Revive Autumn 2026

News and features from USPG – Anglican Mission Agency

Revive Volume 8 | Autumn 2026

+ Archbishop of Canterbury’s Historic Visit to Ghana + A Migrant in Priest’s Robes: Refugee Ministry in Portugal + Walking the Camino + Climate Action in Madagascar

From the Editor

Welcome to the latest edition of

REVIVE MAGAZINE Dear USPG family and friends,

CONTENTS + What’s been going on? + Archbishop of Canterbury visits Ghana

as USPG funds Anglican Heritage Centre

+ A Migrant in Priest’s Robes + “A lot of people don’t actually know who we are”

I hope this finds you well.

Thank you so much for your continued support. Or if you’re new here, welcome!

As I write to you, I’m preparing to travel to Zambia. This trip holds special personal significance for me as my grandparents served with USPG in this very region. In 1964, my grandfather was appointed Principal of St John’s Seminary, Lusaka, where he supported many of the local churches, hosted fellow missionaries and worked closely with the bishop. Skip to the present day and I will be meeting with our partners at the Anglican Council Outreach Programme in Lusaka who campaign faithfully for gender equality.

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+ A Lasting Gift 12 + Projecting the Past 14 + Beyond the Beautiful Game: USPG Conference 2026 calls the Church to a just peace

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Education in Asia

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+ A New Hope and Future for Theological + Lessons from the Camino + Reclaiming Masculinity + Harvest Appeal

The opportunity to visit Zambia has made me reflect, first, on the incredible love God has for his Church and the way He sustains it and builds it up across across generations. In the pages of this issue of Revive, you will get a sense of that too.

Read about how leaders of theological institutions and clergy from across Asia are coming together to share expertise and learn from one another (page 18-19), and find out how the Anglican Church of Madagascar is creatively responding to climate change. Plus, find out how our former Volunteer Manager, Lydia, got on during her amazing 120-mile, eightday hike along the Camino Francés.

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The connection with Zambia has also got me thinking about the legacies we leave. My grandparents served there in the 1950s, and their service has left a lasting connection. On page 12, Nigel Wildish reflects on his own long-standing connection with USPG and why he decided to leave a legacy to support churches across the Anglican Communion.

USPG – 5 Trinity Street, London, SE1 1DB 0207 921 2200 www.uspg.org.uk

I hope you enjoy reading this edition. Do let me know what you think, I’d love to hear from you.

Follow us on @USPGglobal

Thank you, and every blessing,

Editor: Matthew Anns Co-Editor: Rachel Weller communications@uspg.org.uk

Rachel Weller Communications Officer, USPG

Charity number: 234518

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Thank You

HOW YOUR SUPPORT IS MAKING AN IMPACT Thanks to the dedicated support of people like you, our amazing supporters, our partners across the Anglican Communion have been able to continue transforming lives and communities across the world.

Each pound you give goes a long way.

In 2025, your support helped staff at Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza provide urgent care to people injured during the conflict in the Holy Land; enabled the Diocese of Amazonia to stand alongside Indigenous communities at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30); and supported mission hospitals in Tanzania as they worked to prevent HIV being passed from mothers to newborns.

Number of USPG-funded programmes in 2025: Africa

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Asia and Middle East Europe Latin America and Caribbean Cross-Regional Programmes

18 3 6 12 2025 Fundraising Highlights: Lent Gaza Emergency Appeal: £130,396 Harvest Brazil Climate Justice in Amazonia: £30,428 Christmas Tanzania Mother and Baby HIV Prevention: £35,312

Meet Revd Fr. Stephen Kwesi Obeng Anglican Diocese of Cape Coast, Ghana For Revd Fr. Stephen Kwesi Obeng, joining USPG’s FeAST Conference, a global gathering that supports and nurtures emerging theologians, was a real turning point. Presenting his research and connecting with scholars from around the world strengthened his confidence:

Since then, Revd Kwesi has been awarded the Kumi-Yu Paper Prize by the Overseas Ministries Study Center at Princeton Theological Seminary, published an article, and presented his research at the 7th World Christianity Conference in Recife, Brazil.

“FeAST offered me a profound sense of affirmation, assuring me that my voice as a young scholar from the Global South has an important contribution to make to the theological world.”

Thank you so much for your support. Together, we will continue to rethink how to carry out our Christian mission, energise and equip the Church, and speak truth to power as we stand in solidarity with our partners to champion justice.

“Each of these achievements is a direct fruit of the seeds sown at the FeAST Conference.” he says.

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News from USPG

News from USPG

WHAT’S BEEN GOING ON? Growing Together in Mozambique and Angola The Igreja Anglicana de Moçambique e Angola (IAMA) became the Anglican Communion’s newest Province in 2021.

As part of USPG’s ongoing support for its partners, bishops from IAMA gathered in Nairobi, Kenya, for a leadership retreat focused on renewal, fellowship and strategic planning.

Pursuing Racial Justice – General Synod At the General Synod meeting in York, USPG General Secretary the Revd Canon Dr Duncan Dormor joined a panel hosted by the Church of England’s Racial Justice Unit.

The gathering created space to reflect on the opportunities ahead, while exploring themes including governance, stewardship, mission and strengthening unity across the Province.

Together with Jenny Johnson, The Rt Revd Arun Arora (Bishop of Kirkstall, Leeds), Fr Andrew Mumby and The Revd Rachel Webbley, the panel explored questions of belonging, identity and racial justice and how the Church can move beyond simply welcoming people towards being shaped by the experiences of those on the margins.

Anglican Leaders Gather in Belfast The Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) is one of the four Instruments of Communion of the worldwide Anglican Communion, bringing together bishops, clergy and lay representatives from its 42 Member Churches. The 19th meeting of the ACC (ACC-19) took place in Belfast, bringing leaders together for prayer, conversation and shared discernment.

USPG’s Dr Paulo Ueti, Theological Advisor and Regional Manager for the Americas and the Caribbean, led daily Bible studies alongside The Revd Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, reflecting on how the early Church navigated disagreement through prayer, listening and mutual discernment.

The gathering also celebrated the election of USPG partners Dr Anita Gittens and Saba Kerry to the ACC Standing Committee, strengthening the voices of those serving across the Anglican Communion.

Hope and Healing at Al Ahli Arab Hospital Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza has long provided compassionate healthcare to people in need.

Alongside medical treatment, the hospital is also supporting the emotional and psychological wellbeing of children and families affected by the conflict. As of August 2026, the hospital provides treatment to approximately 600-700 patients per day and performs around 30 For news as it surgical operations daily.

happens, don’t forget to follow @USPGglobal

Standing Against Human Trafficking in North India For World Day Against Human Trafficking, the Diocese of Durgapur (Church of North India) mobilised communities across Dinajpur, Malda and Bankura through large-scale awareness campaigns. Church members, students, community leaders and local partners took to the streets to raise awareness about the dangers of trafficking and the need to protect vulnerable people.

Rural Ministry in Focus Rural churches across South Asia and the UK face challenges including young people moving to cities, limited resources, and clergy supporting several churches across large geographical areas.

The South Asia Forum brought together church leaders including The Most Revd Dr K. Reuben Mark (Church of South India) and The Most Revd Dr Samuel Sunil Mankhin (Church of Bangladesh), alongside other church and mission partners. The gathering provided a valuable opportunity to share experiences, learn from one another and explore new approaches to rural ministry.

Visits to an allotment church and an ecumenical Fairtrade shop in Faringdon presented some creative ideas.

With Grateful Thanks We give thanks for the prayers, generosity and partnership of everyone who supports USPG. Together with churches and communities around the world, we continue to walk alongside our partners as they share God’s love, hope and justice in diverse contexts.

Please continue to pray for the Diocese of Jerusalem and its frontline response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region.

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Feature Reflecting on Cape Coast, Archbishop Mullally shared:

“Seeing the horrific conditions that thousands of people were kept in, it is impossible not to feel the weight of the immense evil that drove the transatlantic slave trade.”

“I pray not only in lament for the Church’s involvement in the slave trade, but also for hope - hope that the God of healing can bring justice and reconciliation to all who are still impacted by its legacy.”

Archbishop Mullally with His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, King of the Ashanti Kingdom, in Kumasi.

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY VISITS GHANA AS USPG FUNDS

ANGLICAN HERITAGE CENTRE

laying of the foundation stone. The gathering celebrated the partnership behind the project and included prayers for all those involved, led by the Rt Revd Dr Daniel Sylvanus Mensah Torto, Bishop of Accra.

The visit also celebrated USPG’s 270-year partnership with the Church in Ghana and the hospitable welcome and care for visitors, particularly to sites of historical significance. One such place is Cape Coast Castle, a former European trading fort on Ghana’s coast and one of the principal sites associated with the transatlantic slave trade. Thousands of enslaved African women, men and children were held there before being transported across the Atlantic. The site is also deeply connected with USPG’s own history, as the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (SPG) provided chaplaincy at Cape Coast Castle from 1751 through to the end of the slave trade in 1807 and beyond.

The Archbishop’s reflections echo the purpose of USPG’s work in Ghana: to acknowledge the past, support the Church’s response today and help create spaces where healing and reconciliation can take place.

USPG gives thanks to Archbishop Kobina Ben-Smith, the Internal Province of Ghana and the Church of the Province of West Africa for their faithful partnership and shared commitment to justice.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Revd & Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally, recently made a pastoral visit to Ghana (and Cameroon) and spoke of the warmth of the welcome she received and the deep sense of belonging from being part of one global Anglican family.

A key moment of Archbishop Mullally’s time in Ghana was the marking of the beginning of the Heritage Anglican Culture Village and Resort project in Accra, an initiative supported by a £250,000 grant from USPG. The project will create a place of welcome, pilgrimage and reflection for visitors, including members of the African diaspora seeking to reconnect with their heritage and learn more about the history of the slave trade and its ongoing impact.

The Heritage Anglican Culture Village and Resort will provide accommodation and spaces for education, prayer and reflection. Its first phase will include 41 apartments in Accra, with future centres planned for Kumasi and Cape Coast.

At St Joseph the Worker Church, Kaneshie, Archbishop Mullally joined the Most Revd Dr Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith and the Revd Canon Dr Duncan Dormor, USPG General Secretary, for the

Archbishop Mullally laying the foundations for the new Heritage Centre.

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At St Joseph the Worker Anglican Church, Kaneshie, Archbishop Mullally preached at an all-female-led Eucharist.

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A MIGRANT IN PRIEST’S ROBES

Europe

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Nivia Ivette Núñez de la Paz found herself stuck in Portugal.

She had planned only to visit family, but when the borders closed, she was forced to stay. Originally from Cuba, she was now faced with the challenges of building a new life.

We met on a video call; a setting not too Meeting some of the team! dissimilar from the virtual classrooms that Nivia, a Professor of Theology, got used to throughout the pandemic. “It was precisely because of that moment we were living through globally,” she explains “when everyone was trying to figure out how to live in this completely different daily reality, that I began meeting other migrants.”

Europe

well aware of these challenges: “Our support often follows this back-and-forth. At times we need to give more support, especially with rent during the winter or booking a health appointment. Even if that is not forever, in the moment when [they] most need it, we are here.”

Larger Lusitanian Church hubs in Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto and Lisbon offer services such as food banks, clothing and household goods centres as well as close accompaniment with families. But at the Maria de Magdala Mission, this support takes a distinct form because it’s shaped by the founder, Nivia, who knows first-hand the challenges of moving and settling in a new country.

It did not take long for a naturally gregarious Nivia to form an ecumenical group that, in its simplicity, allowed neighbours to connect together as family. Today, the ethos remains much the same except that what was once an online community now has four walls. Set in a former post office on the main high street in Praia de Mira, a coastal town about an hour from Porto, is the Maria de Magdala Mission: a centre of welcome for migrants. A committed team, led by Nivia, run a full schedule of activities from Bible studies to language classes.

“Either we got in touch with her, or she got in touch with us, I’m not sure!” joked Rute Serronha, leader of the well-established community outreach ministry for the Lusitanian Church in Portugal, recalling how the partnership began.

“It was God who put us on the path of the Maria de Magdala Mission.”

The centre is open daily for anyone who needs it. And many do. People particularly from Brazil, Angola and Mozambique and other lusophone countries see Portugal as a gateway into Europe. But, as Rute explains, “they think they are entering paradise, and then when they arrive, reality hits. Getting settled is much harder than expected.”

The changes to the country’s migration laws haven’t helped. The end of the Manifestação de Interesse scheme – which previously offered a route for many people to regularise their status after arrival – has left some navigating lengthy and uncertain processes before they can fully access work, healthcare, housing and other essentials. This is a significant issue in Praia de Mira as the increased trade over the summer creates an insecure seasonal cycle of employment. Nivia and the team are

By Rachel Weller – Communications Officer 8

As our conversation came to a close, I asked Rute and Nivia simply: “why do you do what you do?”. The reply came straight back: “As Bishop Jorge often reminds us, everyone has something to offer. You can have your own needs, but you always have something to give as well. And that is what we are trying to build together because it gives dignity.”.

For Nivia, this belief is closely tied to her own calling. After years working as a Professor of Theology, she has now been ordained in the Lusitanian Church.

“For a long time, I worked at the university and developed a very academic way of speaking about the Bible.

The challenge now is to communicate the Gospel in a way that people understand and can connect with.”

As Praia de Mira’s only female migrant priest, Nivia’s own story is a pretty compelling place to start.

USPG’s partnership with the Lusitanian Church forms part of a wider commitment to support migrants and refugees in the Iberian Peninsula, including the Iglesia Espanola Reformada Episcopal in Spain, and across the Diocese in Europe.

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UK

“The amount of hate is unbelievable.”

There is also a complicated history within the Church in relation to traveller communities. Some families have been refused baptisms, weddings or burials by churches, with some having to travel up to 200 miles to lay loved ones to rest.

However, Ivy has also experienced the difference churches can make when welcome is genuine:

“I was roadside until I was 24, and we used to stop near churches sometimes. One vicar

USPG partners with churches and stands alongside communities facing injustice around the world. But it can be easy to overlook the communities facing exclusion closer to home. For many people in the UK, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities may be people they know little about:

would allow us access to the graveyard to fill up with fresh water and let us put our bins out with the others.”

The organisation Gypsy, Roma, Traveller Friendly Churches want to see more of this. And, according to Ivy, the first step is simple: learning and building relationships. Churches do not need to have all the answers before they begin. It starts by listening and learning from one another, perhaps simply over a cup of tea.

“I think a lot of people don’t actually know who we are,” says Ivy Manning, a Romani and former hate crime caseworker.

“They just know what they’ve seen in the media.”

From the outside, a travelling way of life can sometimes be misunderstood. It is easy to assume that moving from placeto-place means being separate from wider society. But Ivy describes something very different. Communities are, in fact, held together by strong bonds of family, responsibility and respect: “Family is massive,” Ivy explains. “Everyone knows everyone or at least knows someone who knows someone!”.

These strong networks of family and respect are reflected in moments of celebration and grief. Funerals for community members can sometimes bring many thousands of people together as a way of honouring loved ones and showing support.

Plus, with hundreds of hectares of Church land across England, there is an opportunity to offer a tangible expression of hospitality. And there is already movement within the Church of England towards this. In 2019, the General Synod voted to encourage work with government, local authorities and housing providers around land for Gypsy and Traveller communities. Similar to negotiated stopping, ‘sanctuary stopping’ uses Church land to provide families with a safe place to rest, at a moderate price, while building relationships between communities.

Or start small. If a Sunday service isn’t a comfortable environment for some, then inviting families along to crèche or a coffee morning is another good option to extend a welcoming hand.

Yet these strong communities are often viewed through a lens of suspicion rather than understood. Ivy has seen how these attitudes affect people’s everyday lives. Some communities face resistance when applying for planning permission for sites because of fears that homes will lose value, crime will increase or antisocial behaviour will follow. These concerns are often based on long-standing stereotypes rather than evidence, and do not reflect the experiences or behaviour of the vast majority of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller families.

“A lot of people don’t actually know who we are”

By Rachel Weller – Communications Officer

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“Don’t be fearful and give us a chance.” Ivy concludes.

“We have lots to contribute.”

The result is that many families struggle to find safe, legal places to stop. Without stable accommodation, accessing education, healthcare and other essential services can become much harder.

Did you know?

Discrimination can also appear in more direct ways. When traveller families try to use campsites or holiday parks, Ivy describes encountering policies that excluded Gypsy and Traveller families based on the type of vehicle they would be likely to drive. For some families, even a surname has become a reason to fear exclusion. There have also been reported cases where holiday companies used lists of surnames to identify Traveller families and cancel bookings, leaving some people feeling they had to hide their identity.

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller is an umbrella term for many distinct communities with different histories and cultures.

Romani people trace their ancestry to northern India.

There’s also evidence linking Romani languages to Sanskrit.

Romani communities migrated across Europe over many centuries, arriving in Britain around the 1500s. There are also Irish Travellers, Scottish Travellers, Welsh Gypsies and other Traveller communities who each have their own identities and traditions.

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legacy

brazil

A Lasting Gift Atim: Is there a particular part of USPG’s work or one of our partner churches that has especially resonated with you?

Nigel: I think the answer is no, actually, because I haven’t lived in any of the countries where USPG has partners. Though I tend to be pragmatic about my support. While I’m alive, I want to support areas of the Church which I feel are more stretched, rather than the obvious ones that other people are already supporting.

To mark Legacy Giving Month, Atim Henshaw, Director of Communications, Engagement and Fundraising, sat down with Nigel Wildish to hear about his long-standing connection with USPG and why he has chosen to leave a legacy gift to support the worldwide Church.

Atim: Nigel, could you tell us a little about your journey with USPG and how your connection with us began?

Nigel: I’ve had a connection with USPG for a long time – possibly 30 or 40 years. My real connection began when I became a trustee in 2010.

Atim: I know you have a heart for the Church in Myanmar.

Could you tell us more about how your support for that province came about?

Nigel: About ten or fifteen years ago, I went to church and noticed a man in a purple shirt sitting at the back. I thought, “Well, I’m a trustee of USPG. I’ve got to go and find out who this bishop is!” He turned out to be the Bishop of Sittwe in Myanmar. We got talking, and he later gave a presentation.

That helped me understand more about the Anglican Church in Myanmar, the real challenges they face, and how God is

Atim: What first inspired you to support USPG? Nigel: I’ve always been interested in the world beyond the UK and fascinated by different cultures. I’ve also always been a committed Anglican and felt I should be charitable. As a young lawyer, I had some money, a commitment to the Anglican Church and an interest in the wider world. USPG brought those three things together very well.

The faces of the future – a legacy gift can help children in Myanmar access education.

working there. He was a very holy man, and I could see how important his role was and how valuable support could be.

think about carrying that on in your will. I’m working on my will at the moment and I’m committed to leaving part of my estate to charities.

Atim: What then led you to think about leaving a legacy gift?

Nigel: I’ve always been a regular supporter, and since retiring I’ve thought more carefully about how much I can give. It makes absolute sense not to stop when you die. If you’re inclined to give to charity during your lifetime, you should

Atim: What would you say to someone considering a legacy but unsure where to start?

Nigel: Come to USPG about the wording. They can give you the wording to take to a solicitor, or incorporate it into your will yourself. That’s the easy part. The first thought is simply about giving to charity; if you’re inclined to do that in your lifetime, you should be thinking about legacies as well.

Atim: What do you hope your legacy will make possible?

Nigel: I hope it will help USPG carry on its good work. I don’t want to prescribe exactly how the money should be used. I have faith in the way USPG is run, and that faith has developed through my long-standing connection with the organisation.

I hope that my gift will support the Church where there is greatest need.

Share God’s love through your will You may also have a long and personal connection with USPG. Perhaps you have served with the Church overseas, visited one of our partner churches, or supported USPG’s work faithfully over many years. However your journey with us began, we are deeply grateful for your continued commitment to the worldwide Church.

Leaving a gift in your will is a lasting way to continue that commitment and help ensure that the Church can flourish for generations to come.

A teacher from the Diocese of Hpa-an, part of the Church of the Province of Myanmar, prepares for a maths lesson.

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If you are considering leaving a legacy to USPG, please contact legacy@uspg.org.uk. Our team will be happy to answer any questions. You can also visit the USPG website to find out more and download our Legacy Giving brochure.

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PROJECTING THE PAST

By Chris Hill – Special Project Manager (The Codrington Project)

Archive Every generation has its own way of capturing history. Some write it down. Others paint it, build statues for it, photograph it or project it onto a screen. For more than 325 years, USPG has done much the same, leaving behind an extraordinary archive that charts the Society’s work across the world and reveals some hidden secrets.

while a smaller area (section P) is where yams – the staple food crop for the plantation’s labourers – were grown.

Section J shows that, of the four hundred and thirty-eight acres comprising the estate, only thirty-six were allocated for the homes of the approximately four hundred labourers and their families. This land, known colloquially as ‘Rab Land’ would have been rocky, infertile and inhospitable to those living on it.

As we marked our 325th anniversary this June, some of the remarkable pieces of the collection stepped out of the archive and into the spotlight at our Annual Conference.

Among the anniversary displays was a recreation of an early twentieth-century lantern slide show. We have many sets of late 19th and early 20th century lantern slides, including one set which provides visual glimpses into the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel’s (SPG) history up to that time.

Lantern slides are an early means of projecting photographic images.

We took a selection of copies on 35mm slides to conference along with the type of slide projector many will be familiar with from their younger days. It was intriguing watching people engage with the technology as much as with the images themselves.

In 1851, virtually all arable land in Barbados was owned by white plantation owners. The majority of persons freed from the estate would have therefore remained, dependent on their former masters for work and habitation. Often facing evictions without major cause or notice, the uneven power dynamics present during slavery would persist long after emancipation in Barbados.

Today, the Codrington Estate is home to several hundred tenants, many of whom are expected to be descendants of those that worked on the plantations. As part of the Codrington Project, a research and community empowerment initiative run

by USPG and the Codrington Trust (the modern-day trustees of the Estate and College), a team of researchers will be working with communities to help tell the story of the estates, and documents like this map are critical resources in this work.

You hear the projector before you see it. The faint whirring suddenly clicks into action as it flicks from one image to the next; churches, schools, distant landscapes, unfamiliar faces. The 40 images selected aimed to show something of the Society’s geographic range over a 230-year time span, from vast countries including Australia, China and India to small islands such as Norfolk Island in the Pacific Ocean via the continents of Africa and north America, while also trying to show a variety of mission activities including church life, education and medical care.

This year, the team is investigating a range of documents relating to the management and ownership of the Codrington Estate as part of Archives & Afterlives, a project collaboration led by USPG’s longtime research partner, the University of Leeds.

Through the digitisation, transcription and interpretation of documents from USPG’s Codrington-related archives, it will seek to design a range of accessible educational resources for community members on the Codrington Estate, working with them to amplify and centre their voices in our work.

One lantern slide depicts Codrington College in Barbados, the Church of the Province of the West Indies theological college, which links to another item from the archive: an 1851 map of the College Plantation.

Composed some thirteen years after the emancipation of enslaved people in Barbados in 1838, this map can tell us many things about the lives of those who lived and worked on the plantation.

As you can see in the image, sections H, I, L, N, Q, O and S of the map show how much land was committed to sugar cultivation,

Codrington Estate 1851

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Stay up to date with The Codrington Project by following @USPGglobal or visit www.codringtonproject.org.

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Feature

Reflection

BEYOND THE BEAUTIFUL GAME:

USPG Conference 2026

CALLS THE CHURCH TO A JUST PEACE This summer, football fever might have captured your attention as the World Cup kicked off. But alongside the excitement, we were reminded at the USPG Conference that behind every major global event are real communities and real struggles for peace.

Bible studies led by the Rt Revd Lusa Nsenga-Ngoy, Bishop of Willesden, expanded on this idea and gave it theological grounding. Bishop Lusa encouraged participants to see peacebuilding not simply as a project but as a way of living out faith.

The presence of the Most Revd Alba Sally Sue Hernández García, Archbishop of Mexico and the first female Primate of the Anglican Church of Mexico, brought this reality into sharp focus. Speaking at the “For Christ is our Peace” conference, held at High Leigh Conference Centre, Archbishop Sally reflected on the challenges facing Mexico ahead of the World Cup, including cartel violence, forced disappearances, violence against women and girls, and the exclusion of indigenous communities.

“Peacebuilding is a dual movement, one that starts internally as a spiritual practice and then manifests in how we inhabit Christ faithfully. At its root, it is not a political strategy, but a theological vocation. It reflects whose children we are.”

Workshops explored practical peacebuilding, including reparative justice with Kevin Farmer from Codrington Trust, gender-based violence with Esther Kazilimani (a Mozambican activist), and stories of resilience and reconciliation from the Iglesia Filipina Independiente and the Episcopal Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East.

“While the World Cup will generate passion and some economic activity, there will be no profound changes or answers to the true needs of the Mexican people,”

Alongside the talks, workshops and worship, we also had fun at the now annual USPG quiz putting everyone’s general knowledge to the test. Other evening activities included an amazing live steel pan band and a relaxed time by the fireplace with marshmallows.

We’re back next year! Save the date: 22–24 June 2027 at High Leigh Christian Conference Centre. Hope to see you there.

It is great to hear how much our USPG family enjoy coming to the conference. One reflected on the joy of “meet[ing] old friends but also to meet new people and learn about their countries,” while another simply shared: “I felt a sense of acceptance and welcome.”

she said, highlighting the gap between the global attention surrounding football and the daily realities faced by many communities.

The programme also gave delegates the chance to hear more about our global work, with one participant saying they valued hearing “the latest about USPG and the work they are doing round the world to help people, bring justice, and show God’s love to all.”

The conference brought together Anglican leaders, theologians, church partners and USPG supporters from around the world to explore what it means to follow Christ as peacemakers in a world marked by violence and injustice.

As the gathering ended, delegates returned to the question at the heart of the week: not simply what does peace look like, but what does a just peace look like? As Dr Dormor reflected, “We must deepen our understanding and empathy for one another because we are all part of the same body and the same world.”, encouraging delegates to look beyond borders and differences.

Alongside Archbishop Sally, delegates heard from Dr Jude Lal Fernando, Director of the Trinity Centre for Post-Conflict Justice at Trinity College Dublin, who encouraged participants to remember that: “We don’t condone injustice, but we are responsible for how we respond.”

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asia That spirit of collaboration has grown over the past three years and is beginning to have an impact beyond the annual consultations. At Kerala United Theological Seminary, the graduate and postgraduate syllabus has been revised to include new contextual Bible studies for laity alongside further education for alumni, as well as counselling and digital learning workshops. Critically, there is also a growing commitment to venturing outside the classroom and engaging more directly with the realities and concerns of local communities, including gender equality, ecological care, climate justice and solidarity with people on the margins.

And that’s not all. Through the ATAP, Revd Joy connected with Revd Arulnathan of the Theological College of Lanka and the two colleges began exchanging teaching staff. A student exchange followed, supported by USPG. Seven students from Kerala United Theological Seminary now spend a month at the Theological College of Lanka, while a student from the Diocese of Colombo is studying at Kerala United Theological Seminary. These exchanges are an opportunity to learn through encounter: to experience an Asian context different from their own, discover how theology is lived and taught there, and be inspired by new insights.

The Revd Dr David Joy joins in the discussions.

The Revd Dr David Joy, President of Serampore University and Principal of Kerala United Theological Seminary in India, was also part of that first gathering in Sri Lanka in 2023. For him, the experience revealed the richness already present within Asian theological education.

“Bringing theological institutions together to explore partnership in a deeper and more meaningful way created inspiring conversations – including some challenging ones too.”

A New Hope and Future for

THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION IN ASIA

Samanali has seen the impact of the programme too.

Initially, the working group focused on resource sharing and planning the annual consultation. Increasingly, the ATAP has become a place where institutions can bring challenges they once faced alone.

“At our last consultation we were able to bring up the issues which were in isolation to a common platform and agree to work together to resolve these.”

A moment of prayer between principals, deans, lay leaders and bishops.

Three years after the first gathering in Sri Lanka, the ATAP is helping churches and Theological Education Institutions come together, drawing on the diverse range of resources and wisdom already present.

By Revd Davidson Solanki – Senior Regional Manager for Asia and the Middle East

Theological colleges and seminaries play an important role in preparing people to teach, lead and serve the Church. They equip clergy and lay people to study Scripture and theology, develop the skills and confidence for Christian ministry, and discern how the Church can faithfully proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.

One answer is the Asia Theological Accompaniment Programme (ATAP), initiated by USPG in 2023, bringing together principals and deans of theological colleges, theologians, bishops and church leaders from across Asia.

Its purpose was not to provide all the answers, but to create space for leaders to come together for fellowship, dialogue and mutual learning. As Samanali, who has been part of the working group since the programme began, explains:

Theological education across Asia is currently under pressure. Some theological institutions have found themselves disconnected from the wider mission of the Church, while resources are limited and contexts are changing rapidly. For Samanali Rodrigo, a lay leader in the Diocese of Colombo, this is particularly concerning and leads to the important question: what can the Church do about it?

“[We] hoped this journey would lead to greater collaboration among Asian theological institutions, helping us share the common challenges we face, understand one another’s situations and find solutions suited to our different contexts.”

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For Samanali, this work is ultimately about equipping the people the Church will need for the future. She hopes that Asia will “invest in building up more young women theologians and leaders” who can help the Church respond to the new challenges of our time.

In an age of artificial intelligence, mental health struggles, peacebuilding and other emerging challenges, there is much to pray for (and much to hope for!) as a new generation of leaders prepares to serve the Church. The ATAP shows how these challenges can be met through accompaniment: by sharing with one another and reminding theological educators, students and clergy across Asia that they do not have to face the future alone.

Samanali, a lay leader, and the Rt Revd Dushantha Lakshman Rodrigo, both from the Diocese of Colombo, lay a stone together as a symbol of partnership.

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Get Involved

LESSONS

FROM THE

CAMINO Adapted with permission from The Oxford Student newspaper.

For former USPG Volunteer Manager, Lydia Kibaara, walking 120 miles of the Camino Francés with her family wasn't just an ambitious holiday. Over eight days, they trekked from St Jean Pied-de-Port to Santo Domingo de la Calzada, discovering that one of the world's most famous pilgrimage routes also has a funny way of changing your perspective.

Here she shares what she learnt along ‘The Way’.

“Along the Camino, I met other pilgrims and we walked together in silence for a while before they began to share their stories. Their anxieties, loss, worries, but also the hope they sought.”

This shared humanity reminded her that she was not a “helper” or “professional”, but rather an (admittedly very energetic!) hiker with a listening ear. For Lydia, this is often what’s missing in the debate about refugees. How often do we fall into the danger of reducing people to labels such as "refugee", "migrant" or "asylum seeker", and neglect to understand the reasons that motivate their actions or the stories and experiences they bring? For Lydia, learning to see people beyond these labels is at the heart of Christian service:

Inspired by USPG's work with refugees, Lydia set out on the Camino Francés for a chance to slow down and connect to a clear purpose:

"I walked the Camino to re-enter the world more attentively.”

“At a time when conversations about refugees, asylum seekers and migration are often divisive, I questioned how we, as Christians, could respond. I felt drawn to explore how we can better understand people's different experiences and respond with hope."

“It’s less about what I do for others, and more about how I recognise Christ in others,”

For more than a thousand years, pilgrims have followed the Camino de Santiago; an ancient network of walking routes across Europe leading to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain. While some choose to walk the entire route over several weeks, many complete one particular section, as Lydia and her family did. Some walk to grow spiritually and others for the adventure. But all walk together, as Lydia reflects:

Walking with her family also reminded Lydia of the strength that comes from having people alongside you when the road ahead feels tough. "Most refugees do not have that same support which makes compassion all the more important.”

Today, Lydia is studying theology at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, training for ordained ministry while working as Volunteer Engagement Manager for The Salvation Army. Her theological 20

studies have deepened her convictions around human dignity and agape, a self-giving love that reflects God's own heart.

every act of service produces immediate or visible results, but for her, “the metrics of success are presence, consistency and faithfulness.”

Training for ministry has also challenged her to ask difficult questions about the nature of charity too. Lydia has questioned whether her efforts really make a difference when faced with the scale and complexity of global need.

Her answer has been to rethink what success looks like. Not

Today, Lydia continues to volunteer in her local community, serving at a soup kitchen in Peterborough, supporting her running club and playing an active role in her church. It is amazing she found the time to share her story!

Be inspired to take your next step Lydia’s Camino raised an incredible amount of over £2000 for USPG’s work alongside refugees, while also deepening her own understanding of faith and service. The fundraiser is still active if you would like to give today: Your own challenge does not need to involve walking hundreds of miles.

Whether it’s a sponsored walk, a bake sale, a church event, a personal goal or a creative idea of your own, every effort can help USPG’s global partners continue their work for justice, peace and human dignity.

Find out more at uspg.org.uk or contact volunteer@uspg.org.uk – our team would love to hear your ideas and share resources with you to get started.

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Brazil

T S E V R A H STE

APPEAL 2026

M FRO

RECLAIMING MASCULINITY

TITLE TBC

Ideas about what it means to be a man are all around us.

From a young age, men and boys can receive messages about being strong, successful, independent, protective or in control. These expectations are not always negative. But when they become tied to dominance, emotional silence or control, they can become harmful, particularly to those around them. This is part of the conversation increasingly described as “toxic masculinity”.

In Brasilia, a group from Anglican churches across Brazil came together to explore this very topic and how masculinity can be viewed positively in light of shared Christian faith.

WA

help families

Herlon, Vicar at St Francis Anglican Episcopal Parish in Petrolina, reflects on this danger:

“At a time when the far right is becoming stronger in Brazil and around the world, using the Christian religion to promote toxic forms of masculinity and male identities, we’re here relearning, through the Bible and through community reflection, a way of being a man with Jesus Christ: a man grounded in love and in serving others.”

flourish

This programme by the Anglican Alliance and Christian Aid, piloted with USPG’s long-standing partner the Diocese of Brasília, is part of a shared commitment to gender justice and safer and healthier churches.

in madagascar

Theological sessions led by Dr Paulo Ueti invited participants to explore the right use of power and healthy relationships, including Bible studies on Ephesians 5.

Support the Anglican Diocese of Madagascar to turn waste into fertiliser, bringing new opportunities and healthier futures.

For Pablo Patricio Fernandes, from the Anglican Diocese of Recife, the course created rare space to “process our feelings and reflect on what is different between those who follow Jesus and those who follow what society says a man should be.”

And it proved fruitful. As Mandy Marshall of the Anglican Alliance shared “I’m really encouraged by the participation of the men and I’m really looking forward to seeing what comes next.”

give today

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Find out more today at harvest.uspg.org.uk

23 @USPG GLOBAL

Registered Charity No : 234518

A-Maze-ing

Journey through Madagascar

More fun and interactive activities to download for children this Harvest at harvest.uspg.org.uk

USPG – 5 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB 0207 921 2200 www.uspg.org.uk Follow us on @USPGglobal Editor: Matthew Anns Co-Editor: Rachel Weller communications@uspg.org.uk

Charity number: 234518 24