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Former CEUM President Dies After Lengthy Illness
KARAWA, CONGO (June 4, 2002) - Pastor Babete Bernard, who served as president of
the Covenant Church of Congo (CEUM) during the 1970s, died last week
following a lengthy illness.
Pastor Babete was one of the early presidents of CEUM, according to
longtime missionary to Congo Janet Thornbloom. He was noted for his
evangelistic fervor during his ministry, which included pastorates in
several village churches.
According to Gordon Christensen, who served in Congo and now is interim
pastor at Moses Hill Covenant Church in Loomis, Nebraska, Babete became
president after the Evangelical Free Church and the Evangelical Covenant
Church separated their organizations in Congo. Babete was one of 11 members
in the Congo's first pastor's training institute graduating class (Bible
Institute of the Ubangi) in 1955, a joint effort of the Free and Covenant
churches.
"He (Babete) was a very enthusiastic person with a vision," said
Christensen, who taught pastor Babete during his seminary training. "He was
so like Milt Engebretson (longtime Evangelical Covenant Church president).
He was so excited in being one of God's servants. He was a great example to
others. One of the current CEUM leaders, pastor Duale Langba, emailed me
recently and said Babete was one of his great role models in the Lord."
Covenant missionary to Africa Ken Satterberg wrote to Christensen May 28,
reporting that Babete died while CEUM leaders were readying for a church
wide council meeting. The meeting was postponed in order for leaders to
attend the funeral service.
In a letter to CEUM President Luyada Gbuda, Department of World Mission
representative Byron Amundsen stated, "We appreciated his (Babete's) years
of service and leadership of the CEUM, as a dedicated and humble servant of
God. On behalf of President (Glenn) Palmberg, the people of the Evangelical
Covenant Church and the Department of World Mission, we extend our sympathy
to his family and all those who will feel the loss at his death. May God
comfort them
knowing how he is rejoicing in Heaven, where tears and suffering are no
more. He certainly has received the blessing 'Well done, you good and
faithful servant.'"
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
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