The church of Uganda Provincial Secretary Rev Canon William Ongeng has commended the South Ankole Diocese for embracing agriculture ventures aimed at accumulating wealth and development of the church.
Rev Canon Ongeng noted that the church must get involved in the economy for its well-being.
He stressed the need for the accumulation of wealth by the church if the gospel is to be properly preached worldwide like what missionaries did in the early 1800s.
Rev Ongeng made the remarks on Thursday while handing over a dummy Cheque of UGX 259,321,840M (Two hundred Fifty Nine Million Three hundred Twenty One thousand eight hundred Forty shillings) to South Ankole Diocese for the construction of coffee huller machine.
The function was held at Diocesan Boardroom Ntungamo Municipality.
He thanked Bishop Nathan Ahimbisibwe for the hardwork and involvement in a cocktail of agriculture projects which enabled the Church of Uganda to consider South Ankole Diocese among the 37 dioceses.
The Provincial Treasurer Muheebwa Balam noted that in the ending financial year 2021/2022, government through the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Church of Uganda extending an additional UGX 2Bn to the church for promoting commercial agriculture and fighting food insecurity, and poverty among the faithful.
Muheebwa revealed that the pilot project is being implemented in only 5 out of 37 dioceses of South Ankole, Central Buganda, Busoga, West Lango and Kitgum to spearhead church development and wealth creation among all parishioners.
He noted that the success stories of the pilot projects will determine its continuity, asking leaders to cooperate with Bishop Ahimbisibwe to reach its expectations.
While receiving a dummy Cheque, the Bishop South Ankole Diocese the Rt Rev Nathan Ahimbisibwe applauded the Government for supporting the Church of Uganda to fight against poverty at household level through their interventions aimed at promoting commercial agriculture.
Bishop Ahimbisibwe noted that this will help the diocese to harness food security and development and these will accelerate the spreading of gospel because the hungry church cannot preach the good news of the Christ.
He pledged to multiply it and transform the lives of the people in Ntungamo district.
South Ankole Diocese has over 350 acres of coffee, fruit growing, banana, beekeeping, hatchery, construction and irrigation.
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