Joy as new bishop inducted

‘Freemantle a brother, respected and loved by the people’

METHODIST Church of Southern Africa minister Jacob Freemantle was inducted as the new bishop of the church’s Grahamstown district at a ceremony in Port Elizabeth yesterday.

Speaking at a special service at the Feather Market Hall attended by hundreds of congregants, Freemantle paid tribute to his mentor, Bishop Zipho Siwa, who presides over the whole church across all its districts.

“Today is a day of trepidation, a day of fear, but also a day of profound thankfulness for the work of God that you have done.

“You have been outstanding in grooming, mentoring and settling me and making me know the road ahead,” he said.

Freemantle himself was described as a brother, respected and loved by the people. He was duly nominated by the synod and appointed at a conference which was held earlier this year.

In presenting Freemantle to the congregation yesterday, Siwa said: “We consider him worthy, by God’s grace, to be inducted as bishop.”

The auditorium was packed to capacity and there was a joyous atmosphere as the sea of red and white Methodist Church members celebrated the induction of their new bishop.

The congregants erupted into songs of celebration to welcome their new leader.

Freemantle succeeds Andile Mbete as bishop in the Grahamstown district. Mbete, inducted in 2014, is now retiring.

Some members of the congregation had travelled from as far afield as the UK, Cape Town, Queenstown, Mthatha, Grahamstown and Johannesburg for yesterday’s occasion.

Freemantle said he was deeply humbled by the honour bestowed on him.

“When I gave my life to the Lord Jesus Christ and had an encounter with him … little did I know that one day I would stand and accept this kind of leadership that I am being ushered into.

“I can reveal sir, I was not sleeping. I tried. It was worse last night. The former secretary, who is also a family minister, tried to make me sleep, but I couldn’t. I was thinking of the road ahead. I was thinking of my inadequacy and my human limitations in accepting the work of God.

“I am thankful,” Freemantle said.