Sons of Allen Day Celebrated at Mount Zion AME Church, 19 th Episcopal District

Bro. Onkgopotse Maboe (PK)

Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church, Bloemfontein, celebrated Sons of Allen (SoA) Day on 19 March 2023. They organised and led both morning and main worship experiences. This year’s theme is “Leadership without boundaries; We need each other” – 1 Peter 4:10. The Rev. T. Matsaseng organised men and launched SoA in the unit on 20 March 2011, which makes us 12-years-old this year, and we thank the Lord for such a milestone, praise the Lord. We are an organization with the church, which consists of men only, and we are called Sons of Allen; our purpose of existence is to create a ministry for men, both clergy and lay, which will seek to address the needs for distinctive ministries for men, who are faced with spiritual, social, political, and psychological challenges.

Mt. Zion AME Church is one of the richest charges with regard to the history of the church. It was established in 1904, making it 119 years of preaching the Word of God. We hosted the previous Orangia Annual Conference under the leadership of the presiding prelate of the 19 th Episcopal District and president of the Council of Bishops, the Rt. Rev.

Ronnie E. Brailsford, Sr.

We are blessed to have the 19 th Episcopal SoA President, Dr. Malefetsane Mokoena, as our member in the unit, who always encourages us never to give in when the times get tough in God’s vineyard. Of course, his willingness to be led at the unit level is selfencouraging.

We held a successful day; we led both morning and main worship experiences, with the following as highlights:

❖ Exhortation, morning worship, Bro. Pule Bhukula’s theme was “Ho kgalemela motho (Rebuking man)” from Jeremiah 12:4 & main worship, Bro. Moeketsi Mojatau’s theme was “Jesus Christ our embassy of hope” from Job 8:7, Acts 2:46-47, and John 15:1-5.

❖ Cher ry on top with a paper from Bro. Padi Mokodutlo says, “Monna (Man) as God envisaged.”

❖ Our vice president, Bro. Bongani Sigasa, presented our first Social Outreach programme for the church year 2022-2023. We manage d to give away food parcels to 5 families worth R400+ (26USD) each.

❖ For fundraising, we managed to sell 86 plates out of the 100 planned. We thank the Lord that all we planned for the day was exe cuted.

The Rev. Matsaseng gave fathers an assignment that each find a boy and mentor and report back by 18 June 2023 to ensure we live the SOA purpose “to empower men to serve as role models to young men.”

Brother Onkgopotse Maboe, the unit president, offered a vote of thanks to everyone who made the worship experience possible, from the background team, SoA executive and all members, our dedicated chefs, programme participants, presidents of auxiliaries and its members, congregation as a whole, and the support and guidance of the Rev. Thabo Matsaseng. The Rev. M. Kompi was in attendance; we are thankful. ❏ ❏ ❏