortly after completing the training on the latest software currently used in accounting, on 16 and 17 November 2023, the Accountants were upgraded to the latest software in Financial Management.
he seminars were attended by the accountants of the EPR Head Office, those working in the institutions of the Church and those working in the 7 presbyteries of the Church: Kigali, Remera, Zinga, Gitarama, Kirinda, Gisenyi and Rubengera.
From October 10 to 27, 2023, it was with pleasure that the church welcomed the three school directors from Switzerland. Normally the church collaborates with ‘’ Departement Missionnaire suisse (DM)’’ , it is in this context that the three directors came to visit the Church schools that have a partnership with DM. First, in October last year 2022, the Presbyterian Church in Rwanda sent the 3 directors of Schools to Switzerland, for study trip purposes, this time the DM directors came for an exchange of ideas.
During their stays in Rwanda they done some activities include visit and participation to the conference between EPR –DM where they discussed together, sharing of video on contextualization of the EPR/DM exchange project, feedback on the exchange in Switzerland and there was the opportunity to celebrate DM’s 60th anniversary. The Church Leaders appreciated this good partnership.
The church continues to celebrate the results achieved during 4 years from 2020 to 2023.
Sunday, on 3rd September 2023, there was the inauguration ceremony of Gisozi Parish temple in Kigali presbytery. The President and Vice-President of Presbyterian in Rwanda, the pastors, the church members, and guests from inside and outside the country came to praise the Lord for the good work. It was a wonderful Sunday.
This building also contains the headquarters of the presbytery of Kigali.
The youth Camp is took place on August 6-25, 2023 at Gisenyi Presbytery, located in the Western province of Rwanda. The theme of this camp was «Together at Gisenyi : The Power of Unity». It has been organize by Gisenyi Presbytery in collaboration with Church District of Hattingen-Witten in Germany. It involved the youth from both churches: On the side of Germany delegation, Mrs Bettina Claudia Schulte genant Gelderman and Mr Sebastian Hermann Schmidt chaired the Germany youth while Pastor Eugenie Manirankunda and Pastor Rukera Eraste led the youth from Rwanda. During the camp, some activities were done such as:Visit to the diaconal and social projects implemented in different parishes. Gahondogo, Ruhengeri, Kigarama, Rugarama and Bigogwe parishes were visited. They have seen schools, projects sponsored by Compassion International and the project that take care of teenage mothers implemented at Bigogwe parish. They joined the church members in worship God during of inauguration ceremony of the realizations of EPR at Remera Rukoma presbytery on August 13, 2023.
The Germany group, on the journey of turning back home, they met The President and Legal Representative of Presbyterian Church in Rwanda, Rev Dr. Bataringaya Pascal, He thanked their time in Rwanda for all activities done. As the initiator of this partnership, He appreciated its growth and the good relationship.
The President of Presbyterian Church asked them to transmet his warm greetings to their families and parishes, and gave them a gift.
The Presbyterian Church in Rwanda, on August 13th, 2023, had the inauguration ceremony of the infrastructures already built between 2020 and 2023. This event took place in the Presbytery Remera in kamonyi District, South Province. The distinguished guests came to celebrate with the church: Alice Kayitesi; Governor of the Southern Province, was the guest of honor there were also friends of the church from outside the country, pastors and members of the Church.
On Tuesday, August 1-5, 2023, Presbyterian Church in Rwanda hosted the 4th World Conference of the International Association for Reconciliation Studies at Karongi in Bethany Hotel, located in the Southern province of Rwanda , and EPR is one of the members. This conference involved the following partners: Protestant Institute of Arts and Social Sciences (PIASS), JENA Center for Reconciliation Studies, RUHR Universität BOCHUM (RUB)and attended by 80 participants from Africa, Europe, America and Asia.
Africa : Participants from Rwanda, From Democratic Republic of Congo-DRC, Zimbabwe
Europe : Participants from Germany, Switzerland, Norway, England, France
Asia : Participants from Japan, south Korea, Nepal
America : Participants from USA ( United States of America), Colombia who will participate on line.
The 4th IARS Conference was officially opened by Rev. Dr. Pascal Bataringaya, the President and Legal Representative of the Presbyterian Church in Rwanda (EPR), who in his welcoming remarks , said that :’’ Gospel is peace and Christ himself is peace, Christians are also called to be peacemakers. Jesus came to bring about peace between humans and God and this kind of Peace extends to peace among humans and between humans and nature’’ About the reconciliation in Rwanda after Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994. EPR President presented the process of reconciliation and showed the role of the church in process of reconciliation especially the Presbyterian Church in Rwanda is very involved and very committed for reconciliation work and Peace. Together the church and the Rwanda Government worked for reconstructing the Rwandan Identity “Ndi Umunyarwanda” (I am a Rwandan). Other opening remarks and key notes were given by Martin Leiner, Karina Korostelina, Tayomi Asano, Laura and Villanueva.
The Guest Honor was Kayirangwa Anita, serves as the Executive Director for National Unity, Itorero and Citizenship Education in the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE). She talked about preserving the nation’s unity and preventing division that allows us for maintaining peace. She also appreciated the great collaboration of the Presbyterian Church in Rwanda in promoting unity and reconciliation in Rwanda and worldwide, especially by organizing such conferences which raise the awareness of Rwanda and people from other continents
with Executive Director for National Unity, Itorero and Citizenship Education in the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE)
During the conference, Theologians from worldwide and researchers from different domains presented their reflections on the topic of reconciliation in different contexts focusing on some themes such as :
1> Theologies and Church practices of Reconciliation in Rwanda:
- The role of Presbyterian Church in Rwanda after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi,
2> Reconciliation in Africa: How conflict Resolution Processes influence in conflict repetitions circles? The case of
Mozambique,
3> Decoloniality in healing centred peace building. A zimbabwean made, community based, survivor-led trauma healing
program,
4> Exploring the impact and legacy German and Belgian colonization and reconciliation and reconciliation in Rwanda,
5> Reparation for violation of economic, social and cultural Human Rights:A condition for Effective Reconciliation in
Eastern DR Congo,
6> Opposing the official law for saving lives, similarities between Dietrich Bonhoeffer and’’ Umurinzi w’igihango in
Rwanda’’
7> Identity reconstruction in post –genocide Rwanda,
8> The Relation between Forgiveness and Justice,
9> The Civil Society Organizations contribute to the reconciliation process? The role of Korean NGOs in Ethiopian
ethnic conflict,
10> Many paths of territorization of reconciliation in Colombia, towards a strategic relational approach to
reconciliations.
