by Charmain Carrol

Durban, KZN. South Africa

1^st sermon of the year with Pastor Zenzi Zungu

“God does not judge people based on their sexuality but by their work and what they do”
– Pastor Z. Zungu of VMCI, Durban. South Africa.

Pastor Zenzi Zungu is a lesbian pastor in Durban who has her own church and is married to a beautiful and intelligent wife Magatsheni.  MaGesh as known by most of members of the church, is quite and highly respected. With good dress sense, regarded as the First Lady of the VMCI.

Pastor Z. Zungu blessing the union of Pinky & Qondi Zulu in December 2012
Photo by Lerato Maduna

Pinky & Qondi Zulu’s wedding
Photo by Lerato Maduna

The church has a majority of LGBTI followers and others. I first met Pastor Zungu in December 2012, Seaview when he married a lesbian couple Qondi and Pinky Zulu. That’s when I got interested in finding out more about the church and the pastor herself.

Like any other given church day in a township in South Africa, the service at the VMCI is fully packed with followers and oozing with faith, spirituality and happiness. The only difference is that at this particular church diversity & gender within gender identities are well pronounced. Most churches have positions and this church is not an exception, there is a pastor, the elders, intsika, Idwala and the praise and worship team (choir). In simple words, Intsika is the butch or masculine members who have been chosen by the pastor and fellow church members.

Idwala is the female identifying or feminine members of the church regardless sex at birth. The praise and worship team is a mix of all ages and gender expression/identities.

When ubaba Pastor Zungu came to the pulpit said “I love this church, my life revolves around this church. Zungu expressed how the church as the house of God should be or become in 2013.
Zungu continued to thank God that we all made it to 2013. As we all fighting battles in our lives, ranging from the battle of backsliding, the battle of relationships, as the holidays are the crucial time when our relationships have problems. For me that showed that Zungu is a force to be reckoned with. Firstly, Zungu stressed that gossip within the church will not be accepted and that the offerings are not for profit as she herself is a teacher by profession. “Me being a priest is a calling and I have been to heterosexual churches but felt the need for LGBTI community to have their own place of worship”. Pastor also mentioned a strong need to close all bachelor parties (as part of the church) hence people drink and do things that will put a bad name to the church.

Zungu began by preaching and the congregants were moved and one could feel the energy and see that the members were being touched by the spiritual words of their leader. Some were going into trances…

I personally would go again to the church.

Check more on VMCI services and work on:
http://www.vmci.org.za