February 16, 2012

This year's Diocesan Synod in Gambia, http://www.aco.org/tour/diocese.cfm?Idind=733&view=alpha, has called for diocesan organisations to be established in all parishes and membership opened to anyone interested to join.

In a statement issues following the 9th Synod of the Diocese of Gambia at St Mary's Cathedral, Banjul, members resolved that: "That Diocesan Organisation such as Mothers' Union and A. Y. P. A. [the Anglican Young People's Association] should be established in all Parishes and membership be extended to all those interested. A special effort must be made to reach out to women at St Cuthbert's and Church of the African Martyrs."

The Synod went on to recommend that "the Youth Ministry be challenged to be more active in 2012 and subsequent years than they have been in 2011; moreover that special and concerted attention plus encouragement be given to their Ministry."

To that end all parishes have been asked to asked to allow the youths to participate in the Sunday Service at least once a month, in an attempt to encourage the youths to be more active.

A major theme of this year's Synod was the Millennium Development Goals in particular goals 3-5 (To promote gender equality and empower women; To reduce child mortality; To improve maternal health) which will be a focus during the coming synodal period.

Diocesan bishop the Rt Revd Dr Solomon Tilewa Johnson said in his charge to Synod: "Last year we reflected upon Millennium Development Goals 1 and 2. The common theme is that of social action in our Church. This is not at all divorced from our ministry in evangelism, and the nurture of believers. St. Francis used to say to his followers – "go and preach the Gospel, using words if necessary." It is possible to reveal the Gospel through our actions – that is, the "incarnational" approach.

The full statements can be read at http://bit.ly/weoDND.

Previous Synod statements can be found on the Diocese of Gambia's website at http://www.gambiadiocese.org/content/blogcategory/30/44/.

Anglican Communion News Service
The Diocese of Gambia is a part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. THE DIOCESE OF GAMBIA comprises the Republics of The Gambia, Senegal and Cape Verde Islands. The area of jurisdiction is 211,431 square kilometers: Senegal 196,722 sq. Km; The Gambia 10,686 sq man Cape Verde Islands 4,023 sq km: with corresponding total populations of 7,000,000, 1,025,867 and 350,000 respectively. These figures were obtained from the latest Population and Housing Census report in the case of The Gambia, and the Conditions of Living reports prepared by the UNDP offices in Cape Verde and Senegal. The Gambia is English speaking; Senegal is French speaking; Cape Verde is Portuguese speaking.