All roads led to the football stadium in Lilongwe this past weekend as the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian marked its centenary. Members gathered in their thousands to celebrate this milestone, with contingents travelling from Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique as well as from within Malawi.
“The Lord has done great things for us” was the theme – from Psalm 126. Nineteen different choirs expressed this in song while sermons, prayers and speeches articulated the meaning of the event. No big celebration in Malawi is complete without a specially commissioned cloth with suitable words and emblems. It is good business for tailors as the cloth is turned into every conceivable kind of garment. The result is certainly colourful.
Among the guests was the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Rt Rev Dr Shaw Paterson, on his first visit to Africa. He was primus inter pares in a considerable corps of international visitors – recognition of the fact that the CCAP began through the work of Scottish missionaries from 1875.
For me it was a wonderful chance to reconnect with the many CCAP leaders with whom I have been involved over the years. It has produced a great number of remarkable people. Amidst the crowd, I could have my personal reflection on how much my life has been enriched by knowing them.
There is no question that Malawi faces daunting challenges but the vibrancy of church life lifts people’s spirits and inspires courage and imagination. The great celebration of the 100 years of the CCAP was a “yes we can” moment. It was a privilege to be part of it.
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