“Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.” Philemon 7
Our Multi-purpose Hall at St. John's University was the site of the recent celebration held for the retiring Archbishop of Tanzania, Rt. Rev. Dondald Mtetemela and His wife Gladys, pictured above.
The staff which worked hard to prepare was very proud of the decorations. The Purple is the traditional color for he Bishops, so everything was purple and white, chairs, balloons anf flowers are typically expressive of the theme!
The Archbishop and his wife recieved many gifts of thanks from the Diocese all over the country. Everything from a car to a cow to a kanga (fabric) and refrigerators! Wonderful celebration to watch as some sang and danced as the gifts where presented. The celebration was to start at 6:30 in the evening and went on until past midnight, with three choirs entertaining the crowds.
The SJUT chapel was the host of the recent election of the new Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Tanzania! WOW! The Retiring current Archbishop Donald Mtetemela (
http://www.acn-us.org/archive/2006/04/an-acn-interview-with-the-most-rev-donald-mtetemela-province-of-tanzania.html ), head of the Anglican Church of Tanzania and a Primate of the world wide communion (
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/tour/index.cfm) , the of the Episcopal Church in the US is also a (1) primate of the World wide communion) is the Chancellor of St. John’s University. The provision of Christian Higher education for Tanzania is a passion and commitment for Archbishop Donald Mtetelmela (
http://www.acn-us.org/archive/2006/04/an-acn-interview-with-the-most-rev-donald-mtetemela-province-of-tanzania.html. The process of election takes place every five years, Archbishop Mtetemela has served for the past 10 years, was very CLOSED DOOR! The entire chapel was closed off and no one heard a thing although all where watching until the decision of the bishops was reached! The Archbishop elect is the the Rt. Rev. Valentino L. Mokiwa, Bishop of Dar es Salaam in the Anglican Church of Tanzania, elected archbishop of the province Feb. 28 during a special session of the General Synod in Dodoma, at SJUT.
Bishop Mokiwa (speaking to the crowd, above) will be installed in Dodoma on May 25. He succeeds the Most Rev. Donald L. Mtetemela, whose second five-year term concludes in May. Primates in Tanzania are limited to a maximum of two five-year terms under that province’s constitution. Archbishop Mtetemela will continue as Bishop of the Diocese of Ruaha for the next five years, while also serving as chancellor of St. John’s University in Dodoma.
Needless to say bishops arrived from all over the country. A celebration of the ministry and service of the Archbishop Mtetemela followed the days events.
