Mark in Africa, introducing For the Pew, farewell to Sarah & an interview with Dr. Peter Lineham.
On behalf of the Anglican Alliance, I've been in several African countries this month to evaluate and enhance disaster preparedness and response strategies.
Each country presents unique challenges, but the common thread is the vital role of the church in providing immediate and long-term support. Through this journey, we're encouraging collaboration, sharing best practices, and building stronger, more resilient communities.
I recently returned from Kachere Fishing Village on Lake Malawi, where I witnessed the devastating impact of torrential rain which resulted in the lake swelling by 200 metres. It inundated homes and displaced members of the community.
Those fishing (with only a few hours' notice from a radio alert) had to quickly evacuate to higher ground. Many were literally swimming for their lives. Although they lost homes, belongings, and food, fortunately, no lives were lost.
The community's response, the pooling of resources and offering aid underscores the church's vital role in disaster situations.
Our goal is to make sure the existing strengths and resources of the church are effective and efficient during disasters. Of course, this isn't just for countries in Africa, but something we can (and in some cases are already doing) in our own Province.
This experience is one part of my broader journey across Africa, where I'll be visiting Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, and Uganda. In Kenya and Malawi, we're particularly focussed on how local churches (which are integral to their communities) can strengthen their disaster response capabilities.
This involves not only reinforcing local strategies but also linking with other partners to ensure our disaster response network is cohesive and comprehensive. This includes helping churches to be well prepared and more resilient once the disaster is over.
Anglican Missions is committed to working with local churches to make sure they are well resourced to help others - before, during and after disaster, recognising that the church is a place of spiritual and practical assistance. We believe in a well resourced local church (as you can see with our new resource hub "For the Pew" below).
The lessons we've learned from Kachere's resilience will be important as we continue to shape our approach to strengthening disaster response. We're excited to help the local church embrace this role!
Mark Mitchell
Humanitarian and Development Manager
Introducing For the Pew.
We've had great feedback from parishes which have resource requirements. Thank you to everyone who gave us your ideas! We've been hard at work creating some of the resources you've requested. Introducing For the Pew!
Every two months, we'll update a shared folder with all sorts of helpful bits and pieces to help your parish. Keep an eye on your email inbox, our Facebook page and our eNewsletter to stay notified of new resources when they're added.
These include social media images for public holidays and observance days, preroll/announcement slides for your services, printable pew sheets for you to include in your church bulletins, video sermons/devotionals and much more!
Hit the link below to check out some of the resources available already. We'll keep adding to this, and we welcome any feedback or requests for resources that'll help you do mission wherever you are.
Pictured: Sarah's winning smile. Off camera - her hearty laugh.
It is with deep gratitude that we farewell Sarah from her role here at Anglican Missions.
Sarah joined us on a short fixed-term contract two years ago to help us navigate the ongoing response to Cyclone Gabrielle. She came to us from a career in book conservation with the National Library, and her crisp, clear writing skills were incredibly helpful in supporting our projects team.
Sarah went on to lead our annual grant funding application process, which included designing new templates and reporting requirements. This strengthened our level of accountability and made our due diligence commitments significantly easier as we pursue new funding opportunities.
When she left for her parental leave after becoming a mother to the gorgeous Mhairi, we all hoped she would be able to come back. But alas (for us!) her husband André was accepted for ordination with the Christchurch Diocese and they shortly head to St John's College in Auckland.
We will miss Sarah's utter professionalism, her winning smile and her hearty laugh. Her impact has been profound and her legacy of contribution sets us up well for the future.
Sarah goes with our blessing and with our sincere gratitude.
An interview with Dr. Peter Lineham.
We caught up with Dr. Peter Lineham at the 2024 General Synod/ Te Hīnota Whānui to talk about the importance of prayer and how our spiritual lives connect with our ordinary lives.
Dr. Peter Lineham MNZM is a retired professor of history at Massey University, a writer and researcher (particularly religious history) and a well known commentator on contemporary issues with a spiritual lens.
