The Power of Connection
Asian Outreach Alliance, a Faith2Share member organisation, are pioneering an initiative to encourage collaboration between International and Asian Churches. The Church2 Program encourages churches outside Asia to make connections, share resources, support and pray for the mission initiatives of the Asian Church. AOA work with 6145 Asian Churches, many of whom are involved in pioneering mission and seeing unprecedented growth - their website reports that 10,000 people come to Christ in China every day. Visit their website to get involved in this partnership and pray for the Asian Church, that it continues to grow and that God-ordained collaborations can continue to take place.
Empowering Women
WANGO (World Association for Non Governmental Organisations) is seeking to provide support for effective projects which are helping women achieve economic empowerment. Small grants are available to groups working with low costs, seeking to empower women in Africa, Asia, Latin America, or the English-speaking Caribbean. The grants will be specifically for occupational/vocational training programmes and not for general operating expenses. For more information, visit their website at WANGO
Mission roots : Faith2Share returns to Middle East & North Africa
With just two weeks to go before Faith2Share leaders gather for their next Leadership Consultation (5-10 March) final preparations are being made, and speakers briefed, for what will be an important opportunity to focus on the mission contexts of North Africa and the Middle East. The father of all Christian mission, St. Paul, came from Syria and the coast of North Africa (today's Libya, Tunisia and Algeria) was the seed bed for missions to Northern Europe, but today these countries are in transition and present real challenges in mission. Faith2Share leaders from as far away as Brazil, New Zealand, India and Nigeria will gather to address these challenges next month.
Young Anglicans to build peace
Young Anglican peacebuilders from countries damaged by conflict are to get a chance to take part in a unique workshop organised by the Anglican Alliance in July. The programme will give young Anglicans from Africa, Asia and Latin America a chance to look at ways to prevent conflict and build the role of women in peace-building initiatives. Focussing on the role of conflict as a barrier to development, it will give the young people a chance to share best practice and experiences across the Anglican Communion. The Peacebuilders’ Exchange: Transforming conflict, Changing Lives will be a ten day programme designed to develop the peacebuilding skills of young Anglican leaders. It will explore the challenge of conflict as a barrier to successful pro-poor development and allow participants to share examples of best practice in conflict transformation across the Anglican Communion.
Castro and the Pope
Speculation is mounting that Pope Benedict’s visit to Cuba in late March may coincide with the admittance of the veteran leader Fidel Castro into the Catholic Church. Whilst this is still unconfirmed and many suspect political motives, the news is further encouragement for Cuba’s Christian community as the nation prepares for the papal visit. The visit, which includes key meetings with political figures and a mass in Havana, will also focus on the Cuban church and on the needs of the poorest in that nation. The head of the Cuban Bishops Conference, Monsignor Jose Felix Perez, said the pontiff had "a special affection toward the people of Cuba for the social conditions in our country". Although 60% of Cubans are registered Catholic, the Church has only recently gained new freedoms. Mission Frontiers report that since the early 90’s, the church has been growing, with Protestant churches “multiplying at an unprecedented pace”.
"Live differently" Syrian Christians told
As the world’s attention focuses on Syria and the embattled city of Homs, Christians around the world are praying for the minority Christian community there and for the work of the church in Syria. Hom’s itself was once a place of great Christian importance under the Byzantines but now Christians are a tolerated minority. During the recent Arab League monitoring visit to Syria, which ended in failure, Muslim and Christian leaders spoke of the importance of people of faith being “united as one hand”. The deputy to the Roman Catholic Patriarch, Bishop Louka el Khoury praised Syria’s tolerant past and asked faith communities to live differently in the violent times the nation is facing.
SAMS Ireland appoint new leader
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Faith2Share member agency SAMS Ireland have appointed Bishop Ken Clarke (left) as their new General Secretary. 'Bishop Fanta' (as Bishop Clarke is often known) is currently Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh in the Anglican Church of Ireland and serves as chair of the council of SAMS Ireland. Fanta grew up in Hollywood, near Belfast and then moved south to Dublin to study Arts at Trinity College. He was ordained in the Church of Ireland in 1972 and ministered in parishes in Magheralin, Dundonald and Dublin as well as in Chile, South America, as a SAMS missionary. When he returned to Ireland as Rector of St. Patrick's Coleraine (also serving the whole diocese of Connor as Archdeacon of Dalriada) he retained his commitment to mission and links with South America. He is married to Helen and they have four daughters. Bishop Fanta is expected to take up his new role later this year.
Solidarity with Nigerian Christians
Speaking at the Church of England General Synod in London last week, Dr Rowan Williams (left), Archbishop of Canterbury, warned that Nigeria is under threat of "disintegration" at the hands of the extremist Islamist group Boko Haram. He further urged the British Government to do everything possible to support those in the west African state seeking to protect religious minorities of all faiths. The archbishop was taking part in a debate expressing solidarity and concern for the Church in Nigeria following a visit to Nigerian church leaders by the newly inaugurated Bishop of Durham, Rt Rev Justin Welby. Tensions continue to run high in Nigeria after dreadful attacks by Boko Haram on an Army HQ in the city of Kaduna.
South Sudan faces food shortage
Church leaders in South Sudan have called for international support as the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) scales up food assistance to reach 80,000 people affected by the recent escalation of inter-communal violence in Jonglei State, in the east of the country. In the nation as a whole 4.7 million people fsace food insecurity. “The violence in Jonglei is only one of the many challenges that South Sudan is currently facing, and the world must respond to ensure that the people of this new nation have the support they need to build a peaceful and prosperous country,” said WFP Deputy Executive Director, Ramiro Lopes da Silva, on a visit to the region. WFP is seeking donor support to cover the current shortfall of US$160 million in its programme for South Sudan.
African Leaders Appeal for Peace
African leaders from across the continent have made an appeal to Muslim leaders to join them in standing against the “tragic violence that is destroying our communities”. Concluding the three day Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA), which met in Burundi, it’s leaders issued a joint statement noting “with much sadness the increasing deterioration between Muslim and Christian communities in different parts of the world.” Highlighting conflict in Sudan, South Sudan, Egypt and Nigeria particularly, the statement recognised that although many potential causes might exist, the desire for peace and resolution remained the same. Signing the statement, outgoing Chairman, Archbishop Ian Earnest, called for a joining of hands “against religious extremism and respectful of religious and cultural differences.”