Partnership between Harare Synod / CCAP Zimbabwe and MAPC

1
Partnership between Harare Synod / CCAP
Zimbabweand MAPC

• Where weve been,
• Where we are,
• and discerning
• Where God is calling us to go!

2
Outline of Discussion

• Following a series of 4 visits to Zimbabwe New
  York that began in 2007, we discerned God calling
  us to formalize our partnership
• In developing this partnership, HS MAPC used a
  framework suggested by PCUSA mission liaisons,
  Ted Sue Wright.
• We discussed
• Objective of the partnership
• Life Cycle of the Partnership
• History of activities to date
• Elements of partnership agreement

3
Partnership Objective

• Why are we doing this?
• To strengthen each others ministries and
  discipleship
• We each give out of our strengths and receive in
  our areas of need
• Build mutual capacity to share Gods love in
  Jesus Christ and not a relationship of
  dependency
• A healthy relationship is not based on money
• Mutuality Be open to learn from each other

4
Life Cycle of Partnership

• A Partnership has 7 stages
• Mutual discovery series of visits, prayer,
  email
• Formalizing the partnership written agreement
• First activities
• First disappointments
• Making adjustments
• Expanding the tent - exposing more people to
  partnership
• Evaluation - decide whether to renew, repair or
  release
• We have moved from stage 1 (discovery) to stage 2
  (agreement).

5
Partnership Agreement

• Partnership Agreement has 5 Elements
• Agreed on theology behind the partnership
• Agreed how parties will communicate
• mode, frequency, responsible parties
• Identified needs / resources of each partner
• what each partner wants is willing/able to give
  
• Agreed on first activities
• 1-3 specific action items for each party that
• Support partnership objective
• Are measurable with specific timeframe
• Provide opportunity for early success
• Specified duration of the agreement

6
Theology

• We acknowledged our common Reformed theological
  heritage Presbyterian polity
• Engaged in Bible Study focused on nature of
  partnership from Biblical perspective
• Agreed that
• The Synod of Harare, as a judicatory of the
  CCAP, and MAPC, a congregation of the PCUSA,
  share a common theological and confessional
  heritage in the Reformed tradition.
• We share the Presbyterian system of church
  governance.
• We share a commitment to partnership in ministry
  as informed by scripture.

7
Communication

• We agreed that communication between Harare Synod
  MAPC will be by email personal visits
• All Emails between the 2 parties will be between
  (and copied to) all 6 of the following persons
• Harare Synod office (Libias Boloma, General
  Secretary of the Synod, Pattison Chirongo, Synod
  Moderator, and Lamiel Phiri, Technology
  consultant)
• MAPC (Allison MacEachron, Don Wahlig and Fred
  Anderson)

8
Strengths and Needs

• Delegations from HS MAPC spent the initial 2
  days of our week together here at MAPC in May,
  2010 identifying strengths and needs
• Our approach
• We reviewed together our respective strengths and
  needs, incorporating information gathered in past
  visits / workshops, and from input gathered
  earlier this year from our congregation,
  committees and Session

9
Matching Strengths Needs

• Our Approach
• We examined how our strengths and needs matched
  up by area of ministry.
• We identified areas of ministry where one partys
  need matched the others strength.

10
First Activities

• Our approach
• Based on the matches of needs and strengths, we
  first identified potential first activities for
  inclusion in the partnership agreement

11
Selecting First Activities

• On our final day we narrowed down the list of
  potential first activities to those which both
  MAPC and Harare Synod agreed were doable and most
  needed
• We divided these into 2 categories
• Ongoing activities in support of the partnership
• New activities

12
Ongoing Activities in support of the Partnership

• Prayer
• MAPC and Harare Synod will continue to engage in
  regular corporate prayer for the other
  partnership
• Exchange of Delegations
• MAPC and Harare Synod will continue to exchange
  delegations
• MAPC to Harare Synod in May
• Harare Synod to MAPC in October

13
First activities for Agreement

• 1) Communications Support for HS
• MAPC will assist Harare Synod with communication
  infrastructure by providing redundant PCs, router
  and printer by June 2011.
• HS agrees to set up and connect PCs to Internet
  by July 2011 and will continue to maintain the
  system at its expense.

14
First Activities for Agreement

• 2) Harare Pastor in residence at MAPC
• Harare Synod will identify and send a Pastor at
  MAPCs expense to be in residence at MAPC in the
  fall of 2011
• The pastor will
• Engage in all aspects of MAPC worship programs
  especially leading worship, preaching, teaching,
  offering pastoral care, etc.
• Work closely with evangelism and outreach
  committees and the MAPC Board of Deacons
• Assist in small group development on prayer house
  model
• Participate in Continuing Education at local
  theological institutions workshops /
  mini-courses with MAPCs approval and at MAPCs
  expense.
• Upon return to HS, the pastor will
• Conduct awareness / training workshops for other
  pastors focusing on church administration
• Assist in reorganization of Deacons to include
  outreach ministries

15
First Activities for Agreement

• 3) Administrative Support to Harare Synod
• MAPC will provide HS with documents outlining its
  staff structure roles, programs and systems by
  December 2010.
• These will include
• How MAPC IDs members skills
• NM forms (member info. form, survey of interests)
  
• How MAPC tracks member involvement
• NM tracking spreadsheet
• Staff / Session / Finance communications and
  systems
• Staff org chart, Session org chart Officer
  training packet
• Financial Reports (monthly report, budget)

16
First Activities

• 4) Childrens Pen Pal program
• Both HS and MAPC will begin a Childrens and
  Teens pen pal program by October, 2010
• Both sides will engage children ages 5-12 in
  various forms of communication with each other.
• HS will provide MAPC with a list of childrens
  names and the physical (and later email)
  addresses of their churches.
• MAPC will engage children in its Sunday School
  and Kids Club programs in writing letters
• HS will engage children in responding.
• Program will start with hand-delivery of
  letters/drawings during the MAPC delegation trip
  to Harare Synod in October, 2010. Later we may
  use email.
• On MAPCs next visit to Harare, HS will deliver
  reply letters

17
Agreement Duration

• The agreement is expected to be in place through
  December 31, 2013.
• During the term of the agreement, Harare Synod
  and MAPC will consult during each delegations
  visit with regard to the health of the
  relationship, any modifications to the agreement
  and any additional activities, such as those
  listed on the attached addenda and perhaps
  others.
• During the final year of the agreement MAPC and
  Harare Synod will confer to decide whether to
  continue / modify the agreement for a new term to
  be decided mutually or to conclude the
  partnership agreement.

18
Addenda A

• List of potential partnership activities
  identified by Harare Synod
• List of potential partnership activities
  identified by MAPC

19
Activities Identified by Harare Synod

• Infrastructure Administrative Support
• Documents on staff structure roles, programs
  and systems
• How MAPC IDs members skills (new members and
  ongoing)
• Staff / Session / Finance communications and
  systems
• Officer training packet, NM forms (member form,
  skills interests, tracking)
• Build communication capacity for HS, Presbyteries
  Pastors June 2011
• Computer network First at Synod office 3
  desktops or laptops, router and printer
• Date depends on logistics of availability of PCs
  and transporting
• Set-up to be done by HS (Lamiel), Next, 2
  Presbytery offices and then pastors
• Evangelism
• Continue Exchange of Delegations (ongoing)
• HS to MAPC in Spring 2011
• Pastoral/Lay leader exchanges
• Share best practices re youth, women, men (e.g.
  PA System, etc.)
• Training of Pastors and Lay Leaders
• TEEZ lay leadership training program in Zimbabwe
• GMF goes to Zimbabwe and conducts training of
  Elders at end of stint (Sept 11)
• MAPC connects HS and Director of TEEZ Zambia.
• Reorganize/revitalize Deacons

20
Activities Identified by MAPC

• Evangelism / Discipleship
• Continue Exchange of Delegations (ongoing)
• MAPC to HS in early October, 2010
• HS Pastor in Residence at MAPC
• Sept. through Nov., 2011
• Engagement in all aspects of MAPC worship
  programs
• Lead worship, preach, teach, pastoral care
• Assist in small group development on prayer house
  model
• Continuing Education at local theological
  institutions for workshops / mini-courses
• Pastoral/Lay leader exchanges
• AP/Pastoral Care ( 1-2 other deacons) in
  July-August, 2011
• Intergenerational group from MAPC goes to HS
  July/August 2012
• Emphasis on youth and 20s / 30s, but older adults
  as well
• Work project / Experience ,stay w/families or
  Rock Haven, participate in and conduct worship,
  Bible study
• Experience and begin to learn music
• Children/Teens pen pal program start in
  October, 2010
• Communication exchange with children/teens in HS
• Start with S-mail, then use email.
• Email to/from HS Sunday School children on
  Sundays from pastors home

21
Appendix B

• Worksheets Taken from notes of working sessions
• History of Steps Taken
• Strengths and Needs
• Matching Strengths and Needs
• Activities IDd by HS MAPC
• List of potential first activities

22
History of Steps Taken

• Trip 1 - February 2007
• Locales Lusaka and Kitwe, Zambia, and Harare,
  Zimbabwe
• Participants JC, FRA, Dawn Ravella, Sarah
  Badavas, Allison MacEachron and Denise Welsh
  (Zambia only)
• Activities
• Exploring potential partners and projects
• First learning about the meaning of, and best
  practices of, Partnership
• Learning about the Churchs work in these two
  countries
• Observing PCUSA work, worship, culture, potential
  mission projects, TEEZ, and partnership workshop
  with Harare Synod led by Ted and Sue Wright,
  staying one night with hosts

23
History of Steps Taken

• Trip 2 April 2008
• Met w/delegation from Synod of Harare in Lusaka
  at Justo Mwale for 3 days of conversation on
  potential for partnership.
• Traveled to Lundazi, Zambia to explore
  partnership potential with CCAPs Lundazi
  Presbytery
• Participants Kekla Magoon, Allison MacEachron,
  Alice Alston, Dick Iverson, Nancy Hobson, Kerry
  Land, Bill Welsh, JC Austin and Fred Anderson
• Activities
• Deepened relationships, visited potential sites
  for ministry and support, and became more
  acquainted with the culture church in SE Africa

24
History of Steps Taken

• Trip 3 April 2009
• New York City
• MAPC received delegation from Harare Synod
• Joseph Juma, Alick Binga, Lamiel Phiri, Sophia
  Chalenga, Aubrey Silo
• Continued the mutual discovery process, this time
  in NY at MAPC
• First visit by Harare Synod to MAPC
• Immersion for Harare visitors in MAPC life and
  ministry
• Met with Session, congregation, saw MAPC outreach
  ministries, 20s-30s and Kids Club, and taught
  Adult Education hour
• Stayed with hosts
• Discovered the culture of NYC
• UN, NYSE, shopping, Central Park, Yankees, etc.
• Are we walking again?!

25
History of Steps Taken

• Trip 4 November 2009
• MAPC contingent to Harare, Zimbabwe A different
  kind of trip designed to both deepen
  relationships and to move us toward a partnership
  agreement. 
• Participants Kathy Hoffman, Alice Alston, Ruth
  Schroeder, Nancy Hobson, Dick Iverson FRA, DBW
• Activities
• Deeper understanding of structure ministries of
  Harare Synod
• Visited several congregations and prayer houses
• Day-long workship at Rock Haven (Synod conference
  center)
• Participated in worship in a variety of Harare
  Presbytery churches, Don, Fred and Nancy
  preaching.
• Stayed in host homes for all but the last night,
  experiencing Zimbabwean life and hospitality.

26
Harare Strengths

• Cultural pre-disposition to faith (unlike US)
• Church is at the center of peoples lives
• Worship
• More flexible accommodate more choirs, longer
  sermon
• Indigenizing hymns take words of popular hymn
  set to a tune known by all in a culture.
• Music / Dance
• Groups
• Womens guild encourage back-sliders, model for
  children, pastors funds, visit sick and old,
  print and sell chitenges (fund-raising), annual
  conferences, confirm new members through
  emblazoning, grief visitation, - stay for 2-3
  days following funeral
• Youth participation strong and growing
• Rock Haven Conference Center

27
Harare Strengths, continued

• Evangelism
• Preaching by Elders and Deacons, as well as
  pastors
• Music/choirs (its own form of preaching where
  people get the Christian message),
• Prayer houses closer, develops lay leaders
• Each group has its own ways of evangelizing.
• E.g. Womens guild, mens guild, Youth
• Specific youth pastors specialize in those 45
  and under.
• Evangelism Sunday last Sunday of the month.
• Rugare go out for one hour during the service,
  come back anfter one hour to share their
  experience. They evangelize to come to Christ
  not to a particular church. Some members dont
  want to do it , but others look forward to it.
  People tend to go where the choir is good (e.g.
  Mbare)
• Revivals
• Warmth of the people

28
MAPC Strengths

• People Resources
• In-house expertise/skills Free consultation of
  experts, database of members strengths
• Organizational / administrative skills division
  of labor, accountability
• Getting things done, task orientation, within
  diversity of skills
• Stewardship
• Stewardship, not fund-raising but larger concept
  time and talent, innovative, all
• Fellowship
• Community / supportive good-hearted people
• Openness to others / outsiders
• Diversity different cultures, countries
  rainbow congregation
• Educated appreciate experiences of God in head
  and heart
• Worship rich experience, high church,
  preaching that challenges and nurtures, communion

29
MAPC Strengths, continued

• Outreach - MAPC is very good at proclaiming Gods
  word through action for social justice.
• In-house feeding programs, shelter
• Thoughtfully supporting outside organizations
  with our time and money.
• Communication infrastructure
• Municipal infrastructure
• Ease of traveling to/from Church.
• Church house one space, adaptable, and well
  utilized
• Flat organizational / cultural structure
• Lack of hierarchy within our structure less
  hierarchical than in Harare, Faster decisions /
  smooth consultation

30
Harare Synod Needs

• Deacons need to organize the deacons and
  mobilize themselves to care for the rest of the
  congregation and into the community.
• Music leveraging the music program even more,
  among congregations to use it as an Evangelism
  tool, too. Make CDs, Music Director, Choir
  festivals.
• Outreach compassion ministry extend it to
  those outside the congregation, e.g. feeding
  programs.
• Like Jesus holistic ministry
• Assist orphans, education pre-school, feeding
  programs,
• Administrative Skills technical,
  organizational, capacity development
• Systems of documentation Synod office

31
Harare Synod Needs, continued

• Communication
• whether it is personal, fax, email, or phone
  system
• Introducing accountability to make sure that
  information is shared, both within congregations
  and between congregations
• Space-utilization fully utilizing the church
  premises and others
• e.g. Rock Haven Lay Training Center, Synod office
  
• Equipment stationary, equipment,
• Pastors 21 congregations 14 pastors (4 in
  seminary)
• Evangelism
• - Revival meetings equipment / PA
• Transport to remote areas
• Worship as a means of evangelism /
• vitality of Christian life extended to other
  chuches / evangelism Church becomes a place
  where we WANT to go (e.g. Mbare, Hwange)
• Lay training esp. in outlying prayer houses and
  congregations without pastors (e.g. TEEZ)

32
MAPC Needs

• Evangelism We do outreach well were good at
  putting the gospel into action, but not at
  talking about our faith in Jesus Christ.
• We are reluctant to talk about our faith
  publicly.
• We fear that we dont know enough, or other
  people will be offended if we talk about our
  faith.
• We hide behind our programs
• A symptom of being too staff-dependent
• Need more Holistic discipleship Whereas HS is
  very comfortable talking about Jesus, MAPC is far
  more comfortable doing things in Jesus name.
  Need to learn from each other.
• Happens in inter-personal relationships
• Need to understand what evangelism really means
  what does it involve? What am I supposed to do.
• Need to reclaim a positive idea of evangelism
• Self-imposed limitation based on assumption that
  we will offend (fear!)
• Worship as a means of evangelism extend
  vibrancy of worship experience

33
MAPC Needs, continued

• Intergenerational interaction
• More broadly, need to be better at creating
  relationships that cross differences of age,
  tenure, etc.
• Connecting with new people
• Includes better integration of new members
• Time constraints
• Time is so very precious
• We are forced to work around peoples busy
  schedules
• Putting members gifts to work
• More intentional, prayerful matching of peoples
  gifts with work in order to participate / serve.

34
Matching Strengths Needs

• Evangelism
• Harare is strong in being comfortable speaking
  about their faith, and needs to grow in the area
  of putting their faith into action for social
  justice.   We are strong in putting our faith
  into action for social justice and need to grow
  in the area of becoming more comfortable
  articulating our faith.  
• Harare has a strength in creating prayer houses
  as a means of growing in both numbers and in the
  depth of their faith.   We have a need of growing
  in both numbers and in the depth of our faith
  through small groups (which are analogous to
  prayer houses in our context)

35
Matches of Strengths and Needs, continued

• Administration
• HS has a need to become better at administration,
  i.e. simply getting things done.  We have a
  strength in that area.
• HS has a need of better identifying people within
  the congregation who have functional expertise in
  areas that the churches need and engaging them to
  give their skill. MAPC has a strength in
  resource mobilization. This includes new member
  expectations.
• Pastoral and Lay Leadership
• HS has a need of developing pastors and lay
  leadership in areas where there are no pastors.
   We are familiar with how to do that in the
  Zambian context through TEEZ and we have access
  to vast theological education resources.   

36
Matches of Strengths and Needs, continued

• Pastoral and Lay Leadership, continued
• HS has a need of strengthening the Deacons
  program of caring for the congregation members
  and members of the community outside through
  outreach, with their own mission. MAPC has a
  strength in this area.
• HS has a strength in developing lay leaders who
  lead worship, preach, etc. functioning as
  pastors.  We have a need to develop lay leaders
  (staff-dependency issue), and Harare has a
  strength in lay leaders who lead worship, preach,
  etc.
• Youth
• HS has a strength in engaging youth in the
  church.  MAPC has a need to increase the
  involvement of youth in the life of our church.

37
Activities Identified by Harare Synod

• Infrastructure Administrative Support
• Documents on staff structure roles, programs
  and systems
• How MAPC IDs members skills (new members and
  ongoing)
• Staff / Session / Finance communications and
  systems
• Officer training packet, NM forms (member form,
  skills interests, tracking)
• Build communication capacity for HS, Presbyteries
  Pastors June 2011
• Computer network First at Synod office 3
  desktops or laptops, router and printer
• Date depends on logistics of availability of PCs
  and transporting
• Set-up to be done by HS (Lamiel), Next, 2
  Presbytery offices and then pastors
• Evangelism
• Continue Exchange of Delegations (ongoing)
• HS to MAPC in Spring 2011
• Pastoral/Lay leader exchanges
• Share best practices re youth, women, men
• e.g. PA System, etc.
• Training of Pastors and Lay Leaders
• TEEZ in Zimbabwe
• GMF goes to Zimbabwe and conducts training of
  Elders at end of stint (Sept 11)
• MAPC connects HS and Director of TEEZ Zambia.

38
Activities Identified by MAPC

• Evangelism / Discipleship
• Continue Exchange of Delegations (ongoing)
• MAPC to HS in early October, 2010
• HS Pastor in Residence at MAPC
• Sept. through Nov., 2011
• Engagement in all aspects of MAPC worship
  programs
• Lead worship, preach, teach, pastoral care
• Assist in small group development on prayer house
  model
• Continuing Education at local theological
  institutions for workshops / mini-courses
• Pastoral/Lay leader exchanges
• AP/Pastoral Care ( 1-2 other deacons) in
  July-August, 2011
• Intergenerational group from MAPC goes to HS
  July/August 2012
• Emphasis on youth and 20s / 30s, but older adults
  as well
• Work project / Experience ,stay w/families or
  Rock Haven, participate in and conduct worship,
  Bible study
• Experience and begin to learn music
• Children/Teens pen pal program start in
  October, 2010
• Communication exchange with children/teens in HS
• Start with S-mail, then use email.
• Email to/from HS Sunday School children on
  Sundays from pastors home

39
Potential First Activities

• Evangelism Lay Leadership
• Continue exchange of delegations
• MAPC delegation comes to HS October 2010
• Travel to Gweru AND Harare Presbyteries
• Include new faces as well as some familiar ones
• 2-phased itinerary
• main group 1 week, smaller group 2 weeks.
• HS delegation comes to MAPC in April / May 2011

40
Potential First Activities

• Evangelism Lay Leadership, cont.
• Pastoral Exchange
• HS sends a pastor to MAPC
• For 2-3 months
• HS Pastor engages in full scope of MAPC
  ministries
• Leads worship, preaches, teaches, participates in
  outreach, Deacons, etc.
• Works w/Evangelism comm. cong. to help us
  become more comfortable talking about our faith /
  faith sharing
• Along with MAPC staff, helps train our
• Lay leaders in preaching, praying, conducting
  Bible study
• Small group leaders
• Start small group ministries prayer house model
• Helps w/youth program
• New ways to attract youth, (Note engage youth in
  partnership dialogue)
• Engages in continuing education at local seminary

41
Potential First Activities

• Evangelism Lay Leadership, continued
• Pastoral Exchange, cont.
• MAPC sends a pastor/lay person to HS
• Time several months to a year (When?)
• Immersion in all phases of HS ministries
• Visits churches, prayer houses, participates in
  worship leadership, etc.
• Sees first-hand HS programs (e.g. Evangelism,
  Outreach, Stewardship)
• Visits different areas within the Synod both
  Presbyteries
• Consult re Deacons, Womens Guild, mens and
  youth ministries, outreach to share best
  practices
• E.g. How our approach to Deacons, and Outreach
  might benefit HS
• How HS youth programs might be adapted to benefit
  MAPC?

42
First Activities, continued

• Revitalize Deacons in HS congregations
• MAPC can consult w/HS in developing effective
  Board of Deacons
• Selection review process of elections/appointmen
  t terms, Roles and responsibilities
• MAPC provides template
• MAPC helps train those who will train Deacons
  across both Gweru and Harare Presbyteries
• Promote respect for Deacons (vis a vis Elders)
  and redefine their roles
• Hold own meetings
• Provide outreach ministry
• establish food pantry for congregation and larger
  community. Matching funds challenge from Rock
  Haven poultry
• Clothing closet for cong. And community
• More than Elders-in-training
• As well as care for the congregation

43
First Activities

• Resource Utilization for development
• Synod resources
• Rock Haven
• 152 Kwame Nkhruma at Synod office
• Micro-enterprise project
• Poultry farming / Garden marketing (Rock Haven)

44
First Activities

• Youth exchange
• MAPC youth Participate in HS youth fellowship
  camp
• All-night prayers
• Choirs
• Ministries intercessors, caring, finance
• Conducting youth services
• 2 groups / alternate Gweru and Harare

45
First Activities

• Infrastructure / Administrative
• MAPC provides documents on staff structure,
  function, programs systems
• HS takes and adapts what is applicable to their
  context
• Communications equipment PCs, fax, phone, TV,
  mobile PA, musical equipment, projectors,
  High-speed internet capacity
• Build communication capacity for HS, Presbyteries
  and pastors
• Source used equipment
• Target Fall of 2010
• Transport truck/SUV