One year as Bishop of Goma

A year ago last month Martin was ordained as Bishop of Goma. Below are some of the highlights from the first year to give you a flavour of the everyday reality of the mission and ministry of the church in Congo. Throughout all of the highs and lows of ministry and the worsening security situation coupled with increasing humanitarian crisis we have continued to see the goodness and the faithfulness of God.

Although the church is involved in meeting the increasing material needs of the clergy and beleivers, especially those who have been displaced, the main focus of the diocese has not changed. It is still to build and strengthen the church to fulfil its mission of proclaiming the love of God in word and in deed. Knowing that one day the war will end in eastern Congo and that the church will be needed more than ever to play a central role in the rebuilding of chattered lives and communities.

Core statistics

Parishes – 53  (with 30 sub-parishes)

Archdeaconries - 7

Clergy – 65  (of whom 8 are ready for retirement)

Evangelists - 27

Believers – 10,000

Schools – 109

Pupils – 22,000

Parish ministry

Baptisms in the lake at the bottom of our garden – 55

Weddings taken – 3

Confirmations – 60 (with over 600 waiting in various corners of the diocese)

Ordinations – none yet

Goats received as gifts – 9

Evangelism and parish development

New worshipping communities planted - 6

New theology students trained and ready to plant churches – 19

Motorbikes given to archdeacons – 3

Plots of land bought - 5

Title deeds secured - 7

Churches built – 7  (with 3 pastors’ houses)

Ongoing conflict and insecurity

Increase in displaced people arriving in Goma – over 250,000

Parishes unable to meet to worship - 12

Archdeacons having fled into the forest at some point to avoid the fighting – 5 out of 7

Archdeaconries safe for me to visit – 2 out of 7

Theology students unable to return home - 5

Diocesan schools

Schools closed due to conflict – 58 out of 109

Pupils out of school as a result of conflit – 10,000 out of 22,000

Schools hit by bombs – 3

Schools damaged by the war – 15

Other diocesan priorities

Multi-purpose halls completed - 1

Other large-scale building projects underway – 2

New cars for the diocese - 2

Churches, schools, children named after the bishop – none

T-shirts in Goma with the bishop’s face on – 400

Number worn to work each day – 5-10

Thank you

Thank you to everyone who has prayed and taken an interest and given financially to support the work of the diocese. We are incredibly thankful for you all! A reminder of the mission and ministry priorities of the diocese and of how to give is here.

Martin, Anthea, Silas, Zachary and Imogen