The Chairman at National Unity and Reconciliation Commission Bishop John Rucyahana on Thursday met senior clerics at the Association of Pentecostal Churches in Rwanda (ADEPR). The meeting took place at the church-owned Dove Hotel located in Gisozi, Gasabo District. Speaking to The New Times shortly before the meeting, Pastor John Karangwa, the Secretary General of ADEPR, the Church was looking forward to the meeting, adding that Rucyahana would probably deliver the message of reconciliation at a time the church badly needs it. “A recent study carried out by the commission rated our church so poorly in terms of unity and reconciliation; our hope is that when the Bishop comes, he will provide us with some tips on how best we can go about promoting unity not only among clerics but also our congregation,” he said. After the report, the commission advised the church to dedicate the month of October to activities aimed at reflecting on unity and cohesion among its clergy, before they can pass on the message to the congregation. Bishop Rucyahana is expected to conclude the month-long activities, according to Karangwa and work with the church leadership to draw strategies on fostering unity and reconciliation. Early this month, NURC presented strategies to reach total reconciliation to the senate in which some churches were some of the institutions that were to be engaged. ADEPR has been faulted for ethnic divisionism in the recent years, starting from its topmost leadership, with allegations that the wrangles within the church leadership border on such divisions.
