From Sheenagh Burrell, ALMA Co-ordinator
almacoordinator@london.anglican.org T: Tuesdays: 020 7932 1231
Dear ALMA Reps and Friends,
The last month has been a wonderful one for ALMA with several opportunities to meet partners from Mozambique! First of all we welcomed Fr Germano Mandjate from Beira who came to celebrate his link parish’s 100th anniversary (St John’s Friern Barnet); then we had a memorable evening with Rebecca Vander Meulen and Dr Peg Cumberland from Niassa learning about the innovative and transformative community development and community health work in Niassa, and finally Mr Francisco Bila, Head teacher of Maciene School, arrived to visit his link school (Twyford) just in time to join us at the meeting with Rebecca and Peg.
And as this circular goes out our Twinning Officer, John Tasker, is visiting Angola. Our link is blossoming!
Saturday 29 October ACTSA Conference: Climate Change - Listen to Southern Africa 2pm at Amnesty International, The Human Rights Action Centre, 17 - 25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA (nearest tube Old Street). Register by emailing info@actsa.org or calling 020 3263 2001
Saturday 12 November 7.30 pm. Concert of Popular Light Classics by Harrow Apollo Male Choir at Pinner Parish Church. Free admission with retiring collection towards the building of a school in Benguela, Angola (Pinner’s Link Parish).
Wednesday 30 November 5pm St Andrew’s Day Eucharist St Paul’s Cathedral to mark the 50th Anniversary of Bishop Donald Arden’s consecration as a bishop in Malawi on St Andrew’s Day 1961. The Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral has kindly invited Bishop Donald to celebrate the Eucharist in the cathedral.
Bishop Michael Colclough, chair of the ALMA Strategy group, says “Bishop Donald Arden was one of the founding fathers of ALMA. If you are able to join us, please do so. It’s a celebration of a great ministry: both in Africa (where Bishop Donald became Archbishop of Central Africa) and in London where he has served as both an Honorary Assistant Bishop and Parish Priest.
*Provisional Date for next ALMA Reps Meeting n.b.: this is to be confirmed|*
Thursday 26 January 2012 6-8 pm Main Hall LDH. This meeting will give us an opportunity to hear reflections from those who have visited partners in 2011, and also to collect Lent Appeal resources for the final Lent Appeal of London Challenge 2012.
Archbishop Thabo reported
‘The Synod of Bishops is a unique opportunity for Bishops to gather to engage in dialogue to foster the deepening of relationships which sharpen the focus for ministry, recognising the call always before us to energise mission and ministry in our Dioceses and Province. We noted that our understandings of ecclesiology and episcopacy are being appreciated, strengthened and celebrated in all that is happening in Mozambique to extend God’s kingdom, sometimes despite the heat of the day. We applauded the growth of the Province, and considered the possibility of additional Bishops to provide episcopal ministry through new episcopal areas, as a necessary act of faith, despite envisaged financial constraints’.
So exciting times ahead!
Revd Kiaku Eduardo Avelino writes:
‘On September 18, 2011, Bishop André Soares visited the parish of St Augustine Km 9 meeting in Viana Worship Community to celebrate the eighth anniversary of his consecration as Bishop of Angola. It should be remembered that this Anglican prelate was consecrated in South Africa on 14 September 2003 by the Cape Metropolitan Archbishop His Grace Winston Ndjongokulu Ndungane.
Eucharistic worship and confirmation of new members was very lively with beautiful melodies sung by the band King Solomon and the choirs Santa Monica, Lamb of God and Christ Way of Life and chorus of children.... 308 members participated in this service, including 140 children and 114 women and 54 men...On this day Bishop Soares confirmed 10 members (men and women) who received their first communion.
For our link, we kindly ask they accept our apologies for our silence due to difficulties of communication. Henceforth, we will keep this flame alive in order to continue with exchange of information for our mutual growth.
We want to wish all members of the Parish of All Saints Caminda good faith and happy birthday on November 1 this year and we are together in prayer.
Fraternal greetings on behalf of our Lord Jesus Christ
Do read the whole newsletter and the inspiring news of church growth and mutual support on the ALMA website St Barnabas Bagamoyo
Read a report of this celebration which Archbishop Rowan attended and also his sermon ‘God’s healing and mercy are there for All’.
Here is a segment of the sermon:
“What are we saying to the society around?
We are not just saying ‘Join the Church; sign up to membership.’ We are saying, ‘Learn to obey what Christ commands, learn to live the kind of human life Christ makes possible for us by his grace.’ We are urging our nation – whether it is Britain, Australia, Brazil or Malawi – to embrace true freedom, to turn away from all kinds of violence, to honour the free expression of difference and disagreement, to guarantee the welfare of the poorest and most vulnerable, to work tirelessly for reconciliation within the country and in the whole world. Of course we are saying too that we care about these things because we have been given a vision of justice and love by being made members not of a human institution but of the Body of Christ, the fellowship of all who have trusted Jesus and accepted the forgiveness he gives and the promise he makes in his death and resurrection. We want to invite all people to be part of this fellowship so that they can more effectively work with God for the healing of his world. But we also say, ‘Even if you cannot accept all this, can you at least see that slavery, contempt towards others, rivalry, greed and repression will kill a society? Join us in our vision, and perhaps you will find in the process that God speaks more and more clearly to you and invites you more directly to join in worship and thanksgiving.’”
Helen van Koevering reports
‘18 clergy say they’ve been healed of various issues and illnesses; all have been Spirit-filled/renewed; half say they will be going back to their parishes with deeper ministries of prayer, especially for healing their people. Please continue to pray for them’
Mario Muromua, who has been working with Rebecca in Vida, is switching over to working in the Ministry Dept (with Helen Van Koevering) as Diocesan Youth Worker. He has great experience in this area from his years in Kenya, is full of energy and passion, and now has a few years of good experience with Rebecca and planning. Since early September, he has covered the entire diocese speaking to key youth leaders, and aims to have three conferences in November to begin work with 16-25 year olds.
Alongside new priest, Manuel Ernesto (also Diocesan Administrator), there are plans for a pilot work amongst the 4000 +/- church members in Lichinga, focussing on young married families (25-36 year olds), and, within this group, emphasis on parenting and Sunday school work. Manuel and Mario’s wives (Laura and Isabel) will work together in this project.
Source: Integrated Regional Information Networks
NEW YORK, 22 September 2011 (IRIN) - The African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) has launched a scorecard to improve the fight against malaria on the African continent. “This,” said Agnes Bingwaho, Rwanda’s Health Minister, holding up the laminated scorecard, “is something that will help Africa make progress.” Updated quarterly, it provides information from each country on policies formulated, preventative measures initiated, money spent, lives saved and lost. ... Read more
Paul Peterken, our web editor writes
You can search for things on the ALMA web site by using a feature of Google and the other Search Engines: use the normal search page or box, and add the phrase “site:almalink.org”; (without the quotes) after the words you want to search for. For example, to search for all pages on the site which mention Nacala, search for “Nacala site:almalink.org”.
Also, you can search for a word or phrase on the page you are viewing: press CTRL+F and type the word you are searching for into the box that appears.
It will be good to see a large ALMA group on St Andrew’s day to celebrate the 50 years of Bishop Donald’s Episcopal ministry.
Best wishes, Sheenagh.
Sheenagh Burrell
ALMA Co-ordinator
Tel: 020 7932 1231 Tuesdays Diocese of London, London Diocesan House 36, Causton St, London SW1P 4AU.