NOVEMBER 2009
Compass Rose Visits the Diocese of Southern Malawi
M e ss a g e f rom o u r President
… A Journal by the Revd. Daphne Grimes
Dear Friends, As I write this, the memories of our recent AGM and trip to Malawi are still fresh in my mind. By any measure, I believe our recent meetings in London were a success. We greeted new members and saw new faces from some of our member parishes. Enthusiasm for our work in the Anglican Communion was high. Kenneth Kearon shared events from his year, including a very moving trip to the Congo. In some areas of this country, the church is the only institution providing care for people, as NGOs and government agencies have pulled out because of the danger. Archbishop Rowan shared stories of his recent trip to the small but influential church in Japan. Malawi is the story, however, that I really must share. In many ways, Malawi is a country of too few. Too few teachers, too few doctors, too few resources, too few students willing to study at the University of Malawi and stay to build the country and too few schools. It is a country of too few. Yet these are observations of mine and not complaints of the people there. Malawians see the enormous potential of their country while remaining deeply aware of the magnitude of the challenges they face. These are people of dignity and people of peace. Remarkably, Malawi, which seems to have all the ingredients for a violent society is anything but. One federal politician we met said that when things get really tough, Malawians break into song and dance. We saw that time and again. From the greeting we were given at the airport (I felt like a rock star!) to the
Neil and Pauline Maxwell with the Reverend Daphne Grimes at a monument commemorating the arrival of Dr. David Livingstone and Bishop Charles Mackenzie to Malawi.
On October 2, Compass Rose members, from five countries were welcomed to Blantyre, Malawi by Bishop James Tengatenga his wife, Rose, and a host of women’s groups in blue and white, who greeted us with dance and song – a foretaste of celebrations that would prevail throughout our visit. Our Compass Rose president, Bishop Philip Poole of Toronto, along with Secretary General Canon Kenneth Kearon, were presented to the group, after which we drove to the very comfortable Hotel Protea Ryalls for a welcome opening dinner. Early the next morning, we set out through a very populous and active rural area of Magomero, the site of the first Christian mission in the then wild area, founded in 1868 by Bishop Charles MacKenzie. Several hundred people were gathered for a four-hour outdoor celebration and mass in his honor. The Mothers’ Union and other women’s groups led the singing, with many other groups joining in. We were struck by the attention of the children, many barefoot and in tatters, who sat quietly through the long service. Bishop James presided, with other bishops and clergy including Bishop David Urquhart of Birmingham, who preached. Both Bishop Poole and Canon Kearon were vested, and part of the long procession. In the afternoon, we went up a bumpy red dirt road to a small rural school sponsored by the diocese where we were greeted by swarms of children looking hungry and in rags, but very eager to wave to us and
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have their photographs taken. Bishop James told us that at least 15% of the children would be orphans, from the heavy incidence of HIV/AIDS. The next morning, Sunday, we attended the three hour High Mass at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Blantyre, conducted in the native language, Chichewa. It was punctuated with exuberant singing, clapping and dancing from at least three choir groups. Bishop Philip preached, with a theme, “God has a dream”, translated by the Dean, the Very Revd. Auster Kalilombe. The following day we drove south-west, down the mountain, into the Shire river valley, and over 30 kilometers of red road to Chapananga, a rural community center being established by the Diocese. Here, using the homemade red bricks, they are building a clinic as well as priest and teacher housing. Sam, the priest shared his clear vision around education and agricultural development. We then drove through a large South African sugar plantation and processing factory and to Nyala Wild Life Preserve where we saw zebra, a giraffe family, wildebeest and a herd of another large antelope.
Children were thrilled to meet the Society members at each parish visited.
Later that evening, active Diocesan supporters, James and Angela hosted us for a dinner where Bishop James shared many of the diocesan needs including education, reconstruction of the Diocesan Office and needs of Sunnyside boarding School, taken over by the Diocese two years ago, that we visited the next day. It needs much refurbishing and refitting, books for the library, equipment for their science department, as well as more good teachers. They are using a Malawi curriculum; preparing students for university there, and to use their education for local development. After visiting the school the next day, we drove south of the city through immense tea plantations to All Saints Church in the Thyolo Parish, with Fr. Willard. Here, the priest and Senior Warden, Angela, told us of the work of the parish. They feed all impoverished comers, regardless of their religious affiliations. They run carpentry and sewing training programs, as well as literacy classes. The priest also serves several outlying churches. As is true for so many of our pilgrimages, we witnessed so much being done with so little.
From top left, clockwise. Canon Kenneth Kearon and Bishop Philip Poole at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Blantyre. Bishop James Tengatenga of the Diocese of Southern Malawi. Sunnyside School, a newly-purchased secondary school of the Diocese.
So our visit ended. A final meeting in the morning gave us a chance to reflect together on our experiences and brainstorm ways Compass Rose might help meet some of the pressing needs of the Diocese. The vision of Bishop James Tengatenga, his priests and staff, have been an inspiration to all of us. May the rest of the Society catch a taste of God’s work among these people, and be inspired both to pray for them and assist them in their struggles as they bear so movingly the light of Christ. A parish choir singing and dancing at the Magomero celebrations.
If you are interested in learning more or to give a donor advised gift, please contact Bishop Poole at 416-363-6021 x253 or by email at Philip.poole@compassrosesociety.org.
Photos courtesy of Society members.
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CRS Welcomes New Board Members
Compass Rose Projects
Three individuals will be joining the board for new
T
he Compass Rose Society always tries to support local initiatives through and at the request of the Bishop of dioceses that we have visited. The Board of the Society invites you to consider, in addition to your annual gifts, support for the following projects.
terms starting January 1, 2010.
Reverend Michael Battle
The Very Reverend Michael Battle, PhD, is rector of the Church of Our Saviour, in San Gabriel, California. Ordained in 1993 by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, he is a well-known speaker and retreat leader. Michael has also written extensively on Christian non-violence, human spirituality, and African Church studies.
Beverley Patterson Wood is an active participant in church, community and university programs in Aurora, Ontario where she lives. A longtime member of the Compass Rose Society and Trinity Anglican Church, Aurora, she has worked hard with others in that parish to make the Society an important part of parish life and outreach at Trinity. Beverley also serves on the Canadian Board of the Society.
Reverend Canon John L. Peterson
In the Diocese of Southern Malawi: • S upport for repairing and renovating the Diocesan Office so that it might become a community centre, a place of teaching and equipped for more efficient administration. • S upport for Sunnyside School to repair their library and stock it with books, to upgrade computers and to equip their science lab. • S upport for trade and agricultural training programs in parishes. • S upport for tuition. Secondary school tuition costs $90 per term and clergy earn on average US$90 a month. We would hope by the time the next annual meeting of the Compass Rose Society takes place that we might be able to show pictures of the progress the Diocese of Southern Malawi has made due directly to the generosity of your gifts.
In the Diocese of Jerusalem • S upport for their home for the aged project in BirZeit, a village near Ramallah in the West Bank that still has a significant Christian population and the well-respected Christian BirZeit University. The diocese’s needs for this project relate to the completion of the building and equipping the home for residents in need of nursing care. Given the emigration of Christian families and the increase in dual income families, they need to serve the elderly who no longer have adequate support at home.
Beverley Patterson Wood
The Reverend Canon John L. Peterson is Canon for Global Justice and Reconciliation at Washington National Cathedral. John was instrumental in founding the Society while he was Secretary General of the Anglican Communion from 1995 to 2004. Prior to that (1983-1994) he was Dean of St. George’s College in Jerusalem, where he will be returning in retirement to serve the Bishop of Jerusalem for six months each year.
• S upport for educational scholarships. They wish to encourage their young people to study at local universities since once they go abroad to study they often never return home. By retaining these young graduates, they are stabilizing the Christian presence and improving the health of their society. The Compass Rose Society has had a long history of support of the Diocese of Jerusalem and donor advised gifts to help Bishop Suheil’s ministry may be made through the Society. Please give these projects your prayerful consideration.
Welcome new member: St. Thomas’ Church, Whitemarsh - The Reverend Marek Zabriski, Rector
In addition to these new members, Robert Foltz, Connie Gray and Marshal McReal will be returning to the board for a second term.
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Message from our President continued from page 1
three-hour outdoor celebrations at Magomero to the worship at the cathedral and parishes we visited, we were surrounded by exuberant Christians celebrating their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Mixed in with these images of celebration are images of the needs of the people and the opportunities for us to make a difference. I remember a library with few books and a leaky roof. I remember a young girl being given a water bottle with a little water left in it and I remember her handing it over to the even younger boy in her charge. On page 3 you will find a list of projects that the board invites you to support in Malawi. As we approach the Christmas season and we celebrate the abundance of our society, I invite you to remember the abundant faith of the people of Malawi. For a more detailed reflection by Bishop Philip Poole on his time in Malawi visit our website at http://www.compassrosesociety.org/news/ mission_news/2009_Trip_to_Malawi.shtml
Blessings, Bishop Philip Poole
The Rose Society Operating Summary TheCompass Compass Rose Society
Join us as:
Operating Summary Periods Ended August 31, 2009 December 31, 2008
Chapter Groups, Parish and Diocesan Groups and individual Members. Annual London/Canterbury Meeting Mission Trips www.anglicancommunion.org • www.compassrosesociety.org
INCOME STATEMENT INCOME Existing Members' Contributions New Members' Contributions Other TOTAL
$104,722 $10,306 $0 $115,028
$233,048 $131,827 $11,495 $376,370
DONATIONS Anglican Consultative Council Other TOTAL
$66,247 $0 $66,247
$299,081 $6,000 $305,081
EXPENSES
$31,679
$41,315
NET OPERATING EARNINGS
$17,102
$29,974
TOTAL
$16,270 $15,175 $1,095
$45,861 $54,164 ($8,302)
NET CHANGE IN ASSETS
$18,198
$21,672
MEMBER ADVISED Gifts Donations
If you would like more information please email Bishop Poole at philip.poole@compassrosesociety.org. As part of our ongoing effort to improve communications we would like to update our files to better understand who has email and would be willing to receive the Compass Rose Communicator via email, helping to reduce postage costs. If email is your preferred method of receiving the Communicator and other Compass Rose Society material, please email: terry.noble@compassrosesociety.org Links of Interest: The Archbishop of Canterbury: www.archbishopofcanterbury.org The Compass Rose Society: www.compassrosesociety.org The Anglican Communion: www.anglicancommunion.org Episcopal Life Online: www.episcopalchurch.org Anglicans Online: http://anglicansonline.org Save Canterbury Cathedral: www.savecanterburycathedral.com Rev. Rick Lord’s blog “World of Your Making”: www.ricklord.org
The Assets of the Society at August 31, 2009 were cash in banks of $110, 741. The bulk of these funds have now been transferred to the Anglican Consultative Council as part of the Society's ongoing support of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the ACC and its budget. Although 2008 was comparatively good relative to the economic downturn that we experienced, its lingering effects are making 2009 a very challenging year for the Society. We have experienced a significant decline in new memberships at the same time that needs throughout the Communion have increased markedly.
Mission PartnerS: Diocese of Southern Malawi: www.angsoma.org.mw/ Diocese of Jerusalem: www.j-diocese.org/ Diocese of the Highveld: www.diocesehighveld.org.za/ La Iglesia Anglicana de Mexico: www.iglesiaanglicanademexico.org/
As we approach year end your annual support of the Society will enable us to continue to support the Communion as we have in the past.
Facebook users, A Compass Rose Society Group has been established o join the Compass Rose Society group on Flickr, e-mail terry.noble@ T compassrosesociety.org
Dear members,
Follow Compass Rose at Twitter: @tomcranmer
In these difficult times I think it is particularly important that we all prayerfully consider our ability to give to those in need. Your contributions to the Anglican Communion support ministries and projects that others in this world, even more profoundly affected by the global economic distress than many of us have been, are unable to contribute to. Please use the included response card and envelope for your contribution or pledge. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to our worldwide Anglican Communion and to ministry in our Lord’s name.
Bishop Philip Poole
President, The Compass Rose Society
o view, post video for viewing by the membership go to: T www.youtube.com/group/compassrose The Compass Rose Society: Supporting the global ministry of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Anglican Communion. THE COMMUNICATOR: An occasional newsletter of the international Compass Rose Society. NOVEMBER 2009: Connie Gray, Communications Committee Chair Sonja Krastman, Advisor • Norris Battin, CRS Board Member, Advisor
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