News / Local
Veteran SDA pastor dies
21 Jul 2014 at 08:02hrs | Views
VETERAN Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church minister Pastor Augustine Manyathela, who died on Wednesday, was buried at the Solusi University Cemetery yesterday.
Manyathela died at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) after a short illness. He was 91.
He was born in December 1922 in Gutu where he went to school up to Standard 6. He then worked as a telephone operator in the Masvingo district before being transferred to Mwenezi in the same province.
Manyathela left the job as a telephone operator and became a literature evangelist when he moved to Shangani.
It was while working as an evangelist in Shangani that the SDA Church elevated him to the position of pastor in 1964 following the success of his colporteur ministry.
Manyathela was struck by blindness in 1981, but continued pastoring various congregations of the church for about 15 years before retiring citing his lack of sight.
He was known as an old time religion preacher and a straight talker. He popularised the chorus Amagatsha angatheli izithelo ayophoswa emlilweni (branches that do not bear fruit are pruned and cast into a fire) in the church and would sing it at every given opportunity.
SDA Zimbabwe Union Conference youth ministries director pastor Bongani Ndlovu described Manyathela as a church treasure saying all current serving church ministers were mentored by Manyathela one way or the other.
"Some have explained how Manyathela impacted their lives, but the question now is what difference has that impact had on other people's lives? To all those who were touched by Manyathela's life, may we go on to live lives that will also have a positive impact in the lives of those we come into contact with," he said.
He is survived by his wife, two children, several grandchildren and great grandchildren up to the third generation.
Manyathela died at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) after a short illness. He was 91.
He was born in December 1922 in Gutu where he went to school up to Standard 6. He then worked as a telephone operator in the Masvingo district before being transferred to Mwenezi in the same province.
Manyathela left the job as a telephone operator and became a literature evangelist when he moved to Shangani.
It was while working as an evangelist in Shangani that the SDA Church elevated him to the position of pastor in 1964 following the success of his colporteur ministry.
He was known as an old time religion preacher and a straight talker. He popularised the chorus Amagatsha angatheli izithelo ayophoswa emlilweni (branches that do not bear fruit are pruned and cast into a fire) in the church and would sing it at every given opportunity.
SDA Zimbabwe Union Conference youth ministries director pastor Bongani Ndlovu described Manyathela as a church treasure saying all current serving church ministers were mentored by Manyathela one way or the other.
"Some have explained how Manyathela impacted their lives, but the question now is what difference has that impact had on other people's lives? To all those who were touched by Manyathela's life, may we go on to live lives that will also have a positive impact in the lives of those we come into contact with," he said.
He is survived by his wife, two children, several grandchildren and great grandchildren up to the third generation.
Source - Southern Eye
