Ongoing Centennial Celebrations in Mozambique
By Revd Isaac Mandlate
From the 27-29th July 2023, at Quinta das Pombas, Mozambique, a leadership retreat was held by the District Advisory Boards of the six districts of Area 3: Tete, Macanga, Angónia, Fingoé, Cahora Bassa and Chiúta, and the theme was “Empowering Leadership,” with a focus on the mission of the church of Christ. There were several invited facilitators and speakers at the retreat who covered topics such as the government of the Church of the Nazarene, the development of local churches and districts, uniting factors of the Nazarenes and conflict management.
The retreat ended on the 30th of July with a great celebration of the centennial of the Church of the Nazarene in Mozambique, with 93 of those years in Tete, where all six districts were represented by a congregation of over 1500 believers.
Among the invited guests were former missionaries and those who had a role in the fundraising for buildings in the area. One of the new school buildings was also dedicated. This facility will be used to train teachers for the Mozambican public and private school network. Another building is already functioning as a primary and secondary school with a current enrolment of 1240 pupils.
This ceremony was presided over by His Excellency, the Governor of Tete, Domingos Viola, who is a full member of the Church of the Nazarene. Mr Viola promised to ensure that the accreditation to train teachers would be ready for the next school year.
Retired Field Strategy Coordinator, Rev Paulo Sueia, was the guest speaker. He brought a message from the book of Philippians 3:12-14. He appreciated those who ministered in the past, those who are still the ministry today and challenged the younger generation to press on towards the goal set forth by God. To illustrate this message, he used the example of a relay race in athletics. Each member of the team has a specific distance to run which, when it ends, the runner must pass the baton, or the testimony of Jesus Christ, to the next athlete. He said the church in Mozambique is alive because the testimony of the message of holiness has been passed on from generation to generation as they press towards the goal: eternal life. We join hands and celebrating God’s faithfulness in Mozambique.
