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Dr. Lall, the General Secretary of the Church of North India and Deputy Moderator of the CWM welcomed the participants in his usual humorous  way, by saying that if you are happy then tell the world, if you are not don’t tell me.  He said that the agenda for the meeting is a challenging one and hoped that the participants would take the challenge and use the time available in a fruitful way.  The Church of North India is  a growing Church and on behalf of it he welcomed the participants.   

Ms. Francis, CWM Associate Secretary, Training and Education, welcomed the participants and introduced the resource team and the planning team to the participants.      

The sound of “Halleluiah, Halleluiah” went up in the air as the participants of the global Meeting on the Community of Women and Men in Mission started singing the song.  The melody was so soft and prayerful that one felt that we all were singing with the angels from heaven.  The worship service was lead by Rev. Verna Cassells from Jamaica.  She asked the participants to bring a symbolic thing from their country and tell the group why it was brought and why they wanted to thank God for it.  It started slowly but got the momentum as many participants brought things from their place and explained. 

The things varied from a visiting card to a CD ROM.  There were magazines, a mirror, handmade bags, a fan, cloth, bangles, a musical instrument and water.  Interestingly almost all the participants talked about the women’s involvement in making the things.  The women made many of the articles.  There were about 26 participants who brought things and explained why they wanted to thank God for them.  It was so nice to hear from every one that they wanted to thank God as he showed his mercy through others.  Instead of one sermon it was shared by 26 participants.  The service came to an end with the Lord’s Prayer.    

“Methods of interpreting the bible should be life related”

– says Dr. Musa

Methods of interpreting the bible should be life related, then only people are able to put it into practice.  This is what Dr. Musa is involved in very much while teaching the theological students in the University of Botswana.  While talking to the reporter she said that the earlier translations were not done up to the mark and the result is that people are misled.  While quoting many examples she said that it has to be re-written for the shake of correct information.  She was practicing in reading the bible with the common people.  The bible portions are read and converted into stories and songs and dramas which go along with the people’s every day life.

“Women’s department is the strongest one in our Church” – says Rev. Vero

“Out of eight departments in our Church the Women’s department is the strongest one” said Rev. Vero during her interview.  From her 11 years experience as a parish priest she is strongly convinced that in the present situation the women are taking the lead and the work done by them in the Church are remarkable.  Now she feels that the men and women should work together in order to achieve God’s Mission. 

“Women are the role model” – says Mrs. Catherine

Women are the role model in our society,  said Mrs. Catherine, the women’s national coordinator from Churches of Christ in Malawi.  She has all the praise for the leadership which encourage her to do a good job.  The women are no longer refusing to take up the challenges but are themselves coming up to share the responsibilities.  This is indeed a good sign and even men come to get guidance from them.  The CWM’s exchange programme helped very much to gain confidence.  She wanted to learn from the conference and also share her experience with others.          

“Women do a better job” – says Rev. Steve

If you want a job to be done in a better way then give it to a woman, said Rev. Steve while talking to the reporter.  Rev. Steve is a lecturer in the University of Namibia in New Testament.  He is fully convinced that the men only talk and are no good in accomplishing the tasks.  It is the women who do a good job and they are task masters.  He got the inspiration from his mother, who was a strong and practical woman.   He has been connected with the CWMM from its conception.  The men only want power and when it comes to the task they do not do it.  He is very bitter about the power politics at all levels, including the Church. 

“Each Church is unique” – says Rev. Bob

Each Church is unique in every sense and we cannot equalise it even if it is situated within the same town.  The people differ and the situations differ, it may be in a very small way but we have to respect the difference, then only the Church can be effective, said Rev. Bob during the interview.  He is interested to develop a master plan for every Church and believes then only it would bring a desired result in the future.

“Women do not have power on Policy making in the Church structure” – said Mr. Kim

Women do not have power in the policy making in the Church structure as they are kept away from it, said Mr. Kim during his interview.  In the Korean Church it is still not possible to get more women for the Church work.  When there was a conference in 1999 only 2 women participated and in 2000 only 3 women participated out of 1500 delegates.  He expects from the Goa conference a guideline for involving the women more in Church work.  He is interested to learn from others how they involve the women in mission work. 

Produced by:

S. Thangavel, Church of North India,

For the Council for World Mission.

E-Mail:  shona@nagpur.dot.net.in

&         develop@nagpur.dot.net.in