AYF MINISTRY-THE BEGINNINGS

The Anglican Youth Fellowship Choir (AYF) was formed following a resolution of the National Youth Congress that met at Gayaza High School, near Kampala, Uganda, in August 1983. Young people from all the Dioceses of the Church of Uganda met to compete in Music, Dance, Drama and Handcraft. The congress was planned such a way that it would also address pertinent 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 Pentecostal denominations because worship in the Anglican Church of Uganda was too dull for them.

Several resolutions were made including a recommendation that a working group and choir be formed in the National Office to study and address this problem. For the sake of identity, this Youth Ministry in the Church of Uganda was to be named Anglican Youth Fellowship and be facilitated by the Provincial Youth Office of the Church of Uganda.

Why Anglican? Because following the overthrow of Idi Amin in 1979, many Protestant Churches were established and several of them had Church of Uganda in their title. They included the Presbyterian Church of Uganda, and the Unification Church of Uganda. The young people chose “Anglican” because of their wish to be known as part of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

The word “Fellowship” was not their original choice. They preferred “Movement”. But in 1983, there was a guerilla movement called the National Resistance Movement. It was led by Yoweri Museveni and was waging war against the government of Milton Obote. Therefore, the word “Movement” was deemed undesirable and “Fellowship” was used instead. The Anglican Youth Fellowship was founded as the umbrella organisation for Youth Ministry in the Church of Uganda. This is how the Anglican Youth Fellowship Choir came into being.

The late Rev. Canon M. Apuuli Kinobe, then Head of the Youth Department and Reverend Benon Mugarura-Mutana, the Provincial Youth Secretary in charge of Missions, were assigned the responsibility of putting these resolutions into action. Through the Late Rev. Canon Wolfgang Heiner, we imported the first sound system from Germany 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.
They included:

• 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
• Mrs. Grace Mugobera (RIP)

These together with Rev. Mugarura, (popularly known as Uncle Ben) and his wife Auntie Joyie formed the first AYF Choir with Uncle Ben manning the sound mixer and Auntie Joyie prompting the vocalists.

At the time (1984) we had more instruments than people to play them necessitating additional recruitment. Peter Kasamba, Jessica Mirembe, Estella Barlow, Fred Kizito and Vicky Kabali-Kagwa joined the choir. Thereafter, Petrina Kigozi, Elizabeth Kabali-Kagwa, Rose Kalimizo and Stephen Sematimba were added to the team.

These were the people behind the recording of the first three Albums in Nairobi, Kenya: Beyond the Valley, The Visitor and Come to Me. The choir grew from strength to strength and more members were recruited including Carol Kyomukama, Charity Bekunda, Sheila Nkwasibwe, Betty Mviri, and Victoria Kigozi. With the passage to time, some members left the group and were replaced by new members.

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 were no longer “Youth” or because they had moved on to work or study abroad and that they would be replaced by new members.

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 founders has always been the focal point at any stage of the ministry of AYF. As members of the Anglican Church, members agreed to use the name “Anglican Youth Fellowship Choir”. This was because it highlighted the importance of fellowship among brethren, which was very essential for the success of the first Church. Fellowship among AYF members has meant sharing with the other members of the group what is happening in each person’s life. The joys, sorrows, hardships and challenges members have gone through have been openly shared during fellowships and through supporting one another, cohesion within the group has been strengthened. In achieving the set goal and desired objectives, members agreed to use music and testimony as evangelistic tools. It was felt that there was no better way to cause change within the church than to target youth who were a marginalised group. Thus, AYF ministry had its main target as youth but this has since expanded to include all other age groups (the combined body of Christ).