Graduation Day 2013

by Global Ministries | published on Oct 10, 2014

“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage –
with great patience and careful instruction.” (2 Timothy 4:2)

Late May is when Graduation Day is held at Morija Theological School (MTS), an institution of the Lesotho Evangelical Church (LEC). This year the day dawned bright, clear and crisp on a beautiful late fall morning. The ceremony began with a procession led by the board members and faculty.

Board members conferred degrees on the graduates as they were called forward by the director of the seminary, Reverend Bernard Mojaki Kometsi. He graduated from MTS back in 1992, did his master’s at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis and is currently working on a doctorate in Old Testament Studies from the University of South Africa.

This year there were two graduates from the theological school and four from the bible school. The former will be assigned pastorates by the Executive Committee of the LEC while the latter will return as evangelists to their home parishes which contributed towards the cost of their training. Ordination for pastors takes place after a few years in the ministry upon recommendation by the parish and presbytery where they are serving.

The graduates were cheered and supported by many relatives and friends as well as church members from their home parishes who came to celebrate with them. Members of the Mother’s Union posed in their uniforms, complemented by their Basotho blankets, with Tseliso Mantutle, one of the seminary graduates.

Interspersed amongst the speeches were hymns by a men’s chorus as well as performances by a primary school cultural dance troupe.

Among the many speeches was one by Rev. Tseliso Masemene, speaking on behalf of the Executive Committee. At the end of April he was re-elected as Moderator of the LEC Synod. In addition to his official duties, he is working on a Master’s Degree in Practical Theology at the University of the Free State, South Africa. He and Rev. Kometsi are among a dozen or so LEC ministers who are currently continuing their education as part of an effort by the denomination to strengthen, nurture and encourage their pastors.

As the LEC has more parishes than pastors, the two new graduates from the seminary will be sent by the Executive Committee to parishes that are currently without a pastor. In addition, each year a few ministers are reassigned to fill vacant pastorates so that the burden of vacancies is shared by all. Please pray for more men and women, young and old, to feel called by God to “Preach the Word”. We thank God that in this just completed academic year there were nine 1^styear students in the theological school and five in the bible school. Pray also for the MTS faculty to teach and guide these future shepherds of the flock with “patience and careful instruction.”

The Kingdom of Lesotho is often referred to as the Mountain Kingdom. As we rejoice with those parishes soon to be receiving new pastors, an appropriate verse for such an occasion comes from the book of Isaiah: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’”(52:7)

Yours in Christ,

Mark Behle
Email: mark37438@yahoo.com

Mark Behle is a missionary with the Lesotho Evangelical Church. He is working to identify development projects, assist the church in preparing project proposals and coordinating project implementation.