It starts and ends with hearty applause; it’s everyone’s favourite hour of Synod. Mission Hour never fails to lift everyone’s eyes above the issues of our own city and focus on the goodness of God on display around the world.
It’s a space dedicated to hearing from gospel partners and praying and praising together for all that God is doing. 

This year Synod celebrated 130 years of partnership between the Anglican Diocese of Sydney and the Anglican Church of Tanzania, a fellowship that dates back to 1893. “We have sent about 400 missionaries to Tanzania,” said the Rev Canon Peter Sholl, international director of the Church Missionary Society Australia, adding: “About 250 of those have been from NSW.” 

Over 100 years ago…

CMS UK has been present in East Africa since the late 1840s. However, in 1892, CMS Australia became independent of CMS UK, and the following year sent Ernest and Elizabeth Doulton, the first Australian missionaries to East Africa. 

There were just over 4200 Christians recorded in this part of Africa prior to World War I. They and their teachers were the foundation of the Anglican Church on this part of the continent. 

Shortly after World War I, the number of African Christians had almost doubled to 7000 and, in 1924, the first two local clergy were ordained. At this point, CMS Australia was given special responsibility for the work in what was then known as Tanganyika, and in 1927 the Diocese of Central Tanganyika was formed. The CMS council unanimously chose as the diocese’s first bishop the Rev George Chambers – rector of Dulwich Hill, vice-principal of Moore College and founder of Trinity Grammar School.

Bishop Chambers left for Africa when he was 50 years old, and stayed for 20 years. When he arrived, there were only two African clergy; when he left there were 35 local clergy and 77 missionaries – 52 of whom were Australian.

The intention of CMS was always to establish an indigenous church in Tanganyika that would be self-governing, self-supporting and self-extending. Over the decades missionaries served in schools, training colleges, hospitals, churches and theological colleges, partnering with the local church. As African bishops, clergy and heads of institutions were elected, CMS worked in consultation with them and still does today.

Many projects, one partnership

Today there are 28 dioceses in the Anglican Church of Tanzania – 27 in Tanzania and one in Zanzibar. There are multiple schools and Bible colleges, plus Anglican Aid projects that include supporting theological students, improving the lives of those with disabilities, educating children and training women. 

Bishop Mwita Akiri of the Diocese of Tarime addressed Synod members via video, expressing thankfulness for the trust between the dioceses, and for the many ways Sydney has been making a difference to communities in his area. 

“We know Sydney Anglicans can walk together with us to a destination – which will get us to heaven and become citizens of the kingdom of God here on earth and in the life to come,” he said. “We hope that within the turmoil [of the global Anglican Church], Sydney Diocese can become a pair who can walk with us and we can walk together, share the gospel and stand firm for the gospel.

“Despite the fact that poverty keeps people down… I see that people are joyful, people can live with very little, people can make sacrifices for others. [Through support from Sydney] you are making people who feel that God doesn’t love them, see that God loves them… You are helping bishops like myself train leaders to be able to train pastors and evangelists. You are making a difference! I pray you continue to do this. Please do not give up.”

Canon Sholl prayed the partnership would continue and richly bless Sydney and Tanzania. “We don’t want the 130 years to not be 131 or more,” he said. “Pray for the Tanzanian church… it’s really spectacular growth and we want to pray for that, and pray that it would keep growing.”