Celebration Church recently opened a centre of worship in downtown Bulawayo as part of their expansion plan, says, Gerald Chirinda, this Pentecostal Church’s public relations officer.

Prior to the commissioning of the auditorium situated in the George Silundika Street, between 12th and 13^th Avenues, the church had been congregating every Sunday at the City Hall. The first Sunday service at the new site was held on the 22^nd of May.

“We have been conducting our services at the large City Hall, since we did not have our own place of worship and we have worked hard to open this place of worship” Gerald Chiranda told Relzim.org.

The downtown branch started in 2007 as a study group which gathered to watch videos by Pastor Tom Deuschle, the founder and senior pastor of the Celebration Church in Zimbabwe.

The Bulawayo branch has a membership of between 400 to 500 believers and the main service is held on Sundays between 9:00 am and 11:00am. There are domain prayers that are conducted from Monday to Friday between 7:00 am and 7:45 am. In addition the Church has introduced 12:00 prayer meetings open to the public in the city centre.

Mr Chirinda said that they are not in a rush to open more branches but there are plans to reach out to the rural areas. “The idea is not to open many branches but to fulfill the Church’s vision of building people and creating dreams,” he said. “The idea basically is to work on people first and increase their capacities, build their future and their dreams,” he added.

Mr Chirinda also explained that Celebration is a church open to all. “The services are open to everyone. You do not need to be a member of the Church to participate because as a Church we believe in partnerships with other Churches in spreading the Gospel,” stressed Chirinda.

He added that the Church has been in operation in Bulawayo since 2007 and has branches in Mzilikazi, Nketa and Gwanda.

Founded by Pastor Tom and Bonnie Deuschle in 1979, Celebration Ministries International is one of the biggest Churches in the country.

The Church is also involved in charity work and has a department called Celebration Health which meets health needs and conducts medical outreaches to the less privileged members of the community. The Church is assisted by doctors who are its members and are well-versed with the vision of the church. People are treated free of charge and regardless of their different church affiliations.