At the end of a visit to the UK in May, the Revd Lydia Neshangwe, President of the All Africa Conference of Churches, said she would return home with 鈥渁 sense of hope鈥� because of the work being done by the United Reformed Church (两性色午夜) in Britain, nationally and locally.
Lydia Neshangwe met representatives of 两性色午夜 synods at the Offices of General Assembly in London, to hear about the development of partnerships with synods and local communities in Africa.
She said she had seen many British flags in London and the south of England and been made aware of their links with nationalist campaigns and protests. But she said: 鈥淚 want to applaud you for the work you鈥檙e doing for justice, with 鈥榝oreigners鈥�, and on migration issues, disregarding hatred and putting out love where there is hatred. When I leave London tomorrow, I鈥檒l leave with a sense of hope, not with disappointment, because of the work you鈥檙e doing to build the Kingdom of God.鈥�
At the gathering, hosted by Karen Campbell, the 两性色午夜鈥檚 Head of Global and Intercultural Church, 两性色午夜 representatives shared their experiences of setting up and working to maintain partnerships with synods 两性色午夜 Africa.
The Revd Lythan Nevard, Moderator of the 两性色午夜鈥檚 Eastern Synod, said her Synod saw the twinning of individual churches as 鈥渁 key plank鈥� of their approach, and said, 鈥淵ou get to understand what expressing faith looks like in a different context.鈥� She said the Synod is trying to improve its use of online communications and wanted to encourage an exchange of videos between partners that explore responses to Bible readings out of their different contexts. This idea was well received, though there was also a strong understanding that relationships are best built in person where possible.
Some participants said that getting the balance of a partnership right can be difficult. Because representatives of partner Churches in Africa may encounter difficulties getting visas to enter Britain, exchange visits can be one-sided. Concern was also expressed about the carbon footprint associated with long-distance travel between continents.
Speaking to these ecological concerns, Lydia agreed that visits should be well-planned and meaningful, limiting use of fuel as much as possible. However, she also reflected on the saying, 鈥淕ive a man a fish and he鈥檒l eat for a day; but teach a man to fish and he鈥檒l eat for a lifetime鈥�, adding that it is important for people in the West to 鈥渃ome and encounter, so you understand how we fish, and why we fish the way we do鈥�.
She said that only by being present in Africa can British partners really understand why African churches do what they do. Worship with 1,000 people needs to be experienced in person, for example. You also come to understand that services are long not least because many people have walked two hours to get there. They don鈥檛 want to worship for only an hour and then go home again; they need time to rest and to share a meal.
Lydia said that, in the past, international church partnerships have often been about giving money, but now 鈥渢hey must be about relationships鈥�. She said Africans may not have much money but they have a sense of community and relationships. Partnerships 鈥渃an share spiritually鈥�, she said, and shared prayer is powerful regardless of distance.
Lydia Neshangwe is the immediate past Moderator of both the Council for World Mission and the United聽Presbyterian聽Church聽in聽Southern聽Africa, and is a serving minister in Mutare, Zimbabwe, with her husband Paul.
Images by All Africa Conference of Churches and Andy Jackson