ALMA Bishop Makes Flying Visit

ALMA Bishop Rob Wickham is making a flying visit to Nampula, Northern Mozambique to celebrate one of ALMA’s two newest companion link Dioceses. He leaves London today (Wednesday) to stand alongside Niassa’s suffragan Bishop Manuel Ernesto for his enthronement as the new Missionary Diocese of Nampula on Saturday, and returns on Sunday 17 March.

This is a return visit to the Diocese of Niassa for Bishop Rob as he was present for the enthronement of Niassa’s Bishop Vicente on 1 April 2017.

Nampula Diocese consists of the two northern provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula, with Niassa Diocese covering the other three northern provinces: Niassa, Zambezia and some of Tete. Church growth and expansion, as well as massive sizes of the Dioceses, (the smallest being 1.5 times the size of the UK) has necessitated the Anglican Church in Mozambique to plan for multiplication. Nampula is the first to come to fruition, with others rapidly following.

The Archbishop of Southern Africa, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, will be officiating at the service on Saturday.

Two other members of London Diocese will also be present: Dinos Kousoulou, a member of the ALMA Strategy Group who has been training in Niassa and Nampula since the end of February, and Revd Joe Moffatt, Vicar of St Mary with St Albans, Teddington (representing MANNA at the celebration) and visiting his link parishes of Pemba and Chuire, in the new Diocese of Nampula.

We pray for Bishop Manuel, Laura and their family at the start of this new adventure and for Bishop Vicente, Anastacia and their family.