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New Mozambique Covenant Partnerships Needed
Written: 5/8/2008
Covenant partnership has transformed congregations in both Mozambique and Missouri. A church covenant partnership includes prayer, correspondence, leadership, financial support ($990/year – 3 years) and subscribers to e-news.
The following churches in Mozambique are in need of covenant partners. Read below and see if one of these churches is calling you into risk-taking mission! If so, click to make an online covenant!
Jeruzalem UMC
Jeruzalem UMC in the Morrumbene South district is located about 5 km from historic Cambine mission station. Membership is around 350 and 50 attend 4 local churches regularly. There are 8 classes. The people speak Bitonga, Xitswa and Portuguese. The Jeruzalem chapel is made of local materials such as reeds and cane. Coconut palm leaves and thatch make the chapel roof and it has a mud floor. There is no parsonage and the pastor currently resides at Cambine mission station. There are plans to build a permanent parsonage. Electricity and phone are not available. Ministry plans include increasing the number of class meetings, emphasizing Sunday school and bible studies, and strengthening evangelism in the local churches (neighborhood churches). Photos available. Click here to make an online covenant. Be sure to note "Jeruzalem UMC" on the comments.
Malova UMC
Malova UMC in the Massinga South district is located about 20 km off the main road southwest of Massinga village. The congregation worships under two big cashew-nut trees. Coconut shells "sitsato" make benches. Attendance is about 350 in 4 local churches and there are 12 class meetings. The semi-permanent parsonage is of cane walls and has a zinc roof and concrete floor. Members are mostly agriculturalists and speak Xitswa or Portuguese. They need to purchase the land already in use ($1,000) and are desperately in need of a permanent chapel. Each member is committed to contributing to the construction. Electricity and phone are not available. This is a very active congregation despite wide-spread poverty in the area. There is a high rate of illiteracy. Through evangelism they hope to increase their church membership. Photos available. Click here to make an online covenant. Be sure to note "Malova UMC" on the comments.
Nhachengue UMC
Nhachengue UMC in the Massinga North district located about 52 km northwest of Massinga village near the main road. Of the 250+ members in 5 class meetings and 2 local churches, about 100 attend regularly. There is no electricity or telephone. The people speak Xitswa or Portuguese. The congregation worships under a tree and the parsonage is made of stick walls and thatch. They dream of building a semi-permanent chapel and need doors and windows for the parsonage. Electricity and phone are not available. They would really like to have a UMC sign for the entry-way. For the building of the chapel the members will sign a construction commitment guided by their construction committee. They have special plans to assist children in primary school and need Sunday school materials. One photo available. Click here to make an online covenant. Be sure to note "Nhachengue UMC" on the comments.
Pagula UMC
Pagula UMC in the Morrumbene North district is located about 9 km west of Morrumbene village. Membership is more than 500. About 300 attend the 5 local churches and participate in 18 classes. The people speak Xitswa and Portuguese. A permanent chapel is under construction for some time now (about window level) and a semi-permanent chapel also. The parsonage is semi-permanent with zinc roof and concrete floor but needs doors. There is moderate illiteracy and they have difficulty paying the pastor. They plan to complete or build a permanent chapel and have collected/contributed 3,000 blocks and 5 crates of stone and 46 zincs for that purpose. First they need to officially legalize the church property. Electricity and phone are not available in the area. The community is very active and there are 70 coconut palms and many mango and cashew-nut trees on the church property. The people enjoy fellowship with one another. Photos available. Click here to make an online covenant. Be sure to note "Pagula UMC" on the comments.
Save UMC
Save UMC in the Inhambane North district is about 90 km north of Inhassoro village and very close to the Save River near the borders with Sofala and Manica Provinces. The people of the area speak Xitswa, Ndau, Shona and Portuguese. Membership is about 150 but 30 meet regularly for worship in 2 local churches and participate in 4 class meetings. They meet on the verandah of a church members home but have identified a new place to construct a church. There is no parsonage but they were in the process of purchasing a site to construct one. Land already allocated by the local authorities will cost about $350. Electricity is not available in the area but there is spotty cell-phone coverage. They say that they need New Testaments, Bibles and hymnals to use in worship. They plan a door-to-door evangelization campaign and, like other churches, set a "goal of souls" for the year. They commit to having an annual "partner day" if they are able to get a new Missouri partner church. This is a fairly new church that needs help. Members work hard to contribute to the pastor salary but are unable to meet that obligation due to hunger and draught. Photos available. Click here to make an online covenant. Be sure to note "Save UMC" on the comments.
Tevele UMC
Tevele UMC at Chibuka in the Massinga North district is about 48 km northeast of Massinga village. The nearest parish is Chiphongo. Membership is more than 500 but 40 meet regularly in 2 local churches with 9 classes. The congregation worships under a tree and there is no parsonage, no electricity and no phone. The people speak Xitswa and Portuguese. The congregation hopes for a parsonage for their pastor, Christian education materials, a UMC sign, and the area desperately needs a clinic. Members were contributing sticks to build a parsonage. No photos available. Click here to make an online covenant. Be sure to note "Tevele UMC" on the comments.
Xitandane UMC
Xitandane UMC in the Morrumbene South district is located about 32 km from Cambine. Membership is about 480 and more than 90 attend in 4 local churches and 7 class meetings. The people are farmers and some collect cashews for commercial purposes. They speak Xitswa and Portuguese. There is a semi-permanent chapel made of cane walls with "macuti" coconut leaves covering the roof and a mud floor. Logs make benches and there is no pulpit. The parsonage is a thatched round-house with mud walls and floor but a permanent parsonage is under construction and they are putting the finishing touches on it but need 60 zincs. There is no electricity or phone available. There is a high illiteracy rate among members and the people suffer hunger from draught and are susceptible to local diseases such as malaria and diarrhea. They dream of a chapel made of local materials and members have collected about 150 poles and contributed about $20 for cement and block. Click here to make an online covenant. Be sure to note "Xitandane UMC" on the comments.
Districts: The following districts in Mozambique are in need of covenant partners. A district covenant partnership includes prayer, correspondence, financial support ($1,320/year – 3 years) and subscriber to e-news. Read on and click to make an online covenant!
Gaza District
Gaza District ($660) is located in Gaza Province north of Maputo in southern Mozambique. The superintendent parsonage is in the city of Xai-Xai and has both electricity and phone. There are seven parishes and three extensions of evangelization in this district. The 2008 DS is Rev. Eduardo Filipe Angelo. People of the area are basically agriculturalist and sell goods in the commercial "flea markets" along the main road. Many youth and some men go to work in the mines in South Africa. Some work in institutions and NGO's (non-governmental organizations). The languages are Chope, Xitswa, Xangana and Portuguese. It is a large district with great area for the DS to cover so there is a future plan to divide into two districts. The DS is trying to sensitize members to improve parsonages for pastors. Rev. Angelo encourages each parish to produce a sustainable project to enable self- development. He encourages strengthening covenant relationships with Missouri partners. Photo available. Click here to make an online covenant. Be sure to note "Gaza District" on the comments.
Inhambane South District
Inhambane South District ($1,320) is located north of Gaza Province in southern Mozambique. The superintendent resides in a semi-permanent house with cane walls and concrete floor at Zavala village. The village has electricity and phone but it is not available at the parsonage. The 2008 DS is Rev. Vasconselho Vasco Zitha. Like the people of Gaza, people of this area are also basically agriculturalist and sell goods in the commercial "flea markets" along the main road. Many youth go to work in the mines in South Africa. Local languages are Chope, Xitswa and Portuguese. There are seven parishes and one extension of evangelization in the district. The people suffer hunger-related problems in the district and thus it is difficult for parishes to meet financial obligations. There is lack of means of communication and transportation. Photo available. Click here to make an online covenant. Be sure to note "Gaza District" on the comments.
Massinga South District
Massinga South District ($660) is located in Inhambane in the area of Massinga village. The 2008 DS is Rev. Medy Jeremias. People mostly practice agriculture, commerce in the flea markets, and the men community transportation. Youth and some adults go to work in the mines of South Africa. The local language is Xitswa and Portuguese. The DS parsonage is a semi-permanent building made of zinc walls and roof with a concrete floor and would like to build a wall to create a compound for the DS's security. There is both electricity and phone at the parsonage. There are seven parishes and two extensions of evangelization in the district. The district suffers hunger related issues and the DS finds the great distances to parishes challenging. They need Christian education materials throughout the district. Photos available. Click here to make an online covenant. Be sure to note "Massinga South District" on the comments.
Morrumbene Central District
Morrumbene Central District ($1,320) this is a new district coming out of the 2007 December Annual Conference, made by dividing parishes out of the other districts in the area. The 2008 DS is Rev. André Arnaldo Mudungaze. There are six parishes and on extension of evangelization in the new district. No further information or photos are available. Click here to make an online covenant. Be sure to note "Morrumbene Central District" on the comments.
Morrumbene South District
Morrumbene South District ($1,320) is centered at historic Cambine mission stations. The 2008 DS is Rev. Boaventura Alfredo Mazive. There are 12 parishes in the district. People of the area mostly practice agriculture, small businesses and commercial flea market. The language is Xitswa and Portuguese. The parsonage is a permanent house with zinc roof and concrete floors. Electricity will soon be available however there are no funds to pay for it. Sometimes there is a lack of pastors to serve in all the parishes and for evangelization extensions. The Cambine seminary is located at the mission station and often the seminarians serve the churches in the districts while they are students. There is a goal to increase district Bible study, to build an elementary school in the Jogo area, and to have a computer for data processing. Cambine is the location of a United Methodist guest house run by the Women's Society and offers the opportunity for visitors. Photo available. Click here to make an online covenant. Be sure to note "Morrumbene South District" on the comments.
Zambezia South District
Zambezia South District ($660) is centered in the major port city of Quelimane. The 2008 DS is Rev. Isaias Felipe Machegane Face. There are four parishes in the Zambezia South District and they are great distances so traveling is a challenge. This area of Mozambique is very poor and so churches in this district face many challenges. Click here to make an online covenant. Be sure to note "Zambezia South District" on the comments.
Covenant partnership has transformed congregations in both Mozambique and Missouri. When Carol Kreamer visited the Zimpeto church in Mozambique, the Lay Leader stated in worship, "We (our covenant partner and Zimpeto) are one in Christ. If it was not for their support when we started as a new church, we would not be so strong in this neighborhood!" The church was packed that Sunday as they celebrated a newly appointed pastor, saying farewell to the district superintendent who had assisted them until that moment.
What: A standard covenant includes a commitment to pray for your partner, correspond with your partner, build awareness in your congregation or group, and support financially with $990 per year (church) and $1,320 per year (district) for three years.*
Who: Churches, groups and individuals may make covenant commitments.
How: Make commitment online or download the covenant partnership commitment card at: http://www.moumethodist.org/MozCovenant.asp
More information: If you would like your church to experience transformation and know more about engaging in a covenant partner relationship, please contact Carol Kreamer, coordinator, The Mozambique Initiative, P O Box 754, Eureka 63025-0754, 636-271-4455, or cpkreamer@hughes.net
* Partial covenants are accepted beginning at $330/year – MI will seek other partners to fulfill the complete covenant.
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