Reps Circular

Dear ALMA Reps and Friends,

This circular has been held until arrangements were finalised so we could invite you to an additional ALMA event that is making use of time during Bishop Dinis’ very brief visit to London (en route from Sweden) at the beginning of August! You are warmly invited to join us at an

We are very grateful to St Luke’s, twinned with Chimoio, for hosting us.

Bishop Dinis will also be visiting a coffee morning at St Mary the Virgin Harmondworth, Middlesex UB7 0AQ, newly twinned with St Andrew Liguirine, Lebombo, at 10.30 on Saturday 1 August. Do support this if you are local to Harmondsworth.

This mailing contains:

1. Other Diary Dates
2. News from Angola, Lebombo and Niassa
3. London News

1. Other Diary Dates

Saturday 19 September MANNA AGM St John’s Waterloo 12 noon. All welcome.

Monday 19 October ALMA REPS MEETING at Diocesan House 5.45 for light refreshments, meeting from 6-8pm. More details to follow.

2. News from around the ALMA Partnership:

a) Angola

Background information

John has found the following fact sheet, blog and reports very helpful:

• Chatham House Fact sheet on Angola (see last circular for the Mozambique one)
• Global Voices blog
• Angola Peace Monitor: Issue 2/2009 covers several interesting topics:
  • First G8 Summit participation a success for Angola
  • Medvedev brings Russia back to Angola
  • Elections likely to be delayed
  • Human Rights Watch calls for human rights violations to stop
  • FAO praises Angolan President for boosting
  The Angola Peace Monitor is funded by Christian Aid and subscribers to this enews bulletin, which is produced four times each year, are welcome.

The art of war, as seen by John Keane

John Keane, an artist dedicated to exploring conflict in paint, was at the Herbert Art Gallery, Coventry, last week to talk about his paintings of Angola, commissioned by Christian Aid in 2006, which are included in the touring exhibition Children in Conflict. The exhibition is at the Herbert Art Gallery, Coventry, until September 13 (Mon-Sat 10am-5.30pm, Sun 12 noon-5pm; admission free). (Birmingham Post).

These are wonderful paintings and well worth seeing. Luis Samacumbi, who spoke to an ALMA Meeting in December 2007, is featured with his brother.

Beatriz Alexandre

Diana Evans has asked that we pray for Beatriz Alexandre who is a mother figure of the Anglican Church in Angola - the widow of Ven Alexandre Domingos, the first archdeacon of Angola. She is very seriously ill after a stroke she had three months ago. Two of their sons have key roles in the Diocese of Angola: Adao Alexandre is priest of the city centre church of Christ the King and superb worship leader - and Dr Matondo Alexandre is the technical director of Nets for Life Angola which is a key part of the diocesan community development department.

b) Lebombo

Bishop Dinis sent news of the consecration of a new church in Lebombo:

NEW CHURCH BUILT BY A FAMILY

‘Sunday 5 July, the nearest Sunday to St. Thomas’s Day (3 July) was a great day for Munguambe - Chidenguele. St. Thomas’ Church, built by the Munguambe Family to which the Ven. Cristóvão Munguambe belongs was dedicated to the glory of God in memory of João Muchezane Munguambe whose 40th anniversary of his death at that time. He was a traditional leader of much influence and a faithful member of the Church. About 500 people attended the service, from Maputo, Umbeluze, Maciene and Inhambane Archdeaconries. 12 people were baptized and 21 confirmed, the Church was fully furnished with gifts mainly from members of the Munguambe family, from the Altar, vestments, a chalice, candlesticks, pictures for the stations of the cross, to benches and others.

This is the 5th Church built by families, the others being Conjoene, Nhanpequene, Nhamavila (immensely renovated) and Hobo, which is an encouraging sign of maturity. We pray that God will continue raising the minds of other families to do like wise’.

Josephine Mutemba, our Link Officer in Lebombo is recovering from a time of ill health. Please remember Josephine and her family in your prayers.

c) Niassa

Bishop Mark and Helen will be in the UK with some of their family during September although they have various commitments and journeys to make in their time here.

We will try to have an ALMA Meeting / Autumn Party so we can hear from them about Niassa  - the way the church is growing and addressing the issues of growth and the plans for the next few years.

Bishop Mark will be speaking at the MANNA AGM on Saturday 19 September at St John’s Waterloo and all ALMA Reps are warmly welcome at this.

3. News from London

a) Parish activities

ALMA Reps and parishes have been busy, inventive and creative over these summer months!

• The Youth of St Thomas Finsbury Park had a sleep over in church and used the occasion to raise funds for their link parish St Peter and St. Paul, Thlambane, Maputo. The parish is hoping to arrange a visit to Maputo in 2011.
• 
  The Three Peaks team
  
  On Ben Nevis
  Michele Maund youth leader of St Mary the Virgin Littleton and four others undertook the Three Peaks Challenge (climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowden in 24 hours) to raise funds for ALMA and their youth work.
• 
  Jonathan Palmer afloat
  Jonathan Palmer, ALMA Rep at St John Isleworth and Niassa Chaplain celebrated his 40th birthday by floating down the Thames on a large rubber ring to raise funds for his twin parish, Ngofi in Niassa, RNLI and Shooting Star Hospice. There is also a film of the event at http://event1.co.uk/JP/ with footage from Niassa (which USPG helped provide) and Shooting Star Hospice including an interview with the Poulsons, and an interview with Vince Cable MP as well as the extraordinary journey downstream!
• 
  The Mozambique Ambassador and Padre Isaias Andrice
  Many of us had the opportunity to meet Padre Isaias Andrice from Beira visiting his twin Parish in Friern Barnet during June. He also went to the art exhibition mentioned in the last circular and met the Mozambique Ambassador to Britain, His Excellency Mr Antonio Gumende (see photo) and the First Secretary Ms Lucia Cherida. A visit report will be on this website shortly.

b) Talks

In March at the Ecumenical World Development Consultation Dr Cathy Ross spoke on the Theology of Partnership.

Desmond Tutu recently spoke in St Paul’s Cathedral at the Advocates for International Justice Lecture.

c) 2009 Lent Appeal ‘Living Water’

We’re almost there! 93% the way to our £60,000 target -£56,264 raised! Thank you so much to all of you for your work and enthusiasm for this. It’s not too late to contribute either: online at Justgiving or by cheque payable to LDF (Lent Appeal for ALMA) posted to ALMA – address at top of circular.