A Growing Partnership

Over the 42 years of the Malawi Partnership we have continued to engage with each other in the areas of mission, ministry, friendship and prayer. The Diocese of Birmingham continues to support our Brothers and Sisters in Malawi with financial support for clergy stipends and diocesan administrative costs. The growth of parish-to-parish linking and diocesan visits has established vital personal relationships that enrich the partnership.

The Malawi Partnership continues to provide a window for us all to increasingly appreciate the wider shape and mission of the church and reveals to us more of the nature of God Himself.

A Partnership in Worship

A parish linking system has proved to be an effective way of integrating the Malawi Partnership into the worshipping lives of churches. Currently there are fifteen Parish links and four school links established. This provides opportunities for closer communication; a better understanding of each other’s needs and ultimately brings more meaning to the Partnership as a whole.

We have enjoyed visits from our friends in Malawi over the years. Most recently we welcomed Father Brighton, Dean of Mponda’s Cathedral in the Diocese of Upper Shire. He spent time with his link Parish of Polesworth and shared fellowship with them for a month.

Later this year we look forward to welcoming Bishops from Malawi for hospitality in Birmingham before they attend the Lambeth Conference.

A Partnership for Children

Schools in Malawi and Birmingham are also beginning to partner. They will exchange letters, art and learn about each other’s lives and cultures as part of their curriculum,

A Partnership for the Future

In celebration of over 42 years of the Malawi Partnership, the Malawi Task Group launched a skills sharing programme during 2006. Since then numerous successful trips have been undertaken and more are planned for 2008. These trips fall broadly into three categories:

• Skills Share
• Work Share
• Encounter

There will also be opportunity to share in worship and Christian education.Are you:

• retired?
• seeking a career break?
• young and about to embark on a career?

Find out how you can make a difference in Malawi by completing and returning the slip which you can download by clicking here ( 165kB pdf document).

To find out more about Skills Share please visit the Malawic Visits Programme pages by clicking here.

A Strong Historic Link

The partnership between the Anglican Dioceses of Malawi and the Diocese of Birmingham was formed in 1966, making it the oldest Diocesan partnership in the UK. There are now four dioceses in Malawi: Northern Malawi, Lake Malawi, Upper Shire and Southern Malawi.

During the last four decades we have welcomed priests and lay people to study here in the UK. A Youth Exchange has enabled young people from both countries to experience first hand the delights and challenges of cross-cultural exchange. A bi-annual Diocesan delegation is now well established with Bishop’s and lay people travelling together to deepen understanding and explore new ways of developing the partnership. Increasingly, people are choosing Malawi for sabbatical placements and a holiday destination for the whole family.

Specific project support has included the provision of a lorry for each diocese, considerable financial assistance during the famine of 2003 and as part of our own Centenary celebrations in 2005 we raised over £115,000 to provide over 60 motorcycles for many of the rural parishes.

But above all, the decades have witnessed growing relationships between parishes and people establishing the Malawi Partnership as a vibrant and exciting Christian initiative. Why not consider supporting it yourself.