{"id":1102,"date":"2009-10-09T21:20:50","date_gmt":"2009-10-09T21:20:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/?p=1102"},"modified":"2010-12-22T12:48:40","modified_gmt":"2010-12-22T17:48:40","slug":"7348","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2009\/10\/09\/7348\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Celebratory\u2019 Defines Mood in Visit to Sudan Church"},"content":{"rendered":"

MALAKAL, SUDAN (October 9, 2009) \u2013 Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) leaders were greeted with a parade, choirs, and even a foot-washing ceremony when they arrived here late last month to discuss current and future cooperative projects with the Evangelical Covenant Church of Sudan (ECCS).
\n
\nThe team visited various ministry sites, including a new church on the outskirts of the city where a new market is to be constructed, and presented seminars for the Sudanese.<\/p>\n

\"Welcome\"ECC representatives were Pete and Cindy Ekstrand, Department of World Mission<\/a> co-regional coordinators for Africa; Curt Peterson, the department\u2019s executive minister; Dave Husby, director of Covenant World Relief<\/a>, and James Tang, Covenant missionary in Sudan and coordinator of Sudanese ministries.<\/p>\n

The team traveled throughout the region September 23-October 2. The trip was Husby\u2019s first visit to Africa and the region.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese meetings are very important,\u201d Pete said. \u201cPartnerships in mission are built on relationships, and during these trips we are able to share stories of how God is at work in each of our lives, worship and pray together, envision the future, clarify misunderstandings, discuss tough questions that require repeated conversations, as well as talk about financial concerns and more.\u201d<\/p>\n

A choir greeted the representatives at the Malakal airport located in Upper Nile State in southern Sudan, with a second choir engaging the group a short distance down the road. \u201cFour blocks from the church, our two vehicles slowed to a walking pace so we could be led in a parade by a huge crowd with a joyous choir, including a large welcome sign,\u201d said Pete.<\/p>\n

\"Husby\"The ECC delegation entered the church grounds through a double line of singers along a red-carpeted path (top photo). \u201cWhen we were seated, the first thing they did was to wash all our feet and our hands and arms and even our faces,\u201d Pete added. The lower photo was taken during the welcoming ceremony for Peterson. Click here<\/a> to see additional photos of the welcoming events, the washing ceremonies, the seminars and meetings and other moments from the trip.<\/p>\n

The experience inspired the team. \u201cThey were so generous and joyful even in the midst of their hard circumstances,\u201d said Cindy. \u201cI have much to learn from them about depending on God day to day, perseverance and service to others.\u201d Husband Pete agrees. \u201cI have never been received like this \u2013 with all the washing,\u201d he notes. \u201cIt is so humbling to have someone sitting at your feet, taking off your socks and shoes and washing your feet. I have much to learn about expressing joy in the Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n

The washing ceremonies are important in the life of the Sudan church. One Sudanese leader explained, \u201cWe believe it is a blessing to wash the hands and feet of visitors. Jesus told his disciples to follow his example \u2013 he did this to show them how to act, how to humble themselves. We do this to be a blessing to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Peterson\"The ECCS is considered a young church, by most standards, but already has 292 congregations, 16,896 believers, 47 ordained pastors plus others that are commissioned, and 43 new preaching points established in 2008.<\/p>\n

Broad-ranging topics covered during two days of seminars included the mission and goals of the ECC and its relationships with national churches around the world, special projects, the ministry and objectives of Covenant World Relief, and the role of women in the church. Cindy\u2019s presence represents the first time that a woman from the Covenant has visited the church in Sudan. Husby also spoke to the Sudanese leadership team (center photo).<\/p>\n

During the worship service the day before the team departed, \u201cthe women tied white cloths over our shoulders to symbolize that we go out as a light to the world,\u201d Pete said.<\/p>\n

Earlier in the trip, the Covenanters helped dedicate new Covenant-funded school buildings in which 1,900 children are educated. Click here<\/a> to read a previously published story about the school.<\/p>\n

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MALAKAL, SUDAN (October 9, 2009) \u2013 Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) leaders were greeted with a parade, choirs, and even a foot-washing ceremony when they arrived here late last month to discuss current and future cooperative projects with the Evangelical Covenant Church of Sudan (ECCS).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n\u2018Celebratory\u2019 Defines Mood in Visit to Sudan Church - Covenant Newswire Archives<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2009\/10\/09\/7348\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u2018Celebratory\u2019 Defines Mood in Visit to Sudan Church - 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