TO ALL PEOPLE OF THE DIOCESE OF CAPE TOWN

My dear Friends,

PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE DIOCESE OF WASHINGTON AND THE CHURCH OF THE PROVINCE OF SOUTHERN AFRICA.

The election of John Chane as Bishop of Washington presented us with an opportunity to review the companion relationship that existed between the Dioceses of Cape Town and Washington.  I therefore decided to attend John's consecration which coincided with some meetings I was attending in the USA.  We spent some quality time together dreaming dreams about our future relationship.

Three major factors influenced our proposal for a new kind of partnership. These were as follows:

  1. The changing environment in a Globalising World;

  2. The nature of the Archbishop of Cape Town's ministry as Bishop of the Diocese, Metropolitan of the CPSA, and Primate of the Anglican Communion who has been asked to give leadership on issues of HIV/AIDS, Chairperson of the Anglican Communion's Poverty, Trade and Debt Task Team and a member of the International Steering Committee on Global Governance with a specific mandate to monitor the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals;

  3. The strategic and unique position of the Diocese of Washington situated in the legislative and administrative capital of the world's only super power;

It seemed good to us and to the Holy Spirit that we test our respective constituencies about establishing something new in the Anglican Communion, which is a Partnership between a Diocese and Province.  Bishop John Chane, together with a delegation from his Diocese, visited our Province and held discussions with some of the leadership of our Province.

A statement of Partnership was issued by Bishop Chane and I quote:

"Our involvement in the mission and ministry of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa provides an exhilarating challenge that promises significant benefits for us all.  The Most Rev. Njongonkulu Ndungane, Archbishop of Cape Town and primate of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa, and I look forward with excitement to implementing such a partnership that has the potential to be a model for the larger church.  The rapid growth of the church in the world's southern hemisphere suggests that Africa is where the church's focus should be for the foreseeable future.  As part of our diocesan mission strategy I believe that we as citizens and residents of the United States, as well as members of a faith community need to not only understand these phenomena but engage in it.  While there are differences in our church theology and biblical interpretation we must find a way to respect each other's cultures and differences of opinion.  Then together we must work towards our common objective, which is living into the very clear and concise directives of the gospel.

While this relationship is daunting, the Archbishop and I believe that we can find ways of supporting each other in areas of need and expertise that we share.  Tentatively, we are focusing on HIV/AIDS, theological education, women's issues, and advocacy, meaning that here in the Diocese we would serve as advocates of relevant legislation, appropriations, and any other issues that arise from our unique location here in the nation's capital.  We also look to our brothers and sisters in Southern Africa to work with us in our efforts to address racial issues, issues of economic injustice, and enhance our liturgy, particularly through more joyous and dynamic music.  All of this would be in addition to parish linkages between our two jurisdictions."

A resolution was tabled at the September 2003 meeting of the Provincial Standing Committee.  It was unanimously agreed that a partnership be established between the Diocese of Washington and the CPSA.  A similar resolution was tabled at the Diocesan Convention of the Diocese of Washington held at the end of January 2004.  The resolution was accepted with acclaim.  The following Declaration was signed by Bishop John Chane on behalf of the Washington Diocese and The Archbishop of Cape Town on behalf of the CPSA. (See attachment)

This partnership has already begun to bear fruit, judging by the high- level talks that I had during my week long visit to the Diocese of Washington together with the Dean of the Province, the Right Rev. D A Beetge.

Among the people I met were:

All the above expressed openness to future meetings.

It would seem to me that in a Globalizing world in which global realities have a significant impact on local issues, we have moral obligations and responsibilities to lobby the powerful for policy changes.  Just to site three examples:

  1. Food Security is a number one priority.

v    2.8 billion people in the world live on less than $2 a day.

v    1.4 billion people on less than $1 a day.

v    800 million people go hungry every day in a world that is in surplus.

v    In the next 25 years there will be an extra 2 billion people and no increase in land space.

v    70% of poor people live in rural areas.

Aid and Food Relief programmes are fine in the short term but we need to lobby for fair trade so that developing countries can improve their economies and be able to feed their citizens

  1. Universal Primary Education must be available to everyone.  In this knowledge-filled world it is sad, if not sinful that in 2000 the latest data available, 104 million school-age children, most of them girls, were not enrolled in primary education. Contrast that with World Military Expenditure in 2002 which was $794 billion.  I am sure in today's figures it would be in excess of $1 trillion.  Yet UNICEF estimates that it would cost a minimum of $9.1 billion to achieve universal primary education by the year 2015.  This means that if the world devoted a minimum of 4.18 (?) days of Military expenditure every year to education, we would achieve universal primary education by the year 2015.

  2. Climate Change - "Is it nature's weapon of mass destruction?" as one top Scientist posed the question in the London Guardian. This resulted in a very fascinating discussion at the recent meeting of the World Economic Forum.  Listening to experts discuss this issue sent shivers down my spine.

    Addressing Global climate change is one of the paramount environmental challenges of the 21st Century. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide, the chief heat-trapping greenhouse gas, has risen 35%.  This increase is mostly due to human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. Regional climate changes due to temperature increases have already affected many physical and biological systems and the evidence suggests adverse impacts on human settlements from the increasing frequency and intensity of floods, droughts and other severe weather events.

    The international community tried to address this challenge as a first response through the Kyoto Protocol which was signed in 1997.  But the country that is the single biggest source of greenhouse emissions is the USA and it has withdrawn from the Protocol and has made it clear it does not intend to undertake meaningful actions to control its emissions in the new term.

    You can see that there is a long road ahead for us to make the world a better place for all.  The World Economic Forum's Global Governance Initiative, of which I am a member, is central in addressing these issues.  It would seem to me that I need time, resources and advice on these matters. Our partnership with the Diocese of Washington is of strategic importance in providing access to law and policy makers in the USA, as well as those who have the ear of the President. Please continue to pray for me in these various aspects of my ministry.

    GRACE AND PEACE

Follow this link to view a scanned image of the agreement. NOTE : The image is 38k so it may take a while to download.

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