*Saying* *Goodbye* *to* *the* *Organisation* *you* *called* *home* *for* *two* *decades* *is* *Difficult*
_By_ _Dr_ _Tinashe_ _Gumbo_
_Being_ _Lutheran_ _was_ _not_ _Enough_ _!_
When I grew up in my rural Mberengwa of Zimbabwe, I only defined myself as a Lutheran. I was jealousy of that identity. Indeed, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe (ELCZ) is the only denomination I knew then. Little did i know that one day i would grow to become an Ecumenical actor. This tag of being a player in national, regional and Global Ecumenism has now thrown me into a dilemma as I am "forced" to say Goodbye to an institution I love most.
_Defining_ _the_ _institution_ _that_ _nurtured_ _me_
I joined the Zimbabwe Council of Churches(ZCC) on 9 September 2003 as their Economic Justice Officer. The ZCC is an Ecumenical body made up of thirty mainline churches, having been formed in 1964 in June in Gweru at the Anglican Church.
The organisation has remained a key player in nation building and humanitarian and development work in Zimbabwe and beyond. Its development arm, the Christian Care, established in 1967, continues to service the nation well. Yet, ZCC's work in nation building also continues to influence Zimbabwe's public life.
The ZCC is well defined by it's clear structural set up. The highest structure of ZCC is the General Assembly which is a meeting held by members after every two years to reflect on its membership, leadership, constitutional and policy issues. The meeting is attended by the heads of member denominations accompanied by three other members.
Second in command is the Supervisory Council which is made up of all the heads of Denominations. Some of the member Churches call them Bishops; others prefer Presdients while others call them Moderators. The council meets twice a year to reflect on progress in the implementation of General Assembly resolutions and other emerging national matters.
Then the Advisory Board, made up of seconded experts from member Churches ensures that the day to day running of the organisation happens smoothly and effectively. The board meets four times a year but works through the committee system.
I will not bother you by elaborating on the Secretariat which is headed by the General Secretary. I want to define the most important structure that has been at my heart, the Local Ecumenical Fellowships (LEFs). This is an operational _ad_ _hoc_ structure which is the engine house for the ZCC. It is made up of the Church women; men; youth and Ministers of Religion. They do the coordination; mobilisation; organisation and engagement for the Church at local level.
Here are the ZCC members who initiate things for the Church; fulfil things for the Church; challenges things for the Church and informs what the national Church leadership should do, say or decide on in terms of our national progress.
_Key_ _Signature_ _Historical_ and _Contemporary Processes_ _for_ _ZCC_
The organisation participated in key national processes notably the Lancaster House negotiations of 1979; Unity Accord of 1987; Monitoring of national elections; naturing of some key civic organisations working on elections, debt and youth programs; advocacy on Constitutional matters; National dialogue and many more.
Currently, the ZCC is pushing out the #IprayIvote campaign meant to motivate our people to fully and effectively participate in electoral processes.
Remember, the Zimbabwe We Want Discussion Document of 2006 produced under the Zimbabwe Heads of Denominations; the National People's Convention of 2017 (following the November 2017 events); the National Leaders Prayer Breakfast Meeting of 7 February 2019 at Rainbow Towers; the Sabbath Call Proposal of 7 October 2019; the National Convergence Platfom launch of 13 December 2019 and many more initiatives.
The ZCC working within the ZHOCD has done well to guide public opinion on critical processes. The ongoing work on National Dialogue is one initiative that breeds hope for the people of Zimbabwe. The Church is calling for a comprehensive broad based Inclusive National Dialogue. One which resolves all the deep sitted social, economic, political and humanitarian challenges which are linked. A more holistic approach will lead to a sustainable solution. An inclusive approach will ensure that no one is left behind.
_A_ _brief_ _on_ _ZCC's_ _links_ _ecumenically_
The ZCC has remained ecumenically linked nationally, regionally and globally. It is the current Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHOCD) Secretariat. The ZHOCD brings together the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC); Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) and the UDACIZA.
Regionally, the ZCC provides secretarial services to the Fellowship of Christian Councils in Southern Africa (FOCCISA). Continentally, the ZCC is affiliated to the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) and is globally a member of the World Council of Churches (WCC).
_I_ _briefly_ _went_ _on_ _Sabbatical_
I briefly left the ZCC in 2010 during the Inclusive Government period to join the Institute for a Democratic Alternative for Zimbabwe (IDAZIM) until 2013 before I joined the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) in 2014 to 2017. Of course along the way, I experimented "something else" in Mberengwa West in 2013-it did not work though.
On 9 September 2017, I found myself back at the ZCC when I also doubled as a lecturer at Great Zimbabwe University. Now, I was thrown into the deep end to head the programs department. However, in between, I led some major Church processes incuding election work; Ecumenical COVID-19 interventions; National Dialogue; National Convergence Platform initiatives and others. I did my best until some two days ago (28 April 2022) when I struggled to say "Goodbye" to this organisation I called home-the organisation that nurtured me. One that moulded me in all aspects of my life.
The farewell dinner held for me on that night will be a memorable event for me. My workmates played my trade mark music, the Leonard Dembo tunes. Chitekete; Zii Zii and Mutadzi Ngaaregererwe did the deal. I struggled to say Goodbye. It was difficult and it remains so to this hour.
_I_ _virtually_ _Grew_ _up_ _at_ _ZCC_
I am pround to have worked for the ZCC. I served under different Presidents who include Rev Chomutiri; Bishop Nemapare; the late Bishop Sitchebo; Bishop Naison Shava; Bishop Ishmael Mukwanda and the current one Bishop Mpande Lazarus Khanye. I learnt a lot from these men of God. Some of them I related with them at a personal and family levels beyond professional work.
I equally benefited professionally and academically from the different General Secretaries I worked with: Mr Denson Mafinyani; Rev Dr Solomon Zwana and the current one, Rev Dr Kenneth Mtata.
Rev Mtata was exceptional in terms of impacting my life. He challenged me academically and professionally, not to mention his spiritual influence on me as a Lutheran Clergy. I am now coming out of the ZCC a strong academic and Ecumenical player. Rev Mtata's liberal approach to things was a major asset I maximised for the amplification of my personal profile. Thank you Rev Mtata.
_Now,_ _why_ _I_ _will_ _miss_ _ZCC_
I will definitely miss the ZCC. I worked closely with the Local Ecumenical Fellowships. We called them LEFs. I personally called them ZCC Cadres. They reciprocated by calling me their Political Commissar or Organising Secretary (of course depending on which house you come from, I accept both titles).
I worked to ensure that the work of ZCC is coordinated, mobilised, organised and activated at local level. I virtually did not sleep until the ZCC became at least a ready Church to execute key national and local processes. I did not rest until the LEFs felt that they were the engine of the ZCC. Indeed, I had no reason to breathe until the ZCC members were really convinced that they own the institution and should be responsible and be accountable to each other. Honestly, my spirit could not rest when the Church was not yet organised, mobilised and coordinated to act to save humanity in its holistic manner. I may have been too ambitious to think that I was going to achieve this huge task in a short space of time. However, I feel that today, the Church is ready and available as well as committed and willing for the task ahead of it. I will miss this structure!
_But_ _I_ _am_ _consoled_
I am at least consoled by the reality that I will remain Ecumenical. I am not leaving the ZCC but I am moving to amplify Ecumenical work at continental level. The AACC is my next stage and Nairobi Kenya will be the home. I am not lost. I am not detached from the ZCC, ZHOCD, FOCCISA and WCC. I remain Ecumenical indeed!
_A_ _Milllion_ _Thank_ _you_ _to_ _ZCC_
Thank you ZCC for naturing me. I came as a young boy but now Iam a mature man. I worked for ZCC and I went on to study ZCC for my PhD-what else will I require except to reiterate my appreciation to this organisation. My work at the ZCC influenced me to enrol for my fifth degree (which is my second Masters currently underway). This particular one was directly informed by my association with the ZCC and...is on Religious Studies (I actually had gone for a Theology one had it not been for some changes at my school). This is how the ZCC has impacted me academically too.
The organisation also linked me to many key stakeholders in the Ecumenical movement; governance sector; natural resources governance activists; social movements; Governmrnt departments; political actors; academic institutions; traditional leadership; independent commissions; development partners; as well as regional and global players on various processes. Networks breed opportunities!
Thank you all my workmates from Research unit; Programs; Administration; Regions and Kentacky crew. Thank you.
For feedback and interaction: contact me on my Mobile/WhatsApp *+263 773218860* ; Email: *tinashegumbo@gmail.com* ; Blog: *tinashegumbo.wordpress.com* ; Twitter: *DrTinasheGumbo1*
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