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The First
General Assembly: Kampala, Uganda
Theme: Freedom and Unity in Christ
20-30 April 1963
Opening
Ceremonies
Kampala’s proceedings began with a speech
written by Provisional Committee Chair, Sir Francis Ibiam. The
speech was read in his absence (due to illness) by Henry
Makulu. Sir Ibiam’s words entitled From Ibadan to Kampala
chronicled the journey of the past five years, culminating in
the first General Assembly of the AACC. He outlined the work
of the Provisional Committee and called to a close the initial
planning stage of AACC development. After Sir Ibiam’s speech,
Provisional Committee General Secretary Dr. Donald M’Timkulu
read the procedure to formally open the assembly. There was a
role call of the present delegates, and the historic vote of
assembly approval followed. As AACC historian Efiong Utuk
writes,
The congregation rose and stood in complete
silence while the tellers reported to the chair the decision
that AACC was a reality. Then came the words from Dr.
M’Timkulu, which will go down in church history, both in
Africa and in the world, as a statement of Christian
co-operation: The All Africa Conference of Churches is hereby
established (p.10).
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