Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente told the Anglican church leaders of their importance as spiritual leaders to whom many look for guidance.

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He was speaking during the opening ceremony of the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) in Kigali on Monday, April 17.

The GAFCON is a global Anglican movement with a mission to guard the unchanging, transforming Gospel of Jesus Christ and to proclaim Him to the world.

This week, more than 1300 people from 53 nations are gathering in Kigali for the conference which aims to draw together Anglicans from around the world who are seeking to guard the unchanging, transforming gospel of Jesus Christ and to proclaim Him to the world.

Addressing the conference, Ngirente noted that its theme "To whom shall we go?” resonates with challenges facing the world today which require consolidated efforts of all state and non-state actors, including religious affiliations and Civil Society Organizations.

"Many in our communities are looking to you, our spiritual leaders, for guidance on how to build satisfying lives, in which our families remain strong, our children and youth are able to grow into productive and fulfilled adults, in nations that are dignified, inclusive, and prosperous,” he noted.

He thanked the churches, including the Anglican Church of Rwanda, for their role in the process of unity and reconciliation, and socio-economic transformation in Rwanda after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

"We commend the Anglican Church of Rwanda for the continued collaboration with the government in the implementation of programs in health, education and income generation projects, which are improving the lives of our citizens,” he noted.

Reverend Foley Beach, Chairman of Gafcon and Primate and Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America, in his speech said God calls the Anglican churches to be repenting people, reconciling people, reproducing people, and relentlessly compassionate people.

His counterpart Reverend Benjamin Kwashi, the General Secretary of Gafcon and an Archbishop in the Anglican Church of Nigeria said:

"I am praying that as we meet together in Kigali, we will be encouraged to continue to walk as disciples of Jesus Christ, no matter what challenges are set before us.”

He noted that the gospel of our Lord Jesus calls us to guard the unchanging, transforming Gospel of Jesus Christ and to proclaim Him to the world.

Laurent Mbanda, the archbishop of the Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda, told the participants of the conference that he prays and hopes that by the time they leave Kigali, they will be refreshed, encouraged, not feeling alone in their endeavor.

"You have come, you have seen, go and tell the story of Rwanda and the spread of the gospel,” he noted.