Meeting Report
[Source: Helen Doery]
July 14th was a glorious day when we gathered to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of ALMA, with Bishop André Soares, the Bishop of Angola.
In the afternoon the ALMA Reps met at St Vedast Church Hall in the city, close to St Paul’s Cathedral, for afternoon tea. The venue had been carefully chosen so that we could meet Bishop André, our guest Bishop this year and mingle with ease in its beautifully shady courtyard. There was a good turnout, plenty of time to relax over conversation and refreshments and final rehearsals of the two Taizé chants in Portuguese that contained the words ‘Alma’, so that we could all sing them boldly during the service – the singing even drew applause from nearby residences! It was also good to hear a brief word from Bishop André before moving over to the Cathedral for the actual ALMA service.
Everyone participated heartily in the 6pm Eucharistic Service and thanks to the amazing efforts of the choirs/groups from St Paul’s Old Ford, St John’s Greenhill and St Paul’s Ealing we were able to sing the two Taizé chants in Portuguese with confidence, one during the intercessions and the other during the Communion. It was wonderful to have so many people helping to lead the service.
Sheenagh Burrell, ALMA Co-ordinator, read the first lesson, a piece about the different areas of work in which our partner dioceses are engaged, and Archdeacon Rachel Treweek, Vice Chair of ALMA, read the Gospel, the Luke passage about the Good Samaritan, and Bishop André preached. Bishop Michael Colclough, Chair of ALMA, was President of the service. A real highlight was the children from St Stephen’s Canonbury leading us all in the Angolan Creed, with actions. It was enjoyed so much that we said it twice.
Three ALMA Reps from different Areas in the Diocese, helped our ALMA Intercessory Chaplain, Beryl Warren, lead us all in the intercessions; members of the ALMA Strategy Group who were Lay Readers assisted in the distribution of the Communion and the ALMA Banner was carried by Michael Collop, ALMA Projects Officer, Mozambique, with the procession of clergy, as were four large cards spelling the word ALMA and placed against the altar for the duration of the service. Just before the conclusion of the service Bishop André was presented with a green stôle, exquisitely made by Ann Flett of St Mary’s Stoke Newington. It showed the outline of St Pauls on one side and a map of Angola on the other, with the letters A L M A in gold, around the neck, at the back when worn (see picture above, and another in a Picture Gallery).
After the service we were able to inspect the beautifully coloured banners displayed at the front, that were made by Blair Peach Primary School in Southall – a wonderful example of St George’s Southall, part of the Southall-Lichinga partnership, extending their link into a multi-faith community. All in all, the whole afternoon was a great celebration of the partnership between our four dioceses- Angola, Lebombo, London and Niassa.