By Staff reporter WINDHOEK Pastors and leaders of various church denominations meet on Saturday to evaluate and measure the extent of the contribution of the church towards Namibia’s socio-economic development. They will also discuss ways in which the church can contribute for the country to achieve the goals of its roadmap – Vision 2030. The conference, to be held at a local hotel in Windhoek, will be hosted by the Association of Charismatic and Pentecostal Churches in Namibia. The church body is the official representative of Charismatic and Pentecostal churches and its function is to collaborate with the government and other church institutions to create conducive, healthy and peaceful religious and social conditions in the country. In a statement yesterday, president of the association Pastor Jan Gaweseb said the church as the Body of Christ had a duty to cater for the spiritual, social and material needs of their members here on Earth. “The association also confirms that in order for the church to execute its divine obligations, responsibilities and calling, it cannot operate in isolation,” Gaweseb said. While the church realised its role in the development of the country, it should collaborate with the government and other role players, he said. Speakers at the conference will talk about the status of the church towards the realisation of Vision 2030, its mission and evangelisation, transforming Namibia through spiritual endeavors, the transformation power of prayer, child evangelisation and moral education, Christianity and the fight against HIV/AIDS, poverty reduction, employment creation and the social challenges facing the youth. Bishop Mananga from Zimbabwe will deliver the keynote address to the conference, which will be opened by Minister of Environment and Tourism, Reverend Willem Konjore. The conference is expected to finalise the strategic action plan of the association, to come up with measures that will enable the church to have a greater impact on the socio-development of the people by establishing income generating activities and also to see that there is peace and reconciliation, among many others. Pastors and Christian leaders who attend the conference will pay N$150.