Bishop Nathan Muhutu of the Anglican Church of Rwanda’s Cyangugu Diocese, left, shakes hands with the Rev. Jim Sallie at Redeemer Anglican Church in Parkersburg Sunday. (Photo provided by Becci Sallie)

PARKERSBURG — As a pastor of a local church at one point overseen by the Anglican Church of Rwanda, the Rev. Jim Sallie has made multiple trips to the African nation.

The last few days, the roles were reversed, as he welcomed Bishop Nathan Muhutu of the Anglican Church of Rwanda’s Cyangugu Diocese to Parkersburg.

“I am a Rwandan clergy sent on mission back to my hometown of Parkersburg,” said Sallie, who was ordained in 2012 and returned to the area from Blacksburg, Virginia, to plant what eventually became Redeemer Anglican Church at 2210 Fairview Ave.

The Anglican church in Rwanda stepped in when American congregations left the Episcopal Church in 2000 due to disagreement over issues including the blessing of same-sex marriage and the ordination of openly gay clergy members. Although the local church is now part of the Diocese of Christ Our Hope in the Anglican Church of North America – which includes churches from North Carolina to Maine – they remain linked to the church in Rwanda as well.

They had communicated before, but Friday was the first time Sallie and Muhutu met in person. Nevertheless, Muhutu, who was ordained as a bishop on Dec. 1, refers to Sallie as his brother.

Bishop Nathan Muhutu of the Anglican Church of Rwanda’s Cyangugu Diocese, center, serves communion to, from left, Geoff, Holden, Hudson and Leah Harris at Redeemer Anglican Church in Parkersburg Sunday. (Photo provided by Becci Sallie)

“I’m here to visit our friends, our partners in the Lord, in the ministry,” Muhutu said Sunday afternoon at Sallie’s Parkersburg home. “When my predecessor was handing over to me, he handed over even the friends and partners.”

Muhutu is headed today to the Global Anglican Futures Conference in Plano, Texas, with four other bishops and the archbishop of the Rwandan church. Sallie invited him to make a stop in Parkersburg first, and the bishop took him up on the offer.

“He said … come and visit,” Muhutu said. “It means a lot to nurture our relationship. … My brother is a wonderful host.”

During the Sunday morning service at Anglican Redeemer, Muhutu shared a message on the importance of growing together through relationships and connections, which applies to his and Sallie’s churches in different nations and individuals’ relationship with Jesus Christ and scripture, Sallie said.

“He was a blessing to us to preach and celebrate communion,” Sallie said.

The Rev. Jim Sallie, left, of Redeemer Anglican Church and Bishop Nathan Muhutu of the Anglican Church of Rwanda’s Cyangugu Diocese share a laugh Sunday afternoon at Sallie’s home in Parkersburg.(Photo by Evan Bevins)

“And my people get to see me all the time,” he added with a laugh.

Muhutu described the experience as “fantastic” and “lovely.”

“What comes (to mind) first is the love of God … the extravagant love of God,” he said. “We are all God’s people, and our destination is up there with our creator.”

Muhutu said although there are differences between the two cultures, they are all people of God and share the same form of worship.

Sallie said he felt welcomed when he visited the Cyangugu Diocese in Rwanda.

Bishop Nathan Muhutu of the Anglican Church of Rwanda’s Cyangugu Diocese, left, celebrates communion with the Rev. Jim Sallie at Redeemer Anglican Church in Parkersburg Sunday. (Photo provided by Becci Sallie)

“I cannot imagine contexts being more different,” he said.

Many in Rwanda live in severe poverty, moreso than what people think of as poor in Appalachia, Sallie said. He was struck by “how little people have and then how happy and content they appear to be.”

Rwanda is about half the size of West Virginia but has a population of about 13 million, compared to West Virginia’s just under 1.8 million, Sallie said. But there are similarities, including the hilly countryside and the fact that the rural diocese there is sometimes looked down upon by other parts of the nation, something West Virginia has experienced as well.

Sallie said he planned to show his guest some of the scenic sites of the area Sunday afternoon and evening, including the view from Fort Boreman Hill.

Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.