Obituary and Condolences on the Death of The Rev. Dr. Jose Belo Chipenda

It is with heavy heart and gratitude to God that I notify the AACC family and friends on the death of The Rev. Dr. Jose Belo Chipenda, the 5th General Secretary of the ACCC that occurred on Wednesday, 10th January 2024 in Sherbrooke, Canada at the gracious age of 95 years. Dr. Chipenda an Angolan Ecumenist born on 9th October 1929. He was married to Eva Joao Miguel De Carvalho and a father to Selma Terese and late Gilbert Jesse. He was ordained into the Ministry of the Word and Sacrament of the Evangelical Congregational Church in year 1956. Since then, the Clergyman dedicated his life to the service of the body of Christ, promoting Christian unity through various ecumenical instruments. 

Dr. Chipenda served the AACC as General Secretary from 1988 - 1997 alongside the Late Archbishop Desmund Tutu as President of the AACC. During his tenure, Dr. Chipenda’s visionary leadership inspired AACC members to significantly increase their contributions to the Conference through initiatives aimed at rescuing the organization from its financial crisis then. It was during his time as General secretary and Archbishop Tutu as President that AACC launched a fundraising campaign “One Member, one Dollar Initiative” that facilitated the completion of the construction of the AACC headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya in 1992.  

Dr. Chipenda was indeed an accomplished African Ecumenist whose legacies are indelible within the ecumenical movement globally and Africa in particular. We convey our deepest condolences to his family and dear friends. During this time of mourning, we hold unto the promise of our Lord Jesus Christ that, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26, NIV).

Rev Dr Fidon Mwombeki 
General Secretary