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The Council for World Mission (CWM) has encouraged every Synod to develop a link with a church in another country as part of its ‘Belonging to the World Church’ Programme. Wessex Synod had already made links with UCZ when Revd Derek Wales was the Synod Moderator because Derek had ministered in Zambia and it seemed sensible to follow up those links. Our Synod has been formally linked with the Lusaka Presbytery of the United Church of Zambia (UCZ) since 2004. |
2003
Four women from our Synod visited Zambia, travelled within the Presbytery meeting women from the UCZ. On their return they shared the concerns that were raised with them with Synod.
2005
A group of four Zambian women made a reciprocal visit to meet people in the Synod.
2007
Following the visits in 2003/5 a 3 week trip to the Lusaka Presbytery was arranged for January 2007. The purpose of this visit was to learn from each other and to encourage each other in their mission.
The group consisted of 8 people from Synod including the Moderator and 2 people from the Southampton District of the Methodist Church. There were 7 ministers and 3 lay people all of whom had a special interest they wanted to follow up.
Zambia is a country the size of France, Austria, Denmark, Switzerland and Belgium put together and only has a population of about 11 million. It was impossible to see the whole country in the time available. The capital is Lusaka and it has a population of over 1,000,000. It was in the Lusaka Presbytery that the group was mainly based although 2 days were spent on the Copperbelt.
The hospitality was provided by local families so the group was able to see what life was like for many of the population. The hosts were incredibly kind and generous. The group experienced amazing hospitality & kindness and valued immensely the time spent with those families. They were all inspired by the chance to see a growing church worshipping with a joy and commitment that would be difficult to find in many of our own churches.
The Women’s Christian Fellowship (WCF) in UCZ
Women are the powerhouse of most churches but particularly so in the UCZ. In the Lusaka Presbytery, which consists of about 30 churches there are 7,000 WCF members. Membership involves a course of biblical instruction lasting 6 months to ensure that members have a good understanding of Christian teaching, and involved regular attendance at meetings. Women also have to be of good character and if they are accepted as members they are ‘bloused’. This means that they are entitled to wear the uniform of black tights & skirt, a white blouse and ‘turban’ and a bright red jacket. This symbolises that they have moved from darkness to salvation through the blood of Jesus.
In joining the movement they make 5 promises which include being regular at public worship as well as attending WCF meetings. A programme is devised for the whole of the Presbytery, with one meeting each week for Bible Study and the other one has activities which try and help women to be self reliant and economically empowered.
They also undertake a lot of the pastoral work. This includes visiting sick and bereaved people, helping widows, widowers and orphans as well as Church Workers and their families. There is also a Saturday morning group for those in regular employment. This is not a large number as unemployment levels are very high.
Membership is highly prized. Anyone who does not pay their annual subscription or does not attend regularly without very good reason will not be permitted to wear the uniform!
There is a parallel organisation for men (MCF) which meets on Saturdays. They wear a similar uniform but it is not as numerous as the WCF.
2009
In August a group of 8 young people and 2 leaders from UCZ came to this country to join up with a group of our own youngsters. The group included 4 young people and a leader from the Southampton District of the Methodist Church. The youngsters spent time camping as well as staying with families and the programme combined some leisure activities and church projects.
Some of the group spent time in Portland, others in Chandlers Ford as well as being based in Reading. A few young people and leaders from ERF joined in during the camping. A PowerPoint presentation of the exchange was made to the November Synod.
In September Bishop Lackson Chibuye and Revd. Mwape Chilekwa spent 3 weeks in the Synod and the Southampton District of the Methodist Church. Some of this time was with our Moderator and his Methodist counterpart. Our visitors also led worship on the Sundays they were here and saw some of the work of local churches.
Future Plans
A reciprocal visit for young people to Zambia to join youngsters there has been planned for August 2010. All the arrangements for this visit have been made and the 8 youngsters and 3 leaders travel to Zambia on 2 August for a 3 week visit. This is the same group of young people who hosted their Zambian counterparts in 2009 so is a mix of URC and Methodist youngsters.
They will be joined by a similar sized party from ERF in Nord Normandie.
The URC/Methodist youngsters will have another orientation weekend in July before they travel.
Our Moderator and the Chairman of the Southampton District of the Methodist Church Chair have made provisional plans for a visit to Zambia in 2011.
Links between Congregations in Wessex and UCZ
Links between individual congregations is being encouraged across the Synod and in the Methodist Church’s Southampton District. One or two links have been established and these will be published here later.
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