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The Rt Revd Jonathan Ruhumuliza, a former Bishop of Kigali in Rwanda and of Cameroon in West Africa, has been appointed Associate Minister in the Droitwich Spa Team Ministry. He will be licensed by the Bishop of Worcester, the Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby on Saturday 21st May 2005 at 3.30 p.m. at St Andrew’s Church, Droitwich. During the same service he will also be commissioned as an Assistant Bishop in the diocese.
Bishop Jonathan is 49 and was born and brought up in Muko in the rural mountainous southern part of Rwanda. His father was a Catechist in the Church and Bishop Jonathan was educated at mission schools and trained to be a teacher. He taught in several schools before ordination and went on to study for a Batchelor in Theology in Butare in Rwanda and then for a Masters in Tanzania and later in Canada. After he was ordained in 1982, he worked in both parish ministry and continued to be a manager and chaplain at Anglican high school and later at an Anglican hospital. He was consecrated Assistant Bishop of Butare Diocese in 1991 and then later Assistant Bishop in Kigali Diocese in 1993 becoming the Diocesan Bishop of Kigali in 1995. After a period of sabbatical leave in Canada, where he continued his studies, he was invited by the Archbishop of West Africa to set up the new diocese of Cameroon. On completion of this he moved to Britain and worked at Crowther Hall, a church college in Birmingham.
Bishop Jonathan brings a wide experience of the Anglican Church worldwide to his new post and is looking forward to his forthcoming move with his wife Asnath Mukamabano (Rwandan women traditionally keep their maiden names on marriage) and Roland (20) and Emmanuel (16). Their daughter Rolande works in Manchester. Speaking of his forthcoming move Bishop Jonathan said:”I am excited and am looking forward to joining the Droitwich Spa team of clergy. When God called me I responded that I would go wherever I was sent and I know that God is sending us here.” His wife is a nurse who has also worked as a counsellor and community development leader with women. Bishop Jonathan lists his interests as walking, computers and football.
Canon Sheila Banyard, the Rector in the Droitwich Team, is delighted to welcome Bishop Jonathan to the parish: ”We are looking forward to Bishop Jonathan joining the team and the opportunity that this appointment provides for us, each learning from one another other, and sharing experiences of the life of the church both here in Droitwich and the wider Anglican Church.”
End.
The Diocese of Worcester is one of 44 dioceses in the Church of England. It covers an area of 671 square miles and includes parishes in the County of Worcestershire, the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, and a few parishes in northern Gloucestershire, south east Wolverhampton and Sandwell.
© Copyright The Diocese of Worcester
