Masasi Diocese Year in Review

Dear Subscriber Full Name,

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men". Luke 2:14

We thank God for your ongoing partnership in declaring God's glory to the world. May his presence and peace fill your hearts this Christmas and throughout the coming year.

Greetings and Reflections

Greetings from Masasi. I hope you are well and that you are preparing for a good Christmas. Veronica and I will be pleased to have Hugh with us and of course my mother will be with us for the Christmas celebrations. Faraja is working far from us in Iringa and Furrha will stay in Dodoma, where she is at university.

Peace and Unity

As I reflect on the year, I am grateful is that there is peace in Masasi diocese. As a leader, I think peace is a priority and we must maintain it and avoid the internal conflicts within the diocese that affect other dioceses.

Giving Thanks

I would like to start by giving thanks to God for what he has done throughout the year.

I would like to thank those who have worked together with us throughout the year. Many have helped us by giving their time, resources, advice and prayers.

Organisations like the Grille Foundation, Friends of Masasi, St John’s, St Francis, CMC Australia, Anglican Aid, African Palms, Minchinhampton Support Group, Hereford Diocese and Cathedral have all supported us financially.

Bishop Michael and Punitha Westall welcomed me to their home in England and arranged for my physiotherapy and rest when my back problems were becoming too difficult.

Personal friends who have helped my family, especially in terms of education to my children and personal health. The families of Laurence Nolan and Mike Oriel have supported me for many years and no language to express my thanks to them for what they have done to help me and my family.

My management team here at central office are of constant value to me and help with the administration of the diocese.

Ministry

Ecumenical Collaboration

I have just returned from a week in Dar es Salaam. I was invited to act as the Lead Speaker at the 4-Day Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania. As Chair of the Christian Council of Tanzania, Mtwara and Lindi Regions, it is not uncommon for me to work with other denominations in this way and it is always rewarding. We can learn a lot from the Lutheran’s approach to financial independence and self-sufficiency. Our Stewardship Strategy, of which more below, is a step in this direction.

Confirmations

I have completed my round of confirmations that I was in the middle of when I wrote my last newsletter. Nearly 1000 children have been confirmed.

These are always joyful occasions.

Ordination

The ordination of the 12 priests, who were trained at our diocesan theological college of St Cyprian’s, was a great event. A television crew came from Dar es Salaam and recorded the event and it can be seen here.

A key factor in this success has been the training provided at St. Cyprian’s Theological College, run by the diocese. This education was made possible by generous support from the Grille Foundation, which funded the college buildings, and the Friends of Masasi, who subsidised student costs. Thanks to this support, the diocese can now send well-trained priests to lead and strengthen new parishes.

The investment by donors has directly contributed to this growth. Their support has ensured that new congregations are served by committed, educated leaders. This shows the real impact of partnership and generosity, helping the diocese build a stronger Church for the future.

Parish Expansion

The Diocese of Masasi is expanding, with small congregations becoming fully established parishes. One example is Nang'o ondo, where a few people began meeting to pray at someone’s home. Over time, their numbers grew, and they worked together to build a simple church.

Now, Nang'o ondo is a parish with its own council and a resident priest, Fr. Andrew Amlima. Fr. Andrew started his work there as a deacon and has now been ordained to lead the parish. The transition shows the strength of the local community and their commitment to growing the Church.

Across the diocese, this story is being repeated. Congregations that once had no building are meeting the requirements to become parishes—stable attendance, the ability to support a priest, and a place of worship. These new parishes are signs of real progress.

Clergy Transfers

This year, nearly 40 clergy have been reassigned to new parishes across the diocese. These moves are an important part of strengthening the Church as we approach our centenary. When priests remain in one place for many years, it can sometimes limit the impact of their ministry. By reassigning them, we bring fresh energy and perspectives to parishes, helping them to grow and thrive.

In the Anglican Church of Tanzania, clergy assignments are directed by the bishop, rather than through parish council applications as is common in some other countries. This approach allows for strategic decisions that support the needs of both the priests and their congregations, ensuring the diocese remains vibrant and focused on its mission.

Pastoral Visits

New Church

I visited Nangurukuru, where a very few members have bought land so that they can build a church.

They are only 11 and we are standing in front of the hut where they are currently worshipping.

New House for Priest

During my pastoral visit to Liwale and Kilwa, a strong Muslim area, the proud congregants explaining their project of building a house for their priest.

Mothers Union

In November I officiated at a service giving new Mothers' Union members their vows at St. Andrews church at Kilwa Kivinje.

Youth Gathering at Mkomaindo

More than 700 young people gathered at Mkomaindo for a night of prayer followed by a walk to top of Mkomaindo hill.

This photo shows a group by the cross at the summit of Mkomaindo hill.

The event was organised around giving blood in response to an appeal from Mkomaindo hospital. The blood is needed for their maternity ward.

Stewardship

As our friends will know, we are in the midst of a shift in our financial structure.

We have been too reliant on the generosity of our historic supporters, mainly in the UK. These supporters are facing their own funding crises, as people’s habits change. We have therefore seen our income from these sources (which make up most of our income) decline. This has left many of our legacy institutions, such as Rondo Junior School and our dispensaries, without the necessary investment to maintain and grow their services and require subsidy.

In response, we have developed a Stewardship Strategy to address this challenge and secure the diocese’s future. This strategy focuses on two key areas:

Tithing Obligation Among Congregations
We have introduced a tithing obligation for all congregations, asking members to contribute TZS 1,000 (US$0.40) each month to the diocese. This is an important step towards financial self-reliance and reflects our commitment to fostering a culture of stewardship within the Church. By sharing in this responsibility, every congregation becomes a partner in sustaining and strengthening the mission of the diocese.
Improving Communication and Storytelling to Reach New Partners
To complement these local efforts, we are also focusing on better communication with our global partners. By sharing more stories of our work and the impact of their support, we hope to deepen the connection with our friends and partners around the world. We want them to feel part of our journey and inspired by the transformation their contributions make possible.

The photos below show congregants in Lindi parish lining up to give their monthly tithe during the service.

Survey

We are conducting a survey across our congregations, starting with 10 but then rolling it out over time.

The results of the survey (which can be seen on our website here) will provide valuable insights into the priorities and Christian motivations of our congregations. It should also have wider relevance for those interested in the Anglican Communion and how Anglicanism is being practiced in East Africa.

We are excited to see the results.

Report on Tithing Income

While the tithing income has not performed as well as we had hoped, we are comfortable with how it has started and we a foundation to build on.

Please read the full report here.

Challenges and Support Needs

Dispensaries

Our four dispensaries—Chidya, Mtandi, Ngala and Bishop James—are facing significant challenges, both in terms of day-to-day operations and access to essential equipment.

We urgently seek partnerships with healthcare institutions around the world to support and sustain these vital centers of care. We welcome anyone willing to join us in this mission.

Without this support, we risk losing our witness to the work of Christ and past missionaries and to the love of Christ in serving others.

Bishop’s house

Construction of the new Bishop’s house has stalled for want of funds. The existing house, while beautifully situated within the precincts and once a lovely home, is becoming so dilapidated as to be dangerous.

This is not only for me and the comfort of myself and my family. It is also a question of prestige for the diocese. For this reason, parish congregants have been generous so far.

The photos below show the poor state of the current house and where we have got to on the new house.

Making Donations

We thank our friends at St John’s Episcopal Church, Potomac for kindly adding us to their giving portal here.

Looking Ahead

Clergy Retreat

We will hold a retreat for clergy in early 2025. After the reallocation of clergy to different parishes, this will be an important opportunity to align goals and for priests, as a group, to recognise and realise their calling.

Website and Storytelling

As we become more technically proficient, we are eager to use the internet to show more of our work to current and prospective partners.

We are in the process of improving our website so that it gives a valuable insight into our parishes. Our goal is to create a resource that will open a window into the lives of the parishes within our diocese.

We will combine the website with regular stories from the parishes and photos on Instagram.

As we approach our centenary, we are preparing to open up the work and the stories of our great diocese to a wider audience. These are exciting times for us.

2026 Diocese Centenary Preparations

2024 saw the start of our planning for the 2026 Diocese Centenary celebrations.

As many of our friends will know, the Diocese of Masasi was erected by dividing the area of the Diocese of Zanzibar south of the Rufiji river, which still marks the northern boundary of our diocese. The division was effected by the Universities' Mission to Central Africa at their Annual General Meeting in May 1926.

Committees have been created and given their aims. These committees include history

Education

Rondo

I am proud of the work that Fr. Linus has done in turning Rondo Junior Seminary around. There is still a lot of work to do and Fr. Linus will be very well supported by the independent Governing Body that has been convened. We are all looking forward to receiving and reviewing the 2030 Strategic Vision document at the end of January.

Please visit them through their website, Instagram and YouTube links.

St Catherine’s

The building works here are continuing.

DMDO

The DMDO continue to thrive. Their ambitious plans are currently in the hands of the Government for approval of a scheme to recover and reinvest the investment of their work over time. It is an exciting and innovative model and will do great work if the Government approve it. We pray for their success.

Please visit them through their website, Instagram and YouTube links.

Final Thoughts

As we approach Christmas and reflect on this past year, we give heartfelt thanks for the prayers and support we have received. Your encouragement sustains our work and reminds us of our shared mission in Christ.

As we near the Centenary of the Diocese of Masasi, we ask for your continued prayers and support to help us meet the challenges ahead.

We look forward to sending you an invitation in early January to join us in these joyous celebrations. May God bless you this Christmas and always.

With all best wishes,

THE RT. REV. DR. JAMES ALMASI

BISHOP OF MASASI

Our office will be closing for Christmas and the New Year on December 23 and will open again on 13 January 2025.