Some of the causes that St. James supports can simply be unknown acronyms
if you are not directly involved. Here are three of the mission organisations
that we support, which have each had visibility in St. James this year.
Do take a look at the OUR GIVING display in church for news of all our
giving.
ALMA (Angola London Mozambique Association)
ALMA is the partnership between the Diocese of London and the church
in Angola and Mozambique. Its fifth anniversary was in mid-July.
• London's Lent Appeal 2003 raised over £1 10,000 to supportHIV/AIDS
projects in our link dioceses. This will encourage and empower the
church in Angola and Mozambique to confront a massive task.
• On 14th September Andre Soares will be consecrated as Bishop
in Angola and Mark Van Koevering as Bishop in Niassa, Mozambique.
Both are excellent choices and our own Bishop Michael will be attending
the joint service. The appointments will greatly help with mobilisation
of the Lent Appeal funds.
• Mark van Koevering gave an excellent talk to London Diocesan
Synod in early July. He explained that the people in Niassa (the northern
and poorer part of Mozambique) experience isolation and low expectation.
Distances are huge and the number of priests small; but the church
is growing - led by laity, many of whom are women. One of Mark's first
priorities is to be able to pay priests a decent stipend, so they
can be priests full time and not forced to take other work. He hopes
to achieve this by asking priests here in London to give so much a
month - a wonderful way to raise funds and to build shared ownership
of London's link dioceses. Another priority is to build more rural
churches. In Niassa, a church is very much a meeting place and teaching
centre, as well as a place of worship. It benefits the entire neighbouring
community.
So this is a time of great hope for the church in Angola and Mozambique.
Joanna Udal- our Church Mission
Society (CMS) link partner in Sudan
Joanna Udal has been in Khartoum for two years as assistant to the
Archbishop of Sudan, Joseph Marona. She came to the family service
in early July and showed how the church is a global people. We are
all companions on a journey of following Christ, with much to learn
from one another. Joanna returns to Sudan this month.
USPG (United Society for the Propagation
of the Gospel)
On 7th September, a speaker from USPG is with us to talk about the
work of the society, which celebrated its tercentenary in 2001. It
is through USPG that we support St. Luke's Hospital in Milo, Tanzania.
An excerpt from St. Luke's latest newsletter was included in last
month's Spire.
Source: Ann Peterken, The Spire
Magazine - 2003 September
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