The 9 pastors who downed their tools pose for a photo in Yambio [©Gurtong]
By Nashion Josephs
YAMBIO, 1st February 2012 [Gurtong] - 9 pastors with a high profile under the Episcopal Church of the Sudan (ECS), Yambio Diocese in Western Equatoria State have resigned after serving the church for many years due to leadership wrangles.
Speaking to Gurtong, the Chairperson of the group, Reverend Bangbe Charles said that the decision was reached after going through the mismanaged administration of the ECS and decided not to continue with service.
As the letter reads “the church no longer reorganize the voices of the cabinet based on different areas of the church administration, be it the developmental funds, training programs for the pastors, discrimination, neglect within the church premises that other pastors are undergoing.”
The letter continued that “it’s been long before we took this decision sincerely, we had enough time to develop the church though the chance was limited.”
As they resigned they urged the remaining pastors to change the administration and move in accordance with other churches while citing that, nobody should think they had bad feelings about anyone; but because of the poor management.
In the letter, the clerics clarified that they had no control over the subordinate staff especially on issues that can be solved easily therefore the divine system is the one being used to achieve the goals obligated to the church leadership.
They also revealed that it’s only a few people who made decisions on the church issues so there was no democracy in leadership.
Church events such as graduation, festivals are never budgeted for if any the funds are put to other personal business so you find most pastors go out to look for other opportunities. If given the chance they would stay around the church and run small projects. They added that all the donors have withdrawn due to similar leadership wrangles and mistrust in resource management.
The ECS has also converted the house of the late bishop Daniel Zando into other businesses not mentioned under the church constitution.
In a press conference after their resignation, the ECS Diocesan Secretary Rev. Erneo Romai said that as a church they don’t have any right to stop anyone who wants to leave, though; those remaining will also go through the letter and come with a final decision.