MORAVIAN CHURCH – UNITAS FRATRUM 

Unity Information Newsletter 

Published January 7th, 2020 

The Moravian Church Tanzania, Western Tanzania (MCWT) From 16-20 October, MCWT conducted a seminar for church workers, which included pastors and their wives, lay heads of departments and leaders from Mission Areas supervised by MCWT. These include Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda and West central mission areas. Guest speakers were, Rev. Dr. J. Boytler (UBA), Bishop Ezekiel Yona, Retired Bishop Nicodemo, Rev. Mary Kategile and two brothers, E. Kasanga and J. Kilungu. It was real a fantastic seminar, which brought people together as sons and daughters of one parent. Two major events made during the seminar ere inauguration of the new church building and the concecration of 17 presbyters. Furthermore on 3rd of December, 2019 MCWT together with representatives of Danish Moravian Mission (BDM) witnessed the opening ceremony of the Rehabilitation Unity house at Sikonge Hospital. The house was supported by BDM for leprosy people. We thank God and our friends BDM for this assistance. Reported by Rev. Richard Lwali General Secretary of MCWT. 

The Moravian Church Tanzania, Rukwa Province (MCRT) 

The Provincial board of Moravian Church in Tanzania Rukwa Province decided to have two important things in 2019. One of it is a Refresher Course for Pastors and secondly, a partnership agreement conference. The province also hosted Moravian Church in Tanzania Choir assembly. 

Partnership agreement conference between MCTRP and BDM 27th, November 2019 Board members representatives from both parties gathered together in Rukwa Province and later in Denmark. During the meeting many issues were discussed, agreed and later on signed the agreement in 2010. The agreement has nine years old since it was signed in Denmark. On 27th, November 2019 the partnership agreement conference between MCTRP and BDM gathered together at Moravian Conference Centre. In total were fifteen delegates. A number of issues concerning partnership agreement were discussed and amended. New agendas were discussed and resolved. Some of agendas which were discussed include: The future of the Primary Health Care Project (PHC) on Lake Tanganyika, Theological education support for women and evangelists, building support for new Lake Rukwa District, Church workers retirement benefits and challenges. The challenges which the province are faced include: A huge water bill of the Moravian Conference Centre, damage on church buildings which were caused by heavy rain and the loss of 110 acres of forest plantation, which was caused by fire hit. The partnership agreement conference will be reviewed after four years. Refresher course for Pastors Refresher course for pastors started on 26th – 30th of November 2019. 97 pastors attended the refresher course. Many challenges were presented, discussed and resolved. Rev. Dr. Jorgen Boytler (UBA) facilitated on Moravian Identity while Bishop Conrad Nguvumali Sikombe facilitated on ethics and revival. Rev. Erord Rupia Simae facilitated on the following topics: Qualities of good leader, secret of living with different people, why do people dislike leaders and the top seven which make your 

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congregation grow economically and spiritually. Also the topic indicators of the dying church and how to rescue the dying church, was explained. Rev. Asajile Philemon Mwandagasya facilitated on Servanthood in 21st century while Rev. Emmanuel Adam Sikazwe facilitated on how to raise the internal income. A leader from the provincial finance office was teaching on Church management and evaluation of the current economy. It was said that the only thing that should make the Church move forward is that we should respect our procedures, constitution and regulations. Moravian authority depends on the decision of the meetings while the authority of other historical Churches like Catholic Church and Anglican high Church depends on bishop’s decision. If we as Moravians know our shared leadership model and respect our duty and being accountable to everyday activities, no doubt the church will grow. It was also agreed that; each and every pastor should join National social security fund and that this should start in January 2020. The Refresher course for pastors ended with a love feast. 

Main Choirs’ Festival Assembly (Kwaya Kuu) The Moravian Church in Tanzania coordinated the big ‘Kwaya Kuu’ assembly in Sumbawanga in MCT- Rukwa Province. The assembly took place from 6th to 8th December 2019 at Sumbawanga Urban Congregation. In this assembly, 6 choir groups came together from 5 Unity Provinces and 1 Mission Area. The five Unity Provinces that sent choir groups were Southern Province, South-West Province, Rukwa Province, Northern Province and East Province. The only Mission Area was Mbozi. The assembly made 381 participants (singers). 

As always is when Christians meet there must be Biblical verse to lead. The Bible verse that stood as a topic of the assembly was Math 5:13 “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men.” Fortunately, the assembly had a very good preacher who made Bible exposition; he is no other than Rev. Charles Yona Katale, the Provincial Chairperson of Lake Tanganyika Province. He emphatically asked Moravian Christian to be the salt of the World. Their whole personalities should witness them as having ’salt’. Sumbawanga Urban parishioners and other parishioners from around Sumbawanga came in big numbers to see and hear how beautifully and delightfully all choir groups were performing. As it is common to Moravian Church in Tanzania, all ‘Kwaya Kuu’ groups sing in vernacular tones and a choir leader standing in front conducting with the stick commonly known as ‘fimbo’. Generally it was a good and godly assembly and sovereign God was praised through songs sung in tribal tones particularly Nyakyusa tone. 

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When great numbers of peoples assemble for 3 days, cost of managing the assembly cannot be avoided. Despite travel costs in which every province took responsibility to her choir group, indeed other costs like accommodation (hiring mattresses), meals and other utilities made the whole assembly to spend more than 13 million Tanzania shillings. All the money was contributions from Moravian Christian member from all provinces. Furthermore, Moravian Church in Tanzania general secretary Rev. David Mgombele offered thanks Rukwa Province who hosted the assembly and made possible all the logistics during assembly sessions and the day of finishing the ‘Kwaya Kuu’ assembly with Sunday Service, closed by Bishop Conrad Nguvumali Sikombe. Reported by Rev. Erord Rupia Simae, Chair Person of MCRT 

Moravia Citrus Project – South Africa The 200 Hectare Moravia Citrus Project is being developed on portions of the Wittewater farm land owned by the Moravian Church in South Africa (MCSA) and MCiSA Agri & Tourism (Pty) Ltd that are under a long term lease to the Moravia Citrus Project. Wittewater, nestled against the slopes of Piketberg, was established in 1857 by German Moravian missionaries and is a town in Bergrivier Local Municipality in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, located off the R399 road, between Piketberg and Velddrif. For the first time in its 160 years, the agricultural land of the MCSA is now being developed by MCiSA, whose purpose is to create sustainable long term value for their customers, employees and shareholders (i.e. Moravian Church Trust). The projects of MCiSA also create employment opportunities in the neighbouring mission stations and towns. MCiSA, which has MCiSA Agri & Tourism (Pty) Ltd as its agricultural subsidiary, was established in March 2008 and endorsed by MCSA Synod 2008 after Synod 2004 decided that a long-term vision be formulated to decentralise all financial functions of the MCSA and to gradually outsource and/or hive- off non-core business, remembering that the core business of the MCSA is to spread the Gospel and preach the Word of God. 

Tango trees planted during October 2018 The Moravia Citrus Project is being developed through a joint venture formed between MCiSA Agri & Tourism (51% shareholding) and its joint venture partner, Stargrow (49% shareholding). The reason for selecting Stargrow Group as a joint venture partner was Stargrow’s track record with other emerging farmers in South Africa and its relationship with the Jobs Fund. The objective of the Jobs Fund is to co-finance projects by public, private and non-governmental organisations that will significantly contribute to job creation. The Jobs Fund was launched in June 2011 by the Minister of Finance of the Republic of South Africa and an amount of $ 639 million (USD) (R 9 billion ZAR) was set aside towards the realisation of the objectives of the Jobs Fund. The contribution of MCiSA Agri & Tourism towards the joint venture is a lease of land and 200 Ha water valued at $ 1,447,246 USD (R 20,4 million ZAR), whilst the capital contribution of Stargrow amounts to $ 1,390,323 USD (R 19,6 million ZAR). 

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The Stargrow Group, established in 1992, consists of a group of companies that are well known in South Africa and internationally. Originally established as a nursery business, Stargrow has become one of the biggest suppliers of plant material in South Africa and has expanded into cultivar development and commercialisation of cultivars, including management of Intellectual Property Rights, project management of new agricultural development in Africa and fruit marketing. Although the ground breaking ceremony launching the citrus development was held during October 2017, ground works could only commence during 2018 due to the continued droughts in the Western Cape in 2017 and the preceding two years. The initial development of the Moravia Citrus Project commenced during October 2018 with 52 hectares of Tango being planted. Tango is a seedless and easy peeling mid- to late-season mandarin. Production is from the end of June to August. It is deep orange in colour with high juice content and a sweet taste. There is a huge international market demand for Tango in countries in the Far East, Middle East, South East Asia, European Union and Asia, and MCiSA Agri & Tourism and Stargrow will jointly market the produce in these markets, utilizing Stargrow’s marketing expertise developed over the years. Ground preparation for another 25 hectares has commenced during October 2019 and 25 hectares of Clemenluz will be planted during March 2020. Clemenluz is a new clementine variety that matures early and is of high value. As with Tango, Clemenluz is in high demand in international markets and will also be jointly marketed by MCiSA Agri & Tourism and Stargrow in these markets. The remaining 123 hectares are to be planted towards the end of 2020 and during 2021. To date, 103 job opportunities were created by the Moravia Citrus Project, this being 18 permanent jobs, 41 short term employment opportunities and 44 non-permanent seasonal jobs. The initial employment opportunities were offered to residents of Wittewater Mission Station. At its peak production, it is estimated that 221 jobs will be created by the Moravia Citrus Project, being 60 permanent jobs, 57 short-term jobs and 104 non-permanent seasonal jobs. With increased job opportunities during the life of the Moravia Citrus Project, the employment catchment areas will eventually widen to other mission stations surrounding Wittewater. The projected Moravia Citrus Project costs are estimated at $ 3,5 million USD (R 50 million ZAR) over 7 years of its full development. The project costs to date amount to $ 993,390 USD (R 14 million ZAR). The total grant available from the Jobs Fund for the Moravia Citrus Project amounts to $ 2 million (USD) of which $ 497,079 (USD) (R 7 million ZAR) was received to date. The projected annual turnover of the Moravia Citrus Project after year 10 is estimated at approximately $ 9,4 million USD (R133 million ZAR) with earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) estimated at approximately $ 4,5 million USD (R 64 million ZAR). The agricultural business model of MCiSA was also presented to the Unity Mission Conference that was held in Cape Town, South Africa in November 2017 and included as part of the presentation on Sustainable Mission Models, the focus being on sustainable models for supporting mission and ministry and effective efforts to reduce dependency on outside sources of funding. One of the greatest affirmations for MCiSA was the commentary by the Chairman of the Conference that the presentation had to be made to the Conference and not at the workshop as the entire Unity would have benefited from the business initiative presented to the delegates in the workshop. Another affirmation for MCiSA was its invitation by the Moravian Church in Tanzania during March 2018 to introduce a similar business model in Tanzania. MCiSA is thus working with the Moravian Church in Tanzania to assist in developing their own business model along similar lines. Further affirmation was by the delegation of the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea that visited the Moravia Citrus Project during August 2018. Rev. Solomon Paul Benjamin (EMS Liaison Secretary East Asia and India) encouraged MCiSA to steadfastly continue with their projects as envisaged in his book Business as Mission published in 2015 that promotes resource mobilisation for sustainability. We would strongly and earnestly encourage all Provinces and Missions of the Unitas Fratrum to embark upon establishing sustainable models for supporting mission and ministry and to implement effective efforts to reduce dependency on outside sources of funding in order to aid the Moravian Church in spreading the Gospel and preaching the Word of God. Reported by Br. Sidney Stadler, Project Manager MCSA 

Editing: Jørgen Bøytler, UBA Lindegade 26, DK-6070 Christiansfeld, Denmark. Tel. +45 40361420. [email protected] 

Wednesday Reflection, January 8, 2020

The Steadfast Love of the Lord

Brethren, I greet you well.

Throughout the 33rd Psalm, the psalmist instructs the righteous to praise the Lord, he tells what instruments to use, he declares God’s majesty and power, testifies of the Lord’s goodness and then in the concluding verse of the psalm he prays, “Let your Steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” Psalm 33:22, today’s watchword.

Such utterances can only be made by those who have truly had communion and enjoyed sweet fellowship with the Lord. It speaks to a budding or growing relationship with mutual understanding. The Lord delights in our praises, it is through prayer and praise that the lines of communication remain opened.

Recently I was led to reflect on a story I heard many years ago. It is the story of the eagle. The eagle is considered the strongest of all birds as well as the only one of that species to live possibly up to 70 years. In order for the eagle to get to age 70, the bird must make a very difficult decision. Not all Eagles go through this but as you and I have come know, there are always exceptions.

In the Eagle’s 40th year, it’s long and flexible talons can no longer grab a prey, it’s sharp beak becomes bent, it’s feathers would by then become aged and as a result would stick to its chest; making it difficult to catch prey, eat or fly. Sounds like a dead turkey…I mean Eagle right?

So the story continues, the eagle having gotten to this point now has two options: it either DIES or endures a painful process of GROWTH!

Talk about “growing pains” this process lasts for 150 days/5 months and requires the eagle to fly to the highest peak, a point of seclusion. During this time the eagle will lose its beak, talons and feathers. The bird is alone and vulnerable, incapable of flying or hunting for its own food. Yet, the Eagle, knows it is prudent to remain in position until that which it has shed has been restored. At the end of 5 months it’ll be able to fly and eat and catch prey, not as it did before but renewed and refreshed and strengthened.

Brothers and sisters, what examples, life lessons or assurances can we take from this? How many of us having entered into a time of nothingness were able to sit still, to trust God to provide, to be confident that the Lord would see us through? How many of us know or appreciate the importance of being alone/in seclusion with God? How often do we conduct self examinations? How often do thoughts of desertion give birth to giving up? What are the things that present as hindrances to the power and presence of God in our lives?

You see my friends, to trust God, to believe only in Him, to follow his leading and to accept His will is evidence of total submission and complete dependence on God which then places a believer on a point of high he will never seek to get down from.

Paul wrote in Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.

Until next week, be encouraged, for the eyes will never be able to know what faith leads us to see.

Amen

Tuesday Reflection – July 24, 2018

Watchword Text: Isaiah 31:6
Author: @Bevon White
YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xOB06h7SRE&feature=youtu.be

Greetings friends,

Misplaced trust is easily understood by those hurt by deep betrayal. When someone we love and care about turns to a complete stranger for the assistance which we were both willing and able to give, we will feel a sense of betrayal as we wonder why they did not trust us enough to come to us. Today’s Watchword is a call for Israel to return to God, having betrayed God by looking to others for the help that God alone could give to them. Turn back to the Lord whom you have deeply betrayed. Isaiah 31:6. God was displeased with his people because when the Assyrian army approached from the North, they looked to Egypt in the South to save them from the threat. They trusted Egypt’s military might more than they trusted the Almighty God who had brought them out of slavery in Egypt and established them in the promised land. They abandoned the God who had stood by their sides through thick and thin, who had delivered them from hunger, from thirst, and from enemies in the wilderness. Even in this sad situation God promised to protect and deliver a penitent Jerusalem, issuing a challenge to His people to return to Him and repent of their betrayal.
There are two truths that we can hold on to as we contemplate whether we should trust God or the world around us.
Firstly, God is always there for us. Psalm 46: 1, reminds us ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble’. We live our lives in God’s presence. He is never far from us and so will always be aware of what we face. At no point should we ever feel alone. As the Assyrian army marched on Judah they felt abandoned and forsaken thus they began to look elsewhere for help. They failed to realize that God was right there, ready and willing to come to their rescue. All they needed to do was set their minds on God and ask. Sometimes we too are overwhelmed by the situations we face and think that we need to find solutions on our own. Friend the fact that we are never alone is an indicator that we will never need to face any situation by ourselves. Remember Jesus’ promise to us, ‘I will be with you always, even to the end of time’.

Secondly, we can trust God to deliver us. Judah’s mistake was in trusting Egypt more than they trusted God. Egypt would fail in their first attempt to stop Assyria and as a result Judah ended up in deep trouble. We have to be careful that we do not think of worldly might as being more than God’s might. Egypt had chariots and horses and so they were a great force to match against the advancing Assyrians, but they were not enough. Why settle for less than enough when our God is more than enough? Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. Psalm 20:7. To turn back to the Lord is therefore to pledge undying trust in His ability. It is to accept that there is none like Him to save and deliver us. Like Judah, you may be surrounded by advancing enemies. You may be caught up in situations that seem hopeless and are trying your best to find solutions. Let me invite you to look to the Lord our God who is mighty to save, whose grace is sufficient and who is able to keep us until the day of His return. To look anywhere else is a betrayal and abandonment of God and like Judah we will be called to repent and return so that God can act for us. You can replace your worry and fear with trust in God so that you will never fall into such a position. Amen.
Bevon White

Tuesday Reflection – July 10, 2018

Watchword Text: Proverbs 11:24.
Author: Bevon White
YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jmhYx2mWz8&feature=youtu.be

Greetings friends,

One of the most difficult tasks for any Church board is to get the members to a point where their giving comfortably covers the expenses of the congregation. The ideal situation is for the congregation to receive a little more each week, than its expenses demand. That would leave something for mission and outreach, for maintenance and expansion, and for savings. For most Churches however, the reality is that they struggle financially and barely cover their expenses, having to do extensive fund raising for budget shortfall and other projects. This is so because many congregations depend only on the giving of their members to meet their financial needs. Today’s Watchword offers a cause and remedy for financial problems in the church and in the lives of God’s people. Some give freely, yet grow all the richer; others withhold what is due, and only suffer want. Proverbs 11:24.

I remember years ago teaching a congregation board the principles of tithing and every member decided that this would be the way of their congregation. They share this with the congregation who also agreed. One month later, one brother stood in church and testified of the financial difference that tithing had already begun to make in his life. He stated ‘I have never handled so much money in my life. The more I give to God, the more I receive’. This, friends, is the principle of the proverb. A person can discreetly spend what they have on church work, charitable organizations and helping people in need, only to realize that they are richer for it financially and spiritually. At the same time others may keep for themselves what God has been blessing them with, only to lose it anyway. Personal investments go bad, bonds and stocks fail, banks fold under and all you have invested goes with them. When we give unto the Lord however, it becomes a gift with certain and unlimited returns. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38
But it is does not finish there. The other side of the coin is that a person can become so careful a spender of their money that they end up the poorer for it. When we are unjust in repaying our debts, when we withhold more than our due share of profits, when we are stingy in providing for our homes and families, when we refuse to give to the needy and to meet our financial obligations to the church, when saving wealth becomes more important to us than saving our lives through proper medical care, we are truly setting ourselves up to be poor, to lose more than we have saved. When we live like this, expect bad credit to haunt us, expect bad health to drain us and expect poor relationships to strip us of the company of family and friends. In Haggai 1:6 – 9 God challenges Israel to pay more attention to the temple and they in turn would fare better. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the Lord. You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the Lord of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house.
Today I challenge us to be faithful and true in our giving to God and God will in turn faithfully reward our effort, so we will be able to do even more. This is what I call the cycle of blessing. May God add to you even as you add to His church and to those around you. Amen.

Tuesday Reflection – Proverbs 11_24
Bevon White

Tuesday Reflection – July 03, 2018

Watchword Text: Psalm 116: 12
Author: Bevon White
Youtube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVmWHI33waE&feature=youtu.be

Greetings friends!

Today’s watchword is from Psalm 116: 12. What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me? There are many who fail to see a connection between the everyday occurrences of their lives and God at work. They believe that all they have, all they do and all they have achieved are thanks to their own effort. Not so with those who know and trust the Lord God. We know that we can achieve nothing of ourselves. God is therefore at work every moment of our lives, working His will and purpose for us.

In the Psalm, David gives thanks to God for delivering Him out of many dire situations. He is moved to devotion, love and gratitude to God for delivering Him. Even so he questions whether he can do enough? What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me? When we look at our lives and see God’s handiwork in and around us, how do we respond? When the enemies of Jesus tried to trap him with a question of whether it was right to pay taxes to Caesar in Matthew 22, he responded by telling them to give to Caesar what belonged to Caesar and to God what belonged to God. True loyalty is giving to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and true piety is giving to God what belongs to God. Do not worship the earthly system and show loyalty to God as some do! No. We are to worship God and God alone. If we place the focus on ourselves our imperfections, failures and weaknesses will always cause us to miss the mark, to fall short. However, when we focus completely on God we see God’s perfection and faithfulness from which His benefits flow. His benefits include the creation and sustenance of all life. From the establishing and keeping of the multiverse to the creation and sustaining of every single organism, whether we deem it as important or not. This loving care is what we respond to. The creator is the sustainer.

What shall I render? Friends, half-hearted thanks is no thanks at all. In the same way, half hearted worship and praise reaches nowhere. We are to worship God with all our hearts, minds and souls. Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! Psalm 115: 1. God desires our praise and this should flow naturally in response to God’s bounty, or goodness to us. In Psalm 150 we are called to praise God for all that God does. The more we see, the greater will be the praise. May our eyes be opened to God at work in and around us as our hearts willingly respond to Him in praise, worship and thanksgiving. Amen.
Bevon White

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 Monday Reflection – 08 January 2018

Purposeful Living

 

When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.

Psalm 146:4

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Monday Reflection –  2017

Watchword for Christmas Day (American Version)

Jesus is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. Hebrews 1:3

Notin no de weh God cyaan du. Luke 1:37 (Patois)

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Monday Reflection – 2017

He is mindful of his covenant forever, of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations. Psalm 105:8

 O God our help in ages past

Our hopes for years to come

Our shelter from the stormy blast

And our eternal home. 

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