KAMPALA – All Saints Cathedral Kampala (ASCK) on July 10 installed the first-ever female Provost in the history of the Church of Uganda.
Rev. Can. Dr. Rebecca Nyegenye and her assistant, Rev. Captain David Serunjoji were installed and inducted as Provost of All Saints’ Cathedral, Kampala and Archdeacon of Central Archdeaconry and Assistant Provost respectively.
The function was presided over by the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda who is also the Bishop of the Diocese of Kampala, His Grace Stanley Ntagali.
Archbishop Ntagali centred his sermon on the importance of servant leadership which he termed as a calling from God.
“To be called to ministry is a great honour. The ministry is tough these days, we are handling sophisticated people in many ways, but our God is even more sophisticated,” he said.
He further thanked the congregation for supporting both Nyegenye and Serunjoji always in individual responsibilities in ministry.
Dr Nyegenye and Rev. Captain Serunjoji were presented with a Bible, stole, Book of Common Prayer, Olive Oil, Bread and Wine, Canons and Administrative Policies and Keys of the Church as tools to guide their pastoral work.
The ceremony followed the citation of the oath of allegiance to the Church of Uganda and the Cathedral in particular and the oath of canonical obedience to the Bishop of Kampala Diocese.
Archbishop Ntagali urged them to trust in God even when there will be hardships in Ministry.
“When God has called you, he anoints you; he equips you and sustains you. He never leaves his people. Those called to serve ought to be acquainted with him having a personal relationship with him through his son,” Ntagali remarked.
Rev. Nyegenye applauded the Archbishop and the Bishop of Kampala Diocesan for entrusting her and her Assistant with the position of Provost.
“It is a huge responsibility but we trust in He who called us. For He alone can complete the work that He started in us,” she said.
She said her focus will be on the completion of the new All Saints Church Cathedral which is undergoing construction, as well as spiritual growth for the Christians.
“We want to see Christians being rooted and growing in Christ. And as a church in the city, it is our desire to train missionaries, send missionaries and lead them to share the gospel in different places,” Dr Nyegenye noted.
The Provost is the Parish Priest who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the Cathedral for providing overall leadership to the Cathedral ministry in articulating and implementing the Vision, Mission, Objectives and entire operations of the Church while maintaining the dignity, heritage and values of the Anglican Church.
Dr. Nyegenye is the first lady to hold that position in the Diocese of Kampala; she was born in a family of seven to the late Rev. James Efumbi and Janet Efumbi in Busia district.
She holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from University of KwaZulu-Natal, Master of Arts in Theology from Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry USA, Bachelor of Divinity from Uganda Christian University, and a Certificate in Theology from Bishop Usher Wilson Theological College Buwalasi.
She got married to Married the National Equipment and Supply Chain Coordinator-National Laboratory Services in the Ministry of Health Wilson Nyegenye on February 10, 1990.
They have three children; Dr. Ronald Peter Mukisa, Ms. Winfred Sarah Kwagala, student at Law Development Centre, and Ms. Pricilla Barbra Mirembe, a fourth-year student of Bachelor of Laws at Uganda Christian University.
Dr Nyegeye was Ordained in 1997 and priested in 2000 in Bukedi Diocese, however, she first worked at St. John’s COU in Busia as Assistant Vicar and Acting Vicar between 1996 and 1998.
She later moved to Uganda Christian University as the Chaplain’s Assistant in 2002 and in 2004, she was promoted to Assistant Chaplain till September 3, 2012 when she was appointed Chaplain.
She got saved at the age of twelve after watching the Passion of Christ movie and was inspired by the suffering and agony Jesus went through to save mankind and that is how she decided to give her life to Christ.
Her passion is in discipleship, pastoral care and counseling, evangelism, preaching and mentoring with a basic interest in research is on Biblical leadership with hope to develop church leadership.
