Ethiopia report

Ethiopia Hivot Berhan Church
EHBC - General Assembly Meeting,
Dedication and Election

When

This year the General Assembly Meeting, AGM for EHBC took place during July 13-15, 2006
at the national office location in Addis Ababa. A good number of people from all over the country
were gathered, about 150. The first day was preparation and especially committed for the Executive
Board to meet. The second day took us through bible studies, dedication and prayer meeting.
The third and final day was the Election Day.

A good number of people gathered

To me it was obvious that the participants arrived in good time – even days before it started –
and followed the meeting days with interest and enthusiasm The gathering took place with a
good amount of friendship, joy, peace and respect for the God given occasion and moments
of blessings and time to give our Lord glory and honour.

The leadership of EHBC had invited me and other Swedes to come and participate during
the annual general meeting, AGM in the midst of July – for which I am very grateful!

As some of you know I have visited Ethiopia several times and I have not always returned
to my country with a joyful heart, rather with a lot of burden – but this time I really returned
home with a heart full of joy – praise the Lord! Therefore, I have a good memory to carry with
me for the future. Previous, I have visited some of the AGM meetings shortly, but this time I
had the opportunity to follow the whole meeting and that makes of course a difference to get
more of impressions and experiences. But on the other hand, I am not able to compare the different meetings.
Let me just highlight some of the observations and share my feelings of these days in July 2006.

The Dedication day had a very good frame and program set up. It started in the morning with the bible study
by Brother Tsadiku Abdo, from the Full Gospel Believers Church with an urgent message from the Bible
calling upon all of us as leaders. The day continued then with the dedication of the new administrative building
followed during the afternoon hours by the bible study held by Brother Brian Rutten from PAOC with a powerful
message about the Holy Spirit. The day ended with a prayer meeting on our knees, where we all participants gave
glory and honour to our Saviour for a wonderful day of fellowship. I repeat, a day with a by God given frame and setting.

Brother Tsadiku Abdo

The dedication itself had of course its own good program prepared by the EHBC’s leadership.
The entire AGM and even other invited guests were present during the ceremony. The idea and
the expressed determination of Brother Yeneneh to dedicate the new building to the memory of
the Swedish pioneer missionaries by calling the house the Pioneers Building to the Glory of God
was brilliant. It is always good to remember our history and to learn from them who worked
before us. That helps us to meet the future! The main speech was held by Brother Yeneneh Worku
followed by myself. Some of the guests of honour prayed for and blessed the new facilities to
serve the denomination and the society in a good way and they thanked God for the memories
of the first missionaries. I think that we all felt joy and gratefulness to see this happen and to be
able to participate during such a precious moment.

Dear members of the National Governing Council.

Dear invited Honorable guests and all attendants of this historical event:

Once again I would like to welcome you in the precious name of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ.

This Historical event has triple purposes;

1. To dedicate this Administration Building to the glory of God

2. To present our gratitude to God who provided us an address with such a

beautiful facilities.

3. To recognize the pioneers from the Swedish Pentecostal movement who

planted this church.

Dear participants,

This world is in a process of changes, people come people goes, seasons changed
but history never change. To protect the beauty of history is wisdom.

Therefore, based on the above facts, here we named this building
"PIONEERS BUILDING" and dedicated it to the glory of God.

Yeneneh Worku

President

Yehiwot Berhan Church of Ethiopia

July 14/2006

Addis Ababa

Dedication in Pictures;

The last day of the AGM was the Election Day. This was my first time to participate in an election
within EHBC. I was impressed how it was arranged and how it took place. We get started by
devotion time held by Brother Zerihun Degu followed by prayer.

The outgoing Executive Board’s report was presented by Brother Yeneneh followed by time for
questions and answers from the participants in the AGM. The total number of participants was 158
from the different regions and out of them 149 have had the right to vote during the election.
The election committee had nine non-voting members and the chairman was Brother Abishu
Wolde from Zeway. Other invited observers were 10 people.

The election committee presented all the 18 nominees, although their names had been advertised before.
Out of them, should 11 people be elected as member of the Executive Board and among the 11 should 5
people get individual appointments. It will take too long to describe all details of the day. But to follow
the voting process as an observer in the voting hall was very interesting and hopeful for the future.
The result was presented to the AGM by the chairman of the election committee and it was well received
by the participants. We prayed for the newly elected Board and I observed that they were all men…
Women belong to God’s creation and I think that over the time, they can play an important role as
visible leaders at the national level for the prosperity of EHBC and the development of God’s Kingdom in Ethiopia.

The following people constitute the new Executive Board elected for 4 years:

Evangelist Zerihun Degu - President, Ato Walelign Geleta - General Secretary, Evangelist Belay
Woldesemayat – Head of the Evangelism board, Ato Berhanu Kamisso – Head of the Development board,
Evangelist Alemu Haro – Head of Finance and Administration.

The following persons are members; Ato Tegegn Jawo, Ato Abebe Dinage, Ato Demisse Bedacha,
Evangelist Mamusha Fenta, Ato Berhanu Wotango and Ato Tilahun Endisa.

The New Executive Board, missing M Fenta

Election day – some pictures;

The chairman of the Election committee expressed the AGM’s gratitude towards the outgoing
Executive Board by giving each one of them a book as a gift and asked then all the present participants
to pray genuinely for the New board. Brother Yeneneh expressed his thankfulness for the time in office
and he wished the New board all the best and progress in the work. Finally, Brother Zerihun expressed
his recognition for the confidence the AGM had shown him to lead work of the EHBC.

I left as I said the AGM with joy and later on I felt that now have the EHBC churches changed the
chapter in the book of their own history. God Bless EHBC abundantly!

I congratulate you all!

In His service!

Ingemar Andersson