History
The Diocese of Manicaland is one of the five Anglican Dioceses in Zimbabwe. It is part of the Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa (CPCA). The Province is headed by the Archbishop Albert Chama. Bishop Erick Ruwona is currently the Bishop of Manicaland after being consecrated on 30 May 2015. The Diocesan head offices are in Mutare. The Diocese of Manicaland was born in 1981 with the Right Reverend Elijah Masuko from the Diocese of Matabeleland being elected the first Bishop of the Diocese.
The Diocese was inaugurated in October 1981 with the election of the first Bishop Elijah Masuko. The Dioceses of Manicaland was created on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Anglican Church in Zimbabwe. The Diocese of Manicaland was created from the Diocese of Mashonaland and while the Diocese of Lundi (now Central Zimbabwe) from the Diocese of Matebeleland. At independence Bishop Paul Borough of the Diocese of Mashonaland had retired and went back to England and the first African Diocesan Bishop the Right Reverend Peter Ralph Hatendi assumed the seat of the new Diocese of Harare. Bishop of Matebeleland Robert Mercer, CR of the Community of the Resurrection had also resigned before retirement to give opportunity to African leadership.
The Manicaland has remained the back bone or tape root of Anglicanism in Zimbabwe. The missionaries prioritised the education of Africans and members. It has the largest number of Anglicans and Anglican schools in Zimbabwe such as St. Augustine’s Secondary school, St. David’s Bonda Girl’s High, St. Faith’s Boys High Rusape, St. Mary Magadalene Nyanga and St. Anne’s Goto Wedza. In other parts of Manicaland and Wedza places are known by name of Churches not village heads such as St Bede’s in Dewedzo and Johane.
The Diocese has over the years promoted a policy of self sustenance and liberation from donor dependency. The focus has been on empowering the laity and improving on stewardship. In the past the missionaries were expected to fundraise and finance the mission of the church. After independence focus was now on the locals and building their capacity to fund the church programmes. The strategy included abandoning the traditional Rutsigiro (pledge) and adopting the Biblical standard of giving which is tithing. Priority was on improving the standard of living of clergy.
Another innovation with a strong laity leadership was in the 90’s to emulate Pax House and build the Human Resources Centre which now houses the Diocesan Offices with the idea of improving the Diocesan financial predicament. With the retirement of the first Bishop of Manicaland Bishop Elijah Masuko 1998, came in the Right Reverend Dr Sabastian Bakare who continued with the completion of the Human Resources Centre and added more structures to come up with the completed Herbert Chitepo Centre. Another of Bishop Bakare’s ambitions was to turn the St. Augustine’s Primary into lay training Centre to facilitate the Training of the Laity and clergy for the further development of the Diocese to have a wholesome society equipped physically. This is Bishop Bakare’s vision was to establish more schools and resulted acquiring land for Girls College in Rusape and Bishop Knight Bruce High School in Hobhouse Mutare. Elson Jakazi became the Bishop in 2006 and was excommunicated in 2007 after his voluntary withdrawal from the Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa. A crisis ensued after the move and the Church was unable to develop as legal disputes over ownership of church property took centre stage and court proceedings were the order of the day.
Bishop Peter Haatendi was called back from retirement to hold the fort and was succeeded by Bishop Julius Makoni who came in 2009 while the Diocese was exiled from its properties. The Diocese recovered its property in 2013 and ever-since the Diocese has been on recovery mode.
Now the Diocese has now focused on outreach in the form of establishing new Anglican schools in line with the ZIMASSET targets to establish 2500 schools by 2018. Fortunately, with the advent of the Right Reverend Erick Ruwona, the ideas of building a Girls College in Rusape and Bishop Knight Bruce College have resurrected. (Bishop Erick Ruwona came into office on 30 May 2015).
History
The Diocese of Manicaland is one of the five Anglican Dioceses in Zimbabwe. It is part of the Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa (CPCA). The Province is headed by the Archbishop Albert Chama. Bishop Erick Ruwona is currently the Bishop of Manicaland after being consecrated on 30 May 2015. The Diocesan head offices are in Mutare. The Diocese of Manicaland was born in 1981 with the Right Reverend Elijah Masuko from the Diocese of Matabeleland being elected the first Bishop of the Diocese.
The Diocese was inaugurated in October 1981 with the election of the first Bishop Elijah Masuko. The Dioceses of Manicaland was created on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Anglican Church in Zimbabwe. The Diocese of Manicaland was created from the Diocese of Mashonaland and while the Diocese of Lundi (now Central Zimbabwe) from the Diocese of Matebeleland. At independence Bishop Paul Borough of the Diocese of Mashonaland had retired and went back to England and the first African Diocesan Bishop the Right Reverend Peter Ralph Hatendi assumed the seat of the new Diocese of Harare. Bishop of Matebeleland Robert Mercer, CR of the Community of the Resurrection had also resigned before retirement to give opportunity to African leadership.
The Manicaland has remained the back bone or tape root of Anglicanism in Zimbabwe. The missionaries prioritised the education of Africans and members. It has the largest number of Anglicans and Anglican schools in Zimbabwe such as St. Augustine’s Secondary school, St. David’s Bonda Girl’s High, St. Faith’s Boys High Rusape, St. Mary Magadalene Nyanga and St. Anne’s Goto Wedza. In other parts of Manicaland and Wedza places are known by name of Churches not village heads such as St Bede’s in Dewedzo and Johane.
The Diocese has over the years promoted a policy of self sustenance and liberation from donor dependency. The focus has been on empowering the laity and improving on stewardship. In the past the missionaries were expected to fundraise and finance the mission of the church. After independence focus was now on the locals and building their capacity to fund the church programmes. The strategy included abandoning the traditional Rutsigiro (pledge) and adopting the Biblical standard of giving which is tithing. Priority was on improving the standard of living of clergy.
Another innovation with a strong laity leadership was in the 90’s to emulate Pax House and build the Human Resources Centre which now houses the Diocesan Offices with the idea of improving the Diocesan financial predicament. With the retirement of the first Bishop of Manicaland Bishop Elijah Masuko 1998, came in the Right Reverend Dr Sabastian Bakare who continued with the completion of the Human Resources Centre and added more structures to come up with the completed Herbert Chitepo Centre. Another of Bishop Bakare’s ambitions was to turn the St. Augustine’s Primary into lay training Centre to facilitate the Training of the Laity and clergy for the further development of the Diocese to have a wholesome society equipped physically. This is Bishop Bakare’s vision was to establish more schools and resulted acquiring land for Girls College in Rusape and Bishop Knight Bruce High School in Hobhouse Mutare. Elson Jakazi became the Bishop in 2006 and was excommunicated in 2007 after his voluntary withdrawal from the Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa. A crisis ensued after the move and the Church was unable to develop as legal disputes over ownership of church property took centre stage and court proceedings were the order of the day.
Bishop Peter Haatendi was called back from retirement to hold the fort and was succeeded by Bishop Julius Makoni who came in 2009 while the Diocese was exiled from its properties. The Diocese recovered its property in 2013 and ever-since the Diocese has been on recovery mode.
Now the Diocese has now focused on outreach in the form of establishing new Anglican schools in line with the ZIMASSET targets to establish 2500 schools by 2018. Fortunately, with the advent of the Right Reverend Erick Ruwona, the ideas of building a Girls College in Rusape and Bishop Knight Bruce College have resurrected. (Bishop Erick Ruwona came into office on 30 May 2015).
History
The Diocese of Manicaland is one of the five Anglican Dioceses in Zimbabwe. It is part of the Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa (CPCA). The Province is headed by the Archbishop Albert Chama. Bishop Erick Ruwona is currently the Bishop of Manicaland after being consecrated on 30 May 2015. The Diocesan head offices are in Mutare. The Diocese of Manicaland was born in 1981 with the Right Reverend Elijah Masuko from the Diocese of Matabeleland being elected the first Bishop of the Diocese.
The Diocese was inaugurated in October 1981 with the election of the first Bishop Elijah Masuko. The Dioceses of Manicaland was created on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Anglican Church in Zimbabwe. The Diocese of Manicaland was created from the Diocese of Mashonaland and while the Diocese of Lundi (now Central Zimbabwe) from the Diocese of Matebeleland. At independence Bishop Paul Borough of the Diocese of Mashonaland had retired and went back to England and the first African Diocesan Bishop the Right Reverend Peter Ralph Hatendi assumed the seat of the new Diocese of Harare. Bishop of Matebeleland Robert Mercer, CR of the Community of the Resurrection had also resigned before retirement to give opportunity to African leadership.
The Manicaland has remained the back bone or tape root of Anglicanism in Zimbabwe. The missionaries prioritised the education of Africans and members. It has the largest number of Anglicans and Anglican schools in Zimbabwe such as St. Augustine’s Secondary school, St. David’s Bonda Girl’s High, St. Faith’s Boys High Rusape, St. Mary Magadalene Nyanga and St. Anne’s Goto Wedza. In other parts of Manicaland and Wedza places are known by name of Churches not village heads such as St Bede’s in Dewedzo and Johane.
The Diocese has over the years promoted a policy of self sustenance and liberation from donor dependency. The focus has been on empowering the laity and improving on stewardship. In the past the missionaries were expected to fundraise and finance the mission of the church. After independence focus was now on the locals and building their capacity to fund the church programmes. The strategy included abandoning the traditional Rutsigiro (pledge) and adopting the Biblical standard of giving which is tithing. Priority was on improving the standard of living of clergy.
Another innovation with a strong laity leadership was in the 90’s to emulate Pax House and build the Human Resources Centre which now houses the Diocesan Offices with the idea of improving the Diocesan financial predicament. With the retirement of the first Bishop of Manicaland Bishop Elijah Masuko 1998, came in the Right Reverend Dr Sabastian Bakare who continued with the completion of the Human Resources Centre and added more structures to come up with the completed Herbert Chitepo Centre. Another of Bishop Bakare’s ambitions was to turn the St. Augustine’s Primary into lay training Centre to facilitate the Training of the Laity and clergy for the further development of the Diocese to have a wholesome society equipped physically. This is Bishop Bakare’s vision was to establish more schools and resulted acquiring land for Girls College in Rusape and Bishop Knight Bruce High School in Hobhouse Mutare. Elson Jakazi became the Bishop in 2006 and was excommunicated in 2007 after his voluntary withdrawal from the Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa. A crisis ensued after the move and the Church was unable to develop as legal disputes over ownership of church property took centre stage and court proceedings were the order of the day.
Bishop Peter Haatendi was called back from retirement to hold the fort and was succeeded by Bishop Julius Makoni who came in 2009 while the Diocese was exiled from its properties. The Diocese recovered its property in 2013 and ever-since the Diocese has been on recovery mode.
Now the Diocese has now focused on outreach in the form of establishing new Anglican schools in line with the ZIMASSET targets to establish 2500 schools by 2018. Fortunately, with the advent of the Right Reverend Erick Ruwona, the ideas of building a Girls College in Rusape and Bishop Knight Bruce College have resurrected. (Bishop Erick Ruwona came into office on 30 May 2015).