Reps Circular

Dear ALMA Reps and Friends,

Throne of Weapons scupture, from the British Museum

Tomorrow at 09.45 am we shall be united as the ALMA Community tunes its radios to Radio 4 for the final week of History of the World in 100 Objects. This week’s theme is ‘The World of Our Making (1914 - 2010 AD)’ and, as you already know, the 98th Object is The Throne of Weapons from Mozambique. This will, like all the programmes in the series, be available online too. 

I would also ask you all to hold two families in prayer:

• Firstly the family of ALMA Rep Frances Squire from St Mary’s Hampton whose husband, the Revd Clenyg Squire, died on Sunday morning 3 October  after a long illness and whose funeral was yesterday; and
• Secondly the family of Mrs Matondo dos Santos Almeida whose husband, the Revd. Manuel de Almeida, a permanent Deacon, died in a road accident between Luanda and Uige when a bus with 56 people on board crashed killing 23 of them.

  May these two Priests and the other victims of the bus crash rest in peace and rise in glory.

This circular contains:

1. Diary Dates
2. News from our Partners
   1. Angola
   2. Mozambique
      1. Lebombo
      2. Niassa
3. News from London

1. Diary Dates

A date has been fixed for our next: 

Monday 22 November 6 - 8.30 pm. ALMA REPS MEETING  in the Main Hall at London Diocesan House.  All ALMA Reps and ALMA Friends are welcome and we will have space if you would like to bring others from your parish with you.

This meeting will have a Mozambican flavour and everyone who has been to Mozambique this year is invited to contribute. Please do get in touch to arrange this!  Offers to help with refreshments would also be welcome.

Sunday 24 October SB preaching at St Paul’s Old Ford and sharing visit to their Link Parish in Lichinga

Sunday 31 October SB preaching at St John’s Greenhill, Harrow and sharing visit to their link parish - St Barnabas Bagamoyo Maputo.

Monday 1 - Wednesday 3 November John Tasker, Ann Peterken and I will be attending the ‘Partners in World Mission’ conference on the theme of Partnership. ‘It will look afresh at Partnership - sharpening the issues and speaking honestly with each other.  One part of the question is about our relationships with the rest of the World Church: we often talk about being in partnership, but what does that really mean and what does it feel like to be on the other side?   The other part of the question is about relationships here at home: when it comes to resourcing and finances, in what sense are the Mission Agencies and Companion Link "in partnership"? Bishop Chad Gandiya, Bishop of Harare, will give the key note address, and Bishop Mike Hill will also give an address.  There will be workshops focussing on some of the practical issues of partnership and opportunities for networking with those working in similar parts of the world’.

8-19 November Sheenagh is on Jury Service and will not be at the ALMA desk on Tuesdays (but hopes to be able to respond to ALMA emails remotely).

Sunday 5 December SB preaching at St Paul’s Bow Common and sharing visit to their new link parish – Santa Monica Mahalzine, Maputo.

2. News from our Partners

Bishops André, Dinis and Mark attended ‘The Anglican Church of Southern Africa (ACSA) twice-yearly meeting of the Synod of Bishops from 27 to 29 September, at the Kopanong Conference Centre, Benoni, East Rand, and the meeting of ACSA's Provincial Synod, the decision-making body of the Church, which is held once every three years with Bishops, clergy and lay representatives from all 28 Dioceses. The Provincial Synod commenced on the afternoon of 29 September, with an opening Eucharist. During this the Archbishop of Cape Town, the Most Revd Dr Thabo Makgoba delivered his Charge, the address in which he summarises the life of the Church and the challenges before it. The Synod continued until lunchtime on 2 October.

The main focus of the two meetings was the presentation and development of a 'Vision and Mission Statement' for the Church.

a) Angola

• Bishop André really enjoyed his visit to London in September and writes

  ‘Many thanks for your warm reception you have given me during my stay in London. I have had a good flight in returning home. My family is ok as well as the diocese. I am very grateful for all you did for me and the support you have done to my people of Angola. As our journey is still long I am very confidence about your continuous help. Please keep us in prayers’

• Christian Aid sends information on the latest report “The State of Food Insecurity in the World”, by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

  Angola, the biggest oil exporter in Sub-Saharan Africa, is among the 22 countries in protracted crisis of hunger, “characterized by recurrent natural disasters and/or conflict, longevity of food crises, breakdown of livelihoods and insufficient institutional capacity to react to the crises”. According to the report, 41% of its population of 17.1 million people are undernourished.

  Other countries mentioned as food insecure are Afghanistan, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Haiti, Iraq, Kenya, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

b) Mozambique

Two papers of interest:

• an Economist Article from September on the Angry Poor
• a new paper from Chatham House:  Mozambique: Balancing Development, Politics and Security which is also available to download in Portuguese. The paper looks at:
  • The nature, dynamics and causes of conflict in Mozambique, including its structural and institutional features;
  • The nature of the political settlement, the way in which it is adapting and its current and likely future impact on poverty reduction in Mozambique;
  • The influence of continental, regional and international factors including drug-trafficking and illegal cross-border trade, terrorism and fundamentalism;
  • The principal challenges that threaten peace and security in Mozambique, and may undermine the main principles of the constitution and the commitment of the government to multiparty democracy, human rights and the rule of law;
  • The current and potential impact of conflict and other threats to peace and security on poverty reduction and achievement of PARPA goals, including on aid modalities;
  • The role of external forces, including donor aid modalities, on the factors that influence peace and security in Mozambique; and
  • Approaches to conflict prevention, management and resolution, including how the international donor community in Mozambique may best address conflict in planning for development programmes in democratic governance and other areas.

b1) Lebombo

• Our Link Officer, Josephine Mutemba has sent news of the Lebombo Mother’s Union Conference 22-26 September when 585 MU members and clergy Chaplains gathered to study Psalm 1, Ezekiel  47:12, Revelation 22:2, whose motivation is to bring about reconciliation in families. There were sessions on:
  • the food strikes - allowing participants to voice their experiences
  • health issues including breast  and uterine cancer, menopause, thrombosis and heart disease - all very important for rural women with limited access to medical facilities
  • the marriage sacrament
  • ALMA and the family as the factory of peace.

  Mrs Leonor Zacarias was re-nominated to the second term of the MU mandate, as the President.

• Elizabeth Sikoya, who visited London in October 2008, has been in touch with St Luke’s Chelsea and has some good news from her church (between Chimoio and Tete):

  ‘Here everyone of my congregation is on his toes to try and keep the word of God rolling in the surrounding community and looking forward for the development of our church building project. We thank God because February 2010 found us people of St Simon of Cyrene receiving a newly ordained priest named Father Joao Rocky Carlos who was a fruit of our hands since he was a student there during his practicals, became a deacon and finally ordained priest there. This helped our congregation have weight’.

  Elizabeth is also a farmer and works with the government on the resettlement of prisoners.

b2) Niassa

• Bishop Mark’s visit to Nacala mentioned in the August Circular had to be postponed as he was at the All Africa Bishops Conference in Uganda – he will instead be going to Nacala at the end of October.
• However, Paulo Chintinguiza sent news and photos of the visit to Todos Santos Nacala Mothers Union by the Malawian Mothers Union from Nkotakota 26-30 August. The Malawi Mothers Union are wearing their blue uniform and the Mozambican MU their black skirts and hats and white blouses.

  Paulo adds ‘Our church is a small church since we invited other local churches to be with on this day of 29 August, it was a big day for our church as were celebrating Acao de Graca. Our prayers took place outside the church and we put a very big tarpaulin as you can see the pictures. People were singing and dancing’.

3.  News from London

• 2010 Lent Appeal  for ALMA’s Children:Total to date: £52,000 not including gift aid
• 2011 Lent Appeal will be entitled: Training God’s People
• Revd Huw Mosford of the Mission to Seafarers will visit both Maputo and Luanda in his visit next month.
• ALMA was mentioned in the House of Lords! Do read the news article "Bishop of London praises faith groups for commitment to fighting poverty" and look at Bishop Richard’s speech in the Lords.