The theme of the annual conference was “Let’s get up and build.” The officiating bishop was Bishop Gabriel Yemba Unda. 

Speakers included Jean Tshomba, coordinator of the United Methodist Committee on Relief’s disaster management office in East Congo; Dr. Marie Claire Manafundu, coordinator of the church’s Maternal and Child Health Program; Muthoma Bushiri, office director for the bishop; Judith Osongo Yanga, director of communications in East Congo; Cudins Lokale Senga, public relations officer and deputy coordinator of the Office of Disasters and Emergencies in East Congo; Sylvestre Junior Oyowe, bishop’s public relations officer in the Equator Oriental Annual Conference.

Main actions enacted by the conference:

• A prayer in memory of the deceased following the disasters of the Kalehe floods, the war in eastern Congo and disease; 
• Training of electoral observers for the December 2023 elections, and awareness raising on electoral issues and the active participation of the population;
• The Office of Disasters and Emergencies in Eastern Congo distributed food and non-food items to the war-displaced in the territory of Rutshuru, with the support of the United Methodist Committee on Relief;  
• Distribution of bicycles to people living with disabilities from conflict areas with the support of Connexio Suisse;
• Continuation of the Yambasu Project in agriculture; 
• Different opportunities offered by the church in projects with women, young people, orphans and in agriculture.

Resolutions or actions related to the postponed 2020 General Conference, now set for 2024:

• Delegates were invited to prepare for the General Conference, which has been postponed several times, by updating their passports in order to finally complete the process of obtaining visas.

There were no church disaffiliations or closings, but there were a large number of churches in districts such as Goma, Beni, Uvira, Tanganyika, Bukavu and Fizi that have been unable to bring together all their members during Sunday worship because of the growing insecurity in these regions with armed conflicts.

Other resolutions: 

• Requesting support from United Methodist Global Ministries to build hospitals and schools in urban centers;
• Contribution of $2 per month and per faithful will help the church to finance itself in certain projects (clergy will be rated according to the ability to lead to this contribution at the local church level);
• Continuation of social and online evangelization, which has enabled the church to win over new faithful in Kivu with the support of partners such as UMCOR.

General Conference delegates: 

• The Rev. Esther Furaha Kachiko (clergy)
• Adalbert Tchomba Ngoy (lay)

Central Conference delegates:

• The Rev. Henry Jean Robert Kasongo Nubize (clergy)
• The Rev. Esther Furaha Kachiko (clergy)
• Martin Lubamba (lay)
• Adalbert Tshomba Ngoy (lay)

Membership stands at 30,615, up 27,956 from the previous year. 

Worship attendance stands at 20,500, up 18,230 from the previous year

Church school attendance stands at 8,700, up 5,300 from the previous year

Professions or reaffirmations of faith for 2022 is 965, up from 534 in 2021

Adults and young adults in small groups for 2022 is 650, up from 420 in 2021.

Worshippers engaged in mission for 2022: 2,658, up from 1,024 in 2021.

Compiled by Philippe Kituka Lolonga, communicator for the Kivu Conference of The United Methodist Church.

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