featured parish projects
Father Jim Eble’s ministry is not confined to the membership of Transfiguration Parish; it takes in the entire community of Mabatini, just west of downtown Mwanza, Tanzania. As a missioner his ministry includes those who have not heard of the Good News and those in need. The focus on Christian formation and leadership seeks to form mature Christians ready to push the growth of the Church towards the edges of the community.
The small Christian communities are key entry points of ministerial service to the community. If they are healthy, Christian service to the wider community will be helpful. Ministerial opportunities here include leadership formation, training visitors for the sick, seminars for human development and prayer.
A key component for a new parish is Christian formation during the building of the parish physical infrastructure. How we build the church building, rectory and community center will form and deepen the faith commitment of the Christians. Ministerial attention must be given to how people grow as they struggle to build a parish complex they can feel proud of and share with others.
Finally, ministry in the newly named parish will have as its priority moving the uncommitted baptized toward discipleship and true commitment to Jesus Christ. The vision of ministry is Transformation in Christ, the goal to form disciples and apostles to spread the Gospel beyond the parish complex in word and action.
Our worship space in our small church mirrors the Mabatini area. The Christians have to almost sit on top of each other as 350 squeeze into a space more suited for 250, with just as many outside standing up.
Along with the practical issues of adequate space, there are the cultural and spiritual needs of the people. The African people have a very strong sense of place which expresses itself in a physical building like a church. Our church building project is giving the people a sense of ownership of the parish as they see and touch their faith expressed in a concrete form.
We are in the end stages of completing the first phase of the project which has a budget of a little over $100,000/. The Christians have raised 10% of this total, while the rest has come from donors. Future cost estimates toward the completion of the project are around the area of $400,000 to 500,000.
I have been living in a rented house a five minute walk from the church for over three years. In the local African culture this is strange that the leader of the community does not live at the ‘mji’, the homestead.
In the overall plans for the development of the parish the rectory construction is an important element. Plans have been drawn up and cost estimates have been made but we have been delayed by a court case that we hope will be resolved in the very near future.
Because of the delay the plans and costs estimates will have to be reviewed. Again, like the church, the Christians are expected to contribute 10-15% with the rest of the cost being taken up by our donors.
Our parish is only five years old so the needs are great. As we work to put in the basic physical infrastructure we have other dreams we hope someday will become transformative spaces for the community.
The following are only hopes and dreams for future. Perhaps they won’t come to pass but with prayers, effort and help they can become reality.
1. Basketball and Netball courts
In a city of over 600,000/ people, most of them young, there is not one youth center. By providing a place for the youth to play, exercise and interact the parish would help the local community in the formation of its youth.
2. Health Education
Probably the number one issue for the people is health. In the daily struggle of life the people are always battling with health concerns such as clean water, sanitation, proper diet, disease, etc.
The parish will seek to provide grassroots health education for the entire community to help the people be proactive about their health.
3. A Parish Store
Our financial needs are far outstripping the parish’s resources. We need to start an incoming generating project that will help us meeting our capital expenses.
The store would sell books, magazines and stationary goods. It would also provide secretarial and internet services. A store like this would be the only one of its kind in our area.
4. Literacy Program
The average education level in Mabatini is seventh grade. Many of our people do not know how to read and write. A literacy program would empower the people to take more control over their lives and development.