UPDATE
Welcome to World Mission’s Update Issue 23-07-08, a special bulletin and prayer update concerning the situation in Zimbabwe. Feel free to share any of the following items in your church newsletters, bulletins and prayer diaries. (Please cite the original source as well as World Mission.) 

CONTENTS:

SPECIAL BULLETIN: ZIMBABWE SUMMIT 
Overcoming Fear by Faith 

PRAYER FOCUS
Let your justice roll down like waters

UPDATE SUMMER BREAK 

SUBSRCIPTION & CONTACT INFORMATION



SPECIAL BULLETIN: ZIMBABWE SUMMIT

Overcoming Fear by Faith 
Church and community leaders met in Johannesburg, South Africa, last week as part of an international ecumenical summit concerning the situation in Zimbabwe.  The Church of Scotland was represented at the meeting by John and Mary Miller, and Stewart Gillan of the World Mission Council. (They were not signatories of the final statement.)

The summit, entitled Overcoming Fear by Faith, was jointly hosted by the South Africa Council of Churches, the Council for World Mission, the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa and our own partner church, the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa.

Speakers at the summit included the theologian, Rev Allan Boesak and human rights activist Prof John Mkumbe of the University of Zimbabwe.  Professor Makumbe told the Johannesburg meeting that nearly 4300 people in Zimbabwe had been victims of politically-motivated violence between 1 March and 15 June. He said that more than 100 opposition activists have been murdered, while roughly 5000 party and election workers are missing. Zimbabwean church leaders also shared their own experience, and spoke of intimidation being targeted at congregations around the country.  

In their final statement, participants at the summit said:

“We have heard first-hand accounts of our brothers, sisters and children who have endured assault, torture and intimidation. With our own eyes, we have seen evidence of the brutality and death that has been inflicted by the Mugabe regime. We have learnt of people subjected to extreme destitution because of economic chaos; people who go to bed hungry, who do not have access to the basic necessities for a healthy and dignified life; people who have been forcibly removed or intimidated into false displays of political affiliation.”

Based on this evidence, the summit concluded that “there is a profound crisis in Zimbabwe”; that the violence and intimidation meant that the final vote, on 27 June, “lacked any legitimacy”; and, that the result could not be the basis of any negotiations about the future, and that the will of the people, expressed in the original vote on 29 March, should be respected. They also stated their belief that the political crisis in Zimbabwe represents a threat to the stability of the whole region in Africa.

Writing in the Scotsman newspaper recently, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Rt Rev David Lunan, argued that a heavy responsibility fell on the shoulders of Zimbabwe’s neighbours; they are best placed to help the people of Zimbabwe and to find a solution to the crisis. The summit came to a similar conclusion, and called on governments in southern Africa to “refuse to recognise the illegitimate government of Robert Mugabe”.  It urged neighbouring governments to impose targeted sanctions, to broaden the mediation efforts, and to work toward a “transitional administration and a truly negotiated settlement”.

The summit’s participants presented their final statement to a representative of South Africa’s presidency.  The full text of the statement is available at http://www.sacc.org.za/news08/zimsum4.html



PRAYER FOCUS
Let your justice roll down like waters

This prayer was prepared for use at the Overcoming Fear by Faith Summit.

Gracious and Eternal Lord,
We know that you hear the cries of your children in Zimbabwe
    Who endure the anguish of political and economic turmoil,
    Who live in the shadow of hunger and violence.
Be with all in Zimbabwe, Lord.
    Strengthen and uphold your people.
    Pour out your blessing on all who minister to the needs of those who suffer;
    Give courage to those who face intimidation or aggression;
    Instil hope in those unable to see beyond the current crisis.
Empower your people to stand together, 
    Across the region and around the world,
    To overcome anger, fear, division and bloodshed.
Grant us gifts of wisdom, compassion and discernment
    That we may impart good news to those who endure injustice
    Speak truth boldly to the powerful,
    And find practical ways of sharing your love in the midst of despair.
Let your justice roll down like waters, Lord,
    And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
    Embolden us to be doers of your Word and seekers of your Peace.
These things we pray in the name of the Prince of Peace, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen

Please pray for our partners in Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Presbytery of the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa (UPCSA), giving thanks for their courage and fortitude in difficult times.

At a time of transition in the Zimbabwe Presbytery, give thanks for the leadership Paul Neshangwe (Moderator) and Tinashe Chemvumi (Presbytery Clerk), who have completed their time in office and have made a huge contribution during extraordinarily demanding times. Please pray for  the Presbytery’s new office bearers, Wilbert Sayimani (Moderator) and Mark Philips (Presbytery Clerk).

Please remember in prayer:

o the congregations of the UPCSA, that they may meet freely, without fear of intimidation;
o the people of Zimbabwe;
o for all in positions of authority, that they will remember their responsibility to the people of Zimbabwe;
o for those involved in the negotiations between Zanu-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC); and,
o for President Mbeki of South Africa who is leading the mediation.




UPDATE SUMMER BREAK 
Update will return to its regular schedule during the week beginning 18 August.  If you have any items of news, or if there are events in the late summer or autumn that you think we should know about, please send an email to: wmeditor@cofscotland.org.uk


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Update 23-07-08  Editorial team: Gillian McKinnon 
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