Reps Circular

Dear ALMA Reps and Friends,

ALMA has had a really busy autumn! In Maputo Bishop Carlos Matsinhe, the new Bishop of Lebombo, was consecrated and a month later led his first Diocesan Family Weekend at Maciene; in Lichinga stage one of the Niassa Diocesan Strategic Review took place; Angola had two visitors from the UK – Simon Gordon Clarke from London and MANNA Chair Archdeacon Christopher Cunliffe, and in London we have had two very well attended meetings – one on the WASH Project in Niassa led by Jo and Andy Beale and the other previewing the new ALMA RE with Soul project!

1. Diary Dates

Tuesday 25 November - Wednesday 10 December. Sixteen days of activism against Gender Violence – see Wider Issues

Monday 1 December. World Aids Day

Monday 1 December. Pray and Fast for the Climate monthly day of prayer and fasting

18-20 March 2015. Diocese of Niassa Strategic Planning Review

11 July 2015. MANNA AGM St John’s Waterloo

12 July 2015. ALMA Sunday Service 6pm at St Paul’s Cathedral

(2015 ALMA REPS meeting to follow)

2. News from our Partners

a) Angola

• 
  Revd Mansita Sangi, the Angolan Diocesan Secretary defending his PhD thesis at Strasbourg
  In October Revd Mansita Sangi, Angolan Diocesan Secretary, successfully defended his PhD thesis on ‘The objectives of the Millennium Development Goals: A critical look at their implementation by the Anglican churches of two Southern countries: Angola and DR Congo’ at Strasbourg
• 
  Benguela School - new foundations
  Our Link Officer Revd Maris Domingos has sent photos of the new foundations at Benguela School 2010 Lent Appeal and St John’s Pinner Project). Pease pray for all working on this long awaited school, championed for so many years by Rose Thompson
• Simon Gordon Clarke from St Matthew Bayswayer/St Paul’s Bow Common visited Luanda and particularly the church of Patterson the Missionary. If you are new to ALMA why not read the story of Archibald Patterson. Archdeacon Christopher Cunliffe (Chair of MANNA) also visited Luanda later in October and led workshops on stewardship and advocacy.

b) Lebombo

• What a few months in Lebombo! From Bishop Carlos’ Consecration at the end of September to the Diocesan Family Weekend in Maciene at the end of October, it has been a joy to be able to share so much of this in the wonderful photos and videos taken by Lebombo friends. Revd John Seymour, ALMA Schools Twinning Officer, represented London at the consecration – do read his report (308Kb) and also
  • Join the worship in this lovely film.
  • See photos from the Diocesan family weekend and the Consecration
• Community Development, Umoja (‘Together’ in Swahili) or ABCD (asset based community development) is beautifully shown in this film made by Episcopal Relief and Development: Fostering sustainable livelihoods in Mozambique which features Paulino from the Diocese and talks about a transformative brick making project in Gaza Province.

c) Niassa

• Bishop Mark gathered all clergy and some Niassa friends for the start of Niassa’s strategic review looking backwards, giving thanks for progress and looking to the future.
• Bishop Manuel made pastoral visits to Molumbo and Milange. What has struck him most about his new ministry? The impressive support he has found from all his priests and archdeacons; “a new world of possibilities has opened up”; and “now I am feeling what Bishop Mark felt - this needs so much support, prayer - so many pastoral needs - and Bishop Mark was fortunate to have a chaplain at home!”
• 
  World Toilet Day in Milange
  Jo Beale has been involved in a very energetic celebration of World Toilet Day in Milange on 19 November – do watch the video!

3. London

• We have some new priests in ALMA Twin parishes in London and send a very warm welcome, as well as an invitation to the ALMA Sunday service on 12 July 2015, to:
  • Revd Edmund Cargill-Thompson at St Barnabas Northolt twinned with Chigoma Niassa
  • Revd Chris Newman-Day at St James the Less twinned with Massingir, Lebombo
  • Revd Greville Thomas who will be inducted next week at St Andrew’s Sudbury, twinned with Chiuanga, Niassa
• There is a news story on the five Southall parishes linked with Lichinga celebrating their fundraising success on the Diocesan news site.
• Many congratulations to Revd Mark Poulson, priest at one of these five Southall churches, who has been appointed to serve as the Secretary for Inter Religious Affairs to the Archbishop of Canterbury and National Inter Religious Affairs Adviser for the Church of England
• This autumn we have had two well attended ALMA Meetings. There are reports in our Meetings setion.
• Partners in World Mission Conference

  Helen Doery, John Tasker and I attended this year’s conference on ‘Global Discipleship’. It was a very good conference coming shortly after Archbishop Justin’s speech at Synod. There were some excellent speakers, Ruth Padilla particularly, which we will share with you when the transcripts are online, and also a good opportunity to meet up with the other Companion Links from around the UK and to hear about new initiatives like the Anglican Communion Bible reading initiative which Stephen Lyon spoke about. More on these to follow.

  The Conference also learnt that the Partners in World Mission Panel was to be replaced by the World Mission and Anglican Communion Panel with a representative for the Companion Links from the Canterbury and York provinces joining this panel. I was very privileged to be elected to represent the province of Canterbury for the next five years and am very appreciative for the ALMA Team’s support in this.

• Strategy Group News:
  • Revd Ann Clarridge has stepped down as ALMA Visits officer after many years of service and Ann Peterken will be handing on the Lebombo Twinning support role shortly. They will be hugely missed as together they have years of ALMA experience and great wisdom. Thank you both so much for all you have given and been to ALMA.
  • Please pray for our Angola Projects Officer, Pat Phillips whose father has recently died.

4. Wider Issues

• 16 days of Action against Gender Violence Nov 25-Dec 10

  ‘Gender-based violence is one of the greatest injustices in our world today. Every time an act of violence is committed, the inherent dignity of the women or girl affected is degraded … The Church is already supporting and caring for those affected; it must continue in that work and must condemn the notion that such violence is ever acceptable. The Church must be an advocate for restored relationships of mutual respect and love, modelling the reconciling love shown by Christ to all people.’

  Archbishop Justin Welby, see the Restored web site

  Several helpful resources:
  • A good overview from the Anglican Communion News Service
  • a film ‘Anglican men speak out’ and a leaflet to accompany the film
  • and the Mothers’ Union have produced a pack which includes a poster and a powerpoint presentation
• Climate Change:

  Anglican youth worldwide have been called on to help determine the Anglican Communion’s strategy to protect the environment. Southern Africa primate Archbishop Thabo Makgoba has issued an invitation to young Anglicans and Episcopalians worldwide to use social media to let the eco-bishops know what they think should be in a Communion-wide strategic plan to address global climate change.

  On our facebook page we issued a challenge to young Angolan, Mozambicans and Londoners to respond to this strategic review. This should be possible as Rachel Marsh shared on Green Anglican that there are 500 Portuguese speakers registered: 300 from Mozambique, 153 from Angola and the remainder from Brazil.

  Something we can all do is join with Pray and Fast for the Climate on the first day of each month. The website has resources including worship, reflective prayers and monthly prayer points

  Archbishop Thabo has written a special prayer for Advent Sunday and Pray, fast for climate change:

  Spirit of God, You established the dance of creation;
  bring life out of death
  order out of chaos.
  Call us to radical action
  to care for the web of creation
  to share our resources justly
  and to work for the renewal of our Mother, Earth.
  We light this candle as we commit to fast
  And pray for climate change.