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 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.
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 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 