Religion

Local churches urged to wean from donors

 

Head of the Anglican Diocese of Lake Malawi, Bishop Francis Kaulanda, has challenged local churches to wean themselves from donors from sister churches from the West and start working towards becoming more self-reliant for funding.

Kaulanda made the sentiments in an interview on Saturday when he laid a foundation stone for the construction of a modern office complex and a hall at St. Thomas Anglican Parish in Area 18, Lilongwe.

Kaulanda (R) lays the foundation stone

He emphasised that self-reliance for funds would enable the local faith groups to effectively contribute towards the socio-economic development agenda of the country besides regaining and maintaining dignity.

He said: “In the past, we used to look for and depend on donors [to assist us implement various projects]. But now, we say: NO! It’s high time we started depending on ourselves.”

Kaulanda said it is for this reason that Christians at St. Thomas Anglican Parish have decided to construct an office complex and a hall, which will enable them generate funds for the running of the church.

“When you always think of begging from outsiders, you lose your integrity and dignity. You always dance to the tune of the donors when making a decision. But if you are self-reliant on funding, you make your own decisions,” he emphasised.

Parish priest, Father Francis Takilima, said the office complex and hall project was mooted as one of the measures to address some of the financial challenges the church has had to meet its mandate.

He said the church has a lot of obligations, some of which cannot rely on the benevolence of donors and people of goodwill to be implemented. n

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