THE consecration and installation of the new assistant bishop for the Anglican Diocese of Central Melanesia Reverend Othniel Gamutu has been rescheduled to April.
A statement from the Anglican Church of Melanesia said following the election of Reverend Gamutu to the position of Assistant Bishop the church initially scheduled his consecration and installation to be held on Sunday 20th February 2022.
However, the statement said this church event has been rescheduled to Sunday 24th April 2022 to be held at Saint Barnabas Provincial Cathedral in Honiara.
The decision to reschedule the date came following the community transmission of COVID-19 that is now affecting Honiara and the provinces.
Fifty-two-year-old Reverend Gamutu from Isabel Province, was elected by members of the Diocesan Synod of Central Melanesia during a special Synod sitting held at Transfiguration Church, Vura Parish on November 3rd 2021.
The role of the Assistant Bishop will be to assist the Diocesan Bishop of the Diocese of Central Melanesia (DOCM), who is also the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Melanesia in the episcopal oversight of the DOCM.
The statement said another church event that is rescheduled due to COVID-19 is the consecration and installation of Reverend Steven Koete as the third Bishop for the Diocese of Central Solomons (DOCS).
The installation and consecration of Reverend Koete was scheduled to take place on 27th February 2022 at Christ the King Cathedral in Tulagi.
The statement said the new date for this church event in Tulagi is May 1st 2022.
Reverend Koete was elected on November 24th 2021 at Tetete Ni Kolivuti (TNK) the headquarters of the Sisters of the Church at Tenaru, East of Honiara by the DOCS Electoral Board members.
Forty-three-year-old Reverend Koete succeeds the Right Reverend Ben Seka who officially retired on December 1st 2021.
Reverend Koete was the Principal of Bungana Ministerial Training Centre, a catechist school in the Diocese of Central Solomons when he was elected to the post.
The statement urged the church to keep these important events in “our prayers so that we will be able to successfully carry them out in the midst of these challenging and uncertain times”.
