200 secondary school students from around Wakiso town joined the Joy Centre on February 26, 2012 for the first All-Schools Service of the New Year.

It was a glorious celebration of the goodness of God, filled with song, dance and, of course, the latest gospel hits played by our favorite Christian disc jockey, DJ Twonjex.

Students of St. John SSS at the All-Schools Service

As the years have gone by, the schools participating in the service have taken up greater roles in ministry. Songs of worship were led by the choir from St. Michael International School and many students expressed interest in playing integral roles in the service next year. We praise God that many young hearts yearn to serve Him in great ways.

Perhaps the best example of this service came from Becky, a regular participant in the Joy Centre teen camps, who has attended the All-Schools Service in the past. (more…)

By Benoni Mugarura-Mutana

Have you received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord?

If you have, he has set you free through his victory over sin and death on the cross. Your destiny is eternal and your security is in Christ.

If you are not experiencing freedom, it may be because you have not stood firm in the faith or have not actively taken your place in Christ. Your daily victory as one chosen by God is at stake if you fail to claim and maintain your position in Jesus.

Here are some verses from the Bible to remind you of who you are in Christ.

• You are a child of God (John 1:12)
• You are a friend of Christ (John 15:15)
• You are not at war with God, but at peace (Romans 5:1)
• You are called to be separate and holy (2Corinthians 6:17)
• You are adopted into God’s family through Christ (Ephesians 1:5)
• You are forgiven (Colossians 1:14)
• You have been given fullness in Christ (Colossians 2:10)

As a true believer in Christ, you are not a helpless victim. You are not merely caught between the spiritual forces with no way out. (more…)

By Benoni Mugarura-Mutana

In his tale of the life of Jesus, Marks relates a very interesting episode. It is a battle of spirit and intellect, with a strong, but simple lesson for the church today.

Mark 9:14-27: Jesus, Peter, James and John went up the mountain, leaving the rest of the disciples to wait for him downhill. What the rest of the group did there is unknown as Mark is silent about it. However we know that as they waited for Jesus to return, a man approached the disciples with his son in tow. The man desperately sought help from them for the healing of son who had been tormented with an evil spirit from childhood.

We can only imagine the disciples quandary. Mark tells us that when Jesus returned from the mountain, he found his disciples engaged in a serious argument with the teachers of the law. On seeing Jesus, they rushed to greet him.

“What are you arguing with them about?” Jesus asked.

No one dared answer except the troubled man. His answer reveals a lot of the confusion that occurred in Jesus’ absence.

Teacher, I brought you my son who is possessed with a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it thrown him on the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.

Essentially, the disciples had failed to perform. It is apparent that they tried to, but couldn’t meet this man’s need.

Sounds much like today’s church, doesn’t it? (more…)

Being a parent is hard. It is a blessing and a joy, but boy, it is hard.

Oh, and we won’t get started on those teens …

Ben and Joyie Mugarura-Mutana know what that means. After raising five teens of their own, they have a heart for the struggles of parents and would love to share their experience and lessons in the first-ever Joy Center Parenting Teens Conference. They have engaged a rich list of counselors and friends to facilitate the conference and bring out the best parent in you.

Program, dates and speakers to be announced very soon!

For any questions, contact the Joy Centre at joycentre@gmail.com or call =256-772469932.

The Joy Centre facilities are now open and available for overland travelers or campers at very reasonable rates.

The Centre is a five-minute walk from Wakiso town. Ben and Joyie have created a warm and friendly environment, fully equipped with outdoor cooking space and clean bathroom facilities. You can pitch your own tent or use the available rent-a-tent service.

The next time you are considering a budget-friendly trip west of Kampala, contact the Joy Centre.

Call +256-772-469932 for rates and booking.

This Sunday February26th, secondary school students from around Wakiso will meet at the Joy Centre for the All-Schools Service.

The All-Schools Service occurs once ever term, bringing together about 500 teens aged between 13 and 19 for a morning of rousing praise, prayer and fellowship. It is a unique ministry of the Joy Centre to reach out to schools in our town that do not have regular pastoral guidance or those that yearn for an opportunity to have fresh life breathed into their fellowships.

In the past, God has used the All-Schools Service to bring teens to a personal knowledge of him. Doors have been opened for young people to explore their spiritual gifts in a safe environment at the Centre; and for others, it is just a grand time of prayer in a place where they can be loved and accepted.

Previous reports on the service are available on this site here, here and here.

The Joy Centre is grateful for this opportunity to feed the Word of God into the lives of secondary school students in Wakiso. It is part of our wider calling to develop leaders with integrity who will champion the cause of justice, mercy and grace in Uganda’s future.

The Joy Centre welcomes its partners to attend an All-Schools Service to see the marvelous things God is doing through this ministry.

Greetings from the Joy Centre in Mpunga, Wakiso!

Exciting things have been happening at the Joy Center of the past year. In coming days we will update the site with a new events calender, more news, more information and more ways you can continue to partner with the work God is doing here.

Please come back for a visit later today or in the days and months to come.

Bless you!