Reps Circular

Dear ALMA Reps and Friends,

This is a brief extra circular to draw your attention to:

1. 2008 Diocese of London Lent Appeal Launch
2. New Role for Bishop Michael
3. Update on Flood situation in Mozambique

1. Lent Appeal launch

Bishop Richard launched the 2008 Lent Appeal ‘Education for All’, to raise funds for a primary school in each of our three link dioceses, at St John's Church Friern Barnet and St John’s CE Primary School twinned with Zove school in Lebombo. This was a very special morning. After Ash Wednesday Mass the children and Bishop Richard processed from church to school with Lent Appeal posters held aloft. The appeal was formally launched in the school hall in front of their amazing collage (see photo in b) and alongside outstanding art work and presentations on life in Mozambique.

1. Read Bishop Richard’s Lent message.
2. Read about the Appeal Launch and see the Launch picture.
3. Read the local Press story (with picture of procession).
4. The Appeal is also mentioned in today's Church Times story on the Carbon Fast Launch.

YOU have a really important role in making this Appeal a success. Do promote it in your church, on notice boards (exterior notice boards and in the church hall too), in the notices and magazine, in the prayers and to organisations holding events on church premises. They may welcome the opportunity to contribute. Remember your workplaces too - colleagues might be happy to donate the Mars bars they are giving up to the Lent Appeal!

Apologies if some of you have had reduced numbers of resources. There has been an unprecedented surge in demand for materials this week. Please be as inventive as you can - a further 2000 leaflets and gift aid envelopes are on order and supplies can be replenished. Posters are still available. Do email me with requests. The leaflet and the gift aid envelope rubric are available to download.

LENT LUNCHES for ALMA every Tuesday 12 February until 18 March at St Mary's Stoke Newington from 12.30 pm until 2.00 pm. Home made soup (vegetarians catered for) lovely bread, followed by cheese and biscuits, are on the menu. Lunch will be served in St. Mary's Church Rooms (side of the church), Stoke Newington. Church Street. Before lunch at 12.00 there will be a 30mins talk given by a senior member of the congregation sharing their life experiences.

2. New Role for Bishop Michael

As he retires from the Kensington Area Bishop Michael remains Chairman of ALMA and becomes a Residentiary Canon at St Paul's Cathedral. Bishop Michael's Farewell Service on 2 February raised over £2000 for Flood Relief in Mozambique.This very special service at Candlemas paid tribute to Bishop Michael's leadership in the Kensington area where he will be greatly missed.

We are all invited to his installation at St Paul’s Cathedral on Sunday 20 April at 3.15pm.

3. Flood Update

Received yesterday from the Joe Hanlon newsletter
WATER LEVELS FALLING
BUT MORE FLOODS COMING

On most rivers, water levels are slowly falling. But heavy rains continue in the north of Mozambique and Zambia and Malawi. The Chire River, which flows south from Malawi and enters the Zambeze downstream of the Cahora Bassa dam, is now at record levels, higher than the floods of 2001. But Cahora Bassa itself has cut its discharges to 3,900 cubic metres per second.

The Kariba dam upstream on the Zambeze will start dumping water on 11 February. The water will take about five days to reach Tete and nine days to reach Marromeu. Further flooding is expected and the INGC (national disasters institute) says it will attempt to move another 40,000 people before that flood hits. About 100,000 people are already in accommodation centres.

At Caia last weekend, flood levels were above those of both 2001 and 2007. At Tete and Marromeu, flooding has been worse than 2007 but not as bad as 2001.

River Zambeze flood levels:

Tete previous flood peaks:
3 March 2001 - 2.96 metres above alert level
10 February 2007 - 1.97 metres above alert level
Tete this year:
11 Jan 2008 - 1.16 metres above alert level
26 Jan 2008 - 0.85 metres below alert
29 Jan 2008 - 2.56 metres above alert
31 Jan 2008 - 2.69 metres above alert
 3 Feb 2008 - 0.20 metres above alert
 6 Feb 2008 - 0.21 metres below alert

Caia previous flood peaks
10 Mar 2001 - 3.14 metres above alert level
16 Feb 2007 - 2.57 metres above alert level
Caia this year
 3 Feb 2008 - 3.40 metres above alert
 6 Feb 2008 - 2.96 metres above alert.

Marromeu previous flood peaks
12 Mar 2001 - 2.93 metres above alert level
18 Feb 2007 - 2.26 metres above alert level
(the top of the dyke is 3.25 metres above alert)
Marromeu this year
 3 Feb 2008 - 2.64 metres above alert
 6 Feb 2008 - 2.80 metres above alert

Discharge from Cahora Bassa dam
 7 Jan 2008 - 5100 cubic metres per second
13 Jan 2008 - 6600 - highest this year
20 Jan 2008 - 3617
28 Jan 2008 - 5945
  6 Feb 2008 - 3862