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Herald Correspondent

Call to Worship, the annual worship conference, is back next month after a two-year break caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

This year’s Call to Worship Global event, running under the theme “Jesus is the Answer”, will be held at an open space in Mabvuku, Harare, from October 27-29, with the organizers saying they expect over 10 000 worshippers to attend.

“We are grateful to God for giving us the chance to worship again after the Covid pandemic. In the past 13 years we have held the conference at the Harare International Conference Centre, but God has given us a different strategy this year to take the Gospel and the worship to the people,” said Pastor Philip Pike, of Ebenezer World Outreach Ministries, and one of the main organisers of the worship festival.

“We have discovered that after the pandemic most people have lost hope and several churches are struggling, hence the decision to hold the crusade in the communities. We are inviting everyone in Mabvuku, Tafara, Ruwa and surrounding areas, as well as from anywhere in the country, to come and attend this powerful and life-changing crusade,” he added.

Call to Worship Global was initially established as Call to Worship Zimbabwe in 2008. It started as an annual inter-denominational event, with the aim of preaching the gospel through praise and worship, and gathering of Christians across the country.

By 2009 the event had more than 20 different churches participating in its annual praise and worship gatherings, where different church leaders prayed for the country.

Since then, the Ebenezer World Outreach Ministries offshoot has transformed and grown in influence, a development that led to the establishment of “Call to Worship Africa” and then “Call to Worship Global”.

Call to Worship has over the years build and groomed worship leaders in over 200 churches through seminars and workshops, which are held throughout the year.

Pastor Pike said more than 60 churches under the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe, and other denominations, are part of this year’s event, which will also feature musicians such as the Call to Worship Choir, Pastor G, Mathias Mhere and Joseph Sax, among many others who will lead praise and worship at the event.

Over the years, the music and prayer gathering has attracted world-renowned gospel musicians such as Donnie McClurkin, Mkhululi Bhebhe, Minister Michael Mahendere, Dudu Manhenga and Janet Manyowa, among others.

“We also have a business symposium on October 29, 2022, starting at 8.30am to 12pm. The rationale behind the seminar is that businesses, like churches and individuals, were also affected by the pandemic, so we want businesspeople and entrepreneurs to bounce back,” said Pastor Pike.

“We have a line-up of seasoned entrepreneurs such as Dr Sam Mudavanhu and Sibonile Dhliwayo, who will share important nuggets on starting businesses and stirring businesses through difficult times,” he added.

Zimbabwe’s largest telecommunication and technology company, Econet Wireless, which has supported Call to Worship over the past 13 years, will this year again support the annual event.