Approximately 500 delegates came together for the much-anticipated Pastors and Leaders Conference (PALCON) for the Eastern Hub of the Africa Region. The PALCON was held 1-4 August at the Clarence Matheny Leadership Training Institute in Nairobi, Kenya.

The Eastern Hub represents the Africa East Field and Africa Central Field. This event brought together representatives from over 30 countries, including Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe, and several others.

The conference theme, "Growth in Relevance and Interdependence," addressed the need for growth and relevance in leadership during a transformative period. Leaders believe the church is in a pivotal time of transition and change, thus, the church must "enlarge its tent" to continue being relevant and interdependent. The Church of the Nazarene in Africa strives to continue making Christlike disciples and bringing peace, healing, and restoration into the nations of Africa. The conference’s program, including 27 workshops and five plenary sessions, gave attendees the opportunity to dive deep into various aspects of leadership, missions, and evangelism.

Conference highlights included the engaging plenary sessions led by speakers such as General Superintendent Gustavo Crocker, who covered making Christlike disciples, holiness, and leadership. Other speakers included Africa Regional Director Daniel Gomis, Solomon Ndlovu, Gift Mtukwa, Fredrick Amolo, and Stanley Ushe. Each session reinforced the importance of intentional leadership and equipping local and district leaders involved in education, leadership, missions, and evangelism to uphold the mission of the Church of the Nazarene.

The workshops covered a diverse range of topics related to the local church ministries — Nazarene Youth International, Nazarene Missions International, and Nazarene Discipleship International — all aimed at enhancing the skills and knowledge of participants.

The conference emphasized the importance of being authentic and loving one another in a spirit of unity, encapsulated in the phrase "Tuko Pamoja," which is Swahili for "We are together." This phrase lies at the heart of the regional strategy, which was shared by Gomis. The conference's final day concluded with an ordination service led by Crocker, where ministers from across the Eastern Hub were ordained. The special service marked a moment of spiritual renewal and commitment.

The conference left participants inspired and ready to return to their homes with renewed energy and a more profound commitment to making Christlike disciples. Their shared experiences and learning will undoubtedly have a ripple effect across Africa, helping the Church of the Nazarene grow in relevance and interdependence.