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    Renowned Pastor Billy Graham dies at 99

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    The Rev. Billy Graham, a North Carolina farmer’s son who preached to millions in stadium events he called crusades, becoming a pastor to presidents and the nation’s best-known Christian evangelist for more than 60 years, died on Wednesday at his home in Montreat, N.C. He was 99.

    His death was confirmed by Jeremy Blume, a spokesman for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

    Mr. Graham had dealt with a number of illnesses in his last years, including prostate cancer, hydrocephalus (a buildup of fluid in the brain) and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

    Mr. Graham spread his influence across the country and around the world through a combination of religious conviction, commanding stage presence and shrewd use of radio, television and advanced communication technologies.

    A central achievement was his encouraging evangelical Protestants to regain the social influence they had once wielded, reversing a retreat from public life that had begun when their efforts to challenge evolution theory were defeated in the Scopes trial in 1925.

    Mr. Graham took the role of evangelist to a new level, lifting it from the sawdust floors of canvas tents in small-town America to the podiums of packed stadiums in the world’s major cities. He wrote some 30 books and was among the first to use new communication technologies for religious purposes. During his “global crusade” from Puerto Rico in 1995, his sermons were translated simultaneously into 48 languages and transmitted to 185 countries by satellite.

    Mr. Graham’s standing as a religious leader was unusual: Unlike the pope or the Dalai Lama, he spoke for neither a particular church (though he was a Southern Baptist) nor a particular people.

    Graham (second left) kneels with other clergy before flying to Europe to represent the Youth for Christ Movement and spread the gospel

    At times, he seemed to fill the role of national clergyman. He read from Scripture at President Richard M. Nixon’s funeral in California in 1994, offered prayers at a service in the National Cathedral for victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and, despite his failing health, traveled to New Orleans in 2006 to preach to survivors of Hurricane Katrina.

    His reach was global, and he was welcomed even by repressive leaders like Kim Il-sung of North Korea, who invited him to preach in Pyongyang’s officially sanctioned churches.

    In his younger days, Mr. Graham became a role model for aspiring evangelists, prompting countless young men to copy his cadences, his gestures and even the way he combed his wavy blond hair.

    He was not without critics. Early in his career, some mainline Protestant leaders and theologians accused him of preaching a simplistic message of personal salvation that ignored the complexities of societal problems like racism and poverty. Later, critics said he had shown political naïveté in maintaining a close public association with Nixon long after Nixon had been implicated in the cover-up of the Watergate break-in.

    Graham at his North Carolina home with his wife Ruth and children in 1955

    Mr. Graham’s image was tainted in 2002 with the release of audiotapes that Nixon had secretly recorded in the White House three decades earlier. The two men were heard agreeing that liberal Jews controlled the media and were responsible for pornography.

    “A lot of the Jews are great friends of mine,” Mr. Graham said at one point on the tapes. “They swarm around me and are friendly to me because they know that I’m friendly with Israel. But they don’t know how I really feel about what they are doing to this country.”

    Graham’s television, radio and internet presence allowed him to reach millions of people across the globe. He’s estimated to have preached in 185 countries around the world, thanks to the “Billy Graham Crusades.”

     

    Here are some of Graham’s most notable quotes:

    1. “My home is in Heaven. I’m just traveling through this world.”

    2. “There is nothing wrong with men possessing riches. The wrong comes when riches possess men.”

    3. “Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.”

    4. “Take one day at a time. Today, after all, is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.”

    5. “Quit beating yourself up. We all live under grace and do the best we can.”

    6. “When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.”

    7. “Tears shed for self are tears of weakness, but tears shed for others are a sign of strength.”

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    NEWS

    Pastor Kayiwa Warns Politicians On Interfering In Church Affairs…

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    Pastor Simeon Kayiwa (C) of Namirembe Christian Fellowship addressing the press

    Pastor Simeon Kayiwa of Namirembe Christian Fellowship in Mengo has urged politicians to stop interfering in church affairs as a stepping stone to building their political careers because this is weakening the church.

    While addressing the media at the Mengo based church about the upcoming Pastors fire conference which will be presided over by an American Philanthropist Dr. Michelle Caralan , Professor Simeon Kayiwa urged politicians to desist from mixing political issues in church matters because even in the Western world, there are people who don’t believe in homosexuality.

    Kayiwa said that the church is weakening especially on the African continent to the countries like Uganda because of such acts and it’s time to bring all people together near to God through prayers so that they never turn back to satanic acts of homosexuality.

    “We shall not welcome any one dealing in homosexuality, not even the pope if he tries to come back to Uganda, we welcome the Church of Uganda’s firm stand against this act and Ugandans too who believe in their norms and culture. Not every white person believes in homosexuality, that’s why Dr. Michelle is coming for a two days prayer conference in Uganda,” said Prof. Simeon Kayiwa.

    Dr. Michelle Carralan will be in Uganda for a two days Pastors Conference which will attract more than 100 pastors from around the global at Nsambya Sharing Hall Kampala from the 8th to 9th August 2023 .

    Dr. Michelle is the founder, pastor and president of Breath of the spirit Ministries International and she has been ministering for more than 45 years.

     

    By Grapevine Reporters

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    CELEBRITY GOSSIP

    PICTURES:  Pastor Bujjingo Fills Up Kololo Grounds During Independence Night Prayers; Pr. Kayiwa Asks His Brother Kato Lubwama To Get Saved…

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    Thousands of believers flocked Kololo Independence grounds to Pray, Praise and worship the Almighty God.

    This was during the Independence Night prayers organised by House of Prayer Ministries International pastor, Aloysious Bujjingo.

    Believers from different parts of the country and abroad withstood the rain to worship and pray from Friday 6:00am to Saturday 6:00am.

    Independence night prayers are organized every year every year towards independence.

    Pr. Bujjingo revealed that just like Uganda was able to get independence in 1962 from the British, he decided to organise these prayers to pray for believers so that they are liberated from whatever is distressing their lives.

    The theme for this year’s prayers was ‘Pursue, Overtake and Recover All’, from 1 Samuel 30:8 where King David inquired from God concerning launching an attack on Israel’s enemy, the Amalekites, “Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And He answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.”

    Pr. Bujjingo told believers that through constant prayer, trust and faith in the Almighty God, He will give them victory in anything that they need and pray for including fighting their enemies both seen and unseen just like He did for David.

    He further told believers to always depend and rely fully on God for a good life here on earth and also for the inheritance of eternal life.

    Believers were seen in deep prayer with some rolling on the floor as they were delivered from demons.

    During prayers, Pr. Bujjingo invited his spiritual father, Pr. Simeon Kayiwa, the Vice Chancellor for Kayiwa University who appreciated him so much for saving his brother former Member of Parliament, Kato Lubwama.

    Through a song, Pr. Simeon noted that Lubwama loves Pr. Bujjingo so much that he (Lubwama) tried to understand how to pray.

    “I know most of you people were not aware that Kato Lubwama is my biological brother and that we share the same mother,” he said.

    He added, “I know he is not saved but I believe one day he will because he loves you (Bujjingo) so much. Thank you for loving him too.”

    Bujjingo prayed through the rain which started at 2:00pm and stopped at 5;00pm leaving many socked in water but that did not stop them from worshiping and praying to God.

    During the night prayers at 11:00pm, Bujjingo introduced his wife, Suzan Makula and the couple excited believers when they danced the “kinyarwanda dance”.

    Over 2000 people gave their lives to Jesus Christ.

     

    By Kalamira Hope

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    NEWS

    Seventh Day Adventist Church Uganda Receives New Archbishop….

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    Pastor Dr. Ruguri Blasious (R), the president of the East and Central Africa Division and outgoing SDA Uganda Archbishop Daniel Matte (L)

    The Uganda Seventh-Day Adventist Church are celebrating getting a new Archbishop replacing Pastor Daniel Matte.

    Pastor Moses Ndimukika was voted by eleven presidents of the East and Central Africa Division which was held in Nairobi Kenya.

    Pastor Dr. Ruguri Blasious, the president of the East and Central Africa Division chaired the committee that elected Ndimukaka.

    Other countries sitting on the Association include DRC, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

    Ndimukika has been serving as the Executive Secretary of Uganda Union Mission.

     

    By Sengooba Alirabaki

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