Martin was consecrated bishop on 23 April 2023, in a 5-hour outdoor ceremony in Goma. At 6pm the night before, after the rehearsal, the stage roof was not completed, the chairs and tents for guests nowhere to be seen, the sound system still to be assembled and the rain on its way.

However, by 9.30am on Sunday 1500 people were there. Including 9 of the 12 Congolese bishops, visitors from the UK, Australia, Kenya and Uganda, all bar one of the pastors from the diocese of Goma, church leaders from across the city, local and national members of parliament and government officials, and most of the Anglicans from Goma.

There whole of the service was in Swahili, including some slightly faltering ordination promises. We began with choirs and readings followed by a 45-minute sermon, the consecration (ordination as a bishop) and enthronement (installation in the diocese), communion for everyone and finally speeches and gifts.

Martin stated with a vision for the diocese. Then, it being election year, a number of political figures said ‘a few words’ to accompany their gifts. We received 2 live goats, a number of paper goats and a paper cow, a suit, and some ‘envelopes’. After 1 ½ hours of speeches there were some who still felt a bit short-changed, that the whole service hadn’t managed to go for longer than 5 hours.

There was a real sense of God’s hand on the whole event. The rain kept off until evening. And there was a sense of joy and hope and unity in the diocese and across the denominations. Those who organised are rightly thrilled with how it all went. Everyone ate and went home contented. And there were many more pastors who were able to come on Sunday for who it would have been too risky with the original March date. Thank you to everyone who prayed.

To relive some of the events from the day, go to the Diocese of Goma You Tube channel.

Photos L-R. Top row: Arrival of family, prayers by the Archbishop, seating for the service, . Middle row: the opening procession, being robed by other bishops, the closing procession. Bottom row: Congolese bishops, diocesan priests, T-shirts for all.

How can you pray

• Give thanks to God with us for his grace, his presence and his answers to prayer for the day

• That going forwards we can maintain the sense of working together and unity across the diocese and between churches in the city

• For Martin as he builds his team and invests in leaders

• For more partners to work together with the diocese on our vision for growth, church-planting, training and development

27 April 2023