St Stephen’s Church Kabowa Parish

About St Stephen’s Church Kabowa Parish

St. Stephen’s Church Kabowa was started in 1904 by early Christians who found it had to walk the long distance of Namirembe Cathedral. Kabowa being a very important place in Buganda Kingdom where the Palace for  the royal drums(Mujaguzo) is located, and a number princes and princesses lived, it was prudent to have a place of worship nearer.

The land on which the Church is located was donated to the Church by a certain princess who used to stay with Prince Suuna. She donated 10 acres but currently we have 7 acres of land after the three were illegally occupied by squatters who later on got land titles.

Elders in the church tell us that St. Stephen’s Church has so far had four Church buildings. The first two were grass thatched and were small in number. The third one was a permanent building which is now used for Sunday School worship services. The fourth one is the maginificient church which the late Bishop Misaeri Kawuma at one time referred to as “semi cathedral”

The old church building and the new Church in the background

In 1977 when the Church of the Province of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Boga Zaire was celebrating it’s Centenary (100 years), the then Bishop of Namirembe Diocese the Rt. Rev. Dr. Dunstan Nsubuga turned Kabowa into a Parish curved from Kibuye Parish. The First Parish Priest was Rev. Mayanja. But before It became a parish, the Late Rev. Can. Kiddu who used to come from Kibuye was the care taker Priest.

A number of Priests have served in this Parish and many have got promotions. These include the current Namirembe Diocesan Bishop Rt. Rev. Wilberforce Kityo Luwalira, the Diocesan Secretary Rev. Can. Nelson Kaweesa, The Archdeacon of Entebbe Ven. Rev. Can. Jonathan Kisawuzi, the Dioceasan Treasurer and Archdeacon of Luzira Ven. Rev. Isaac Membe Kijjambu, the Diocesan Estates Secreatry Rev. Kezekiah Kaweesa. The other priests include Rev. Kenneth Ssewanyana, Rev. Ssekamatte, Rev. Elly Wasswa, Rev. Can. Kalule, Rev. Nathan Ntege among others.

Rev. Herbert Zziwa Ssalongo and Maama Ephrance Zziwa Naalongo

Saint Stephen’s Church Kabowa  is a parish of the Classical Anglican tradition in Namirembe Diocese, Mengo Archdeaconry, Kabowa Parish. That is to say, we not only 'use' the Book of Common Prayer at all services of public worship, but we understand the Prayer Book to encourage a way of Christian Living which seeks to offer ourselves, our souls and bodies as a reasonable, holy and living sacrifice. The life of the parish is formed by its endeavour to be shaped by Holy Scripture and true to the spiritual integrity of the Christian Tradition.

St. Stephen’s Church Kabowa  has tried to cast a wide net, so that we do not simply preach to the converted. Our parishioners are a diverse group. While some have grown up in the parish, many have chosen St. Stephen’s as their parish and drive significant distances in order to attend our services and participate in our parish life. Our hope is that within our parish, we may, however failingly, show God's love to one another and to the people of our neighbourhood through working together in his name.

About our Worship

All services of public worship at St.Stephen’s Church Kabowa  are conducted according to the Book of Common Prayer. Our Sunday worship Services are mainly three the first one starts at 7:00am in Luganda, the second one an English one is at 9:00am and the main service is at 11:00 am in Luganda. This service begins with a hymn followed by the Introit Psalm which is sung and the Communion Service follows the order as it is laid out.

Music is an important part of the worship life of our parish. The congregation is encouraged to take part in the singing of the psalms and hymns.

James Kasasa the Church Organist

The Ten O’clock Service Choir, The Mount Olive’s Choir (The English Service Choir), The Seven O’clock Choir

Each of the three services has its own choir and they occasionally sing Christmas/Easter Carol Services.

Members of the Garden’s Committee

Children's Ministries

We want to supplement the family in leading each child to new life in and full devotion to Jesus Christ.

At St. Stephen’s our children are a big part of our church family. We want our children to know they matter to God and they matter to us. We are here to help families introduce their children to God and grow up in him.

We have a Sunday School that is very vibrant with all the necessary instruments to make the children’s worship enjoyable. Mrs. Teo Mukasa  has been teaching the Sunday School at Kabowa  since 1983. She says she is happy to see that the children she taught in Sunday School are now the ones in Church leadership and some are teaching Sunday School.

Sunday School children

HOLY BAPTISM

Holy Baptism is a sacred action of God’s initiative and our faith response – an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. Outwardly it is a public declaration of belonging to Christ. Inwardly it symbolizes a new and transformed life in Him (II Corinthians 5:17). For a small child, Baptism precedes an ability to discern this reality. For an adult, Baptism follows it. In either case, Baptism is the sign of belonging to God’s Covenant
in Christ.

Vicar’s house at St. Stephen’s Church Kabowa

Marriage

“The bond and covenant of marriage was established by God in creation, and our Lord Jesus Christ adorned this manner of life by his presence and first miracle at a wedding in Galilee.It signifies to us the mystery of the union between Christ and his Church, and Holy Scripture commends it to be honored among all people.”

Weddings at St. Stephen’s
One of the great blessings in life is a Christian family. When a man and a woman are joined together in Christ and build their family upon his grace and his ways, they enter a new and wonderful way of life.

Such blessings do not come spontaneously, though. They must be sought, labored for, and treasured. This is especially true today, when there is little support in our culture for Christian marriage, when the whole question of sexuality and family is confused, and when the institution of a “lifelong union between two people” is under severe attack.

At St. Stephen’s Church we have a strong commitment to couples preparing for marriage. We want to help them develop a solid foundation for their life together, a task that takes some time and work. In order to facilitate this, we have developed a premarital process that combines Bible study, prayer, worship,  and pastoral care. Issues discussed cover the simple details of the ceremony, the Christian understanding of marriage, the practical issues like communication, sexual purity and faithfulness, love, roles and responsibilities, self-image, finances, and other matters of family living.

A wedding is a great opportunity for people to lay a foundation for the remainder of their lives. It is a time for new beginnings and a chance to talk seriously about the place of the Christian faith in the home and in the practical matters of married life. Thus, we ask that those who come to St. Stephen’s to be married take advantage of this opportunity for the kind of discussion that is unique to the occasion.

Zion Gardens:

We have  spacious gardens where you can hold all your functions like wedding receptions.

Zion Gardens at Kabowa C/U

According to the head of laity, Mr. Samuel Kasenye the Church has a number of projects which include a commercial building and Zion Gardens. He says that the church has plans of constructing a night parking facility near the Commercial building and also to buy a coaster to be used for passenger services. He says that once these projects start operating fully, the issue of “akabbo” collection basket in church will be forgotten. He says that this will also enable the process of Church extension to take place.

Currently the Church has approximately 1000 christians but around 600 are the active ones the rest turn up on special occasions like Christmas and Easter. There are now plans of attracting them back to church through door to door mission and generally improving on the worship services.

Other departments

Fathers’ Union:

For men married in Church

Mothers’ Union:

For women married in Church

Christian Women’s Fellowship:

For all Christian women

The Good Samaritans:

For assistance to the needy.

Daughters of the King:

For christian girls

Minus one:

For wid ows of cl ergy and Lay readers

Christian Men’s Fellowship:

For all christian men from 12 years

Youth:

For young Christians.

The Parish is composed of the following sub Parishes

1. St. John’s Church Ndejje
2. St. Barnabas Kajjansi
3. St. John’s Church Lubowa
4. Kitiko Mutungo
5. St. John’s Lubugumu
6. Bongole Church of Uganda
7. Lubowa Estates

Zion Gardens Kabowa