ACNS 4191 | ACO | 20 SEPTEMBER 2006
New venture announced as Zambian priest is appointed Anglican Communion Mission and Evangelism Officer
In a new co-operative venture with the Church Mission Society (CMS), the Revd Canon Kenneth Kearon, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion Office (ACO) is delighted to announce the appointment of the Revd John Kaoma Kafwanka as Mission and Evangelism Desk Officer for the Anglican Communion. The position became available after the recent retirement of the Anglican Communion Office Director of Mission and Evangelism, Mrs Marjorie Murphy.
Both CMS and ACO saw this as a moment to look at global mission and evangelisation work in a concentrated way. Canon Kearon said, "The ACO is encouraged by this new level of team work with CMS. The secondment of John Kafwanka, I trust, will pave the way for appropriate links with others working in the various areas of ministry we are charged with by the Anglican Communion Instruments of Communion and the Archbishop of Canterbury." The ACO already has a working relationship with the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (USPG) in the area of theological education.
Canon Tim Dakin, General Secretary of CMS, said, "We are delighted to be working with the ACO to further the work of mission and evangelism in the Communion. John Kafwanka's will enrich the Anglicanism's understanding of mission, especially through his knowledge of the Church of the South and its evangelistic effectiveness. "
For the last three years, John Kafwanka worked for the Church Mission Society (CMS) as a Regional Co-ordinator in Lusaka, Zambia in Southern Africa. Ordained in 1994, to the Priesthood, served St John's in Zambia and was also the Principal and Rector for the national seminary. Speaking to ACNS he said, "I am looking forward to working within the Anglican Communion Office with the hope of widening his experiences in mission work and increasing the visibility of mission endeavours in our churches."
With his previous experiences (such as the work involved in Mission and Evangelism within the Anglican Communion and in non-western churches), some of which were gained from working in CMS, he believes that these elements will "help me succeed in my new post."
John Kafwanka describes Mission and Evangelism as being about: "God's mission to humanity in a holistic sense, where it is God's mission and not the Church's mission. Thus wider and bigger than we can envisage."
Some of the duties will consist not only on researching Mission and Evangelism and other key issues, but also to survey the work of the Member Churches of the Communion with respect to mission and evangelism and to identify the needs and resources of our fast changing world in this area of ministry. Important to his portfolio is his work in the preparation of materials to be used at the next Lambeth Conference on issues concerning evangelisation.
John Kafwanka's interests include meeting people and networking, seeing growth in ministry and seeing mission happen: "what God is doing through his people," as he says. He is married to Martha and has two children, Limbani (a boy) and Mwila (a girl), aged 5 and 8 years old, respectively. All will be moving to London from Africa in due course and his work begins at the office in St Andrew's House, London, in October.
Contacts: J M ROSENTHAL Jim.rosenthal@aco.org
ENDS
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