According to the Church Calendar, the 1st January 2024 is a Biblical Feast of Jesus Christ’s Circumcision. Nevertheless, it is also the special day for Christians to rejoice in abundance for The LORD God has protected them in the whole last year (2023). The festival of glorifying God in such day as conducted in the Cathédrale Kristo Umwami was honoured by His Excellence – The Right Reverend Pédaçuli BIRAKENGANA, his First Lady and the Honourable Rumonge Province Governor (Nyakubahwa Buramatari w’intara ya Rumonge), Reverend Canons, Reverend Pastors as well as several respected people.
The Word of God preached on that day was exhorted from Psalms 148; Isaiah 61:10-62:3; Galatians 4:4-7 and Luke 2:15-21. The preacher of the day was His Excellence Bishop of Rumonge Diocese who focused on the tittle “We Should Choose Well” which in Kirundi language can be expressed as Dukwiye Guhitamwo Neza. He proclaimed to the Church that our daily life is dominated by making choice. He reminded the congregation that God needs His people to decide well when making choices in our Christian life. He read in Micah 6:8 that, “Ko yakweretse iciza ic’ ari co, ga yewe muntu: mbega har’ ikindi Uhoraho akugombako, atari ugukora ibiroranye, no gukunda kugira imbabazi, no kugedana n’Imana yawe wicishije bugufi?” (BIBILIYA YERA, BSB, 1967; Kirundi Language Version)
The Bishop added that there are people who make wrong choices while others are very attentive in undertaking an appropriate choice. He ended the sermon by inviting people to wake up and be punctual to ensure that all choices in the New Year (2024) will be essential for doing good works, pleasing God and people. He lastly declared Happy New Year best wishes to all Christians so that it would be the year of health, choosing well and acting according to the will of God.
In another hand side, the Honourable Rumonge Province Governor unfolded his Happy New Year speech during the Church service. He stated that, “Dukore, tugende tugana Intara yifashe 2040, intara iteye imbere 2060 muguteza imbere ibisata vy’ingenzi, uburimyi, ubworozi, amahiguriro hamwe n’ubudandaji.” His Honour motivated the congregation and population at large to avoid laziness in the New Year (2024). He emphasised by citing the Biblical verse in the book of Proverbs 22:29 that stipulates that, “Ni wabona umutu w’umunyamwete muvyo akora, Ben’ uyo azokorera Abami, Ntazokorera ba nyarucari.” (BIBILIYA YERA, BSB, 1967; Kirundi Language Version)
