AYF MINISTRY-THE BEGINNINGS

AYF Choir was formed following a resolution of the National Youth Congress that met at Gayaza High School in August of 1983. Young people from all the Dioceses of the Church of Uganda met for competition in Music, Dance, Drama and Handcraft. The congress was planned such a way that it would also address certain issues that faced Youth Ministry in the Church of Uganda and suggest ways to address them. One of the problems was the fact that youth were leaving the Anglican Church to join new denominations.

Several resolutions were made one of them in which the Youth advised the church that for the sake of identity, the Youth Ministry in the Church of Uganda be named Anglican Youth Fellowship.

Why Anglican? Because following the overthrow of Idi Amin many Protestant Churches came and several of them had Church of Uganda as part of there little. For example, Presbyterian Church of Uganda, and even the Unification Church of Uganda. The young people chose “Anglican” because of the wish to be known as linked up to the world wide Anglican Communion.

Then the Word “Fellowship” was not originally their choice. They preferred “Movement”. But in 1983, there was a movement in the “bush”. The National Resistance Movement of Yoweri Museveni which had waged war against the government of Milton Obote. Therefore, the Word “Movement” was left out and “Fellowship was used instead. The Anglican Youth Fellowship was born as the umbrella organisation for Youth Ministry in the Church of Uganda.

Worship in the Anglican Church of Uganda was too dull for the youth so they requested that a group and choir be formed in the National Office to study and address this problem.

Facilitated by the Provincial Youth Office of the Church of Uganda.Hence Anglican Youth fellowship Choir.

The late Rev. Canon M. Apuli Kinobe, the then Head of Youth Department and and Reverend Benon Mugarura-Mutana, the Provincial Youth Secretary in charge of Missions, were assigned the responsibility of putting the request into action. Through the Late Rev. Canon Wolfgang Heiner, we imported the first sound system in 1983. Mr. Abraham Owino Yeyo accepted to be the first leader of the AYF Choir. It was with his assistance that the first members of the choir were recruited.

For the record of it, the following were the first members:

• Mr. Abraham Owino Yeyo - Leader & rhythm guitar
• Rev. Wilberforce Serunkuma
• Mr. Hannington Mutebi
• Mr. Benjamin Twinamaani
• Mr. John Karuma - Technical
• Mr. George Piwang
• Mr. Charles Yumah - Finance
• Miss Mirika Mubiru
• Miss Lillian Karamagi
• Miss Christine Mugwanga
• Miss Mary Kangire - Intercession and follow-up
• Mr. Stephen Kasamba - Keyboard

These together with Uncle Ben (as he was later to be known) and Auntie Joyie formed the first AYF Choir with Uncle Ben on the mixer and Auntie Joyie on the prompting.

At the time (1984) we had more instruments than the people to play them and a later recruitment took place. Peter Kasamba, Jesca Mirembe, Estella Balow, Fred Kizito and Vicky Kabali Kagwa came in at the same time. Then Petrina Kigozi, Elizabeth Kabali Kagwa, Rose Kalimizo and Stephen Sematimba joined.

These were the people behind the Nairobi recording of the three Albums – Beyond the Valley, The Visitor and Come to me. Others members like Carol Kyomukama, Charity Bekunda, Sheila Nkwasibwe, Betty Mviri, Victoria Kigozi joined and consequently more have joined as others leave the group.

The original concept was that AYF Choir would be an organism rather than organisation. By nature it was understood that some people would leave the group either because they are no longer “Youth” or because they have moved on to other places to seek work or education while other would join.

Members agreed on a set of goals and objectives as a result of putting all personal visions together into one vision (people without a vision perish). The vision set by the fore-founders has always been the focal point at any stage of the Ministry of AYF. As members of the Anglican Church, members agreed to have the Anglican Church

Anglican Youth Fellowship Choir as a name has a greater meaning in spelling out the importance of fellowship among brethren an element which was very essential for the success of the first Church. Fellowship among the members has meant sharing with the other members of the group what is happening in each person’s life. The joys .the sorrows the hardships and the challenges members have gone through have been shared at such fellowships and in supporting one another, the cohesion with the group has been strengthened. In achieving the set goal and desired objectives, members agreed to use music and testimony as tools for reaching out. No better way to cause a change than target the magnilised group henceforth this ministry had it’s main target as Youth but this has revolved since then to affect other age groups (the body of Christ all combined).