Visit Report 2019
[Source: Bishop Sarah Mullally, Bishop of London]
“For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.”
Romans 12:4-5
Eamonn and I were very grateful for the generous hospitality of Bishop Carlos Matsinhe, Bishop of Lebombo, and his wife Hortência. The trip was well organised, and my visit has I believe strengthened our link with the Diocese of Lebombo. Bishop Carlos continues to bring vigour and joy to the ALMA partnership and particularly to the churches in London with links to Lebombo parishes.
Whilst we have many differences, we have much in common and the Diocese of Lebombo are very grateful for the link with this Diocese and it would be good to reflect on how we can build on this partnership.
I arrived on 6 August, a day on which Mozambique’s president and the leader of the country’s main opposition group signed a new peace accord, pledging to end years of violence and facilitate elections in the fall.
In signing the Peace and National Reconciliation Agreement, President Filipe Nyusi and Renamo leader Ossufo Momade said they would peacefully participate in Oct 15 elections. Bishop Carlos led the prayers at the end of the event.
The signing of the peace accord gave me an opportunity to meet the British Commissioner. Concerns remain that there are tensions in the North and the authorities are looking to the church for support to encourage every individual to take the opportunity to build peace. This gave a theme which I wove into my many visits and sermons.
The week demonstrated that we share some common challenges not least; encouragement of lay leadership, development of clergy, encouraging young people, creating financially sustainable churches and church planting.
I was very impressed how Bishop Carlos was modelling the involvement of lay leaders, and their Catechists mirror our LLMS. He intentionally uses lay people at every opportunity and is providing training to bring about the culture change with clergy.
We attended the launch of a new ecumenical youth project in Maputo. They, like us, lose young people when they leave Primary school. By involving young people in the development of worship they are finding encouragement. I met some great worship leaders who are working with the young people to form choirs.
The Diocese encourages churches to develop means for their own financial stability and I met several entrepreneurial women who are giving their time to projects for their churches. The Diocese has had support from Sweden for a timber business which at this stage is not generating income.
I met several church plants: they have planted 20 in five years. They start off with a family who have been travelling a long distance who start by meeting in their home. Once established, a priest is then provided and the church builds the building. I was struck that they have learnt, like us, that none of this grows quickly. These plants are Anglo catholic in nature.
Since 2016 women have been able to be ordained and the first ordinations are likely to happen in 2020 in Lebombo Diocese. Bishop Carlos used my visit to underline his support of women as priests and I met with those in training and we specifically used several events as vocational opportunities.
Bishop Carlos modelled shared ministry and took every opportunity to give me a role in sharing ministry including in the ordinations – I am very grateful for this and it reflected an intention I have rarely seen in the Church of England.
They are very grateful for the support of ALMA and many of the visits involved ALMA projects.
My welcome occurred at St Stephen’s and St Lawrence Church in central Maputo. The priest at St Stephen’s & St Lawrence and his wife were in London as part of the Pilgrimage in 2017. There was still much joy as a result of this visit. Because Bishop Carlos ran late at the signing of the peace concordat I presided seamlessly.
Our brief visit to St Marks Matola, twinned with St Dunstan’s East Acton, gave an opportunity to see the new church under construction.
At St John the Evangelist at Infulene it was impressive to see the new church which has been built by the congregation each Sunday after their morning service. Notably the roof was a practical demonstration of how working with ALMA could enhance their work.
Maciene gave an opportunity to see the Diocesan Cathedral, Primary School, Aurelio Manave High School twinned with Twyford School. There have been several visits by Twyford and to Twyford from Maciene and the Head wanted to make sure that Twyford knew how grateful they were for the support that they have been given.
On visiting the preschool at Maciene, it was evident that the building supported by ALMA was in good condition, but I was struck that there no resources for the children.
St. Monica Homoine were very appreciative of their link with St Peter’s Notting Hill but unfortunately the altar linen given had been lost in a fire on Ash Wednesday in the vestry.
Visiting the rural parishes of St Bernard Mizeki at Inharrime, St John the Baptist at Buquene and St John Mark at Mananhelene was an opportunity to see the variety of rural ministry. At St John Mark they had benefited from the ALMA Project of the 2010 Lent Appeal and in contrast to Maciene had made wonderful provision for the 25 children. They still do not have access to water here.
It was both a joy and privilege to join the Holy Eucharist, Ordinations, an ALMA Celebration at St Cyprien’s Chanamculo which was an opportunity to meet the emeritus Bishop Dinis Sengulane.
It was an opportunity to encourage those to be ordained and the people and to speak of peace.
There will always be ways we can support capital projects such as water for St John Mark but looking forward I would like to explore the possibility of extending our mutual support of people by:
+Sarah Bishop of London
(There is also an entry about this visit on Bishop Sarah’s blog, and a Diocese of London news story about the Peace Accord.)