Mozambique Covenant Church
OUR MOZAMBIQUE COVENANT PARTNER
MALHANGALENE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
The Mozambique Initiative is a Missouri Conference ministry that partners churches, groups and individuals of the UMC in Missouri with congregations and districts of The United Methodist Church in Mozambique. These partnerships strengthen the church in Mozambique and are the backbone of Missouri's mission and ministry.
The Malhangalene United Methodist Church is located in the center of the capital city of Maputo, Mozambique, being one of the East Maputo (Maputo Leste) District pastoral charges.
The church celebrated its 33rd anniversary on August 15, 2007 with 1043 members. In 1974, Malhangalene had only 241 members.
For many years, services took place in a tiny zinc cottage which Sunday after Sunday overflowed with worshipers. On the 4th of February, 2006, the present building, whose construction, brick by brick, took nearly six years, was dedicated. It was an occasion of great joy!
Malhangalene’s partnership with Missouri UMC has been a touching experience for them. Their first contact with our church was back in 1998, when a group from Columbia visited.
"In 2002, we received the visit of volunteers from Missouri. Back then, we were building this church and they gave us a helping hand. At that occasion we had the opportunity to hear a sermon from overseas. How moving!"
Within Malhangalene, there are seven “local churches” (congregations), namely, Betel, Bispo Penicela, Central, Cidade, Khanani, Maxaquene, and Rafael Chamusso. The members of these local churches are grouped in four gender/age groups, which are United Methodist Women’s Society, United Methodist Men Organization, Young Adults Group and United Methodist Youth Society. These groups work to bring more souls to Christ along with their own agendas that include fund raising for several activities.
The church as it stands today is shown below.
MUMC’s commitment includes financial, as well as spiritual support. Each year, MUMC sends a financial contribution. For the past few years, we have contributed $1,500 for our partner church. This supports the pastor’s salary. The excess contribution has been used recently to update the parsonage.
MUMC’s covenant also includes an agreement to pray for our sister congregation and its pastor. Please include this congregation in your prayers often. Finally, we have agreed to appoint a “covenant partnership manager” who stays in contact with our sister church. Jim Bryan has been serving in this role.
A delegation from MUMC including Jim Bryan, Alex Innecco and Roy Robinson visited Malhangelene in July 2005. They presented a banner made by Ester Mendoza, an MUMC member.
MUMC’s first VIM team to Mozambique visited the church on June 24, 2007. MUMC’s pastor, Jim Bryan, delivered the sermon. Eleven team members worshipped with the congregation and were honored by the church with a banquet following the worship service.
Members of the team included (left to right): Amy Heidenreich, Randa Rawlins, Kirk Mahaffy, Don Mahaffy, Jim Bryan, Caryl Bryan, Lynn Fain, Catherine Pearson, Terry Barnes and Ginny Barnes.
During this visit Reverend Jim Bryan offered the sermon.
A new pastor was appointed to assume the pastoral duties in February 2008. His name is Leonardo Lasse, formerly the Maputo North District Superintendent. Lasse is pictured below with his wife, Laura in the first picture. The second picture is with Rev. Ken Lutgen during Blue Ridge Boulevard UMC's visit to their covenant partner church in October 2007.
