Covenant News

Gbuda Luyada Re-elected CEUM President

YAKOMA, CONGO (June 6, 2000) - Rev. Gbuda Luyada and Rev. Kafi Nubea were re-elected to third terms as president and vice-president respectively during the recent CEUM bi-annual meeting, involving 160 delegates and 40 other representatives.

Delegates also approved a resolution governing future elections that limits length of service in these offices to a maximum of two four-year consecutive terms. No limits were imposed for department heads, however. A former president or vice president will be eligible for election to those offices after having been out of office for at least one four-year term.

Gbuda publicly thanked the Evangelical Covenant Church and the Department of World Mission for their support and encouragement during a difficult time, reported participant Keith Gustafson, Covenant missionary from Bangui CAR. He said Gbuda stressed the importance of a continued fraternal relationship between the CEUM leadership and the ECC. "Only the war has divided us," Gbuda said. "We continue to share confidence in each other." The accompanying photo shows Luyada (left) and Nubea on either side of Jim Gustafson, ECC World Mission executive director.

CEUM membership has increased to more than 150,000 individuals, with the number of churches in that region exceeding 1,100. Given the magnitude of involvement by CEUM congregations, stable leadership is viewed as critical to the mission work.

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