Wishing a Joyful 2010

As the new year starts we have a moment to pause and reflect on what the last year has been. Like most years 2009 has had its ups and downs. On the up side David was appointed as Director and has been able to visit many Anglican parishes to talk about our work. Another positive is that we maintained our funding commitment to the projects for the 2009/10 year. On the down side our donations have dropped which will mean that we will not be able to fund as many activities as we would like in 2010/11 year.2010 will be another interesting year full of challenges as well as opportunities. We are pleased that Bettina will be joining us as our Donor Relations Officer and it is likely that we will be moving into St Andrew’s House in the centre of Sydney. All positive!From the staff (Suzanne, David, Joanna and Bettina) we wish all our supporters a joyful New Year.

Your Support Leaves a Lifelong Mark on Africa's Bible Students

A message from the Archbishop -

Dear Friend

It is sad to know that many Christians in Africa have had very little exposure to the Bible. Even many of those serving as church leaders have only a rudimentary knowledge of the Scriptures.

Through my Overseas Ministry Fund we are supporting church leaders to be properly trained in the Bible and this can only be achieved through the generous donations from people like you.

Remember your support leaves a lifelong mark on Africa’s Bible Students.

Yours sincerely
Peter F Jensen
Archbishop of Sydney

To donate please visit: www.abau.org.au or phone 1800 653 903

Visit by Archbishop Ian Ernest, Bishop of Mauritius and Archbishop of the Indian Ocean

Archbishop Ernest has been visiting Sydney and had the opportunity of meeting with the OMF and ORAF Management Committees. We enjoyed learning more about the Diocese of Mauritius and the Archbishop’s desire to better equip the people in Biblical knowledge through running PTC courses. OMF is looking to assist with the funding of theological training.

Archbishop Ernest also gave a brief presentation to Synod at Mission Hour on Monday evening.

Kenya – Katakwa TEE Program

In a recent update from Rev. Amos Shiundu Mukung, Diocesan TEE Coordinator, informs us:

For the last three years through the generous and financial support from AOMF, Katakwa TEE (Theological Education by Extension) program has trained 40 students in two levels of training: 20 in Certificate in Christian and Religious Studies (10 Clergy and 10 lay preachers), and 20 in the Basic level program (mainly the lay preachers). Those trained are all involved in ministry in their respective congregations. These men and women had never dreamt of getting any type of training in their lives.

The church in Africa is still in dire need of trained biblical leadership. Explosive Church growth coupled with high levels of poverty has left many congregations with no trained pastors and preachers. TEE is the only option for those who are already in ministry but due to their poor academic background, poverty and economic hardships cannot easily move to the cities to attend traditional bible colleges.

We are glad to report that the Katakwa TEE program has trained the right leaders – those already in the ministry – these are men and women despite coming from poor rural villages riddled with extreme cases of poverty, they have a commitment and firm belief. They have track records as faithful stewards and committed lay preachers and leaders in their respective congregations.

OMF is continuing to fund this TEE Program

News from DRC: Berea Bible School

Malcolm and Elizabeth Richards, CMS Missionaries in DRC, have provided the following update:

The Bible School term has started and we are back in the routine of teaching and crossing the river. A number of students have not yet arrived and we are concerned for one whose mother in law has had him illegally put in gaol over a fight about bride price. Another who went to visit her mother in Kisangani during the break has been stuck getting a boat for the return trip. Others have had pressure from family not to come at all. The rainy season here is just starting and people are busy planting rice and other crops. We are trying to hand over many of the administration tasks at the Bible School as well as some of our classes to new staff but this is a process that will take some time.

The course for wives of third year students has been changed this term to put more emphasis on learning Bible stories, under-standing what it means to be a Christian, and literacy. These women will in future be wives of pastors and put in positions of leadership in the church, we are concerned at their lack of Bible knowledge.

Visit by Rev Stephens of IGL

Yesterday we had the pleasure of meeting up with Rev. Samuel D. Stephens and his daughter Becky from the Indian Gospel League (IGL). They were visiting Sydney for a family wedding and took the time to come out to Parramatta to meet us. We had an enjoyable lunch hearing more about the work that the Indian Gospel League is doing in southern India. It is encouraging to hear of the number of new churches being planted. Becky shared with us the real hardship faced by new converts to Christianity as in many cases they are shunned by their family and community. It is a real testament of faith of these people that they are prepared to make these huge sacrifices to follow Christ.

With so many new churches being planted, it also highlighted the real need for more theological training for these new church leaders. The Moore College PTC course is being used and a number of Sydney Anglicans are involved with IGL in presenting this material in India.

OMF has contributed to the translation of a number of PTC course notes.

Southern Sudan Special Pastor Training Programme

The programme works with a number of Southern Sudanese Dioceses of the Anglican Church, at present 4 have been included and two more are being added this year. Carlile College takes a group of 4 basically untrained and poorly educated church leaders from a diocese to Carlile’s Nairobi Campus and gives them assistance so that they can complete the three year Higher Diploma in Theology programme over 4 years, while as well as giving them extra language and academic support, they are taught to teach and helped to translate materials into their mother tongues. Every year they return to Southern Sudan with translated materials and run 10 day workshops in a number of remote locations in their own Dioceses to teach some of what they have learned to untrained church leaders. Each group tries to teach 150 church leaders each year while they are completing their training.

OMF has been contributing funds to support several Sudanese students since 2006