News from our partners around the world

CHURCH OF SCOTLAND

The Church of Scotland convened its annual General Assembly in May 2015 and welcomed the new Moderator, Right Rev Dr Angus Morrison. 800 delegates came together to discuss, debate and decide on issues pertaining to the work of the Gospel and the building of God's kingdom in Scotland and beyond. 

There were also ecumenical delegates from many other Christian denominations, and partner churches around the world; some from areas where Christians suffer extreme persecution. All of us rejoice in membership of a wonderful extended family – not without its difficulties – but, nonetheless, marked by love and care for each other.

There was a moving speech from Rev Ram Kumar Budhathoki of Ebenezer Bible College in Nepal, who described the 42 seconds it took for the earthquake to devastate the country; and another from Rev Ibrahim Nseir from Syria, speaking of the persecution being experienced by our sisters and brothers there.

On the Sunday there were different acts – and styles - of worship: in English and Gaelic.  Heart and Soul in Princes Street Gardens in the afternoon was a time of open-air public witness and celebration of life in the church. The 2015 General Assembly gave encouragement and re-energised many to continue serving God with faithfulness, love, joy and hope.

THE METHODIST CHURCH

On the Methodist website the two most recent stories concern the United Mission to Nepal’s response to the recent earthquakes. Emergency food is still being delivered by truck to affected areas and by helicopter by Mission Aviation Fellowship.

Other needs are being seen to with the provision of psycho-social education and counselling and the provision of other household materials including mosquito nets by Rescue Network Nepal. The UMN’s 2 hospitals at Tansen and Okhaldlungaare are at full capacity.

Another ministry, in partnership with the Church of Scotland, is ‘Out of Africa … into Malta’, which helps families fleeing from Africa who end up in Malta. Here migrants are detained in ‘open centres’ which United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) say breach basic human rights. They also face rejection by many on the island.

St Andrew’s Scots Church ministers there, focusing particularly on families, with babies and young children. Many are from Sub-Saharan Africa and have harrowing tales to tell of journeys through war zones, across the desert and human trafficking rings. St Andrew’s has become a natural focus for many non-Catholic African Christians, as worship and fellowship are important aspects of this ministry too. The work now involves integration – moving families into Maltese society, and enabling them to become financially independent and socially integrated.

COUNCIL FOR WORLD MISSION

In his 2015 Easter message, CWM General Secretary, Rev Dr Collin Cowan spoke of the recent floods, droughts, earthquakes, cyclones and tsunamis in Malawi, Madagascar, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands that brought death and destruction in their wake.  It has been a time of great sadness for many but also an opportunity for bringing healing and hope to the stricken.

 

Good Friday has its own pain, terror and brokenness, and creation today groans under the pressure of our irresponsible lifestyle, such disasters seem to be creation’s Good Friday! Appeals for solidarity and support and the humanitarian response following these natural disasters demonstrate humanity’s goodwill. The resilience shown by those affected and the abundant supply of God’s grace amidst the chaos brings renewed hope and confidence.

 

The message of Easter is that God’s gift of life cannot be stolen, killed or destroyed by evil, natural disasters or by humans failing to care for creation. Acts 10:29-30 says that ‘God raised him from the dead”, defying logic and declaring life forevermore. Easter is a time to speak life into and from all circumstances of lifelessness; and to present the God of resurrection as hope for the broken. Confident that “we serve a risen Saviour” is our guarantee for the future.

 

CEVAA

Cevaa brings together 35 churches around the world from Europe, Africa, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific and Latin America Its English name is the Community of Churches in Mission. Its main story is its Secretary General and the Executive Secretary responsible for Cluster Projects and People Exchanges travelling to Cameroon to meet with the heads of the three churches: EEC (Evangelical Church of Cameroon), UEBC (Union of Baptist Churches Cameroon) and EELC (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cameroon).

 

The second story is a summarised French translation of the article on the Synod website called ‘Turbulent Times’ which looked at the consequences of climate change on local people in Western Province. 

WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES

The World Council of Churches website leads with the Rev Phyllis Wong Mei Fung, Minister of Hong Kong’s Kowloon Union Church (KUC) urging the Church to work ecumenically to take seriously the needs of the excluded, marginalised and oppressed so that all can receive God’s love, grace, justice and peace, and in particular women, children and gender minorities. Patriarchal structures, globalisation, distribution of resources and environmental issues all needed to be challenged

An international conference on peace and security in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) held in Geneva recently invited DRC churches to consolidate existing ecumenical initiatives and consider new ones.

Work groups reported on sexual and gender-based violence and responses to HIV/AIDS, natural resources and their exploitation, and human rights and humanitarian concerns. Preparations were also made for and monitoring elections this year as well as the 2016 Presidential Election.

The denial of visas to youth delegates in particular was a problem but the conference was live-streamed to Kinshasa’s United Methodist Church allowing it to be followed there.

The final communiqué voiced concern for youth, children, women and other vulnerable persons, in the DRC and the need for education and employment, training in non-violence and peace-building, and preventing gender-based violence and harassment.

CHURCHES COUNCIL OF ZAMBIA

CCZ reports that the Zambian Government recognises and appreciates what the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) has been doing over the years with its pro-poor agenda.
It has also been a moral voice that has brought to Government’s attention many ills in mining.

The Christian Churches Monitoring Group (CCMG) in partnership with local Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) want to reduce voter apathy by increasing voter education ahead of elections. It supports greater powers and autonomy for the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to enhance voter confidence and urges all political leaders to take a strong stance against political violence and intolerance. The churches are useful to the Electoral Commission as they have a wider coverage nationwide through their various respective local structures.

The CCMG  is made up of the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ), the Evangelical Fellowship in Zambia (EFZ), the Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) and the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR). The Churches generally have a wider coverage than the commission nationwide through their various respective local structures.