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CHURCH & WORLD
MOZAMBIQUE
2005 Books for Ricatla Seminary
Fundraising:
Picture cards
Munchies
Eight visitors from the Presbyterian Church of Mozambique arrived as guests of our Synod at Newcastle Airport on Tuesday June 15th 2004 for a two week stay in the North East.
Among those there to greet them were Synod Moderator Peter Poulter and minister-in-training Jan Maxwell, who together undertook an initial fact-finding visit to Mozambique in January. Once outside the terminus building, they led the singing of an African Alleluia that they had learned on that trip!
The party were first taken to Minsteracres, to meet ministers from the Synod who were gathering for the annual Minister's Summer School. After lunch they went on to their hosts for a rest after the night-long flight, and then were taken to an evening reception at the Synod Office.
"Wednesday began with a visit to Traidcraft which was of great interest to all parties and, following some searching questioning from the visitors, there is hope for some good development prospects on
Traidcraft principles, even if it is with another organisation. We then spent the afternoon at the Discovery Museum which was much enjoyed and after a short break with hosts our friends were invited to a "Churches Together in Fenham" meeting. This was to give a brief introduction to ecumenism but, again, the highlight was the Mozambique contribution of music and their stated approach to church growth and decline. The visitors' way of tackling potential church decline among family aged people while the church is, in fact, growing looks like being a major and valuable issue during the visit."
The next day the visitors moved to Teesside, where a busy programme included a visit to Corus with industrial chaplains.
"Church Worker Nick Green talked to our visitors about the problems of an apparently prosperous area. As the largest private new housing development in Europe, its population has grown quickly and is rapidly approaching 20,000. It is an area with few community amenities or facilities. There are problems of isolation as new social networks are slow to develop, and of isolation particularly of older people and young families. Nick described how the Ingleby-Net project is seeking to engage with the social issues, and to be an evangelistic and pastoral resource. The visitors were particularly interested in this as a new way of being church. working in networks rather than buildings."
On the Saturday evening visitors and hosts and others all came together for a meal in a Caribbean restaurant in Darlington. Then on Sunday visitors shared in various ways in worship in their hosts' churches.
The second week of the visit iwas spent mainly in Northumberland, with the final days back in Newcastle. The visitors were introduced to developing church life in the South East of the country, where the Methodist and United Reformed Churches are joining together to form a United Area this autumn. Further north, they travelled as far as Berwick, and visited the St Cuthbert's Centre and other work on Holy Island.
"Back to school for our intrepid band of travellers - Belford Middle School, to be precise. Thursday morning first with the head teacher , Mrs Heather Westcott, and then with Year 7, who were able to discuss their Africa Project earlier this academic year and learn a little more of African culture direct from our international visitors. Late morning, in the pouring rain, we headed for life down on the farm: Lee Moor farm, Rennington, talking with United Reformed Church member Ian Brown about farming in the UK and rural issues in general. After lunch at the farm, it was back to Belford, and opportunity for us to talk together about research into Rural Mission, and rural ministry in general."
Returning to the Newdcastle area, Friday's programme included a visit to the West End Refugee Service and an introduction to the work being done there among refugees and asylum seekers. Time was allowed for shopping later in the day, and the in the evening our visitors and their hosts gathered for a meal at Yvonne and Peter Poulter's home, where the evening again ended in lively singing that put the English to shame.Saturday's programme began with a visit to West Denton and a sharing in the Pilots Road Show, and then took in a garden party that rain drove out of the garden and into the church at West End. After that there was time for relaxation with hosts that extended over Sunday, and opportunity to worship with them in their own churches.
Monday began with a tour of St James's in Newcastle, and an introduction to the hopes and dreams that are bound up in the develping James Project. A visit to Sunderland and the Church Related Community Work Project at Grindon followed. And then to the final day... Time for more shopping!, a bit of debriefing, and a metro ride to the airport for the long flight home.
Click on the thumbnail for a larger photo
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Welcomes and singing at Newcastle Airport.... |
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...then to Minsteracres.... and a welcome at Synod Office |
at Traidcraft |
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Above (L) Visiting Stockton URC: elder Jake Dale describing the work that is done to befriend and support Asylum seekers. Jake particularly talked about how music is way of making connection between people of many different nationalities, languages and cultures. Our visitors sang us the Mozambique national Anthem to help make the point! (centre) At the home of Nick & Andrea Green (Nick can just be seen beside the moderator): (R) Also at Ingleby Barwick: In the foreground is Debbie. Proprietor and Editor of the community magazine Ingleby Insider. Debbie met Nick when he was looking for publicity for the project. As a result of that contact and friendship that developed, Debbie was able to tell the group that she had come to faith in Christ. |
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Saturday evening at Occhis.... |
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....then Sunday morning at church and with hosts |
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Last full day of the visit:at Synod Office, a gift of communion plate..... |
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and then next door to learn about the James Project in St James's Church |
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Revd Amos Zitha, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Mozambique, and his wife Rosa Chongo
Mrs Naume Valoi
Mrs Argentina Langa
Revd Fernando Conwana
Revd Lazaro Chivite
Inacio Zandamela
Armando Chihale