Exactly one year ago a Rooted in Jesus team visited the Diocese of Toamasina – the fourth of the six dioceses in the country to invite us. The conference was hosted by Bishop Jean Paul Solo and his wife Neny Daniella, and attended by 117 clergy and lay leaders.
Madagascar is the second largest island country in the world, stretching a thousand miles from tip to toe, and home to a scattered population of some 32 million people. Approximately one million of these are Anglicans, most of whom live in remote rural areas situated many miles from the diocesan centres. This means that whilst bringing leaders together for a residential training conference is possible (though not easy!), supporting them once they are back home is very challenging indeed.
Given the huge size of the diocese, Bishop Solo appointed two coordinators to oversee the Rooted in Jesus programme. Revd Jimmy Fridels supports the group leaders in the southern part of the diocese, and Revd Marlin Fety supports those in the north. Both are parish priests, and both of them have made huge efforts not only to establish Rooted in Jesus in their own churches but also to visit other parishes in order to provide encouragement and support to the newly appointed group leaders. The first year of any new programme is always the most challenging, and both of them have asked us to continue to pray for them as they do this.
Toamasina south
Revd Jimmy Fridels Rarndrianasolo reports that some of the new group leaders worship at the cathedral in Toamasina, a bustling city which hosts the country’s main port. They have made a strong start, and those attending have completed the first book. Jimmy reports that they are eager to learn and are able to recite the memory verses; some new members have been baptised.
Jimmy has also visited the parishes of Mahanoro, Abela Martiora and Brickaville to support the group leaders there. In June he was able to give certificates to those who had completed book 1, and in his most recent report he tells us that a new church is to be built at Antseranambe, in the parish of Brickaville, where there are 50 Rooted in Jesus group members.
A Rooted in Jesus group in Abela Martiora parish (L) Revd Jimmy with the group leader (R)
Toamasina north
Since the conference last October, Revd Marlin Fety has been doing his best to support the group leaders in those parishes he can reach on foot from his parish of Mananara – sometimes travelling by motorbike taxi, sometimes taking two days to walk there, often using small ferry boats. There are very few paved roads in Madagascar, and none in the area where Marlin ministers.
He writes: “Saturday evening I arrived at Mananara. My departure on foot, I left the village at 6:30 am. I made long way. Penetrated at the long forest, went up and down the hill or mountain, across the water, narrow Stony road. I was extremely tired when I came to Mananara.”
Revd Marlin travels on foot and by ferry
Despite the difficulties, Marlin is dedicated to the task he has been given. So far he has been able to provide training in five of the eight northern parishes, working with the local clergy to introduce Rooted in Jesus to the church members and help the pastors and catechists to establish their groups. He was particularly encouraged by his visit to Ambohitsara, in Antenina parish, where 151 people signed up to join groups. His most recent visit, just last week, was to Maroantsetra.
Marlin tells us that, as in the south, many of the groups are now moving on to Book 2 – he has been given ten copies for the leaders, and is awaiting more.
Revd Marlin & Revd Theophile provide training in Ampiranambo (L) Revd Marlin & Revd Benjamin provide training in Ambohitsara (R)
Prayer requests
For Bishop Jean Paul Solo and his family as they celebrate 25 years of ministry in Toamasina this October
For the three archdeacons Ven Zakariasy Anole in the centre, Ven Tsiaviry Tarsicius in the south, and Ven Berahisy Regis in the north as they minister in their own parishes and support the pastors and catechists in each archdeaconry
For the two coordinators Revd Jimmy and Revd Marlin, for health and strength as they travel, and for the resources they need in order to do so
For the teachers and students in Rooted in Jesus that they may remain diligent and prosper
For the the construction of a new church by Rooted in Jesus at Antseranambe in the parish of Brickaville, on 9th October, and for parish priest Dean Rev Rolland.
In June a Rooted in Jesus team travelled to Kitale in Kenya, led by Revd Richard Morgan from the US, along with UK team member Ben Jarvis and joined by Diocesan Bishop Emmanuel Chemengich.
The Diocese had an initial conference in 2020, just before the pandemic. Within weeks of the conference the world shut down and so the initial Rooted in Jesus groups were unable to meet. A follow up conference took place in 2022 and it was encouraging to hear of groups that were being led in parishes and of parishes which had completed all four books and were starting new groups. But given the challenges of the launch in 2020 a request from Bishop Emmanuel for an additional conference – to re-ignite enthusiasm for Rooted in Jesus in the Diocese and to train additional new leaders – was well received. The 90 participants were drawn from across the Diocese, half lay people and the rest new clergy and seminarians from St Paul’s seminary.
Conference delegates
Bishop Emmanuel is a keen advocate for Rooted in Jesus in the Diocese. He has spent much of his life as an educator and seminary leader and so was naturally involved in the delivery of the training conference.
Richard Morgan writes,
“Having seminarians as part of the conference was a great idea. There are about 100 full time clergy in the Diocese across 72 parishes with a little over 200 churches between them. There are 38 seminarians which gives you an idea of the rate of growth of the church in Kenya. To have most of those at the conference was excellent. They were enthusiastic about learning a new discipling course in a way in which clergy who have been in ministry for a long time rarely are – and they will be the ones who push forward Rooted in Jesus within the Diocese.
Bishop Emmanuel; Delegate small groups; Kitale cathedral church
Several of the St Paul’s seminary participants shared how the content had encouraged them and raised their expectations of themselves and their ministry – so that was encouraging to hear. In our final session of the second day on Repentance and Renewal there was a very tangible sense of God’s presence in the prayers. It was clear that the experience of the conference had become more than just information – that God was also directly touching people’s lives and ministering to them.
On the final day of the conference the worship after the practice groups was very powerful and at that time someone asked to come forward to receive Christ. So we had something of an altar call with two participants coming forward to receive Christ or dedicate themselves to Christ. Not what we’d been expecting – but a powerful testimony to the presence of the Holy Spirit in the worship.
I’m encouraged by the conference and the potential of so many new leaders within the Diocese. Do keep Kitale, Kenya in your prayers – and pray for these leaders as they now go out into the parishes and begin new Rooted in Jesus small groups.”
We are particularly grateful to those who prayed for the team while they were away.
Rooted in Jesus was first created back in 2002 as part of the link relationship between Holy Trinity church in the Diocese of Leicester and the Diocese of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. For the last 23 years it has been led by Alison Morgan, who edited the course books, created the team manuals and has overseen its translation into 50 languages. But Alison has now reached retirement age, and has decided to step back from leading Rooted in Jesus in order to focus on other things.
We are delighted to announce that from 22 April 2025 Alison was succeeded as Director of Rooted in Jesus by Revd Dr David Archer. David is one of our trustees, and an experienced Rooted in Jesus team leader himself. Currently Rector of St Mary’s Purley, David is being seconded by the Diocese of Oxford to work on a half time basis with The Mathetes Trust, retaining his position at St Mary’s for the other half of his time. He will be supported at St Mary’s by his colleague Revd Aidan Jones.
What will Alison do next?
Alison says: “I first went to Africa in 1999, twenty-five years ago now. God spoke to me there, and seemed to be saying he wanted me to share in his care and concern for the people of this huge continent. This seemed hard to believe at the time, but a couple of years later the request came to develop a contextualised practical discipleship programme for our link diocese in Tanzania. We did our best, thinking that was the end of it – but then we began to receive invitations to other dioceses, and then to other countries. Rooted in Jesus has now been introduced to 116 Anglican dioceses and 7 denominational networks in 20 African countries, with many people involved in leading conferences and running groups. Looking back, I find that I personally have led 28 teams and spoken at 57 conferences in 11 countries.
“I didn’t expect to be doing any of this, but it has been a huge privilege, and I am immensely grateful to have had the opportunity to work alongside so many wonderful people in so many unimagined places. But it is now time for me to move on. I hope to write another book, and I want to spend both more time supporting family members and in my voluntary role with the RSPB and as a licensed bird ringer. I am delighted that David accepted the invitation to take over from me as Director of Rooted in Jesus. Although I am retiring I am not withdrawing, and I look forward to continuing to support the ministry of Rooted in Jesus under David’s leadership.”
In April a Rooted in Jesus team travelled to the Diocese of Kapsabet in Kenya in the North Rift and was led by Revd Dr John Eldridge with members Steve Marriott, Revd Capt Joshua Opondo and Andrew Whysall. The Diocese was established in 2016, has 47 parishes, 96 clergy, 50 secondary schools and 150 primary schools.
Delegate participation!
John Eldridge reports,
“The residential conference was held at Aldai Girls School, a few miles south of Kapsabet and was attended by 190 delegates. These were predominantly Lay Readers; two or three from each of the parishes in the Diocese. This worked well, as each of the Lay Readers came expecting to take back the training and begin discipleship groups in their local churches.”
“Each of the seven archdeacons in the Diocese attended the conference and committed themselves to support the Lay Readers in their implementation of groups within the churches in each of their archdeaconries. One of the archdeacons, Ven. Japeth Sugut, was the Diocesan Coordinator for Rooted in Jesus and he very competently organised both the conference and the arrangements for the follow up and implementation of groups as the conference came to a close.”
Conference delegates
“The team came together and worked very hard, especially given the large numbers in the sessions and workshops. It was particularly valuable to have Revd Joshua Opondo with us, himself a Kenyan vicar from a neighbouring diocese, as this gave an important local representational feel to the team. As Bishop Korir explained: “we were delighted to receive a Rooted in Jesus team from the UK, but relaxed when we heard Joshua was to be a member of the team.” There were a number of healings at the conference including a lady healed of fibroids and a man of his addiction to betting. Joshua says: “the report that I got from the Diocese is that this was one of the most inspiring conferences ever, they got new ideas not only in discipleship but for personal and family growth.”
The Diocese had prepared well for the conference, under the encouragement and leadership of the Bishop and his team – recognising the importance to the Diocese to maintain the emphasis on discipleship moving forward, and the opportunities that exist for diocesan personnel to help in future Rooted in Jesus teams.
Rooted in Jesus team
This training conference was well received by the Kapsabet Diocese and met a felt need of helping local churches grow in discipleship. The delegates participated well, even running around the playing field during breaks – this area is famous for their Kenyan runners!
The team themselves were warmly welcomed, extremely well fed and looked after by their hosts, thoroughly enjoying mountainous quantities of fruit and vegetables! They returned to the UK thanking God for the opportunity to serve Him among such loving and responsive Christians!
We are so grateful for all those who faithfully prayed for the team and the conference.
We are pleased to say that we have just published our latest Annual Report, which covers the year 2024.
The Year in Review
2024 was a busy year, with conferences held in 14 dioceses in Uganda, South Sudan, Madagascar (by The Mathetes Trust) and (by our partner organisation Growing the Church) in South Africa, Lesotho and Namibia. Additional local training took place in a number of dioceses where Rooted in Jesus had already been introduced.
The task of translating the Rooted in Jesus leaders’ booklets is continuous, as new versions are needed for new people groups, or as additional books are needed for groups moving on to the later books.
Working with local translators, in 2024 we published translations of the adult programme into Bari and the Dinka Agaac dialect for South Sudan, into Yao for Mozambique and into Lozi for Namibia. For the Junior programme we were able to produce new translations into Nuer for South Sudan, into Lingala and Lugbara for DR Congo, and into Northern Sotho for South Africa. We were also able to publish the Rooted in Jesus Team Manual and Junior Team Manual in Malagasy for use by local trainers in Madagascar.
Rooted in Jesus is now available in whole or in part in 50 languages, and Rooted in Jesus Junior in 14 languages.
An overview
Rooted in Jesus began with a single conference in Tanzania in 2002. Since then:
● 178 teams have been sent out ● 274 conferences have been held in 20 African countries ● 116 Anglican dioceses & 7 denominational networks have introduced RinJ ● 22,182 group leaders have been trained ● Many testimonies have been received
It has been a huge privilege to serve in this way for so many years in so many places.
We are grateful to all those who have sent in annual reports from their own dioceses or networks. To read the full report click here.
South Sudan is the youngest country in the world, and now considered to be the poorest. A recent World Bank report states that 92% of the population live below the extreme poverty line (up from 80% in 2016) with a projection that in 2025 the country will experience universal poverty. It is a challenging and yet rewarding context for ministry, and despite the inevitable challenges we are delighted to be invited to continue to support the church there. South Sudan, we feel, is the kind of place where Jesus is to be found at work.
In the first quarter of 2025 two Rooted in Jesus teams travelled to South Sudan, visiting three dioceses for the first time and returning to a fourth to conduct the first Rooted in Jesus Junior training for Sunday School teachers.
The Dinka people of Cuiebet & Rumbek
The Dioceses of Cuiebet and Rumbek – David Archer reports
“Invitations from Bishop Elijah Mateuny, Diocese of Cueibet and Archbishop Alapayo Kuctiel, Diocese of Rumbek, were the basis for a team leading 4-day introductory Rooted in Jesus conferences in each diocese. Both dioceses are situated in Lakes State in Eastern Bahr el Ghazal Internal Province (EBGIP), located centrally in the country. The team was led by Revd Dr David Archer with members Revd Canon Geoff Maughan and Mr Dan Head. We were accompanied by Revd Paul Madit, EBGIP Mission Coordinator during both conferences.
“We received a warm welcome in the Diocese of Cueibet, with many of the women getting on their knees to wipe our shoes which had become extremely dirty from our journey in very dry and dusty conditions. The food was simple and very limited in scope – Cueibet felt to me the poorest diocese I have yet visited – and we were told that church members routinely don’t eat for several days at a time. Transport was very limited, even to the extent that only one or two bicycles were visible. A minority of delegates have a mobile phone.
“Engagement with the programme was good throughout the duration of the conference, with around 140 delegates attending. Morning teaching sessions were received enthusiastically and there was a clear willingness to engage with the materials in the small group sessions. The conference finished well with a joyful Commissioning Service with +Elijah presenting certificates and the Leaders’ Introduction to around 140 delegates.
Conference participants in the Diocese of Cuiebet
“The second training conference, for the Diocese of Rumbek, was run within the cathedral complex. A little over 150 delegates attended the conference – the majority from Rumbek diocese, but at the invitation of Archbishop Alapayo small delegations of about 10 people had been invited from other dioceses along with their bishops to receive training in Rooted in Jesus. In addition to the Diocese of Rumbek, the following dioceses were represented: the Area Diocese of Rumbek, the Diocese of Pacong, the Diocese of Akot, the Diocese of Maper, the Diocese of Malek Rup and the Diocese of Wulu. The Diocesan bishops who were in attendance for part of the conference each expressed strong interest in Rooted in Jesus conferences being run in their own dioceses in due course.
“As in Cueibet engagement with the programme was very good throughout the duration of the conference. Morning teaching sessions were received enthusiastically and there was a clear willingness to engage with the materials in the small group practice sessions.”
Conference participants in the Diocese of Rumbek
Conferences in the Dioceses of Maiwut and Bentiu – David Ridge reports
We had been invited to return to the Diocese of Maiwut by Bishop Peter Gatbel, who has placed great emphasis on the importance of grassroots discipleship. Rooted in Jesus is coordinated by Revd John Jamuth.
“The team, consisting of Bishop Timothy Wambunya, Revd Andrew Goodman, Nadeem Azam & David Ridge had visited Maiwut twice before in Jan 2023 and 2024 to run the Introductory and follow-up conferences. This third visit in as many years was to introduce the Rooted In Jesus Junior Course to the diocese, which covers a large area made up of the counties of Maiwut and Longochuk. Some delegates had walked 4 days to get to the conference, taking one of the well known long distance walking routes and spending the nights in churches. We didn’t dare ask what they did for food on the journey, as one team member said ‘the answer might break our hearts’. The adult course has been eagerly adopted by the diocese and enthusiasm was high for the Junior Conference. 150 delegates attended the entire conference and were awarded certificates.
“The team were once again humbled by the very enthusiastic welcome that they received on landing at the small airstrip near the cathedral. It is not an area that sees many visitors, and without a functioning road to the capital city of Juba it feels very isolated.
“Despite the extremely difficult conditions in which people live the conference was marked by vibrant worship and passionate prayer – a challenge to those of us in the West with much more comfortable and safe lives. Each of the ministry sessions had a huge response with many encouraging testimonies shared at the end of the conference.
“The team were able to stay for the Sunday church service after the 4 day conference which had taken place from Wednesday to Saturday. As often happens the service was very long but enthusiastic throughout the proceedings, with a very large number of people present. Since it was the 3rd visit there for the 4 of us it was wonderful to hear testimonies of progress with the adult programme, and to meet friends again.
Conference participants in the Diocese of Maiwut
The team continued to the Diocese of Bentiu, where the conference was hosted by Bishop John Jal Deng.
“Bentiu City has suffered much from the wars, the floods, the waves of internally displaced persons and refugees arriving to an already stressed location and, most recently, the cholera outbreak. Once person spoke of the repeated traumas ending with ‘and then Cholera came’. 90% of the city is still underwater and the hotel was just one of countless visible examples of the damage the war had caused. And yet another rapturous welcome awaited us, with large numbers of people singing as we descended the plane steps. We were honoured with robes and garlands and after greeting the crowds we were driven to meet the Governor of Unity State. He referred to the history of violence and the current tensions and said that he welcomed us as ‘only the church could bring the reconciliation that the country needed’.
“The Bentiu conference was also marked by attentive delegates who again worshipped passionately. Once again we had a lot of testimonies of how the ministry sessions had impacted people – even in the short time before we left. 150 certificates were given out to those who had attended the whole conference.”
Conference participants in the Diocese of Bentiu
South Sudan continues to face an uncertain future, and it is hard to see how life will become any easier for our brothers and sisters there. We have received additional invitations from other dioceses to provide Rooted in Jesus training, and we know that only personal and collective discipleship will help people build the faith they need to keep going. In a country largely forgotten by the Western world and dominated by political and social conflict it is hard to see how anything other than the gospel will bring about the transformation the country needs.
We are grateful to the team members who raised the money for their own fares and faced the challenges of travel and ministry within South Sudan with faith and courage. We are grateful to all those who prayed for the conferences each day. We are grateful for the hospitality, care and determination shown by the four diocesan bishops, who themselves live and work in exceptionally challenging circumstances. And last but not least we are grateful to the Relay Trust who provided each diocese with a grant to enable the conferences to take place.
Until now, Rooted in Jesus had been adopted by Anglican dioceses in 19 African countries. We are proud to share that in 2024 that number became 20, thanks to the ministry of Growing the Church, which oversees Rooted in Jesus in South Africa under the direction of Revd Bruce Woolley.
We have just received their latest newsletter, in which Ven Amenlenge Alleta Shikwambi reports how the first Rooted in Jesus training conference took place in the Anglican Diocese of Namibia.
Until now Rooted in Jesus has been used in Namibia by a small number of groups trained and supported by Dignity International, where it is used in the Lozi language. We are delighted that the Diocese of Namibia will now also be able to plant new discipleship groups – and look forward to praying for them as they take the programme back into their parishes.
Rooted in Jesus is published and supported by The Mathetes Trust. To find out more about its implementation in Southern Africa visit the Growing the Church website.
In January 2024 we sent a Rooted in Jesus team to the Diocese of Gogrial, one of the largest Dioceses in the Northern Bhar el Ghazel Internal Province and located near the border with Sudan. Spread over a huge area, it has 12 Archdeaconries, 24 Deaneries, 72 parishes and 150 sub parishes. 117 group leaders were commissioned to lead groups in their communities.
A Rooted in Jesus group meeting, Diocese of Gogrial
One year later, we have received a highly encouraging report from Revd Albino Akeen Akoon, the Diocesan Coordinator, who says that “All the group leaders and the diocesan administration met together last month to share their experiences and evaluate the programme. The groups that were formed have been going from strength to strength, though facing many difficulties. The Rooted in Jesus programme has not only provided Gospel outreach, it is now contributing to peace building in our communities, as we are visiting some far places that were inaccessible before.”
He continues: “The following are some of the achievements of RinJ in the Episcopal Diocese of Gogrial:
Group members in the Archdeaconry of Gogrial receiving their certificates and Book 2
“All the group leaders that were selected from archdeaconries and parishes are still leading their groups successfully.
Both women and men are involved equally. This means the program has been embraced by everybody in our community.
The programme has reached Christian and non-Christians directly and indirectly.
New groups have been formed and the programme has been extended to local churches outside town.
Books 1&2 have been completed and certificates have been awarded to some of the participants.
RinJ has led to the conversion of many souls; the boy in the picture was a dangerous boy in the community but is now a Christian.
Sharing testimonies, and meeting for evaluation and planning
The Episcopal Diocese of Gogrial has managed to open 7 churches this year through the help of the Rooted in Jesus training programme
The Episcopal Diocese of Gogrial has revived some of the dead churches as a result of the Rooted in Jesus training programme
Rooted in Jesus has improved the church activities in the churches in the sense that we have attached all the students undergoing this training program to many churches
This training program has helped some of the participants who were not good at reading
Now with the help of this training program, the Episcopal Diocese of Gogrial is going to create some archdeaconries because of some dead churches being revived and opened.
Rooted in Jesus has boosted and promoted the work of mission and evangelism in the Diocese.
The Diocese celebrated official opening of 4 churches in December. It was a very colourful celebration shared by the Diocesan bishop.
The help of RinJ led to open air preaching in Pan-Chum village last year”
Enjoying open air preaching; and a RinJ group meeting
South Sudan is a very challenging place in which to live and work – and yet God is clearly blessing his people there as they strive to follow Jesus. They plan now to provide additional training; they need Books 3 and 4, they need Bibles, and above all they need the peace, security and climate stability which sometimes seems such a distant hope. We continue to pray for them.
Rooted in Jesus is published and supported by the Mathetes Trust. The training provided in 2024 was made possible by a grant from the Relay Trust.
Antsiranana, Madagascar – a report from Odilon Rafanomezantsoa
The Diocese of Antsiranana held its first Rooted in Jesus conference in October 2024. 124 people were trained and commissioned as Rooted in Jesus group leaders, and Odilon Rafanomezantsoa and Didier Manamboatra were appointed as Diocesan Coordinators. Odilon has just sent his first detailed report on how things are going so far.
Odilon (far right) and Didier (centre) with the priest and leaders from St Matthew’s Cathedral
The Diocese has 21 parishes, including Antsiranana itself. 55 groups have started in 20 of these parishes; the other has been waiting for the appointment of a new priest.
Some of the 124 certified leaders are working together, others leading a group on their own. Nearly every group includes people who are thought to have the potential to become future leaders, thus ensuring the growth of the programme. Given the high rate of illiteracy in the rural areas, this is a considerable achievement.
One of the five groups in Anivorano Nord, and one of the two groups in Ankaramy.
In the towns most of the groups meet at the weekend, as people are busy at work during the week. These usually meet in the church, whereas those in remote rural locations which as yet have no church meet in the open air – a challenge for the leaders who have to travel there. The parish of Manambato is so remote that it is not served by bus, and it would take Odilon four days to walk there. Much of it still has no mobile network coverage, so keeping in touch with the leaders is difficult. But there is at least one group meeting in this parish.
One of two groups meeting in a rural part of the parish of Vohemar
Some of the leaders trained in October have not yet started groups, but have pledged to do so in January, and Odilon plans to visit one parish every Saturday in order to support and encourage them.
His closing comment? ‘Four months after the Rooted in Jesus conference, we can say that Rooted in Jesus is invading the Antsiranana Diocese’!
News from DR Congo
We’ve also been encouraged recently by reports from the Dioceses of Aru and Bukavu.
The Diocese of Aru
In the Diocese of Aru, Revd Emmanuel Etsegeri reports that there are now 73 active groups with more than 600 members. Some are working through Book 1, others through Book 2, and some are about to move on to Book 3, which is already available in French and Lugbara. Translations into Kakwa and Alur are in progress.
A group in Aru parish completes Book 2 of Rooted in Jesus, December 2024
Writing in French, Emmanuel says that they are proud to be part of the Anglican Communion, and grateful to be able to help people become true disciples of Jesus, particularly as they are surrounded by false doctrines which threaten to lead them astray. He says that many group members have shared personal testimonies and said how happy they are to be able to deepen their own faith and learn to minister to others.
The growth of discipleship in Aru is all the more remarkable in that the initial training was done while Covid was preventing travel, most of it by CMS missionary Peter Wyard along with a team of local trainers whom he had recruited and supported. It is this team which continues to provide the energy and commitment to sustain and grow the programme in the parishes.
The Diocese of Bukavu
Bukavu is another diocese which held its first training conference during the period of Covid – this time led by Canon Jacob Robert and a team of facilitators from Tanzania, who focussed on the missionary area of Lake Tanganyika, where missionary Bishop Elisha Tendwa is helping prepare for the launch of a new diocese. A second conference was held in 2023, this time led by Revd Amanda Johnson with a multinational team from the UK and from Burundi.
The most recent report comes from Ven Minduli Mulanda, coordinator in Lake Tanganyika, and also a trainer elsewhere; he joined the team to Burundi in 2022.
Internal training for Group Leaders in the Deanery of Uvira, September 2024
Ven Minduli says that they have 47 groups with 503 members, in 24 parishes – some on Book 1, some on Books 2 and 3, and a few on Book 4. Thanks to a donation from a parish in the UK they have been able to give Bibles to group leaders who previously lacked them, and in September and October Ven Minduli organised additional internal training for the leaders of the archdeaconries of Uvira and Bangwe. As in Antsiranana, it’s not easy to keep in touch with the group leaders, many of whom live in far flung places and do not have mobile phones. Ven Minduli has therefore appointed local coordinators in the deaneries.
In 2024 two Rooted in Jesus group leaders got married!
Looking ahead
In the next few months we have teams going out to South Sudan, Kenya and Malawi. We are grateful to all those who underpin this ministry in prayer and to those who support it financially.
Rooted in Jesus is published and supported by The Mathetes Trust. To find out how you can support Rooted in Jesus visit our website or get in touch by email. We’d be delighted to hear from you!
Rooted in Jesus was first introduced to the Diocese of Kajo-Keji in October 2016 at the invitation of Bishop Anthony Poggo – just before a renewal of the civil war which has taken such a deep toll on the people of South Sudan. The cathedral was burned down, violence led to famine, and by January 2017 95% of the people had been forced into exile in neighbouring Uganda. When we asked how we could best support them, Bishop Poggo’s successor Emmanuel Murye replied: ‘The believers need Rooted in Jesus at this time of distress and spiritual need. Rooted in Jesus is the only tool and way forward to nourish the Christians and make the newly born Christian grow.’
Eight years have now passed, and we were delighted to be invited back to Kajo-Keji by the current Bishop, James Lule. Continuity of vision and leadership has been maintained between successive bishops despite all the suffering and disruption – James originally oversaw the translation of Rooted in Jesus into the local language of Bari.
The Rooted in Jesus Conference, 29 Oct to 1 Nov 2024
The conference took place in the cathedral of Kajo-Keji, where 163 people were trained and commissioned to lead Rooted in Jesus groups. The team was led by Revd Mike Cotterell, with former CMS missionaries John and Cathie Rutter, the RinJ coordinator in the Diocese of Northern Uganda Revd Geoffrey Opiyo, and Andrew (AJ) Nankivell, who has worked with RinJ in South Sudan before. Revd Isaac Kenyi was appointed as Diocesan Coordinator.
Bishop James and Mama Mary with the team and the Bishop’s Chaplain
Mike Cotterell reports:
‘Even the wind and the waves obey Him’, the astonished disciples remarked! As I look back at the Conference, we saw various answers to prayer and many things just working out well – it was not a coincidence! Unseasonal rains were a potential threat, and coming as they had would have caused havoc, beating on tin roofs and upsetting outside kitchens and eating arrangements – but it only rained at night. Travel and visa arrangements can go wrong or become difficult – but they happened. The Bishop’s invitation to people from far rural places to come together could have been wrecked by any number of things – unrest, criminal activity, fear, floods – but the Conference was protected and blessed.
People came from all over the Diocese and from the refugee settlements in Moyo, Uganda. We saw the Lord at work in all this. The participants were enthusiastic, quick to learn and engaged; practice small groups went well; worship in song, dance and quiet reflection was joyful and deep. Faith was refreshed for some, new focus given to others and lots of learning, fellowship and fun were had. Everyone, clergy included, were subsistence farmers – eating what they grow. It was a rare treat for them to get together for a week with good food provided. The land, its people and infrastructure have mostly not returned to normal after the 2016 widespread unrest. Many local people remain in Uganda; returning would mean breaking their ground again and rebuilding their home from ruins.
The conference was held in the Cathedral
Reflecting, memories flood back: waving to people along the dirt roads, seeing their faces light up and wave back – it wasn’t necessary, but it said, ‘Hello, I see you, you are important’. Offering condolences to a mother waiting for her student son’s body to arrive from Juba, and have a member of the team preach the next day at the funeral. Seeing 40 become Christians at a Confirmation Service for Refugees, where 150 were confirmed. Preaching, praying, meeting people while on a kind of walkabout along a village street where bandits had traumatised the community recently. Seeing a woman who had come to the bishop’s home for help delivered of powerful evil spirits that at first refused to leave, confusing her mind and blocking her responses. She eventually asked Jesus for help and turning to him found freedom. The next morning she was a different person. Please pray for her, that she will get the pastoral care that has been planned and stand firm against the spiritual attacks. Her name is Elizabeth.
Participants get to grips with the material
Now, we have left, they all have returned home and so the real work of Rooted in Jesus in small groups really begins. It will be a quiet for a bit, little will have seemed to have changed, but in the coming months as people use this tool to help them and their groups explore and apply Scripture, and things will begin to change in Churches and communities, transformed by Word and Spirit going deep into people’s lives.
Kajo-Keji needs many programmes and resources but Christian discipleship – the application of scripture and live faith – is foundational to everything: ‘No one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ’.
Team member AJ writes:
The conference was a joy. It was a privilege spending time with worshipping Christians who openly rely on God. We were hosted with care, generosity and great honesty. Around the conference we were invited to engage in the church’s wider work: praying in markets, joining an ecumenical prayer meeting and speaking at a funeral. This was a privilege and helped the team understand a little more of the pressures facing the diocese and surrounding neighbourhoods. Prayers were answered with rain being restricted to night time – until after the conference. Many participants travelled considerable distances from northern Uganda where they live in refugee camps having settled there as a result of violence in 2016.
Small groups led by participants meet to practise under the trees
Team member Revd Opiyo Geoffrey writes:
I am tremendously thankful for the trust and recognition bestowed on me to be part of the Rooted in Jesus team to handle training in the Diocese of Kajo Keji, South Sudan. The eagerness of all the trainees to get Rooted in Jesus to go and form groups right away was so encouraging. May the Lord bless Bishop James Kenyi and Mama Mary Kenyi so that they may remain blessings to many for their humility and servant leadership. They sat together with the participants and insisted on being distributed in different RinJ groups as trainees. Bishop James also ensured that the RinJ team got interwoven with the Leadership and community of Kajo Keji Sub-County; he took us to pay a courtesy visit to the Commissioner of Kajo Keji, took us to mourn, to share the word of God and also to pray with the business community of Leikor where some members were attacked by unknown thugs some weeks before our arrival; he distributed the team in different churches to preach; I preached at Emmanuel Cathedral, Romogi and later to the mourners during the burial of one of the community member. All these gave us fertile ground to talk about the Rooted in Jesus discipleship programme, and to invite people to be part of it. We look forward to sharing testimonies and challenges, encouraging and praying together for effective implementation of RinJ in our two Dioceses.
A conference workshop; meeting with the suffering community
Finally…
Bishop James Lule reports: ‘The training came at the right time and I witnessed the Spirit of God working in the lives of the participants. The conference went very well and the entire clergy of the Diocese of Kajo-Keji promised to support the programme.’
He also tells us that during the feedback session at the end of the conference, the following statistics were collected. How many:
Enjoyed the conference? ALL! Aim to start a small group At least 70 Heard God speak in a new way 10 Made a renewed commitment 35 Received physical healing 40 Received spiritual healing 15 Were already planning who to invite to their group 50 Were feeling nervous about leading a group 7
Bishop James has also shared the following testimonies:
“I was hurting from previous issues. But when I arrived, and heard the teaching, my heart received peace. It was like the Holy Spirit pouring over me like water”. “When I saw the drama about the farmer and the seed, I realised I was like the seed smothered by the weed. I had allowed a complaining spirit in me to stop my growth. I have now repented and feel renewed.” “The picture of a goat tethered to a stake, without freedom, really spoke to me. This training was a blessing, which helped me personally. I am going back a changed person who can change the lives of others.”
163 participants were given certificates and commissioned to lead groups
We are hugely grateful to all those in the diocese who worked so hard to ensure that the conference was a success, to those who supported it so effectively in daily prayer from home, to the Diocese of Northern Uganda who printed the books for us, and to The Relay Trust who provided the diocese with a grant through the ECSS Provincial Office to enable the conference to take place. And above all, to God who calls, equips, sends and blesses his people – even in the toughest of circumstances.
Rooted in Jesus is used in the local language of Bari
Rooted in Jesus is published and supported by The Mathetes Trust – to find out more about the programme visit our website.
There are 6 Anglican dioceses in Madagascar, which is part of the Anglican Province of the Indian Ocean. In 2011 Bishop Gilbert Rateloson of the Diocese of Fianarantsoa and Bishop Todd MacGregor of the Diocese of Toliara hosted the first Rooted in Jesus conferences in the country. They hoped that as a grassroots discipleship programme Rooted in Jesus (known as Mamaka in the Malagasy language) would help both church and lay leaders to evangelise and teach the Christian faith to ordinary believers and not-yet believers in a way that had not previously been possible. In 2021 Bishop Todd was succeeded by Bishop Samitiana Jhonson, who has continued to prioritise mission and discipleship across the diocese; both dioceses have continued to provide ongoing training and support for group leaders.
The Dioceses of Antsiranana and Toamasina
Following the 2023 conferences we were delighted to receive invitations from Bishop Jean Baptiste Jaomandiny and Bishop Jean Paul Solo to introduce Rooted in Jesus to the Dioceses of Antsiranana and Taomasina. Antsiranana lies at the far northern extremity of the island, and Toamasina on the east coast. As always in Madagascar, both dioceses cover a vast area, most of which is poorly served with roads, transport and other infrastructure. And yet, as elsewhere, the persistent ministry of the clergy and catechists is leading to church growth. For this growth to be meaningful, the bishops wish to train and equip both clergy and lay leaders with the materials necessary to enable them to teach people to become not just churchgoers, but confident disciples of Jesus who will become active in ministry to others.
The team
The Province and Rooted in Jesus are working together to build a team of national trainers who will be able to support the Rooted in Jesus programme in Madagascar. Each diocese appoints one or two Rooted in Jesus coordinators, and they in turn are supported by a network of district coordinators who maintain close links with the group leaders in each parish. This year the training team (right) consisted of two members from England, Revd Dr Alison Morgan and Revd Dr John Eldridge, and two members from the Diocese of Fianarantsoa: Revd Jean Flobert and Miss Keziah Rateloson. Revd Flobert is the diocesan coordinator for Fianarantsoa, where he has more than 10 years experience of the programme; he was a member of the training team last year in Toliara. Keziah is the daughter of Bishop Gilbert Rateloson; a university student, she acted as one of our translators last year and leads a Rooted in Jesus group in her home diocese, where she is also a Scout leader. We enjoyed working together, each bringing our own experiences to the team and rejoicing in our complementarity and diversity.
Antsiranana: the first conference
The first conference took place in St Matthew’s cathedral, Antsiranana (below). Bishop Jaomandiny had invited 150 leaders from every parish in the diocese. Just over 40 of these were clergy, and 110 were lay leaders, including catechists, evangelists, Mothers Union, Fathers Association and Youth leaders.
The atmosphere in the conference was exceptional. Often people arrive feeling a bit shy, and uncertain what to expect. In Antsiranana they threw themselves straight into the conference, listening attentively, sharing their responses and asking questions, participating fully in the group activities and frequently bursting into vibrant and heart-warming worship (enjoy this on Facebook). Bishop Jaomandiny opened the conference and was present for most of the sessions; the Dean arranged to borrow plastic chairs from another church so that people could divide easily into small groups; a small gathering of dedicated women led by the Bishop’s wife Neny Victorine conjured generous meals out of the improvised outdoor kitchen; and participants emerged smiling each morning from their accommodation in the outbuildings of the cathedral compound.
The conference followed the usual format. Each day began with a short morning devotion, leading into a plenary teaching session. These were followed by practice groups in which the participants were divided into 15 groups to try out the material for themselves; the team began with a demonstration of the first lesson and then provided feedback to the volunteer leaders who led subsequent sessions. After a lunch break we offered three workshops, repeated daily in rotating groups so that everybody was able to attend all three: one on how to lead a RinJ group, one on pastoral care and one on prayer. This was followed by a time of ministry, because we think it important that each leader should be equipped not just materially and didactically but also spiritually for the task ahead. A final session was led by the coordinators, who helped everyone work out what support and accountability would be provided and required once they got home.
The conference ended with a commissioning by Bishop Jaomandiny, who asked each person present to commit to leading a group in their church or parish, and required lay leaders to formally state their willingness to do this; the clergy, of course, had already committed themselves to following his leadership. All 150 delegates were then given a training certificate and copies of the Leaders’ Introduction and Book 1. Books 2, 3 & 4 will be provided as they are needed.
Bishop Jaomandiny appointed two diocesan coordinators: Local businessman Odilon Rafanombzamtsoa, a local businessman (above R), who will be assisted by Didier Manamboatra, an English teacher (above L).
For the team, the next few days provided the opportunity to visit both the Montagne d’Ambre National Park, where we were joined by the Bishop and his family and the Diocesan Chancellor; and the coast, where we were able to relax and enjoy the beauty of the Indian Ocean. On Sunday we were invited to visit the parish of Anivorano Nord, where the parish priest is Revd Joavula, brother to Revd Flobert and one of the two representatives the bishop sent to the conference in Fianarantsoa last year to find out more about Rooted in Jesus. Miles of unpaved roads led us to a small building which doubles both as a family home and as a church (below); here we were greeted by about 50 members from two of the seven churches in the parish who had come together with a great air of festivity for the occasion. Alison was invited to preach, a meal of rice and chicken was provided for all, and happy chatter, worship and dancing continued for most of the afternoon.
Toamasina: the second conference
On Tuesday morning we flew, courtesy of MAF, direct from Antsiranana to Toamasina, where we were greeted by the Diocesan Administrator and taken straight to a Chinese restaurant, where Bishop Solo explained that the proprietor was an Anglican whose business they wished to support. After a magnificent meal of fish cooked in two different ways and beautifully presented, we were taken to the Palais des Roses, a hotel owned by another Anglican, where we enjoyed exceptional comfort for the next week.
The conference began on the following morning: held not in the cathedral but a half hour drive away up in the hills, where the diocese owns a 200 hectare plot, most of which is still forested. Here there is a small church, a modern training centre with three spacious classrooms, a school, and various other buildings which provided accommodation for those participants who did not live locally. Despite the startling peacefulness and beauty of this central location, many participants had had to travel for three days by bus and on foot to come to Toamasina, from the same kind of scattered rural locations and over the same variety of unpaved roads and tracks as their colleagues in Antsiranana. All had arrived smiling, and all, as in Antsiranana, threw themselves straight into the conference with unfettered cheerfulness and an openness to whatever it was that the Lord had prepared for them. Due to an unfortunate hold-up with the funding, invitations had been issued only very recently, so we were relieved that 117 people had nonetheless been able to join us, including 13 from the cathedral.
The conference followed the same pattern as in Antsiranana, with workshops taking place in the training centre and the practice groups mostly outside under the protective shade of the trees. Participants ranged in age from a retired priest in his 70s to a pair of smiling identical twins who looked to be in their early 20s. All were equally engaged with the conference, and all promised to start groups back at home – including one Youth leader who said he came from a parish with 7 churches led by 7 catechists, none of whom had been able to travel to Toamasina; he planned to invite them all to join his group, and expressed his confidence that they would accept.
The catering for the conference was ably managed by Bishop Solo’s wife Neny Danielle and their daughter Daniella, who had come to stay for a week specially for the purpose. Generous quantities of rice, chicken, fish, salad and fruit appeared at regular intervals, served on tables decorated with fresh flowers or covered with a single leaf as a tablecloth, and ending with an open air picnic where everybody sat in parish groups on mats on the grass.
Bishop Solo closed the conference with a formal commissioning, in which he too invited every delegate to raise their arm and make a prayerful commitment to start a group when they got home. Many were young, and few have done anything like this before, so the ongoing support of the two coordinators, Revd Jimmy Fridels Randranasolo and Revd Marlin Fety (above right) will be very important.
On Sunday we were pleased to be able to attend worship at St James Cathedral, where Alison was again invited to preach. The main service takes place at 6am, and the cathedral was full – with between 450 and 500 people present. Bishop Solo asked the 13 group leaders who had attended the conference to stand, and explained that they would be inviting the first 150 people to join groups very soon. After the service we were honoured to be taken out for lunch by members of the Cathedral committee.
Giving thanks
After another day of rest, we left for the capital Antananarivo the following afternoon, Flobert remaining to spend time with family members. Keziah was met at the airport by her sister, and John and Alison left the next day, having been delighted in the meantime to have breakfast with Fr Darrell Critch, a Canadian who is about to be installed as the bishop of the Diocese of Mahajanga. We hope that once he has settled in and when the time is right, we may have the opportunity to serve there too.
We are hugely grateful to Bishop Jaomandiny and Bishop Solo for making all the practical arrangements for the conferences, and to them, their families and the church members who offered us hospitality during our visit. We are also grateful to those who translated for Alison and John, to all those who prayed for us each day during our stay, to the Relay Trust who provided each diocese with a grant to enable them to hold the conferences, and to Revd Donné and Neny Vero of the Diocese of Toliara who printed the books. Last but not least, I would like to thank John, Flobert and Keziah for their unstinting commitment to making both conferences a success.
The Diocese of Maiwut is located in the NW of South Sudan, on the border with Ethiopia. Rooted in Jesus was introduced to the diocese in January 2023. By the end of the year 117 groups had completed the first two books, and all the group leaders had met together to share their experiences and evaluate the programme. This led to a request for a follow-up conference, which was held in January 2024 and attended by most of the existing leaders along with 50 training for the first time.
The Rooted in Jesus team, January 2024
The groups have gone from strength to strength, and we are delighted to pass on the following report just received from Revd John Jamuth, the Diocesan Coordinator:
“The Rooted in Jesus programme has not provided the Gospel outreach only, the team has provided a lasting friendship for both children and adults. Everywhere I visited, the people kept asking where the Rooted in Jesus team is. I smile beautifully knowing that a strong connection has been made. The group leaders and those attended the conference were still had a memories of the training and stories shared during the conference.
A Rooted in Jesus group now working through Book 3
“The coordinator team are busy visiting group leaders and encouraged those who had difficulties. Further to this, the translation team has finished the translation of the Rooted in Jesus Junior book 1 (a course in Christian Discipleship for children). The translation team has now started book 2.
Achievements:
166 group leaders are still leading their groups successfully
Rooted in Jesus Junior Book 1 – translation for children has finished
Church and community: both women and men involved equally
The programme has reached Christian and non-Christians directly and indirectly
New groups have been formed well
Books 1&2 have been completed and certificates have been awarded.”
A RinJ Womens’ group and a RinJ Youth Group have also moved on to Book 3
This report was prepared by Rev. John Jamuth Pathot, Diocese of Maiwut, Rooted in Jesus – Coordinator
Approved by: Bishop Peter Gatbel Kunen Lual, Diocesan Bishop for the Episcopal Diocese of Maiwut
Rooted in Jesus is published and supported by The Mathetes Trust. We are particularly grateful to The Relay Trust for sponsoring the conferences in Maiwut.
We have continued to receive encouraging reports and ongoing requests for prayer from those using Rooted in Jesus. Recent news includes:
Uganda
In the Diocese of South Rwenzori coordinator William Musisi has sent a video report from St John’s, Kishenga, where 268 Sunday School children (below) recently completed the first book of Rooted in Jesus Junior and were awarded certificates. We have posted William’s video on our Facebook page.
In the Diocese of Northern Uganda, which held its first RinJ conference in January, Simon Cawdell reports: “The Rooted in Jesus course is growing across the diocese, and some groups are now moving on to book two which is very encouraging. We are also receiving requests for training from those that missed out this time around which is an encouragement. The co-ordinator, Rev Opiyo Geoffrey is presently touring the diocese to support groups and ascertain progress. We are reconvening the translation group to start on book three so that we are well prepared for the next stage in discipleship development. It was great to hear from an archdeacon on one of the visits I did that the course was transforming the life of his parish and more people are coming to church as a result.”
South Sudan
In the Diocese of Nyamlel coordinator William Tong reports: “We have already finished book one in April; now we have distributed book two. The groups are stronger and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yesterday I was in Langic archeaconry for the group Rooted in Jesus. It was great! The Gospel of Jesus Christ is going well in Langic archeaconry (photo below). Rooted in Jesus will be number one in Nyamlel diocese because I am encouraged by Bishop Peter Garang Akuei. And now we have started book two.”
In the Diocese of Gogrial Bishop Abraham Ngor reports: “The ‘Rooted in Jesus’ conference has positive impacts in the the Episcopal Diocese of Gogrial due to the fact that it has led to the opening of four new churches and many new converts.”
DR Congo
In the Missionary area of Lake Tanganyika, Diocese of Bukavu, Coordinator Minduli Mulanda reports that the archdeaconry and deanery coordinators continue to provide support to the group leaders in each parish. “Some are on book 2, others on book 3, and a few on book 4.” Uvira Deanery Coordinator Ezekiel has been visiting groups and offering ongoing training. He writes that two RinJ group leaders in the parishes of Kigongo and Kalonge have married one another!
Elsewhere
We have also received recent news from Madagascar, Burundi and Mozambique.
Bibles have been given to group leaders in the Diocese of Zambezia, Mozambique
New training is planned in the Diocese of Niassa in August, with books being printed for the first time in Swahili for those who need them.
Book 2 in Kirundi has been printed in Bujumbura for those leading groups in the Dioceses of Rutana and Buhiga.
Adult and Junior groups are going from strength to strength at St Mark’s Cathedral in the Diocese of Fianarantsoa, Madagascar, where the number of children attending has increased from 20 to 70 and the adult group (right) has completed Book 2. And the Team Manual has now been translated for the first time into Malagasy in preparation for the conferences to be held later this year.
In many places, translators are continuing to work on new local language versions of the leaders’ booklets so that everyone can follow the programme in their mother tongue.
New Malagasy edition of the Rooted in Jesus Team Manual
We are looking forward to a new series of conferences currently being planned for the autumn in Madagascar and South South Sudan.
We are pleased to say that we have just published our annual report for the year 2023.
It’s now 21 years since Rooted in Jesus was created for the Diocese of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. During that time we have facilitated more than 200 training conferences for over 100 Anglican dioceses and denominational networks in 18 African countries. Rooted in Jesus has been translated into 50 languages, and Rooted in Jesus Junior into 10 – and more are on the way.
Over the years we have faced many challenges – how to finance it, how to staff it, how best to support it once it has been introduced. Demand for Rooted in Jesus seems to increase year on year, and we now find ourselves ministering in increasingly challenging places. In 2023 we were asked to run conferences in South Sudan, DR Congo, Mozambique and Madagascar – all countries scarred by conflict, afflicted by famine and often subject to devastating floods and cyclones.
It is, and has always been, a huge privilege to be able to make a small contribution to the lives of ordinary people in these often forgotten places. We could not do this without the support, prayer and active participation of many people – and as we head into another year we want to take this opportunity to say thank you: for all that is past, and for all that is yet to come.
The report can be downloaded here. And to catch up with other recent news visit the Mathetes Trust blog here.
Over the last few years Rooted in Jesus has been successfully established in the Diocese of Aru, DR Congo, by CMS partner Canon Peter Wyard and a team of local colleagues. Peter has recently returned from a further month in Aru, helping to provide further training for the existing 80 group leaders and to introduce the Rooted in Jesus Junior programme for the first time.
Conference participants dancing at the Junior conference
Peter writes:
‘My wife, Dr Patricia Strubbe, and I, Canon Peter Wyard, served in Aru Diocese as CMS mission partners for four years from 2018 to 2022, returning to the UK in December 2022. During that time, my major role was as Coordinator of Christian Education, which in the terminology of the Anglican Province of Congo essentially means discipleship. Faced with the enormous challenges of a Diocese the size of England with appalling dirt roads, the low capacity of many of the pastors and catechists, and the extreme poverty, I decided to concentrate on just one discipleship programme: Rooted in Jesus.
‘Our vision was to establish the course in every one of the 49 parishes of the Diocese, from Aru, the seat of the Diocese in the East near the Ugandan border, to Isiro in the far West in the Ituri rainforest; and from the arid region of Kumuru in the North near the border with South Sudan, to the hills of Mahagi and the Djugu region in the South, where there is continuous instability due to the presence of militias, and regular killing and displacement of people.
‘Such a vision requires a long-term programme, and great perseverance from everyone involved. First, we carried out many visits to understand the realities far from the centre in Aru and to meet the archdeacons and pastors. Then we commenced a major translation programme to translate RinJ into the main local languages of Lugbarati, Kakwa and Alur, and also into another national language, Lingala. Next, we held five conferences around the diocese; their purpose was to train the RinJ group leaders. About 400 people attended and received their certificates. And finally, the most difficult and longest phase: the faithful follow-up and nurturing of the groups that were started after the conferences. This is a huge challenge, given the low leadership capacity of many of the pastors and the multiple factors which lead to a group becoming irregular or giving up entirely. This has now become the task of the Revd. Emmanuel Etsegeri, my successor as Coordinator.
The Conferences held in Feb-March 2024
‘Although I have handed over the RinJ programme in Aru Diocese to Revd Etsegeri, I have remained involved since my return to the UK. In early 2024 the Lord opened the door for a return visit to Aru. The aim was twofold: to support and encourage Etsegeri and the group leaders with follow-up conferences, and to introduce Rooted in Jesus Junior for the first time. We held three conferences; two follow-up conferences and the Junior conference, to which participants came from every part of the Diocese. The conferences were richly blessed by God, and both we and the local team members were immensely encouraged.
‘The number of participants was 70 at the Aru follow-up conference; 100 at the Mahagi follow-up conference; 100 at the Junior conference. All of them have committed themselves to leading or co-leading a RinJ group. Some are very much on the ball, others are simple people with a low level of education, but all of them made the effort to attend, often with great effort.
‘All three of the major elements of a RinJ conference were greatly appreciated by the participants. They found the teaching solid and nourishing, and especially liked the demonstrations of water cascading from a glass to a bowl to a basin, as the renewal of the Holy Spirit flows from individual to church to community; and the demonstration of one egg, two eggs, and a hen to show different ways we can respond to the gift of new life in Christ. Although some participants were scared to volunteer to lead one of the practice groups, we saw many examples of encouraging leadership, putting into practice the principles of activity and interaction, and thinking up some novel variants of the demonstrations given in the manual. And the times of ministry by the Holy Spirit were highly valued, both by the participants (who could open up about personal difficulties and challenges they were facing, and seek the Lord’s healing) and by the team members, who really valued these times of refreshment personally.
The leaders at the RinJ Junior conference with their certificates
‘Apart from myself, the team members were all Congolese, and they did a great job. They were dependable and adaptable, and their ownership of the material and skill in presenting it has reached a very good level. We would like to thank them all: Venerable Madhira (Dean of the Cathedral and a particular advocate for RIJ); Canon Nzua (Provincial coordinator of evangelism); Revd. Etsegeri (Coordinator of Christian Education); Venerable Droma (Archdeacon of Aru); Catéchiste Apamba James (Coordinator of the Youth Department, and responsible for the Junior programme); Mama Francine, Director of the Cathedral Sunday School; Rev. Apenjong’a (RinJ local coordinator in the Mahagi archdeaconry). We also thank Ven. Georgine, the Diocesan secretary, who gave a warm endorsement of the importance of the RinJ programme at the start and end of each conference in Aru.
‘The enthusiasm and energy of the youth leaders at the RinJ Junior conference was very encouraging. There are particular challenges with finding enough leaders to make RinJ work with the huge numbers in many of the Sunday school classes, but we pray that the newly trained leaders will each find a way forward.
‘The final conference at Mahagi was especially welcoming, with a very fresh and honest atmosphere. We thank Archdeacon Niconnard for his warm welcome, and for finding solutions to all the problems – for example, when we arrived there was only enough food for the first day of a three-day conference, but with prayer and good will, enough food was forthcoming, and the participants even enjoyed a goat on the last day.
Canon Peter demonstrates he cannot play the adungu without learning as an apprentice; participants ask for ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit
‘We end with a few testimonies:
One of the participants at the Junior conference was a member of a militia group, who always carried a gun. He came to ask prayer for the strength to leave this way of life, in spite of opposition from his family who didn’t want him to give up his gun; and to return to serving God.
One young man at the Junior conference, Alex, said that it was the first time he had learned how to talk about his faith.
One woman at the Mahagi conference was illiterate, but the conference had given her the desire to be able to read the Bible, and now she was searching for a literacy class to join so that she could both improve her education and follow Jesus better.
Anther woman at Mahagi was a Roman Catholic who had accepted the invitation to attend the RinJ conference. She felt troubled by the spirits of her ancestors, and believed that a witch doctor had placed a spell in the skin of her body. She asked for prayer for deliverance from the evil spirits. Afterwards, she resolved to stop consulting the witch doctors.
One elderly man in Mahaghi now feels equipped to become an evangelist as he feels so encouraged by the RinJ programme.
In Aru, one group of participants felt overwhelmed by the difficulties of being a Christian, with no solutions to be seen. But the visual demonstrations (see above) spoke to them and gave them new hope in the power of Christ to bring them through.
Coordinator Revd Emmanuel Etsegeri adds:
“The feedback times showed that the teaching had been much appreciated. There were many testimonies after the times of ministry, and several participants made a renewed commitment to serve the Lord and his people.”
Please pray for Revd Emmanuel Etsegeri and Catechist James Apamba as they oversee the programme, and for all 80 groups in the diocese and their leaders, that they may indeed be “rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as [they] were taught” (Col. 2.7).’
Revd Etsegeri sent this video report last November.
The Diocese of Maiwut is located in the far north of South Sudan, on the border with Ethiopia, where many people took refuge during the recent period of upheaval and insecurity. The region is geographically isolated from the rest of the country, with access only by river or by air, and the border with Ethiopia is officially closed, with the result that it is extremely difficult for people to obtain food and basic resources. One conference participant had sold his food parcel to travel from the refugee camp in Ethiopia, and another said people have been reduced to eating grass to survive. Hope is hard to come by and the future is uncertain.
We first sent a Rooted in Jesus team to Maiwut in January 2023. I05 people – clergy, evangelists, mothers’ union members and youth leaders – were commissioned at that conference to lead small Rooted in Jesus groups, and Revd John Jamuth was appointed diocesan coordinator.
By the end of the year John was able to report that 117 groups had been started, most within the diocese itself but some in the refugee camps where they have been planting new churches. All the groups had completed the first two books of the programme, and the group leaders had been called together to share their experiences. They reported that the Spirit of God had been working among them through the scripture memory verses, that many groups were closing their meetings with celebration and appreciation, and on a very practical note that group leaders had been accompanied by nurses who had provided medical treatment for those who had no access to health care.
Group leaders meet together to evaluate the programme; Bishop Peter leads an evaluation session for clergy who had completed Book 2 with their group
We responded to this heartening news by accepting the diocese’s request firstly that we work together to make Books 3 & 4 available in the local language of Nuer, and secondly that the team return to lead a follow-up conference. The translations were duly completed, and a second conference took place in the last week of January 2024.
The conference: a workshop and a practice group session
The conference was led by Bishop Tim Wambunya, formerly Bishop of Butere in Kenya and now Vicar of Slough and Honorary Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Oxford. Tim reports:
“In January 2023, I led a team to run an initial conference in Maiwut, the county town of Maiwut County and the seat of the Diocese of Maiwut, which also includes the county of Longechuk. The other team members were the Revd Andrew Goodman, Nadeem Azam, and Dave Ridge. The same team returned at Bishop Peter Gatbel Kunen Lual’s invitation to run a follow-up conference this January 2024. The Diocese had enthusiastically adopted the Rooted in Jesus Programme and made excellent progress, so we were keen to visit again.
“We flew right into Maiwut town’s airstrip and were welcomed in style with much singing and dancing, and after being dressed in robes and garlands, each team member had their feet washed at the nearby cathedral.
“The co-ordinator, John, knew each leader and where they were, which was very encouraging. There was a high level of repeat attendance, and a significant number of new leaders were also trained, with 170 people attending in all.
“The people were in the most difficult circumstances, yet they were generous, welcoming, and hungry for all that we taught. We were truly honoured when we were presented with a goat, a gift of significant value. The commissioning service was a great celebration.
Conference participants outside the cathedral after the commissioning service
“The team thanks all those who prayed for the trip, the delegates and the team, and as the country looks forward, with some nervousness, to the elections in December, we would ask that this young nation remains in your prayers.”
Maiwut is one of the most under-privileged places we have ever visited with Rooted in Jesus; one team member commented afterwards that the poverty was hard to take. As in many areas of the country, violence remains a part of daily life, food is hard to come by, and the elections due to take place later this year bring the fear of renewed political and social turmoil. And yet people continue to meet, to bring their struggles to God, to support one another and to pray together. Please join us in praying with them.
Rooted in Jesus is published and supported by the Mathetes Trust. We are grateful to the Relay Trust who provided a grant to help cover the conference costs, and to the team of intercessors who prayed daily for both team and participants.
As part of an ongoing commitment to bringing Rooted in Jesus to all of the dioceses of the Internal Province, three Rooted in Jesus conferences were held in January and February:
An Introductory conference in the Diocese of Gogrial, hosted by Bishop Abraham Ngor Mangong and held in Kuajok Cathedral
An Introductory conference in the Area Diocese of Tonj East, hosted by Bishop’s Commissary Revd Peter Aleu Kok and held in Romic Church
A hybrid Follow-up conference, with some Introductory elements for new leaders, in the Diocese of Nyamlel, hosted by Bishop Peter Garang Akuei and held in Nyamlel Cathedral
The conference locations in the Northern Province relative to the capital, Juba
Team Leader Barry Blackford reports:
‘The bishops had sent out invitations to church pastors and evangelists, leaders of the Mothers Union, Sunday School and youth groups as well as the students from the ECSS Colleges in Gogrial and Nyamlel. Across the 3 conferences we commissioned 331 new leaders as well as recommissioning 27 existing leaders in Nyamlel.
The teaching was provided by two visitors from the UK, Revd Barry Blackford and Revd David Wood, working alongside two experienced South Sudanese Rooted in Jesus Coordinators, Ven Yosefate Datiro Minaye from Nzara and Revd John Akok Akok from Aweil. The final team member was Revd Joseph Uyu, the Internal Province’s Adult Discipleship Programme Coordinator, who joined us in Gogrial.
Rooted in Jesus Coordinators were commissioned in each Diocese: Revd Albino Akeen Akoon in Gogrial; Revd Peter Aleu Kok in Tonj East; and Revd William Tong Atak in Nyamlel. The Rooted in Jesus group leaders’ books were all printed to a high standard in South Sudan in the primary language of Dinka Rek.
History
‘South Sudan is the newest nation in the world, having become independent from Sudan in 2011 after decades of fighting. Since independence, the country has suffered from a protracted civil war, a major famine and, more recently, severe flooding and the effect this has on the food supply. Whilst the security situation has improved there are still inter-tribal conflicts with over one hundred deaths in Warrap state alone, which includes Gogrial and Tonj Dioceses, in the first five weeks of 2024. The problem has been exacerbated by the influx of a large number of displaced persons fleeing the Sudanese civil war, adding to those internally displaced by the flooding.
The Episcopal Church is a relative newcomer to the Greater Bahr el Ghazal area, but has experienced rapid growth, especially since independence. Under the leadership of Archbishop Moses Deng Bol it has grown from a single diocese to seven dioceses, with another five Area Dioceses which will in the future become dioceses in their own right. Archbishop Moses is a visionary leader who has long recognised the need to create disciples rather than just converts. A few years ago, he decided that Rooted in Jesus would be the main programme for developing individuals in their faith and for evangelism – an approach which is strongly supported by his bishops.
The Conferences
‘On the way in from the airport to Kuajok Cathedral, Bishop Abraham had said that the people of Gogrial Diocese were really excited by our visit as it was the first time that somebody from Europe had come to teach and encourage them since the establishment of the Diocese. Nothing quite prepared us for the demonstration of that excitement and the welcome that we were going to receive. We were still nearly about a kilometre from the Cathedral when we saw a procession coming down the road. This was the welcome party led by the most colourful processional cross that any of us had seen. It was not possible to continue in our vehicle and so we walked at the head of the procession for the remainder of the distance to the Cathedral where we were welcomed and spent time in worship. Despite some attendees not being able to make the journey due to the tribal troubles that were occurring across Gogrial Diocese, the joy and the desire to learn more about following Jesus and how to share their faith were far greater than we had seen before. This joy and desire was reflected in Tonj East and in Nyamlel, where the welcomes were just as warm and enthusiastic, albeit without the procession!
Delegates at Kuajok Cathedral, Diocese of Gogrial
The 4-day Introductory Conferences in Gogrial and Tonj East followed the same pattern. For the first three mornings we started with Worship followed by Teaching through the use of plenary sessions, illustrative demonstrations, discussions and times of prayer. We concluded the morning with a Group activity. On the first morning, after a light-hearted demonstration of how not to lead a group, the team led the groups to demonstrate this new approach to teaching that some of the pastors initially found difficult to adjust to. On the following two mornings, attendees were selected by the bishop or his commissary to lead the small groups of ten to twelve members. The final morning concluded with a Commissioning service after the Teaching session. In the afternoons there were Workshops on leadership, pastoral care and prayer and these were followed by a Ministry time of Bible reflection and prayer.
The 3-day Follow-up Conference in Nyamlel followed the same basic format as the Introductory conferences. The Introductory Conference had been held in November 2022 and a mango tree had been planted to commemorate the introduction of Rooted in Jesus and a reminder that if we are rooted in Jesus then we will grow and bear fruit. Yosafate, David and Barry went to inspect the tree with Bishop Peter.
Conference delegates after the Commissioning in Romic, Diocese of Tonj
Reflection
‘The enthusiasm of the participants and the vision of the bishops left the team feeling very encouraged that the Rooted in Jesus training was so enthusiastically received and plans made to implement Rooted in Jesus groups in the parishes. It was reported back to us that the weekend after we left Nyamlel saw the launch of nine new Rooted in Jesus groups.
These three dioceses are all, essentially, missionary dioceses with very little by way of resources but they all have one great resource which more than overcomes any deficit: the people. Their love of God, warmness of heart and generosity towards others was the greatest resource one could ask for. Speaking of their generosity, in Tonj East they had clubbed together to buy the team a farewell present: a goat and two chickens!
The team were very grateful for all those who had willingly given their time to help make these conferences such a success and we all came away feeling that we had a bit of our hearts behind and that part of each of the dioceses will be in our hearts. We would also like to thank those who had been praying for us, especially when we had a few problems along the way.’
The Rooted in Jesus tree and the gift of a goat and chickens in the Diocese of Nyamlel
Barry’s UK colleague Revd David Wood was interviewed on Cumbria Crack radio on his return, available on their website here.
Feedback
We have been encouraged by the responses to the conferences, both from participants at the time and from the host dioceses afterwards. Please join with us in continuing to pray for them.
May I take this golden opportunity to thank Rooted in Jesus as a Christian organisation for reaching places which have never been reached in the world. No missionaries have ever come to this place therefore people are thirsty for the gospel. The Bible says a sick person is the one who needs the doctor. Rooted in Jesus is the doctor!
Bishop Peter Yuol, Diocese of Tonj
We really thank and appreciate your support and commitment of sending your Rooted in Jesus team to come and facilitate the conference in our Diocese. The conference was so colourful and many Christians who attended the conference got transformed.
Revd Albion Akeen, Diocesan Coordinator, Diocese of Gogrial
We had a wonderful conference and many of our Christians enjoyed the training as well. We were very much impressed for the work done by your team. We thank God for this partnership between the leadership of Rooted In Jesus and the Diocese of Nyamlel
Bishop Peter Garang, Diocese of Nyamlel
We are grateful to theRelay Trust who provided a grant to each diocese to help with the conference costs, and to all those who prayed daily for the team while they were there. South Sudan is not an easy place in which to work!
Rooted in Jesus is published and supported by The Mathetes Trust. For more information about Rooted in Jesus visit our website.
The Diocese of Northern Uganda held its first Rooted in Jesus conference from 30th January to 2nd February. The conference was opened by Bishop Godfrey Loum, and hosted by Preb Simon Cawdell. Simon, who is himself an experienced Rooted in Jesus leader, is now serving with CMS as the Diocesan Holistic Discipleship Officer.
The conference was held at Gulu Primary School, a church day and boarding school located within the diocesan compound in Gulu, and was attended by 245 participants, including a group from the neighbouring Diocese of Nebbi and a representative from the Diocese of Kitgum. Teaching was provided by three visitors from the UK working alongside Simon, three members of staff from Archbishop Janani Luwum Theological College (of which Sarah Cawdell is the Principal), and the Head of the Vocational Training Institute.
Revd Geoffrey Opiyo was appointed as Diocesan Rooted in Jesus Coordinator, working with Revd Zachariah Otto who is the Head of Mission. He will be supported by a team of 9 archdeaconry coordinators who in turn will work with a local coordinator in each parish. The conference closed with a commissioning service and a rousing address by Bishop Godfrey.
Members of the translation team (Revd Caroline Aber, Revd Zachariah Otto, Revd Geoffrey Opiyo)
History
Northern Uganda has an uncomfortable history. From the late 1980s the whole region was subjected to a period of violent armed conflict as the so-called Lord’s Resistance Army engaged in guerilla warfare against the national government, committing atrocities against local people, raiding schools and villages and abducting children to serve as child soldiers. After more than 20 years of suffering during which nearly 1.7 million people were forced into refugee camps, peace was finally restored to the region – where the process of rebuilding shattered lives is inevitably still ongoing.
The gospel is not new to this part of what is now Uganda. It was first shared by CMS with the Acholi people who are the majority here in 1903, leading to the creation of a strong Anglican presence in the region. The Diocese of Northern Uganda was created in 1961, and in 2021 Bishop Godfrey Loum became its 8th bishop, quoting 2 Timothy 2.2 and committing himself to ‘preach the Word, to be prepared in season and out of season, to correct, rebuke, and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction.’ This was the charge which he now repeated to those training as leaders of the new Rooted in Jesus discipleship groups, welcoming the programme as part of the diocesan vision and reminding them of the great commission with which Jesus left his closest followers: to ‘make disciples of all peoples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.’
The conference
None of the pain which people still carry within them was visible on the surface as 250 people gathered joyfully in the open, grassy centre of Gulu Primary School under eight marquees elegantly decorated with white and purple cloth. A large red-flowered terebinth tree provided a living demonstration of how a tree with deep roots can produce leaves, buds, flowers and fruit. The Theological College had closed for the week so that all the students could attend the training; Simon had already introduced them to Rooted in Jesus, and 14 had volunteered to lead participants in small groups through Module 1 Lesson 1 of the programme.
Over the next few mornings the team offered plenary sessions on the nature of discipleship, on the resources provided to us by the Holy Spirit, and on the realistic expectations of ministry as explained by Jesus in the Parable of the Sower. As ever, the teaching was interspersed with small group discussion, practical illustration and times of prayer, and followed by small group practice sessions in which participants began to experience the Rooted in Jesus programme for themselves.
In the afternoons participants were divided into 9 groups for workshops led by the visiting team and the college staff on how to get going as a group leader, on pastoral care and on the life of prayer. Classrooms were used for some of these, with others carrying their chairs to shady locations in the ample school grounds. Each day finished with a time of Bible reflection and ministry.
In between all that, generous and tasty meals were provided by a team working from the open air school kitchens, and people took advantage of the opportunity to get to know one another in the first gathering they had had since the restrictions of the Covid pandemic had come to an end. It is difficult, it turns out, to stop the Acholi people from dancing, and spare moments were soon occupied – in the relentless 35 degree heat of the dry season – by vigorous and joyful expressions of dance and song. On the third day an Alur speaking participant named Joy shared that she had received the words and melody of a Rooted in Jesus song as she had been praying that morning. She taught it to the entire conference, and it was sung at the closing ceremony (listen to it here!).
Language was interesting, with the majority of participants speaking Acholi but a sizeable minority speaking Alur. A third group will use Rooted in Jesus in Lugbara. All of these are Nilotic languages, and sound quite different from the Bantu languages of the south. The Acholi translations were done by a team from this diocese; those into Alur and Lugbara had already been completed by a team from the Diocese of Aru in DR Congo. The books were printed locally to a high standard.
Books were printed in Alur, Acholi and Lugbara
Reflection
This was the largest single conference we have ever run, made possible only thanks to the committed and active participation of the college, school and diocesan staff. The conference itself had been preceded by a diocesan-wide roadshow, with every archdeaconry being visited, prepared and invited to send a participant from each parish. Mattresses had been hired, food bought, registration was carefully recorded, and certificates awarded to those who committed themselves to starting a group (which in the event was all of them). The blended visiting and local teaching team enjoyed working together, the college students rose magnificently to the task of translating the sessions into Acholi and Alur, and everyone went home with a smile on their face. For the UK team – Alison Morgan, Roger Fenton and Hazel Aucken – it was a great privilege to be part of the ministry of this dynamic and ambitious diocese for a few days, and wonderful to be given the opportunity to visit Murchison Falls National Park on the way home. We remain hugely grateful to the team of people who committed themselves to praying for the conference, and are glad to hear that, just one week later, groups have already started and plans for follow-up are being put in place.
Rooted in Jesus 