Congregation disowns Methodist presiding bishop as wrangles intensify

The wrangles in the Methodist Church in Kenya escalated on Sunday after its congregation in Nkubu Synod in Meru delinked itself from the leadership of Presiding Bishop Joseph Ntombura.

The move was triggered by the defrocking of Nkubu Synod Bishop Justus Bundi, who has been accused of defying the leadership of the Rev Ntombura by backing a faction pushing the removal of the presiding bishop.

In a highly charged church service at Nkubu Stadium on Sunday, the congregation from various churches that form Nkubu Synod vowed to stand by the Rev Bundi, who has since been ordered to vacate office.

According to resolutions by the Synod Steering Committee adopted by the congregation on Sunday, they are opposed to the Rev Ntombura’s continued stay in office after his term ended.

The resolutions signed by Committee Chairman Eric Kiambi have declared the presiding bishop ‘persona non grata’ within Nkubu Synod.

“Nkubu Synod will not be administered from the conference since we disassociated ourselves from it until the time Rev Joseph Ntombura vacates office. From today, our synod will be governed and administered by the steering committee led by Bishop Justus Bundi,” the resolutions read in part.

The congregation has also given church ministers who support the leadership of the Rev Ntombura until Thursday to vacate office.

“Similarly, stewards who are not in support of the synod resolutions should peacefully vacate office by February 16, 2023,” the letter states.

They have also opposed what they say is the introduction of illegal church standing orders that led to the creation of the position of administrative bishop at the head office.

Church structures

Speaking during the prayer meeting, Bishop Bundi said the Rev Ntombura has altered the church structures and done away with the Methodist doctrine of priesthood of all believers.

He claimed the new system introduces episcopal doctrine, which takes away power from the laity.

“I was appointed the chairman to oversee the church constitution amendments, but when I realised it was meant to change our doctrine, I refused to take part. Later, the 2015 standing orders were put aside.

"The Methodist Church is now operating under a secret document. The recently established office of administrative bishop is foreign to our church because it is based on a 2020 standing order that we are not aware of,” the Rev Bundi said.

He said the presiding bishop decided to defrock him after he opposed the review of doctrinal standards without following due process.

“If you change the doctrinal standards, you create a new church. We are afraid that we don’t have the Methodist Church of Kenya as we knew it,” he claimed.

The Rev Bundi said the church process was not followed in defrocking him because several steps were ignored.

“Our standing order is clear that the presiding bishop has no role in defrocking. It is the clergy and laity who make the decision by voting. If the procedure is not strictly followed, the defrocking is null and void. The fact that they are not following the standing orders we know means we are under a new dispensation,” he countered.

Earlier, 13 synod bishops declared their support for Bishop Ntombura and called on the congregation to ignore any dissenting voices.

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