It will be a momentous occasion in our link diocese of Tanzania this summer when we say goodbye to the outgoing bishop of Mara, Bishop Hilkiah.
Bishop Hilkiah will retire on July 5 and a celebration of his work will be held on Saturday July 4th in Musoma Cathedral which will be attended by the Bishop of Wakefield, the Rt Revd Tony Robinson and the former Bishop of Wakefield, the Rt Revd Stephen Platten along with a group of young people from across our diocese.
The VIcar General, Rev Canon Stephen Bwire will be heading up the diocese in Mara in the interim as the provincial Governing body of the ACT (Anglican church of Tanzania) will conclude its work on the announcement of a new bishop elect.
Canon Arthur Mauya, Tanzanian Link officer for West Yorkshrie and the Dales said: "In the interim, please continue to uphold our diocese in prayer during this extended transitional period.
In 1986 Bishop David Hope of Wakefield and the then new Bishop of Mara, Gershom Nyaronga, proposed that the two dioceses be twinned, and on July l0th 1988 in Wakefield Cathedral the link covenant was formally signed.
Both Bishops pledged themselves to the covenant in front of Bishop Ghais Abdel Malik of Egypt representing the Anglican Communion, and they said "As the friendship of David and Jonathan in days of old bridged the deep divisions within Israel, so may our friendship build bridges across the divides of distance, of culture and of language".
Fast forwarding to the present, the Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales benefits enormously from this firm planting of ideals and nurturing over the past 27 years. The adopted motto of the link 'Bega kwa Bega' translated as 'Shoulder to Shoulder' rubs both ways with the many conversations, visits and joint projects by the people of both Dioceses continuing to enrich the Link.
For more info about the link as it is today please contact Rev Canon Stephen Spencer our Tanzanian Link Officer. Stephenspencer8@me.com
Everyone is invited to a Tanzania Link celebration service on 19th July at St Giles' Pontefract, 3 for 3.30pm.
Shoulder to Shoulder - the making of the Mara Link by Bill Jones
Mara! - his latest book gives a first-hand account of the practical evangelism growing the Anglican church in Tanzania
Both books are available from the author at 57 Shirley Avenue, Gomersal, BD19 4NA
£10.99 (p&p inc.) Or email him at bill.jones.75@btinternet.com