Council of Bishops
The United Methodist Church
For Immediate Release
September 4, 2020
The funeral for Bishop John Yambasu, the late resident bishop of the Sierra Leone Conference, set for Sunday, September 6, 2020, will be livestreamed on umc.org/bishopyambasu.
Bishop Yambasu died in a road accident on August 16, 2020, on his way to attend a funeral of one of the pastors in the conference.
The Service of Remembrance and Rites of Passage will be held Sunday, September 6, 2020 at King Memorial UMC at 10 a.m. GMT – Sierra Leone Time (6 a.m. Eastern Time in U.S.) Click on this link to watch the livestream of the funeral.
On the night before the funeral, there will be a Prayer Vigil on Saturday, September 5, 2020 which starts at 7 p.m. GMT – Sierra Leone Time (3 p.m. Eastern Time in U.S.). Click on this link to watch the livestream of the Prayer Vigil.
Among the speakers at the funeral will be Bishop Benjamin Boni of Côte d’Ivoire, who will bring greetings as president of the West Africa Central Conference College of Bishops and Bishop John Wesley Yohanna of Nigeria Area. The Council of Bishops President Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey will offer the eulogy via video. There will also be a video tribute on the life and ministry of Bishop Yambasu.
Bishop Yambasu was elected a bishop of The United Methodist Church in 2008 and installed in 2009. He served the Sierra Leone Area until his death. He was also the newly elected Chancellor of Africa University.
Yambasu was instrumental in bringing together a diverse group of representatives from United Methodist advocacy groups with contrasting views, and bishops from around the world, to collaborate on a proposed agreement for the future of The United Methodist Church.
The agreement, the Protocol of Reconciliation & Grace Through Separation, will be considered at the next General Conference of the church, set for 2021.
Bishop Yambasu is survived by his wife, Millicent, and their five children — Rebecca, Adima, John, Emmanuel and Elizabeth.
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Media Contact:
Rev. Dr. Maidstone Mulenga
Director of Communications
Council of Bishops
The United Methodist Church
100 Maryland Ave. NE # 317
Washington , D.C. 20002
(202) 748-5172 (Work)
(585)-455-5683 (Cell)
www.unitedmethodistbishops.org
