Clerics adjusting to preaching in empty churches, mosques

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | It is almost a week since President Yoweri Museveni banned public gatherings including congregational prayers as part of the preventive measures against the coronavirus.

URN visited some clergy to find out how they have been doing the last one week without large congregations.

Some of the leaders said they are adjusting to the feel of empty churches and mosques and focusing on reaching out to their flock via traditional media like radio and TV and social media platforms.

Over the weekend several Christian clerics including the Archbishop of Church of Uganda, Dr. Stephen Kazimba ministered to Christians via television.

Rev. Canon Dr.  Rebecca Nyegenye, the Provost of All Saints Cathedral, Nakasero, told URN that presiding over last Sunday’s prayers was a ”new and  strange” experience.

On average, 1000 people would gather for Sunday services at the cathedral from 9 am up until the one of 4pm for youths.

Rev. Nyegenye, however, says people will make confessions out of conviction and not from emotion as they would in church.

She explains that this is time for people who fear to leave their seats during alter call to confess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Pastor Ronald Kabuye from Mutundwe Christian Life Fellowship said he isn’t new to preaching without worshipers because he has a person to person outreach programmes.

He says the Fellowship is fortunate to have a radio station, which broadcast their messages 24/7.

The fellowship usually attracts over 1,000 people daily for lunch hour and overnight prayers during the week and close to 1,500 on Sunday. When Uganda Radio Network-URN visited the premises of the fellowship during lunch time, the Church was closed while the tents were empty.

A few people who visited the premises, especially females, were told to wait to meet Pastor Kabuye as individuals.  At the National Mosque also known as Gaddafi National Mosque at Old Kampala, there were no worshipers, except a few employees.

Haji Nsereko Mutumba, the Spokesperson Uganda Muslim Supreme Council, said the low activity at the national mosque is vivid evidence that the Muslim community is complying with the president’s directive suspending all public gatherings.

He says Muslims pray alone or in groups of not more than 5 people to prevent the spread of the disease.

******

URN