A new link between the churches of North-east Wales and an area of Tanzania will be cemented next week when a team from the Diocese of St AsaphChurch in Wales) arrives in east Africa for a ten day visit. They will be welcomed by the Bishop of South West Tanganyika, the Rt Revd John Simalenga, who visited St Asaph in 2008, prior to the last Lambeth Conference, and again in February 2010. The two dioceses: St Asaph and South West Tanganyika, signed a Companion Link agreement in November 2008. (
The delegation will be led by Bishop Stephen Lowe, an honorary assistant bishop in the Diocese of St Asaph, and includes clergy and lay people from across the diocese. Bishop Stephen said, “We are all delighted at this opportunity to build a bridge between North Wales and the Diocese of St Asaph and this fairly remote part of Tanzania. They have much to teach us as the Church there is strong and growing – 250,000 practising Anglicans. But their needs are also enormous and we are going to explore how we can mutually support each other.”
The team includes Jonathan Abbott from Llangollen; Ros Crawford from Penybontfawr; the Revd Vittoria Hancock, St Asaph Cathedral Chaplain; the Revd David Lewis, Rector of Overton; the Revd Pam Powell, Vicar of Llansantffraid ym Mechain and Llanfechain; and the Revd Canon Bill Rowell, Rector of Welshpool, Castle Caereinion & Pool Quay, and World Mission Officer for the Diocese of St Asaph.
The Bishop of St Asaph, the Rt Revd Gregory Cameron, said, “These ambassadors are ‘living letters’ and we send this team asking them to convey our greetings, to participate in mission, and to bring back to us good news about how the Gospel and the Anglican Communion flourishes in the fertile soil of Africa.”
