ARCHIVE NEWS ITEMS (2006) |
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SYLLABUS INDUCTION AT KAKUMA By Martin Olando (Kakuma) December 2006 The
event may have passed unnoticed and uncelebrated by many. The zone
three Episcopal church of Sudan Kakuma was silent. Pastors and church
leaders had gathered for a very special event that was bound to turn
their lives in the knowledge of scripture and service to God. It was a
day the Good Shepherd Leadership Training Centre was introducing and
orientating them on the one year Advanced Certificate programme. Led by Canon Samuel Majok, the pastors were eager to hear what is in store for them. Many pastors, though eager to serve God, were not well equipped. On hand to help them understand the syllabus, was none other than the programme director Rev John Chol Daau. Prior to taking them through the new syllabus, there was a service to usher in the induction. The speaker exhorted the leaders to be more committed, because they have been set apart for the service of God. Since they have been set apart, they should not be involved in civilian affairs (read things of the world) that may defile them as they seek to serve the Lord. Rev Daau then explained and expounded to them the course outline. He mentioned to them the various majors offered in the syllabus The majors included Church and Ministry Leadership, Community Development, Management and Adminstration, Bible and Theology, Pastoral Care and Counselling, Youth and Children Ministry, Peace, Justice and Reconciliation, and Linguistic, Language and Translation. This, he said, will go along way in helping them to be more equipped to serve God effectively in the ministry. Later the gathered pastors registered for the courses of their interest. In thanking the Good Shepherd team, Canon Samuel Majok, who is the bishop’s Commisar, said Rev Daau was like a bird which went to look for food and share with others. He said Rev Daau was their bird which does return to the camp with food after sourcing for it from elsewhere. GSLTC is a programme envisage to encourage the gift of those called by God and didn’t have a place to go. WAKE-UP CALL TO THE YOUTH By Moses Ochieng’ (Kakuma) August 2006 In
the months of July to August 2006, the Good Shepherd Leadership
Training Centre organised a successful three-day youth conference,
attended by more than 200 enthusiastic youth. The theme of the
conference was 'Building Foundations that Last’. For many of the youth drawn from the Kenya-Sudan border and Kakuma refugee camp, this was a life-transforming experience, manifested by their active participation in the conference. Before the start of the conference, John Daau, the director of the Centre, said "we are hoping that by the end of this conference, the participants will have encountered God in their lives, and will be transformed to go out and change the lives of others". The GSLTC decided to open up the conference, by allowing youth from other dioceses and churches represented in the refugee camp. In consultations with the youth leadership at Kakuma, it was agreed that the main purpose of the conference was to bring spiritual revival, and to deliver a message of hope and assurance to the refugee and displaced young people. The topics covered during the conference were 'Youth Counselling', ‘Biblical References for Youth ministry’, ‘Call to the Ministry’, 'Youth and Responsibility', ‘The Character of a Christian Youth’, ‘Biblical Responses on Contemporary Issues’ and the ‘Role of a Christian Youth in Conflict, Peace and Reconciliation'. The themes were outlined in simple, teachable lessons by the speakers handling different topics. The conference was characterize by sessions of fervent prayers and worship, sharing of testimonies, presentations by choirs and Sunday schools while the main activity was preaching and teaching by the equally enthusiastic speakers. At the end of
the conference, the director had this to say; “We are looking forward
to seeing a tremendous change in the lives of those who attended the
conference". Deborah,
a linguistic expert, together with Samuel, a theology student in
Nairobi, ran the linguistic trainings for one week. GSLTC provides short training and seminars in fields such as Christian Leadership, Development, Management, Communication, Peace, Justice and Reconciliation, Pastoral Care and Counselling and Biblical Studies. The trainings are usually accessible to about 40 or more participants at the refugee and displaced people’s camps particularly at Kakuma and in south Sudan. GSLTC has already carried out several trainings and seminars from 2004, at Kakuma refugee camp, displaced peoples camps and in Bor Southern Sudan. The trainings conducted in 2006 were made possible with the help of Charydale Baptist Church and St. Bartholomew. Besides the over 200 youth who attended the conference, 120 adults attended various trainings and were awarded certificates of completion after the three week period. DEAN VISITS KHARTOUM AFTER 24 YEARS By Nathaniel Bol (Bor)August 2006 The newly appointed Dean of the province of the Episcopal Church of Sudan, Bishop Nathaniel Garang visited Khartoum recently after 24 years. In his address to the people, he asked them to remain united in the body of Christ. "God’s agenda starts in a small way but ultimately grows tremendously," he encouraged the people. He was welcomed cheerfully as the dean of Province of the ECS. Prophetically, he said that God will bless Sudan. He visited the town's Cathedral and prayed at the grave sites of Archbishops Elinana Ngalama and Benjamin Yugusuk, and the four bishops who were buried there. He also asked the lost boys to stand in unity with the rest of the Sudanese people. After his visit to Khartoum, the bishop proceeded to his new provincial office in Juba. While encouraging the residents of Khartoum, the bishop recounted the start of the work of God in south Sudan. He said that the church saw a tremendous growth in Bor diocese between 1987 and 1991. In 1987 while in a leader's prayer meeting in Panyagoor, the Holy Spirit baptized Christians who were gathered in one place, reminiscent of the biblical Pentecost. He thanked God because of the spiritual revival that has been sweeping through the Anglican Church between 1987 to date. NSC BOOSTS COMMUNICATION AMONG EPISCOPALIANS By Elijah Chol Yak (Kakuma) July 15, 2006 The
Sudanese Christian community has suffered for a long time from
alienation of the printed media as a means of preaching the word of
God. This had been partly done delibrately by the Sudanese authorities
in Sudan and probably because there has never been any Christian
organization that came up to promote it. AUSTRALIAN CHURCH PLEDGES TO HELP SUDANESE CHURCH By James Magok Chilim (NSC) Nairobi July 10, 2006 The Anglican Church of Australia has pledged to help the Sudanese people in their efforts to rebuild their country. The pledge was made by the visiting Archbishop of the Australian church while visiting Sudanese refugee residents in Kenya . Over 200 Sudanese refugees in Nairobi gathered in St. Luke Anglican Church on 5th July to welcome the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Australia and diocesan bishop of Adelaide diocese, His Grace Joffery Driver William. “I have come to built partnership between the church in Australia and the church in Sudan ”. He said that the church in Australia will help the church in Sudan by funding development projects, rehabilitation and resettlement of refugees, and any other community-based projects recommended by the church. The Australian church has been supporting the church in Sudan through the New Sudan Council of Churches. This is set to change now since the Anglican Church of Australia wants to have a direct relationship with the Episcopal Church of Sudan. Bishop Joffery said, “We need partnerships with the church of Sudan because we will help the church of Sudan materially while the church of Sudan will help us spiritually.” He added that “We need your spiritual help because the church in the West has gone secular while the church in Africa is growing very biblical.” The prelate was welcomed by Bishop Henry Riak of Wau diocese, on behalf of the Episcopal Church of Sudan. Also present was Assistant Bishop of Kongoor Area in the Diocese of Bor, Rt. Rev. Ezekiel Diing Ajang, who came from Juba after his long visit to south Sudan . The Archbishop said that the purpose of his visit was to meet the Sudanese refugees in Kenya to hear their needs and know what challenges they are facing and how best the Anglican of Australia would be involved. He expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome given to him by his hosts. During the occasion, Canon Mark Atem Thuch of the Episcopal Diocese of Bor, who spoke on behalf of the clergy in Sudan , lamented the low level of theological training for most of the serving pastors. “This is because we do not have a strong relationship with our brothers and sisters in the worldwide Anglican Communion, aggravated by the war that has just ended,” he said. Youth leader Venerable James Baak Nhial from the diocese of Wau, spoke on behalf of youth, saying that the youth need to be empowered now that there is a semblance of peace in Sudan . "The youth are the backbone of the church, the backbone of the nation, the backbone of the community and even the backbone of the family.” He added, “We want the youth to be built spiritually, mentally and physically.” The Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLM) representative, Mr. Phillip Aguer Panyaang, told the Archbishop that the movement welcomes the involvement of the Australian church in the development of the new Sudan . “We welcome you in our country and we need your support in rebuilding our country, especially now that Islam is spreading rapidly in this region, while evangelism is wanting? because of lack of proper training for pastors,” he said. Other SPLM leaders who spoke said that they needed the support of the church for the proper implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement reached between the Islamic government and the SPLM in Nairobi , Kenya , last year. The occasion was made colorful by the performances of Sunday school children and youth choirs who entertained guests with lovely Christian music and traditional dances. Rev. Rebecca Lueth Wel spoke passionately about the need of the church to stand up for the rights of women and children, many of whom are dying because of war and rape in Darfur and other places. “Our children are dying in Darfur , women are being raped and you Christian/religious leaders are just keeping quiet!” Meanwhile, the Dean of Province of ECS Rt. Rev. Nathaniel Garang Anyieth, met with the Archbishop of Australia and gave him the green light about partnership with the Sudanese church. He spoke on behalf of the church of Sudan and on behalf of Archbishop of Sudan, Dr. Joseph Marona. The meeting of Archbishop of Australia and The Dean of Province was very significant in the sense that it marked the beginning and stamping of the real partnership between the churches in the two nations. Other issues such as the splits and divisions in the ECS came up during the meeting and the Archbishop was told to dismiss any communication coming from the rival Anglican Church of Sudan or Reformed Episcopal Church of Sudan, because ECS is the only Anglican in Sudan . The Archbishop expressed his happiness with the clarifications, as the absence of it had brought alot of confusion in the Australian church, with pastors visiting Australia without proper identification documents and letters of introduction. Rev. David Akau Kuol informed the gathering that the ECS had formed a committee in Australia to deal with national issues and how to help the Sudanese who have already returned home. He urged the Sudanese people to built strong relationship with people of Australia . The Archbishop of Australia was also scheduled to visit Khartoum , Egypt and Rwanda . His purpose of visiting Egypt was to see the Sudanese refugees who are living there, talk to them and see how they can be assisted. The Archbishop prayed for the church of Sudan , for peace in Sudan , and the Government of Sudan. The Da Vinci Code: What a Lost opportunity! By Dickens Olewe July 22, 2006 ( NSC ) Some have called it the devil's answer to the ‘Passion of Christ'. Dan Brown, the author of a novel The Da Vinci Code, a book that has become a best seller and an inspiration to a movie called by the same name, has challenged the very tenets and beliefs of Christianity; namely, that Jesus was a perfect human being, with no sin and importantly, was not married to Mary Magdalene or any other woman. Over the Easter holiday, there was a manuscript published in one of Kenya 's leading newspapers asserting to a gospel according to Judas. There are many salvos and criticisms that have befallen Christianity over the years. These types of criticisms or representation of Christ as a con or immoral are not going to stop, quite to the contrary, they are even getting worse. What is worrying, however, is the response from the believers. From the public altercation I witnessed and Biblical illiteracy, I guess Christians have fallen into a trap, exposing their arrogance and unwillingness to confront challenges soberly. The biggest challenge Christianity faces today is not the secularization of the world, that sanctions licentious lifestyles, but the threat that is found within the church itself. We are an ill equipped army, armed with Bibles we do not read and thus inadequate in our fighting skills. We rush to criticize, and end up making ourselves and the faith worse off. In the Da Vinci Code, the church is portrayed as a murderous entity, that kills anyone who threatens to expose its secrets. Leading to the premier of the movie around the globe, Churches around the world were threatening to burn down theatres that show the movie. Others held demonstrations and urged their governments to ban the airing of the controversial movie. It may lend credence to the argument by some critics that there is some truth in the film. I think the reaction was so sad and uncalled for. First, we live in an open society where it is incumbent upon people to express their views, agreeable to us or not. Secondly, emotion overrode reason and people commented on a book and a movie they had not read or seen. Thirdly, some Christians behave as if they are God's bodyguards. The last time I checked my Bible he was still a Mighty God, Sovereign over all creation. He did not seem like He needed or needs a vigilante force. All this hyper-spur of the moment outbursts, are harmful to the cause of the faith that we stand for. If you ask me, I think it is healthy that the secular world is engaging Christianity, and instead of throwing tantrums, let's engage them in proper, sound and reasonable debate to discount their claims. I have agonized within myself as to why, Dan Brown chose to study and mystify what to us is truth. I have found that in all the faiths of the world, none is as personal as Christianity and none had a clear and perfect demonstration of how to live (Like Jesus) than Christianity. Christianity is watertight and provable; it is not a bunch of conspiracies and hidden secrets. Christ changes our lives, but it is hard to explain to unbelievers how he does that unless one knows him or looks in our lives (can we all say that?). Christians should remain stoic, stay alert and aware of what is going on around them, and stop reactionary outbursts. I believe that the church lost a great opportunity to engage the secular world in dissecting the Christian faith and silencing its critics once and for all. In any case, it is only those who are speaking sense who elicit response from right-thinking people. Nobody dares talk to a mad man! Let's take consolation in the fact that people are willing to talk to us and challenge our faith. Some faiths have no one to talk to them! After all, what did Christ say: “Be as wise as a serpent and as humble as a dove” (Mat. 10:16). Why did he use an animal that has been associated with evil, to highlight the nature that we are to adopt? Food for thought! ECS BOR ARCHDEACONRY HOLDS LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP NSC: May 28, 2006 By Moses Ochieng The Bor Archdeaconry, Episcopal Church of Sudan, held a leadership training workshop in April, to harmonize the activities of the archdeaconry, and to give the pastors unity of purpose. The one week, skill driven workshop, held in Bor town, was necessary since the Archdeaconry was previously divided by the just ended war in Sudan . One part of the Archdeaconry was under the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLM) control, while the other part was under the Sudan Government control. To help the two groups work together and appreciate each other, the church leadership felt that it was necessary to bring them together and start them on a common ground. The topics covered during the workshop included among others principles of leadership, delegation, motivation, recruitment, selection, placement and stewardship. The training was facilitated by the Archdeacon of the area, Reverend Nathaniel Bol. Funds for the workshop came from the participants, each of whom contributed 25,000 Sudanese pounds for food and stationery. Other funds apart from the pastors' contribution came from Bor town parish, which hosted the workshop . The training workshop was held in Bor town parish premises because it is in centre of the Archdeaconry and because Bor town is the head quarters of Bor Archdeaconry. Though the workshop was mainly for Bor Archdeaconry pastors, pastors from other south Bor Archdeaconries who happened to be in Bor town also attended. It was attended by other local clergymen such as Venerable Joseph Akol Gak, Archdeacon of Kapaat archdeaconry, Venerable David Magot Ngong, Archdeacon of Gak Archdeaconry, Ven.Johnson MalukYen, Archdeacon of Pan wel Archdeaconry, Rev.Ayor Gueth, pastor of Pariak Archdeaconry and John Akuei Deng, pastor of Kapaat Archdeaconry. To give participants the chance to ask questions and share their experiences, the mode of facilitation was more participatory. At the end of the 4 days, the participants expressed their appreciation, adding that they need more of such courses, as they will equip them with some necessary skills that will be of benefit to them in the ministries where they are involved. Elsewhere In February this year Good Shepherd Leadership Training Center in partnership with Pilgrim Center for Reconciliation conducted a reconciliation training and retreat to the Pastors in the diocese of Bor Refugees still pouring out of Southern Sudan May 9, 2006 (NAIROBI) Source: IRIN — Thousands of Southern Sudanese are still pouring into refugee camps in Kenya, far outnumbering those who have returned home since a peace deal was signed last year, the United Nations said. More than 10,000 people from southern Sudan have been registered at northern Kenya 's Kakuma refugee camp since the country's long-running civil war ended in January 2005, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said. The influx has far outpaced the fewer than 600 refugees who have voluntarily returned to their villages in south Sudan to take advantage of what had been hoped to be a peace dividend after 21 years of conflict in the region. "We have received more than 10,000 refugees, mostly from the Upper Nile region," UNHCR spokesman Emmanuel Nyabera told AFP . "They are fleeing from hunger, looking for educational opportunities, and others are fleeing from insecurity." At the same time, only 3,000 refugees have signed up to return home and only 555 of those have actually gone back since the UNHCR's voluntary repatriation program began in December 2005, he said. Although the peace deal ended fighting between Khartoum and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), southern Sudan is still a hotbed of instability, and its infrastructure is shattered. The Upper Nile region is plagued by militia activity and inter-tribe clashes, while elements of Uganda 's notorious Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebel group have been carrying out raids in the Equatoria region. The UNHCR has in the past warned that ruined infrastructure, threats posed by lurking landmines as well as persistent insecurity would hamper refugees' return to various parts of oil-rich southern Sudan. More than four million people were forced from their homes during the 1983 to 2005 conflict that claimed some 1.5 million lives in what was Africa 's longest-running civil war, when a peace agreement was signed in 2005. ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY 'S LETTER TO ANGLICAN PRIMATES “Following the General Convention of the Episcopal Church (USA) in June 2006, I have been preparing some personal reflections on the challenges that lie ahead for us within the Anglican Communion. I have addressed these reflections to a wide readership in the Anglican Communion and they are being made public today on my website. I wanted to bring them to your attention accordingly, for you to draw to the attention of members of your Province in whatever way you see fit. These reflections are in no way intended to pre-empt the necessary process of careful assessment of the Episcopal Church's response to the Windsor Report. Rather, they are intended to focus the question of what kind of Anglican Communion we wish to be and to explore how this vision might become more of a reality. The Challenge and Hope of Being an Anglican Today: A Reflection for the Bishops, Clergy and Faithful of the Anglican Communion The Anglican Communion: a Church in Crisis? What is the current tension in the Anglican Communion actually about? Plenty of people are confident that they know the answer. It's about gay bishops, or possibly women bishops. The American Church is in favour and others are against – and the Church of England is not sure (as usual). It's true that the election of a practising gay person as a bishop in the US in 2003 was the trigger for much of the present conflict. It is doubtless also true that a lot of extra heat is generated in the conflict by ingrained and ignorant prejudice in some quarters; and that for many others, in and out of the Church, the issue seems to be a clear one about human rights and dignity. But the debate in the Anglican Communion is not essentially a debate about the human rights of homosexual people. It is possible – indeed, it is imperative – to give the strongest support to the defence of homosexual people against violence, bigotry and legal disadvantage, to appreciate the role played in the life of the church by people of homosexual orientation, and still to believe that this doesn't settle the question of whether the Christian Church has the freedom, on the basis of the Bible, and its historic teachings, to bless homosexual partnerships as a clear expression of God's will. That is disputed among Christians, and, as a bare matter of fact, only a small minority would answer yes to the question. Unless you think that social and legal considerations should be allowed to resolve religious disputes – which is a highly risky assumption if you also believe in real freedom of opinion in a diverse society – there has to be a recognition that religious bodies have to deal with the question in their own terms. Arguments have to be drawn up on the common basis of Bible and historic teaching. And, to make clear something that can get very much obscured in the rhetoric about ‘inclusion', this is not and should never be a question about the contribution of gay and lesbian people as such to the Church of God and its ministry, about the dignity and value of gay and lesbian people. Instead it is a question, agonisingly difficult for many, as to what kinds of behaviour a Church that seeks to be loyal to the Bible can bless, and what kinds of behaviour it must warn against – and so it is a question about how we make decisions corporately with other Christians, looking together for the mind of Christ as we share the study of the Scriptures. Anglican Decision-Making And this is where the real issue for Anglicans arises. How do we as Anglicans deal with this issue ‘in our own terms'? And what most Anglicans worldwide have said is that it doesn't help to behave as if the matter had been resolved when in fact it hasn't. It is true that, in spite of resolutions and declarations of intent, the process of ‘listening to the experience' of homosexual people hasn't advanced very far in most of our churches, and that discussion remains at a very basic level for many. But the decision of the Episcopal Church to elect a practising gay man as a bishop was taken without even the American church itself (which has had quite a bit of discussion of the matter) having formally decided as a local Church what it thinks about blessing same-sex partnerships. There are other fault lines of division, of course, including the legitimacy of ordaining women as priests and bishops. But (as has often been forgotten) the Lambeth Conference did resolve that for the time being those churches that did ordain women as priests and bishops and those that did not had an equal place within the Anglican spectrum. Women bishops attended the last Lambeth Conference. There is a fairly general (though not universal) recognition that differences about this can still be understood within the spectrum of manageable diversity about what the Bible and the tradition make possible. On the issue of practising gay bishops, there has been no such agreement, and it is not unreasonable to seek for a very much wider and deeper consensus before any change is in view, let alone foreclosing the debate by ordaining someone, whatever his personal merits, who was in a practising gay partnership. The recent resolutions of the General Convention have not produced a complete response to the challenges of the Windsor Report, but on this specific question there is at the very least an acknowledgement of the gravity of the situation in the extremely hard work that went into shaping the wording of the final formula. Very many in the Anglican Communion would want the debate on the substantive ethical question to go on as part of a general process of theological discernment; but they believe that the pre-emptive action taken in 2003 in the US has made such a debate harder not easier, that it has reinforced the lines of division and led to enormous amounts of energy going into ‘political' struggle with and between churches in different parts of the world. However, institutionally speaking, the Communion is an association of local churches, not a single organisation with a controlling bureaucracy and a universal system of law. So everything depends on what have generally been unspoken conventions of mutual respect. Where these are felt to have been ignored, it is not surprising that deep division results, with the politicisation of a theological dispute taking the place of reasoned reflection. Thus if other churches have said, in the wake of the events of 2003 that they cannot remain fully in communion with the American Church, this should not be automatically seen as some kind of blind bigotry against gay people. Where such bigotry does show itself it needs to be made clear that it is unacceptable; and if this is not clear, it is not at all surprising if the whole question is reduced in the eyes of many to a struggle between justice and violent prejudice. It is saying that, whatever the presenting issue, no member Church can make significant decisions unilaterally and still expect this to make no difference to how it is regarded in the fellowship; this would be uncomfortably like saying that every member could redefine the terms of belonging as and when it suited them. Some actions – and sacramental actions in particular - just do have the effect of putting a Church outside or even across the central stream of the life they have shared with other Churches. It isn't a question of throwing people into outer darkness, but of recognising that actions have consequences – and that actions believed in good faith to be ‘prophetic' in their radicalism are likely to have costly consequences. Truth and Unity It is true that witness to what is passionately believed to be the truth sometimes appears a higher value than unity, and there are moving and inspiring examples in the twentieth century. If someone genuinely thinks that a move like the ordination of a practising gay bishop is that sort of thing, it is understandable that they are prepared to risk the breakage of a unity they can only see as false or corrupt. But the risk is a real one; and it is never easy to recognise when the moment of inevitable separation has arrived - to recognise that this is the issue on which you stand or fall and that this is the great issue of faithfulness to the gospel. The nature of prophetic action is that you do not have a cast-iron guarantee that you're right. But let's suppose that there isn't that level of clarity about the significance of some divisive issue. If we do still believe that unity is generally a way of coming closer to revealed truth (‘only the whole Church knows the whole Truth' as someone put it), we now face some choices about what kind of Church we as Anglicans are or want to be. Some speak as if it would be perfectly simple – and indeed desirable – to dissolve the international relationships, so that every local Church could do what it thought right. This may be tempting, but it ignores two things at least. First, it fails to see that the same problems and the same principles apply within local Churches as between Churches. The divisions don't run just between national bodies at a distance, they are at work in each locality, and pose the same question: are we prepared to work at a common life which doesn't just reflect the interests and beliefs of one group but tries to find something that could be in everyone's interest – recognising that this involves different sorts of costs for everyone involved? It may be tempting to say, ‘let each local church go its own way'; but once you've lost the idea that you need to try to remain together in order to find the fullest possible truth, what do you appeal to in the local situation when serious division threatens? Second, it ignores the degree to which we are already bound in with each other's life through a vast network of informal contacts and exchanges. These are not the same as the formal relations of ecclesiastical communion, but they are real and deep, and they would be a lot weaker and a lot more casual without those more formal structures. They mean that no local Church and no group within a local Church can just settle down complacently with what it or its surrounding society finds comfortable. The Church worldwide is not simply the sum total of local communities. It has a cross-cultural dimension that is vital to its health and it is naïve to think that this can survive without some structures to make it possible. An isolated local Church is less than a complete Church. Both of these points are really grounded in the belief that our unity is something given to us prior to our choices - let alone our votes. ‘You have not chosen me but I have chosen you', says Jesus to his disciples; and when we gather to celebrate the Eucharist, we are saying that we are all there as invited guests, not because of what we have done. The basic challenge that practically all the churches worldwide, of whatever denomination, so often have to struggle with is, ‘Are we joining together in one act of Holy Communion, one Eucharist, throughout the world, or are we just celebrating our local identities and our personal preferences?' The Anglican Identity The reason Anglicanism is worth bothering with is because it has tried to find a way of being a Church that is neither tightly centralised nor just a loose federation of essentially independent bodies – a Church that is seeking to be a coherent family of communities meeting to hear the Bible read, to break bread and share wine as guests of Jesus Christ, and to celebrate a unity in worldwide mission and ministry. That is what the word ‘Communion' means for Anglicans, and it is a vision that has taken clearer shape in many of our ecumenical dialogues. Of course it is possible to produce a self-deceiving, self-important account of our worldwide identity, to pretend that we were a completely international and universal institution like the Roman Catholic Church. We're not. But we have tried to be a family of Churches willing to learn from each other across cultural divides, not assuming that European (or American or African) wisdom is what settles everything, opening up the lives of Christians here to the realities of Christian experience elsewhere. And we have seen these links not primarily in a bureaucratic way but in relation to the common patterns of ministry and worship – the community gathered around Scripture and sacraments; a ministry of bishops, priests and deacons, a biblically-centred form of common prayer, a focus on the Holy Communion. These are the signs that we are not just a human organisation but a community trying to respond to the action and the invitation of God that is made real for us in ministry and Bible and sacraments. We believe we have useful and necessary questions to explore with Roman Catholicism because of its centralised understanding of jurisdiction and some of its historic attitudes to the Bible. We believe we have some equally necessary questions to propose to classical European Protestantism, to fundamentalism, and to liberal Protestant pluralism. There is an identity here, however fragile and however provisional. But what our Communion lacks is a set of adequately developed structures which is able to cope with the diversity of views that will inevitably arise in a world of rapid global communication and huge cultural variety. The tacit conventions between us need spelling out – not for the sake of some central mechanism of control but so that we have ways of being sure we're still talking the same language, aware of belonging to the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church of Christ . It is becoming urgent to work at what adequate structures for decision-making might look like. We need ways of translating this underlying sacramental communion into a more effective institutional reality, so that we don't compromise or embarrass each other in ways that get in the way of our local and our universal mission, but learn how to share responsibility. Future Directions The idea of a ‘covenant' between local Churches (developing alongside the existing work being done on harmonising the church law of different local Churches) is one method that has been suggested, and it seems to me the best way forward. It is necessarily an ‘opt-in' matter. Those Churches that were prepared to take this on as an expression of their responsibility to each other would limit their local freedoms for the sake of a wider witness; and some might not be willing to do this. We could arrive at a situation where there were ‘constituent' Churches in covenant in the Anglican Communion and other ‘churches in association', which were still bound by historic and perhaps personal links, fed from many of the same sources, but not bound in a single and unrestricted sacramental communion, and not sharing the same constitutional structures. The relation would not be unlike that between the Church of England and the Methodist Church , for example. The ‘associated' Churches would have no direct part in the decision making of the ‘constituent' Churches, though they might well be observers whose views were sought or whose expertise was shared from time to time, and with whom significant areas of co-operation might be possible. This leaves many unanswered questions, I know, given that lines of division run within local Churches as well as between them - and not only on one issue (we might note the continuing debates on the legitimacy of lay presidency at the Eucharist). It could mean the need for local Churches to work at ordered and mutually respectful separation between ‘constituent' and ‘associated' elements; but it could also mean a positive challenge for Churches to work out what they believed to be involved in belonging in a global sacramental fellowship, a chance to rediscover a positive common obedience to the mystery of God's gift that was not a matter of coercion from above but of that ‘waiting for each other' that St Paul commends to the Corinthians. There is no way in which the Anglican Communion can remain unchanged by what is happening at the moment. Neither the liberal nor the conservative can simply appeal to a historic identity that doesn't correspond with where we now are. We do have a distinctive historic tradition – a reformed commitment to the absolute priority of the Bible for deciding doctrine, a catholic loyalty to the sacraments and the threefold ministry of bishops, priests and deacons, and a habit of cultural sensitivity and intellectual flexibility that does not seek to close down unexpected questions too quickly. But for this to survive with all its aspects intact, we need closer and more visible formal commitments to each other. And it is not going to look exactly like anything we have known so far. Some may find this unfamiliar future conscientiously unacceptable, and that view deserves respect. But if we are to continue to be any sort of ‘Catholic' church, if we believe that we are answerable to something more than our immediate environment and its priorities and are held in unity by something more than just the consensus of the moment, we have some very hard work to do to embody this more clearly. The next Lambeth Conference ought to address this matter directly and fully as part of its agenda. The different components in our heritage can, up to a point, flourish in isolation from each other. But any one of them pursued on its own would lead in a direction ultimately outside historic Anglicanism The reformed concern may lead towards a looser form of ministerial order and a stronger emphasis on the sole, unmediated authority of the Bible. The catholic concern may lead to a high doctrine of visible and structural unification of the ordained ministry around a focal point. The cultural and intellectual concern may lead to a style of Christian life aimed at giving spiritual depth to the general shape of the culture around and de-emphasising revelation and history. Pursued far enough in isolation, each of these would lead to a different place – to strict evangelical Protestantism, to Roman Catholicism, to religious liberalism. To accept that each of these has a place in the church's life and that they need each other means that the enthusiasts for each aspect have to be prepared to live with certain tensions or even sacrifices – with a tradition of being positive about a responsible critical approach to Scripture, with the anomalies of a historic ministry not universally recognised in the Catholic world, with limits on the degree of adjustment to the culture and its habits that is thought possible or acceptable. Conclusion The only reason for being an Anglican is that this balance seems to you to be healthy for the Church Catholic overall, and that it helps people grow in discernment and holiness. Being an Anglican in the way I have sketched involves certain concessions and unclarities but provides at least for ways of sharing responsibility and making decisions that will hold and that will be mutually intelligible. No-one can impose the canonical and structural changes that will be necessary. All that I have said above should make it clear that the idea of an Archbishop of Canterbury resolving any of this by decree is misplaced, however tempting for many. The Archbishop of Canterbury presides and convenes in the Communion, and may do what this document attempts to do, which is to outline the theological framework in which a problem should be addressed; but he must always act collegially, with the bishops of his own local Church and with the primates and the other instruments of communion. That is why the process currently going forward of assessing our situation in the wake of the General Convention is a shared one. But it is nonetheless possible for the Churches of the Communion to decide that this is indeed the identity, the living tradition – and by God's grace, the gift - we want to share with the rest of the Christian world in the coming generation; more importantly still, that this is a valid and vital way of presenting the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world. My hope is that the period ahead - of detailed response to the work of General Convention, exploration of new structures, and further refinement of the covenant model - will renew our positive appreciation of the possibilities of our heritage so that we can pursue our mission with deeper confidence and harmony. (This letter has been reproduced in whole but with slight alterations) CWNews Interviews Faith McDonnell: Khartoum Playing Chess with DarfurCWNews.com - Faith McDonnell of the Institute for Religion and Democracy spoke with us about the situation in Darfur and the Khartoum government. She began by talking about the forgiveness that some southern Sudanese Christians have offered to Darfurians who participated in the 20 year war against them. Wendy Griffith: Faith, what moved these Christians to forgive and speak out for these Darfurians? Faith McDonnell: God. God moved them. They have told me, some of the southern Sudanese who live in Kansas City who were victims of the government of Sudan troops, which included alot of Darfurians. They said that the Lord said to them, ‘You have to forgive.' One young minister told other southern Sudanese ‘forgiveness is costly, but you have to forgive and you can't wait until someone asks for forgiveness. You have to forgive.' Wendy Griffith: Faith you know for 20 years there was a war against Christians in south Sudan and not a lot of people paid attention to it. Why has the world paid so much more attention to Darfur ? Faith McDonnell: Well that's a good question. It's been painful, and [is] really another thing that the southern Sudanese have been so gracious about, because they were ignored for so long. They have over 2 million people killed, five million displaced and there has not been half as much attention paid to them as to Darfur . I think part of it is because they're Christians, not all the people of southern Sudan -- as your report said there were Muslims and people of tribal religions killed as well -- but because there was Christian involvement that was something that alot of people, alot of the elite, don't want to look at, that is Christians being persecuted. They would rather see Christians as persecutors. Wendy Griffith: Do you think the Khartoum government really wants peace? Whether it's with the south or Darfur ? Faith McDonnell: Khartoum has been pressured into the peace agreement that was the North-South peace agreement, pressured into the Darfur agreement. But no, I don't believe they want peace. I believe they want what we saw in your last news story about Iran . They want the coming of the Mahdi, the coming of an Islamic ruler, who's going to help impose Islam over the world. Sudan is the starting place. They believe that Sudan is the starting place. They believe that Sudan is the starting place that will go throughout Africa and the world. I believe the U.S. really needs to focus on what's happening in Sudan . Khartoum is using Darfur, just as they would a chess game, and while all the eyes of the world, all the eyes of Hollywood people like George Clooney are on Darfur, they're planning their next move, which will be in southern Sudan again. The Cost of Reconciliation : Southern Sudan and the focus on Darfur . May 08, 2006, 6:14 a.m. Source: (IRD) National Review on Line It seems as if our prayers for Sudan 's western region of Darfur may have been answered. The genocide there, which has taken the lives of hundreds of thousands and torn millions from their homes, may soon be over. Last Friday's headlines declared that a peace agreement had finally been reached with at least some of the Darfur rebels. Encouraged by the appearance that the plundering of janjaweed and Khartoum 's troops may be over in Darfur, it is also a good moment to remember another part of Sudan that has been ravaged by genocide and jihad, and its relation to the current tragedy. On the morning of April 29, 2006 , Sudanese from all over the United States arrived in Washington , D.C. They had taken a day off from work—some even two or three—to be part of a historic reconciliation meeting of Christian and Muslim Sudanese, and then to attend the Save Darfur Coalition's Rally to End Genocide. I was privileged to be at this meeting with my Sudanese friends as they declared their intention to stand as one against genocide, to stand as one with the people of Darfur . On Saturday evening, the marquee on the large front lawn of the Best Western Capitol Skyline Hotel proclaimed “Welcome Sudanese!” and below that, on a small tent meant to be a model of the shelter of Darfurian refugees in Chad , a sign read “ Camp Darfur .” Those of us who sat in the crowded ballroom at the Sudanese Standing Together meeting, listening to the heartfelt cries for peace and reconciliation from those who were formerly enemies, will never forget that unassuming white building. Some in the media and in the Darfur advocacy community have criticized the southern Sudanese movement to reach out to the Darfurians. The Washington Post quoted Mohamed Ibrahim, the co-chair of the Darfur Alert Coalition, condemning Sudan Sunrise and its partner, the Sudan Council of Churches USA , for “creating a conflict by spreading the false claim that the perpetrators of the violence in southern Sudan were from Darfur .” “Violence in southern Sudan ” is a dismissive reference to the two million people killed in the south and Nuba Mountains in their efforts to resist Khartoum 's imposition of Islamic law and “Arabization.” In fact, during this first phase of Sudan 's genocide, before the signing of the U.S.-brokered Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the Khartoum government and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), many Darfurians swelled the ranks of Sudan 's army. They were conscripts, and they were African cannon-fodder for the regime in Khartoum that has always been adept at creating, to its own advantage, division between the different Sudanese peoples. The refugees from Darfur, when they meet southern Sudanese who have come to Chad to help them, ask for forgiveness from those they thought were their enemies. There are some who are upset that the issue of forgiveness has even been raised. They think that it implies some sort of moral superiority. But this is certainly not the case here, and this misunderstanding misses the importance and necessity of forgiveness. One of the speakers at Sudanese Standing Together—a former Lost Boy —was the Reverend Abraham Nhial, who made it quite clear when he opened the meeting Saturday evening that forgiveness is not about manipulation, but about forgetting oneself for the sake of another. “Forgiveness is costly,” Nhial declared, as he stood before hundreds of Sudanese—all of whom had brought from Sudan their own personal history of sorrow and death. Nhial explained that true forgiveness is not forgetting or denying the wrong that has been done, or saying that the wrong was something acceptable, but of putting it aside for the sake of those who are forgiven. “You must not wait for someone to ask your forgiveness,” Nhial continued. “You must forgive even if they do not say they are sorry.” “Who will forgive the Darfurians?” Nhial challenged, his eyes searching out particularly the southerners and Nuba around the room. And they stood, almost as one person. Nhial then asked the Darfurians to stand. As the rest of the room applauded, Nhial said, “We stand with you. We love you.” On Sunday morning, after a worship and prayer service at the Best Western, we all marched together to the National Mall to attend the rally. As we rounded the corner and came in view of the tens of thousands who were already waiting for the rally to begin, the crowd applauded and cheered excitedly for the Sudanese. They were by far the largest contingent of Sudanese—or even Africans—attending the rally. It appeared as if most of the rally attendees had no idea whom they were cheering for. “Are you from Darfur ?” I heard one woman ask an extremely tall young Dinka from southern Sudan . And they seemed to have little awareness of who has been the perpetrator of the genocide—both now in Darfur and the one that took place previously. “Was it Western ( U.S. ?) troops that killed people in southern Sudan ?” a young student asked one of the former Lost Boys. So it was good that no section or seats had been reserved for the southern Sudanese at the rally. As they searched for a place to stand, they were able to spread among the crowd. Over and over I heard southern Sudanese telling their story of over two million people dead and five million displaced to the friendly, inquisitive Americans. That was pretty much the extent of the mention of southern Sudan 's genocide and the attempt to eradicate the people of the Nuba Mountains . None was forthcoming from most of the rally speakers. Many of the speakers were never involved in grassroots activism for Sudan in the years of jihad waged against the south and the Nuba Mountains . Even some of those who were involved spoke of the genocide of Darfur as if it were the only time Sudanese had ever suffered in such magnitude. The Clinton administration's National Security Council point person on Africa, Gale Smith, spoke far more forcefully about the genocide in Darfur than she ever spoke about Sudan while in office. Another speaker even framed stories of his past activism for southern Sudan as if it had been activism for Darfur . As I took in the enormous sea of faces, the signs, the tee-shirts, the passion for the victims of genocide, and the determination to do something about it, I was torn between pride in the caring people of America and sorrow that there had never been an outpouring on this scale over the starvation, slavery, aerial bombardment, torture, and death that took place in Sudan's first genocide. My southern Sudanese friends seemed to have no such problem, however. They shouted “Stop the genocide in Darfur ” as loudly as anyone else at the rally. They stood beside their Darfurian and northern Sudanese friends—grateful for the outpouring of support for peace in Darfur . Now we hear there is a peace agreement. The main rebel group, the Sudanese Liberation Army, has agreed on terms with the government of Sudan . Southern Sudanese in the United States and the government of south Sudan have witnessed us spending all our political and material capital on Darfur . Now is an appropriate time to turn an eye once again to southern Sudan , and to the new government that is trying to forge a democracy out of jihad-ravaged land. As Khartoum continues playing chess with the West, using the deadly combination of the proxy militias, rebels, and its own troops to distract and preoccupy, they are always setting up their next move. If south Sudan is lost because we fail to see the next move that is coming, it will be unforgivable. —Faith McDonnell is director of the Church Alliance for a New Sudan (CANS) at the Institute on Religion and Democracy in Washington , D.C. ANGLICAN CHURCH LOSES A DEDICATED SERVANT Article from: CAPA News Online The Rt Revd William Waqo, Provincial Secretary of the Anglican Church of Kenya and Personal Assistant to Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi, died in a plane crash on 10th April 2006 while on a peace mission to the north-eastern part of the country. He was also an Assistant Bishop of Kirinyaga Diocese, in Central Province of Kenya. Bishop Waqo was in the company of the area's Members of Parliament and Government officials who were on their way to Marsabit for peace talks, aimed at ending livestock rustling and inter-clan fighting that has hit the area in the recent past. The military plane carrying the delegation crashed into a hillside and broke into two before bursting into flames. Thirteen of the seventeen passengers on board were killed on impact and one of the four survivors died while being flown to hospital in Nairobi . Among the dead were six MPs. This is a great loss not only to the Anglican Church of Kenya but to CAPA and the entire Anglican Communion, which he served. Bishop Waqo has been helping the CAPA Secretariat administratively in the absence of a General Secretary. Archbishop Nzimbi described Waqo as a true Christian and a dedicated servant of God. His widow, Naomi a priest and four children, the youngest of whom is three weeks old, survive Bishop Waqo. We send our condolences to the family, relatives and friends and the entire Anglican Church of Kenya during this period of mourning and great loss. They are in our prayers. Eternal peace grant him O Lord.
INVOLVE US IN DECISION MAKING, YOUTH DEMAND By Peace Duke and Omot Amilia from Daystar University Nairobi Kenya March 23, 2006 NSC The youth in South Sudan have asked the government to involve them in formulating policies which affect them. This was said during a visit to Juba , by Sudanese student leaders, to pay their last respects to the late Dr. John Garang de Mabior. The East Africa Sudan Students Union (EASSU) officials traveled to Juba to pay their last tribute to the fallen hero, Dr. John Garang De Mabior. Speaking on behalf of other student leaders, Mr. Solomon James called upon the Sports, Youth, and Culture minister to put in place a system that will unite Sudanese youth who are scattered all over the East African region. During the ceremony, ukuma mafi, held at the grave site, they expressed their solidarity with the government of South Sudan (GOSS). Solomon urged the GOSS to speed up the implementation of programmes concerning the youth. He said, “Lack of job opportunities in the South is forcing the youth to work in hardship conditions in North Sudan .” He added, “We want the GOSS to come up with policies that will protect the youth working in the North.” He also asked the government to prioritize the construction of roads and health facilities, and give special consideration to widows, orphans and victims of the war, in allocation of resources. The Central Equatoria State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Kokule Ngola, who represented the Governor, urged the students to finish their studies and return back home. “You are no longer refugees. Come back home and be patient as the GOSS sorts out the problem of unemployment.” The Sports, Youth, and Culture Minister Honorable Mr. John Luke Jok, who was also present, advised the youth to have a vision in their lives. He said that the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, signed between the government of Sudan and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement, clearly spelt out the relationship between the youth and the government. “The youth must be educated and trained in order to get the much wanted jobs.” Mr. Jok said that home not only meant the land; it also includes culture, which they need to perpetuate for the coming generations. He warned them about foreign cultures and other risky behaviors, which may lead to HIV/AIDS, eventually ruining their lives. The students had the opportunity to meet the Bhar El-Jebel State Governor Mr. Clement Wani and the Bhar El-Jebel State Minister for Culture and Information, Honorable Mary Apare, who told them, “We have to rehabilitate this country and give it a new look.” She appealed to the youth to maintain their cultures in spite of pressure from the cultures they acquired in exile. She added, “You who are outside the country are our hope. You are the people we expect to bring development and other necessary changes to the people in the villages.” The South Sudan Legislative Assembly Speaker, Mr. James Wani Igga, lectured to the students about the history and background of the Sudanese people, from medieval times to the present. For many students, this was the first time to step into the parliament. Mr. Wani, reminded the youth that they were leaders of today and tomorrow, and that it was important to have vision, courage, commitment, intelligence, selflessness, optimism, and patriotism, so as to lead the country efficiently and effectively. He emphasized, “You must not only have these qualities, but you must utilize them carefully wherever you are, for you to succeed in leadership. Africa needs true and selfless leaders!” GOOD SHEPHERD, PILGRIM CENTER CONDUCT PEACE MEETING March 12, 2006 by Moses Ochieng (NSC) Good Shepherd Leadership Training Programme (GSLTP) and the Pilgrim Center for Reconciliation ( PCR ), conducted a one week peace and reconciliation retreat for church leaders in February. The one week retreat was attended by 30 participants, drawn from the Episcopal Church of Sudan, Bor diocese, and other denominations. Among these were military and civil leaders from Bor South, Tuich East and Duk Counties . The team from PCR was led by Reverend Dr. Rouner and his wife Molly, while the GSLTP team was led by Reverend John Daau. Other facilitators in included Edd Penney from USA , Rev. Michael Mabior Deng and Rev. Nathaniel Bol Nyok of the Diocese of Bor. OVERVIEW OF PILGRIM CENTER FOR RECONCILIATION The Pilgrim Center for Reconciliation ( PCR ) is a non-denominational, non-profit, front line ministry that was founded in 1993, by Reverend Dr. Arthur Rouner, to offer trauma healing retreats to help restore Christian leaders debilitated by genocide, war and other conflicts. PCR conducts intense, three day, Scripture-based, small group retreats in six African countries; namely, Rwanda , Burundi , Congo , Kenya , Tanzania , and Sudan . Dr. Rouner adds, “ PCR also trains trainers to carry on the retreat work and our network of national coordinators, facilitators and translators arrange and lead PCR retreats throughout the year.” The PCR Scripture theme is the Apostle Paul's great word to the Corinthians (2 nd Cor. 5:18-20), which says: “So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making His appeal through us.” PCR retreat teams lead a retreats through a Scripture-based series of eight steps, using Jesus' words, from the Invitation to “come apart and rest a while,” to the Journey with Jesus, to the Meaning of the Cross, the Possibility of Repentance and Forgiveness, a Call to Healing Prayer, the Sharing of Pain and request for prayer, the circle of laying of hands and prayer, studies of 2 nd Cor. 5: 14-21 and John 13, the Ministry OF Love, Servant Ministry, Foot washing, and Communion. Dr. Rouner says that in PCR retreats, they all sit down and allow the Holy Spirit to be the teacher. “We don't come as experts, though we are always prepared. We come from the World church to be with those in their lonely and hurt places, to stand with them, to ask their forgiveness for the West's role in hurting Africa 's people, and to pray for healing and new life and ministry for them.” PCR has been working in the Great Lakes region for the last 10 years, and an estimated 6,000 leaders have gone through the PCR retreats in Rwanda and Burundi . Dr. Arthur and his wife Molly were also called to ministry in Bukavu and Goma in Congo , in Tanzanian refugee camps, along the Kenya-Uganda border to work among the warring pastoralists in the Pokotusa Peace Initiative, and in 2005 at two sites in South Sudan . They have also conducted healing services with Indian tribes in South Dakota and northern Minnesota , USA . GSLTP Director Rev. John C. Daau, who attended a PCR -organised retreat early in the year in northwestern Kenya , had this to say of his experience, “It was one of the greatest experiences of my life which I will not forget for along time. It was a life-changing moment, we had a quiet time exploring God's Word, worshipping and praying to God.” Archbishop - Sudan 'not forgotten' 27th February 2006 The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams begun his 8-day visit to Sudan by telling the Christian community that they have been very much in his prayers. "Day by day we remember you in our prayers. You are not forgotten here and when I return it will be a joy to share with fellow Christians in Britain what I have seen here and what I have learnt from you" The Archbishop of Canterbury was preaching at a displaced people's camp at Al-Gariya on the outskirts of Khartoum . In his sermon on glory he outlined the role of the Church. "As we try to show one another the love of God we make a light in the darkness; we make it possible for those who live in darkness or despair to see glory. Wherever we are, whatever the difficulty, whatever the challenge before us, we are still able to make that light shine". Later, in Khartoum itself, Dr Williams addressed a packed gathering under canvas in the compound outside the offices of the Episcopal Church in Sudan . After greetings from church and civic leaders, the Archbishop praised the Church for its faithfulness during the conflict. "Let me say I have not come simply to speak good news, I have come to hear the good news that you have to speak to me, because for many years our Christian brothers and sisters in Sudan have spoken good news to the whole of the Christian Church. Their courage, their witness, their endurance have been a gift to us all. We see all the time how the Church here makes its contribution to peace - to lasting peace. “The calling of God's Christian people here in this country is to be beautiful, because they are messengers of peace - the calling of God's people here is to say, in this place, at this time, 'we can live so that the others can live also'". Dr Williams said that the Church would have its part to play in the reconstruction of the country. "I shall want to hear about how you will come to have a full share in the good things of this country; and I shall need also to learn what must be done to make sure that, when displaced people are able to return to their homes, there will be real homes for them to live in - there will be roads, there will be food, there will be water. We know how urgent these needs are and that is what we shall pray for and work for with you". Dr Williams' visit to Sudan continues with the dedication of a new Anglican Cathedral in Renk. He also visited the World Food Programme project in Malakal. Source: ACNS Archbishop visits Sudan Source: ACNS Article by Jim Rosenthal in Khartoum . 27th February 2006. In the scorching sun amidst the desert sands, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams preached on the Sunday morning of 26th February at Emmanuel Church in Al Gariya camp (a displaced persons camp), an hour from Khartoum . Hundreds of people greeted the delegation at the church, a hut like edifice with a low mud back wall, with children peering through windows and openings to catch a glimpse of the world Anglican leader. The Archbishop heard testimonies from displaced people about the difficulties of returning to the South and the need for the return of Church property, confiscated over the years by Sudanese officials, including a guest house, hospital and the original Cathedral (on the grounds of the palace). The Communion Service marked the start of 8 days in Sudan with Archbishop Williams declaring 'you are not forgotten.' Bishop of Salisbury David Stancliffe travelled with the party as well as the representative of the Sudan Church Association, the Archdeacon of Warwick, Michael Paget-Wilkes. Hosting the visit was the Archbishop of the Episcopal Church (ECS), the Most Revd Joseph Marona, as well as local Bishops in the various dioceses. In his welcome to the ABC, Archbishop Marona (ECS) said, 'you have come at the right time.' He said 'we need concrete signs of peace which will encourage people and give confidence that the peace is here to stay'. The theme of the visit was 'how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.' Archbishop Marona noted it was now over a year since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreements. He said, 'implementing the Peace needs great vision and courage. It needs people with peace in their hearts.' At a diocesan welcome service, several thousand worshippers came to hear Archbishop Rowan preach. Civic leaders including the Deputy Governor of Khartoum were present, as was the Roman Catholic Archbishop, Gabriel Zubeir Wako. In the evening, the British Ambassador hosted a reception for the Archbishop and his team to meet local leaders, NGO's and other faith leaders. Among those present was staff from World Vision, Christian AID, the Greek Orthodox Church, Tear fund, Hope and Homes for Children, Together for Sudan , Sudan Council of Churches and many others. On Monday 27th, the Archbishop met with the 1st Vice President of Sudan, the President of Southern Sudan Salva Kiir in a forum at the Sudan Inter-Religious Council (SIRC). The following day, the delegation moved to the South to Malakal, Renk, Juba and Maridi. CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS HELD IN MALEK By Moses Ochieng' February 27, 2006 (NSC) The much awaited celebrations to mark 100 years since the start of missionary work in Bor, South Sudan , were held amid pomp and nostalgic ceremonies! It was a coming together of close to 10,000 people from different parts of the world, Sudanese and other friends of the Sudan . It was four days when tribal, racial, political and religious differences were put aside to remember the work started by one, Reverend Archibald Shaw in 1906 at Malek Mission Station. The preparations for these celebrations began some time last year, when the Episcopal Church of Sudan leadership thought it wise to remember the life of Rev. Shaw among the Dinka people of Bor. When the day arrived, people poured in from the four corners of the world. There were those who came from the USA , Australia , Kenya , Uganda , other surrounding African nations, not forgetting the many locals who came from all parts of Sudan , to celebrate what the Lord had done, with their brothers and sisters in Malek. The celebrations ran from 29 th January to 3 rd February 2006 . It was a time of high emotions for many of those present, since they were coming together after many years of separation, brought about by the war for liberation. The place where they were gathered, Malek, is a very significant place, since it is the place from where most of them were scattered by the government forces when the war broke out, never to meet again for many years. It was a point of dispersion, now turned into a point of gathering! In the words of one of the organizers of the event, Reverend Nathaniel Bol, “People felt like Rev. Archibald Shaw had come to life and was there in their midst! It was a very emotional moment, as they remembered how far they have come since the time of Rev. Shaw.” The history of the church in Bor was read to the attentive audience. The remains of old houses, and the giant tree at Malek, were some of the reminders of the day when Rev. Shaw first set foot on Dinka soil. Whereas the past years had memories of bitterness and violence, the gathering at Malek on those four days was quite the opposite. The meeting brought together former foes; people from different tribes –Mundari, Nuer, Murule, Dinka and Arabs from the north – but now brought together in remembrance of one great missionary, Rev. Shaw who brought the message of life and salvation 100 years to the pastoral community of DINKA BOR. Shaw was a darling of the Dinka, among whom he lived, and who gave him the Dinka name, Macuor (which is the name of a cow). He was respected among the people because he was a cattle keeper like the Dinka, who adore cattle. The four days were dominated by prayers, praise, worship and speeches by locals, visitors, and the church founders. The older people relived their past experiences, while the younger generation spoke of their hopes and aspirations. Government officials were represented, as well as women and youth leaders. The government officials who spoke emphasized the need of peace among the people, urging the church to take a leading role in peace endeavours. Reverend Nathaniel confessed that this meeting was historic, in the sense that for the first time in many years, government officials from the north and those from the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement shared the same platform in Bor. “These were sworn enemies coming together in a show of forgiveness, solidarity and brotherliness,” he said. The senior most leader of the ECS in the celebrations was Bishop Nathaniel Garang of Bor diocese. He led the celebrations for the four days. On the last day, Bishop Nathaniel led the people in visiting a camp for lepers, started by the late missionary among the Dinka, Marc Nikkel. This was another highlight of the celebrations. Like in the Biblical times, the Dinka used to isolate lepers from the rest of the society. But in defying tradition and stigma, the Bishop led the people in distributing foodstuffs and clothes to the lepers, and in praying for them. Reverend John Daau of the ECS Bor diocese said that, “The fact that these people survive both the war and their stigmatization by society, shows that God is still at work among His people in Sudan .” He added that the organization of the celebration was done by local people using their own resources. “This is encouraging and shows that if they are assisted to go back home, they can support themselves with little external assistance.” Moved by the spirit of revival, the people made contributions of money, cattle, goats and chicken, their only possessions, which would be used to rehabilitate the mission centre, which had been neglected by the church during the years of the war in the South. Some of the Westerners present were just overwhelmed by the outpouring of emotion that they saw. Writing from San Jose in California , USA , Father Jerry Drino, who attended the celebrations said thus: “It was such a blessing to travel with you to Malek and to share in the prayers, songs and dancing of that most historic event…..The memory of Archdeacon Shaw and all who laboured and died in this place were fully present.” Father Drino, an Anglican priest of the Episcopal Church of America, was among the guests who came from the USA to witness the occasion. He carried earth from the site of the St. Andrew church in Malek, as well as water from the Nile in Malek. This was used during celebrations to mark the Feast of the Martyrs of Sudan, which was celebrated in San Jose , USA in February. WARRING TRIBES COME TOGETHER IN RECONCILIATION RETREAT NSC: February 2006 A historic reconciliation retreat bringing together tribes which have been fighting for decades over scarce resources was held in Kiwawa, a remote village in North West Kenya early this year. The reconciliation retreat was attended by about 30 participants from the three pastoral communities of Pokot and Turkana of Kenya, and the Karamoja of Uganda. These are communities living in the remote North Western part of Kenya , and the South Eastern part of Uganda where water, education and medical services are hard to come by. Year after year, crop failure is experienced in this area, as a result of poor rains. This leads to suffering for both human beings and animals. This thus provides a fertile ground for conflict, whereby warriors from the three tribes engage in bloody cattle raids. The three communities have never known peace in the Kenya-Uganda boarder due to the war caused by the looting and stealing of cattle. The people dwelling along the common boarder live in constant fear and anxiety and many of them have experienced traumatic situations. Many young men have lost their lives in the wars and many wives have been left widows. Government agencies and NGOs have tried to look for solutions but with very minimal success. The 3-day retreat was facilitated by Reverend Dr. Arthur and his wife Molly Arthur, the founders of the Pilgrim Center for Reconciliation, based in Minnesota , USA . The Good Shepherd Leadership Training Programme participated in this noble initiative through its Director, Rev. John Daau, the writer of this article. As John continued to narrate; he said, In the morning we had the privilege of touring the International Christian Ministries campus and interacting with the students before we proceeded to Kiwawa, some 350 kilometres away from Kitale, where the retreat took place. On our arrival in Kiwawa, Rev. Michael Chori of the Anglican Diocese of Karamoja in Uganda , Geoffrey, an assistant Pastor for Kiwawa Baptist Church , and Ruth Lodinyo, a Bible teacher and a wife to Rev. John Lodinyo of Kiwawa Baptist church, received us at the Pilgrim place. The same day we began our retreat in the evening. Rev. Dr. Arthur and his wife Molly Rouner facilitated the two days retreat at the Pilgrim Place , a place dedicated for peace and reconciliation purposes since 1986. 9 other American missionaries and I helped in the facilitation of the reconciliation retreat. The Pilgrim Center for Reconciliation in Minnesota , founded by The Rev. Dr. Arthur Rouner and Molly Rouner of the Congregational Church in Minnesota , has a long history of trying to establish peace among the communities of Pokot, Turkana and Karamoja. Rouner‘s work has bore fruits of enabling both the church and community leaders of the three tribes across the Uganda-Kenyan boarder to assemble each year for prayers and to seek God for forgiveness and reconciliation. Rev. Dr. Arthur is optimistic that the evil tribal conflict will end and the vision of peace and reconciliation among these communities will be achieved. The Rouners and their colleagues are very optimistic of achieving this vision through the effort of an initiative known as POKOTUSA Peace Initiative. This is a Christ-centered peace initiative that The Rev. Dr. Arthur had talked to the three communities about for several years. World Vision and other NGOs, including Government agencies, have tried to help the vision grow but the beneficiaries of POKOTUSA peace initiative appreciate Rouner's approach, as being the most effective. Steve, a Pokot peace activist said that, ‘Government agencies and NGOs have taken away from us the vision of Pokotusa Peace Initiative, and we keep hearing about the Pokotusa Peace Initiative meetings being held in big towns like Eldoret, Nairobi and Kitale and none of the results reach us in the battle field; but Dr. Rouner and his wife Molly keep risking their lives to come up here and meet with us where the actual fighting takes place' . The Rouners founded the PCR ministry some ten years ago, and the ministry has been involved in the reconciliation ministry in Rwanda , Burundi , DRC , Kenya and Sudan . MY PERSPECTIVE By John Daau Our reconciliation retreat in Kiwawa was a great experience in my life. It was a life changing moment, we had a quiet time exploring God's Word, worshipping and seeking God in prayer. The Rouners led us through scriptures of ‘The Walk with Jesus, The Meaning of the Cross, the Meaning of the Blood of Christ, Forgiveness and Repentance and Healing Prayer' Leading us through the scriptures, Molly Rouner appealed to the participants, saying “this is the time that our Lord Jesus Christ is calling us; He says ‘don't miss this opportunity of Jesus' invitation. He says I want you to know me better, I love you so much and I care for you.'” Dr. Rouner expounded on the theme of walking with Jesus. “Walking with Jesus means walking in peace. Jesus is called the Prince of Peace, he helps people make peace and to have peace with each other. He called us his friends- friendship is important- Jesus had a close friendship and relationship with His disciples. He teaches His disciples by relationship and through friendship. Jesus has a power of peace and a power of love. His life can change enemies to become friends.” Rev. Dr. Arthur went further to explain the meaning of the Cross, clarifying issues of redemption, the broken relationship, the fall from the grace, the reality of sin and a failure to bridge the gap that separate us from God. The meaning of blood was one of the topics that touched the hearts of the warriors. “The blood pollutes the land, shedding of blood comes when the right relationship is broken and hatred takes its place. None of us has the right to take away someone's life,” those were the stunning words of Dr. Arthur. And he went on, “Blood shed in hatred can only be cleansed by the shed blood of love of Jesus Christ. The blood of Jesus Christ has opened up a new way to turn enemies to friends.” He reminded the attentive audience of Cain's murder of his brother Abel. We went into groups where the participants looked at the pros and cons of the persistent tribal fights. The verdict of most of the participants can well be summed up in the words of Pastor Geoffrey: “There is nothing much we do gain from this deadly fights.” He added, “Many simply go out to raid and steal cows in order for them to pay the bride price and marry multiple wives. Traditional seers in the villages are the major beneficiaries, as they received money or cows as a reward, after they bless the warriors and this perpetuates the culture.” Loses incurred as a result of the fights include loss of young lives, reduction in the population of young adults who are still energetic, leaving the communities with little labour force, trust is lost among the communities and the people live a life of constant fear and anxiety. There is increase in the number of widows in the villages, children are victimised and used as shepherds, and thus, their educational potential is cut short. Participants looked at all this in the light of scripture from 2 Corinthians 5: 14-21. Rouners continued to expound that God has commissioned each one of us for the ministry of peace and reconciliation. “Start it at the individual, then to the group and societal levels. To forgive someone doesn't mean you have ignored justice, but it is an act of the heart that we give to someone who doesn't deserve it,” he exhorted. The participants mentioned the need to own cattle, scarce water sources and scarce grazing grounds as the main contributors to the continual fights. They called for frequent meetings with consistent proclamations for peace at the grass root levels. The retreat ended with the ministry service of foot-washing and Holy Communion. The facilitating team washed the feet of the participants to symbolize the ministry of servant hood. I will never forget the Kiwawa retreat. It was a time dedicated for God, to commune with Him, and during the healing prayer secession, we saw God working in our lives, there were confessions and testimonies of changed lives. One Karamoja man confessed to Jesus declaring, “I will no longer go for the raids. Jesus, I take you today to be my provider and my protector. I want to let people know that I am a changed man of Jesus, a new child of God.” The Pilgrim Center for Reconciliation conducted similar retreats and reconciliation training in the town of Yei , South Sudan last year under the auspices of ALARM. American Friends of the Sudan Meet by Timothy Roberts. Source : The Living Church Magazine In
the tenuous peace that has taken hold in Southern Sudan, the local
Anglican Church finds itself in a position of influence as perhaps the
only major institution in the war-torn country that crosses tribal and
ethnic boundaries, according to a number of participants gathered for a
weekend meeting Feb. 17-19 at Trinity Cathedral in San Jose,
Calif. A
peace agreement signed Jan. 9, 2005, a date widely known by the
conferees, officially ended a 22-year civil war between the
Muslim-controlled national government and the rebels of the primarily
Christian south. The agreement grants Southern Sudan six years of
autonomy, followed by a referendum on independence. It also grants the
South $2 billion ( U.S. ) in oil revenue and another $2 billion in
international aid. Communiqué from Provincial Synod of the Episcopal Church of SudanSource: ACNS 8th Provincial Synod of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan held in Juba from 23rd-29th January 2006 “Let us come before God with thanksgiving.” (Psalm 95.2) 1. The 8th Provincial Synod of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan , meeting in Juba from 23rd-29th January 2006, gives thanks to Almighty God for the opportunity to meet together in peace after 21 years of civil war. We praise God for the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement on 9th January 2005 and convey our congratulations to the Government of Sudan and the SPLM/A on achieving the agreement and on the formation of the Government of National Unity and the Government of Southern Sudan. 2. On behalf of the Church, we also express our sorrow at the death of our 1st Vice-President and President of Southern Sudan , Dr John Garang. During the Synod we have visited his grave and prayed there. We extend our condolences to his wife and family and assure them of our continued prayers. 3. As the highest governing body of the Episcopal Church of Sudan, we express our full support for the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and urge the fullest respect and timely implementation of all its provisions. We call on all levels of government in Sudan to ensure its full implementation and call on the international community to guarantee and sustain the agreement. 4. We are concerned for peace to be achieved in the whole of our beloved country Sudan and urge all parties to speed up the resolving of conflicts and issues in Darfur, Eastern Sudan and Abyei. We call for continued protection and humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of people in these areas. 5. As people forgiven and redeemed by God through his Son Jesus Christ, we call for reconciliation and forgiveness among all the tribes and peoples of Sudan . We urge all people to live in peace and harmony and to respect and welcome one another. We recognize there have been many changes through the period of war and our communities have been traumatised but we encourage people to accept one another in love, whatever their different experiences have been. 6. We are concerned at continuing violence and insecurity in some areas of Southern Sudan , and appeal to all parties to play their part in ending the violence and ensuring respect for human rights. We call for the upholding the rule of law and of the Constitution at every level. We urge the managing of local conflicts through healing and forgiveness and commit ourselves as the Church to work for justice, peace and reconciliation in all our dioceses. 7. We strongly oppose the segregation of our people according to tribe and urge the unity of the people of God. We give thanks for places such as Western Equatoria where the Church has stood firm against tribalism. Does Jesus Christ belong only to the Dinka or Zande? No. All the tribes come together in Jesus Christ. We share a common language in the Word of God in Jesus Christ. We warn people to be on their guard against those who wish to create divisions and call for the Government of Southern Sudan to take measures necessary to ensure security. 8. Recognising the important right of self-determination contained within the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, we call for awareness and understanding of this right to be promoted. We propose a programme of education and information to prepare the people of Southern Sudan, Nuba Mountains and Abyei over the coming five years so that this right may be exercised responsibly and with full understanding, and not out of anger or ignorance. 9. We congratulate all members of the new Government of National Unity, the Government of Southern Sudan and the assemblies and local government at every level. We call on all people to uphold good governance and transparency in running the country. We request the international community and local civil society to maintain vigilance. As the Church, we commit ourselves to speak out as necessary. 10. With peace has come new hope and expectation. We appeal to the new governments to provide services to improve the people's quality of life. We call for an urgent focus on education, health and clean water. We appeal for a readiness to support the ret |