Pleased to visit parish
Cambuslang Parish Church was visited by a pair of distinguished guests recently.
The moderator and deputy moderator of the Evangelical Church of Christ in Mozambique, Rev Daniel Joaquim and Rev Inácio Somueque stopped by the Arnott Way parish.
The visit came about because the duo had got to known Cambuslang’s reverend, Dr Leslie Milton, when he was working in Nampula in Mozambique.
As Rev Joaquim and Rev Somueque were in Scotland for a course on English language speaking in Edinburgh, it was decided they should visit Cambuslang, where Rev Somueque gave a sermon to the congregation.
In his sermon at the Sunday service on January 29 Rev Somueque spoke about the importance of the Church of Scotland in founding and supporting his church in the north of Mozambique.
He also explained how the church had continued to grow during the intense civil war which afflicted Mozambique prior to the peace accords of the early 1990s.
The Church of Scotland’s support continues to this day.
Many ministers in the church are dedicated to their work, but know that they need further training.
Leslie Milton returned to Mozambique in 2016 for a short visit to run a training course for around 40 ministers in the country, and will be returning later this year to continue that work.
Rev Leslie Milton said: “The congregation at Cambuslang really welcomed our Mozambican visitors very warmly, and were impressed by their presentations in church through the sermon and the children’s talk.
“It really brought home to people the differences in our way of life, and also the importance of fellowship and support that we can give through the churches.”
Leslie was originally in Mozambique from 1995 until the end of 2000.
During that time he saw various issues affect the country, including horrendous floods in February and March 2000.
The visit from Rev Joaquim and Rev Somueque is not the first time Cambuslang Parish Church has welcomed guests from the country, which is one of the poorest in the world.
Just last year the Reverend Orlando Fazenda - who was ordained on the same day as Leslie - paid a visit to the Cambuslang parish.
It really brought home to people the differences in our way of life”