The United Church of Zambia (UCZ) has “adopted the missional approach by placing emphasis on congregations where mission takes place and the higher courts be merely coordinating bodies”, said the UCZ Synod Bishop in his Advent Message last December. Rev. Bishop Sydney Sichilima was updating the church about an investment policy crafted to avoid the situation of the Church being fully dependent on church members’ financial offerings. With the COVID-19 pandemic upending traditional ways of doing church and mission, “the idea is that at every court of the Church, different fundraising activities should take place in order to make the church financially sound to carry out mission effectively”, said Rev. Bishop Sydney Sichilima.
Having witnessed floods and droughts that adversely affected food security in Zambia, the church leaders had also agreed to a prior plan to plant trees in mission stations to do their part in mitigating the effects of climate change and deforestation. UCZ Synod Bishop then called on church members to “exercise prudent stewardship by caring for nature”, and to avoid activities damaging to the environment.
Image credit: UCZ Facebook page