THE HISTORY OF NAMWALA CENTRAL SDA CHURCH

Namwala Central SDA Church as the beacon of the SDA truth in Namwala was organized into a church on 28th March 1988 by Pastor BB Ndatoya.

Prior to its organization, the church (Company by then) went through different challenging transitional stages.

Firstly, as a company, the place of worship was the Farmers Training Centre (FTC) hall. Then in May 1983, the company shifted to Lubanga Shabongwe Primary School. There it did not take long before the school management raised some concerns about the misuse of school furniture which was used by the church members. These concerns forced the members to seek for another alternative place of worship.

In March 1984, the church administration went to Headman Chaako in Kalundu to ask for a piece of traditional land where we could put up a temporal structure. Fortunately enough, the headman gave the church the area which had a thicket. With the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, the men, women and youths worked together and in a few weeks the area was cleared and ready for use.

In May 1984, a temporal structure suitable for worship was erected. The company then shifted to the new structure from Lubanga Shabongwe Primary School.

From 1984 to 1990, the company went through stressful moments of the church structure collapsing and sometimes being burnt by unknown people. It was not until 28th March, 1988 when the company got the status of a church under the leadership of late Pastor Shimuhila Musumu who was the district pastor then.

Before being organized into a church, the company was under Kantengwa SDA Church but due to the distance from the main road, the company membership was transferred to Makootolo SDA Church.

At its organization, the first Church Elders were Elder Hanziba J Mweetwa and Elder Muvwanga Peter. All the names of baptized members were then transferred from Makotoolo.

The Church was not comfortable with the structure, hence the desire to have a permanent building. Applications for a plot on the council land were submitted in 1990. Thereafter, the members started moulding blocks at Elder Namakobo's residence at Riverside. In 1997, the church was given a plot where it stands now by the council and a year later, in 1998, the ground breaking ceremony was done by the late Pastor JD Munsaka and that culminated into a serious moulding of blocks which eventually saw the building of the current church that was completed in 2002.
 
The might Namwala Central SDA Church was dedicated on 4th November 2007 by Pastors Chimoga and Bwantu. The guest of honor was the former Permanent Secretary, for Southern Province Mr. D. Hakayobe.
 
The other dignitaries present at the occasion were former Deputy Permanent Secretary for Southern Province Mr. Zulu, Government heads of department, some Chiefs within the district and representative from NGOs. The occasion was spiced by singers from Siavonga SDA Church and was covered live by Zambia National Broadcasting Cooperation, ZNBC.
 
 
PASTORS WHO FED THE FLOCK OF GOD FROM 1988 TO DATE
  1. Ps Musumu Shimuhila (Late)
  2. Ps Hapeya
  3. Ps Simankobela (Late)
  4. Ps Mukakaanga (Late)
  5. Ps Mudenda S
  6. Ps Chilembe B
  7. Ps Himayumbula J
  8. Ps Munsaka JD (Late)
  9. Ps Munyama C
  10. Ps Hachoona C
  11. Ps Moonga K
  12. Ps Kaleba LL
  13. Ps Mwiinde O
 
 
THE ELDERS THAT LED THE CHURCH FROM 1988 TO DATE
  1. Elder Hanziba Mweetwa J
  2. Elder Muvwanga Peter
  3. Elder Mampube Amos
  4. Elder Mboozi Bernard (Late)
  5. Elder Mweemba Greyson
  6. Elder Simuyawa Simuyawa (Late)
  7. Elder Namakobo B Hakamata
  8. Elder Siavwapa Mwiinde
  9. Elder Chilokota E
  10. Elder Hazemba Abishai
  11. Elder Hachiimbi Victor
  12. Elder Kasempa Dalmon (Late)
  13. Elder Lubobya Shephard
  14. Elder Hazemba Mahuba W
  15. Elder Shingalili Charles M
  16. Elder Mukakanga George
  17. Elder Mweemba Gibson
  18. Elder Kachana Ntesa
  19. Elder Mwiinga Tobias
  20. Elder Mwiinga Philip
  21. Elder Masiye Silumesi
  22. Elder Habwangabwanga Phidelis
  23. Elder Shingalili Fedinard
  24. Elder Siamuchimba Wisdom
  25. Elder Kazoka Howard
  26. Elder Simukondwi Kelvin
  27. Elder Njekwa Edward
 
Updated June 2015
 
THE DEDICATION CEREMONY OF NAMWALA CENTRAL SDA CHURCH ON 4TH NOVEMBER, 2007
Posted Nov 05, 2007

The Permanent Secretary, for Southern Province Mr. D. Hakayobe made a speech as follows:
 
Brethren,
 
In Zambia today, as in the rest of the world, the most prominent guest is that of spiritual growth and moral uprightness. Thus the world spiritual rings in our ears all the time. It is also generally, agreed that accelerated spiritual growth in Zambia, Namwala in particular is inhibited by the seriously lag in having proper building for worship.
 
Against this background and because of the fact that we have gathered here to witness the ceremonial dedication of the church, I thought that it would, perhaps be quite appropriate for me to speak at such an occasion on the subject of unity, sacrifice and commitment. The church is in a hurry to take this gospel to all parts of the district. This requires men and women, boys and girls who are going to give whatever God has blessed them for this cause. For is church to be what it is now, people sacrificed their wealth. Some of those who stared this project have left Namwala or Lord allowed them to feel the spirit of working together has continued up to this far. I salute you for this job well done.
 
Many church members do not have enough to eat, do not have decent homes or work, yet they gave what God had blessed them with. At this time, I wish to humbly challenge the businessmen and women, prominent farmers, government, community members and NGOs to assist this church complete its future plans. The church still needs more benches, electricity, Pastor’s house etc. Please donate generously; God will give you a double portion of what you will give towards his work. Let’s invest our wealth in God and he will bless us a gift from God; so we should recognize the giver of our lives and wealth we have. I challenge you today to give to God as the spirit moves you.
 
Brothers and sisters , my Government acknowledges the good works SDA church is doing that aim at improving people’s lives in the Education sector, health, water and sanitation etc. These works compliment government’s effort in the spiritual of public and private partnership. My appeal is that you should continue with your works.
 
I wish every of you very success as you join other dedicated churches in the services of the church, district and our nation as a whole.

Link: http://www.namwala.com/news/dedication_of_namwala_sda_church_100010.html