Brian Mulinzi is visiting Bristol in June 2014[/caption]
Across the globe, people in churches and agencies are re-examining the nature of partnership. Here in the Diocese of Bristol we seek to model new ways of shaping our links that reflect a real partnership in God's kingdom: partner relationships that are truly mutual, built on relationships and trust.
Most diocesan links over the years have tended to be mono-dimensional, focusing on raising money and prayer for good causes in the developing world. Much less time has been devoted to asking what do we actually receive from this partnership which helps us to build God's kingdom here in the UK?
Activities in 2014
We will welcome three groups of visitors from Uganda in 2014, whom we hope will come to challenge, teach and inspire us.
In the past, visit programmes have been designed to encourage and help our visitors to expand their horizons and to share common experiences. Often those visitors have been selected for what they might learn.
This year we are thinking intentionally about what kind of people possess skills and experiences that will transfer to our diocese and help us deepen our own mission and outreach. Instead of travelling from place to place for short visits, we are seeking to embed each of our visitors in a different parish for a substantial period of time to enable deeper relationships to develop. We hope they will be able to minister alongside us and teach us new perspectives.
Kingswood and South Gloucestershire
In June two gifted youth workers from the dioceses of Ankole and West Ankole will visit Kingswood and South Gloucestershire Deanery.
Brian Mulinzi and Samson Agaba will be placed in parishes with established youth projects to minister alongside their youth teams, and we are liaising with Daniel Jones to organise a dialogue between diocesan youth workers and our visitors sharing experience and ideas. There is currently a revival amongst young people in these two link dioceses, with annual youth events in each one attracting up to 10,000 young men and women.
Bristol West
In September Bristol West is inviting six gifted leaders to come from their three link dioceses to visit and work alongside church leaders in the deanery over a two-week period.
Swindon
In October a mixed group of people will visit Swindon from Uganda to come and live and work for four weeks in the deanery. They will each be based in parishes and encourage us in our life and work.