7 DEACONS SUSPENDED AT FREE EVANGELICAL

MBABANE – Seven deacons of Free Evangelical Assemblies Church in Ngwane Park have been suspended from the church. The deacons have been suspended with immediate effect by the Executive Board of the church following a misunderstanding over the installation of a new pastor.

The suspension of Sipho Dlamini, Sipho Hlophe, Nicholas Nhleko, Nhlanhla Sithole, Nonhlanhla Mamba, Xolile Dube and Thulani Sibandze as deacons of the church will be formally announced by the board during a church service tomorrow.
The deacons yesterday filed an urgent application at the High Court where they are seeking an order reviewing and setting aside the letter of suspension dated March 7, 2014, purporting to suspend them from their positions at deacons at Ngwane Park Frere Evangelical Assemblies.
They are also seeking an order declaring that their suspension as deacons of the church of no force and effect.

Division

In their application they alleged that there was a high likelihood that tempers would flare on March 16, 2014, causing confusion and division among the congregants of the church.
The suspended deacons also stated that the decision to suspend them for failure to conform to a non- existent clause or article in the constitution of the church was grossly unreasonable that no person would agree with it.
In their application they stated that the matter emanates from the fact that Ngwane Park Free Evangelical Assemblies had remained without a pastor since 2010.

They submitted that Article 28(1) of the Constitution of Free Evangelical Assemblies provides that a local church shall not remain without a pastor for a period exceeding six months except in exceptional circumstances which will be communicated to the rightful authorities in writing.

These are allegations contained in an affidavit whose veracity is still to be tested in court and the Board is yet to file its responding papers.
They alleged that they were ordered by the 2007-2010 Mission Elders Committee of Manzini Free Evangelical Assemblies to submit a list of pastors to lead the church.
“Procedures for the calling of a pastor to a local church are clearly laid down in the constitution of the church. The applicants (suspended deacons) and members of the church met and suggested four names of pastors and submitted them to the Mission Elders Committee,” reads part of the application.

The suspended Deacons alleged that the names that were submitted were thcse of Pastor Noah Mamba, Pastor Pholani Mavimbela, Pastor Vincent Ngobe and Pastor Jerome Sicelo Buthelezi.
It alleged that the congregants, deacons and the entire church members chose Pastor Noah Mamba as their first choice to lead the church.

“Such nomination of Mr. Mamba was approved by the Committee of the Mission Elders. The Ngwane Park Church formally wrote to Pastor Mamba requesting his services, who agreed to be transferred from Ngudzeni, where is stationed, to Ngwane Park,” alleged the suspended deacons in their application.
elders
The applicants further submitted that by this period, the term of office of the (2007-2010) Mission Elders Committee elapsed and a new Mission Elders Committee took over from 2010-2013. They alleged that everything was handed over to the new committee.
It was further submitted by the deacons that upon taking office, the new committee allegedly complained that the appointment of Pastor Mamba by Ngwane Park Church was irregular, in that it would be unworkable with him as he was far from Manzini.

The deacons alleged that they replied by saying it would be workable as they had negotiated with Pastor Mamba to relocate from Ngudzeni and reside in Mbabane as he had an apartment there and he was still under negotiations with the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) to post him nearby.
They stated that they (deacons) also pointed out that even if the relocation would not materialise, it would be workable, as Pastor Mamba had agreed despite the distance.
In their application they also alleged that they mentioned to the new Mission Elders Committee that it would be workable in that, it would not be the first time for the church to have a far residing pastor, as Pastor Buthelezi who is a Principal at New Heaven College, was at the same time a local Mission Pastor at Gamula branch in Big Bend.

The suspended deacons stated that it was their constitutional right to choose their own pastor as per Article 30(1)(a) of the Constitution of Free Evangelical  Assemblies and the constitution of the church, which states the condition as to the boundaries within which a church must chose its pastor.

“From the meeting it was agreed that Pastor Mamba would be ordained as Ngwane Park Free Evangelical Assemblies church pastor the next weekend, but the applicants asked for a new date to allow them time to welcome their pastor properly. July 1, 2012 was a date finally agreed upon,” they stated.
They alleged that such date was reported to the board and preparations for the installation of Pastor Mamba were at advanced stage.
Those suspended:

*    Sipho Dlamini
*    Sipho Hlophe
*   Nicholas Nhleko
*     Nhlanhla Sithole
*    Nonhlanhla Mamba
*   Xolile Dube
*   Thulani Sibandze

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