Bishop John Kafwanka of Kitwe and Bishop Emmanuel Chikaya, Suffragan Bishop of Lusaka, have been visiting Bath and Wells this week. The bishops, who were recently installed, had been in Canterbury for training before traveling to Somerset to meet with Bishop Michael and members of the Zambia Link.
Speaking about the visit Bishop Michael said, “One of the things I've appreciated most on coming to Bath and Wells has been our link with Zambia, which has existed for almost 50 years. We've been delighted this week to welcome Bishop John and Bishop Emmanuel. It's been great to meet them, to build with them a new part of the partnership that exists between us all. And to look forward with so much joy to all that the future will hold.
During their stay, Bishops John and Emmanuel met with members of the Zambia Link, including members of the World Mission Group. Reflecting on the visit, Bishop John said: “It's been a privilege to be back in England, coming back now as a Bishop. To hear more of the stories of our link and the areas that we can be of support to one another. One such area, that has emerged in our conversations, is the environment. We have been reflecting on how together as sisters and brothers in Christ, we can address the issues both in this country, but also in Zambia.”
Bishop Emmanuel highlighted the importance of personal connections through the Link, saying he appreciated the opportunity to meet with people in person. “For me, as a new Bishop, it has been important to learn how best we can tap into each other’s resources in terms of our experiences and capacities and see how we can make it work for all of us. At the end of the day, we all contribute to sharing the Gospel of Jesus in a very holistic manner and not narrow manner.”
Martin Canning, Chair of the diocesan World Mission Group, also had chance to meet with the Zambian Bishops to discuss the future of the link. “It’s been really good to meet the newly appointed bishops and to really have a chance to talk about some of the things that have been bubbling away and to discuss some new ideas that we've been thinking about.”
More information about the Zambia Bath and Wells link can be found on the Zambia pages of the diocesan website.