The first Celebration Service to be held in three years, for Rochester Diocese's Companion Overseas links with Mpwapwa and Kondoa in Tanzania, Harare in Zimbabwe, and Estonia, took place on Sunday 14 August, at St Michael’s and All Angels, Wilmington.
A warm welcome was extended to all, including Deputy Lieutenant of Kent, Mr Kelvin Holford DL and his wife Jill; Deputy Presidents of Rochester’s Mothers’ Union; and Julia Jamieson, Worldwide Trustee of Mothers’ Union in Canterbury Province.
The service was led by the Rt Rev Simon Burton-Jones, with the Rt Rev Dr Given Gaula, Bishop of Kondoa in Tanzania, who preached a challenging sermon about speaking out and receiving the Gospel despite the personal costs.
Kondoa has recently consecrated its new Cathedral, with Bishop Given celebrating 10 years of episcopal ministry in Kondoa, and he shared how his evangelistic Diocese has grown during that time.
The service was a joyful occasion, celebrating the depth and breadth of the various links across our Companion Dioceses, and the blessing to so many of the Poverty and Hope Appeal, which among other projects, is supporting some specific initiatives in a number of our companion diocese this year.
Those attending were also privileged to find out more about the calling, testimony, and ministry of the Rev Lilian Gaula, the wife of Bishop Given, who was one of the first ordained women in Tanzania, and is also President of Kondoa’s Mothers’ Union.
As part of the celebration, a Certificate of Appreciation was presented by Bishop Given to Bishop Simon, in recognition of the prayer and practical support given by the Diocese and the Kondoa Group, that has enabled Kondoa to achieve so much in that time; gifts were also presented to Bishop Given and Rev Lilian.
The whole Diocese is also encouraged to pray for Bishop Jacob Chimeledya and his wife Mwezwa, as they retire from the Diocese of Mpwapwa in Tanzania, and for the Rev Canon George Chiteto, Bishop Elect, as he and his family prepare for his consecration and enthronement as the third Bishop of Mpwapwa at the end of August.
To find out more about our Companion Overseas Links and how your parish could become involved, visit: www.rochester.anglican.org/about-us/overseas-links/