Author: The Mathetes Trust

An Update from Madagascar

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Madagascar, the fourth largest island in the world, has a growing population of 33 million people of whom 40% are under the age of 15. Rooted in Jesus was first translated into the national language, Malagasy, and introduced to two of the six Anglican dioceses in 2011.  Encouragingly, the Dioceses of Toliara and Fianarantsoa both widely adopted the programme amongst adults and, using the Junior programme, among youth and children.

There is much to give thanks for in both dioceses, as well as an important prayer request from the Diocese of Toamasina, where we have recently worked.

The Ven Paulin Zaralahay, coordinator in the Diocese of Fianarantsoa has sent an inspiring report. There are now 162 adult and 203 Junior groups in 22 churches or parishes across the diocese, with 1,851 adult members and 2,327 Junior members! He also reports that in 2025 they were able to open two new churches, one at Ambatovaky in Ambalavao parish, and one at Ambalakely in the Cathedral parish! Though the work is challenging, given that the diocese is large and it is difficult to visit all the parishes, the diocese plans to plant more churches, provide ongoing teaching, and continue with the work of evangelism under the leadership of the bishop, Gilbert Rateloson who now carries additional responsibility as Archbishop of the Province of the Indian Ocean.

The Diocese of Toliara occupies the southernmost portion of the island. It is an extremely dry region, and suffers from drought, food insecurity, poor educational resources and widespread poverty. And yet here too growth is a priority. Both the newly appointed Assistant Bishop Victor Osoro and Diocesan Bishop Samitiana place a high priority on evangelism and discipleship. Revd Doyen Razafilahy, himself recently appointed as the Rooted in Jesus coordinator reports that there are now 34 Rooted in Jesus adult and Junior groups meeting in 18 churches, including one led by Bishop Samy!

In contrast, some distressing news from the Diocese of Toamasina where we last reported from in October 2025. Just as the coordinators Revd Jimmy Fridels and Revd Marlin Fety were preparing to send their annual reports, Toamasina was hit by an intense tropical cyclone. Cyclone Gezani, made landfall in the second week of February and destroyed up to 75% of the city, Madagascar’s main port. Wind gusts of up to 248 km per hour were recorded, 40 people died, and hundreds of thousands have been affected, with many losing their homes and livelihoods.

Bishop Solo wrote, “Around 28 churches cannot be used, (having been) destroyed completely. And around 800 families have become victims (with) no house to stay = 2000 people. No house and no food. Urgent needs are now food because rice fields, cassava and potatoes are flooding with water. All were destroyed and disappeared in one night.”

So the news is mixed: great blessing for those who have ministered so persistently, but tragedy for those who have once again had their lives ravaged by factors outside their own control. Life is never easy in Madagascar, with the World Bank estimating that the proportion of the population living in extreme poverty is among the highest in the world. We can only hope and pray that they will recover from this latest blow – as they have many times before.

We have published a full report on the conference on our blog.

One Year On: Rooted in Jesus, Toamasina, Madagascar

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One year ago a Rooted in Jesus team visited the Diocese of Toamasina – the fourth of the six dioceses in the country to invite us. The conference was hosted by Bishop Jean Paul Solo and attended by 117 clergy and lay leaders.

Madagascar is the second largest island country in the world, stretching a thousand miles from tip to toe, and home to a scattered population of some 32 million people. Given the huge size of the diocese, two coordinators were appointed to oversee the Rooted in Jesus programme: Revd Jimmy Fridels in the south, and Revd Marlin Fety in the north. There is much to give thanks for.

Revd Jimmy Fridels Rarndrianasolo reports that some of the new group leaders worship at the cathedral in Toamasina, a bustling city which hosts the country’s main port. They have made a strong start, and those attending have completed Book 1.  Elsewhere, Jimmy reports that a new church is to be built at Antseranambe, where there are 50 Rooted in Jesus group members!

Revd Marlin Fety has been doing his best to support the group leaders in those parishes he can reach on foot from his parish of Mananara – sometimes travelling by motorbike taxi, sometimes taking two days to walk there, often using small ferry boats!  Despite the difficulties, Marlin is dedicated to the task. Particularly encouraging was a visit to Antenina parish where 151 people signed up to join groups! As in the south, many of the groups are now moving on to Book 2.

We have published a full report on the conference on our blog

David Archer commissioned as Director of Rooted in Jesus

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We are pleased to be able to report that yesterday Revd Dr David Archer was formally commissioned by the Bishop of Oxford Steven Croft in his new role as Director of Rooted in Jesus. The service also provided an opportunity for us to thank my wife Alison for her 25 years of ministry in Africa as she hands over the leadership of Rooted in Jesus to David. Alison was delighted to be presented with a wonderfully appropriate gift by David, on behalf of the Trustees.

Bishop Steven gave a moving and encouraging address from Colossians 2.6-7, focussing on our shared calling to be rooted and grounded in Christ. The service also enabled him to commend Rooted in Jesus to the congregation of St Mary’s, Purley-on-Thames, who had turned out in strength; to thank them for their support for this new opportunity, and to pray for David’s colleague Aidan Jones, the Associate Minister at St Mary’s. Aidan will be taking more responsibility within St Mary’s as David moves to half-time in his role as Rector.

What will Alison be doing now, people asked? Well, many things! Next Saturday she is leading a workshop at the OWL (Outdoor Worship Leicestershire) Conference at Launde Abbey. The subject of the workshop is ‘Connecting with God through Birds’. If you live nearby and would like to go, you can find out more here!

Otherwise we are getting into gear for the start of the autumn term. David is planning some new Rooted in Jesus conferences, supported by Eva who has made a great start as the new Administrator for Rooted in Jesus. Our EQUIP programme is running with a new series of meetings both by Zoom and in person, and Sue is supporting Roger in making that happen.

Rooted in Jesus Annual Report

The Mathetes Trust Christian discipleship, Rooted in Jesus
We are pleased to say that we have just published the latest Annual Report for Rooted in Jesus, which covers the year 2024.
2024 was a busy year, with conferences held in 14 dioceses in Uganda, South Sudan, Madagascar (by The Mathetes Trust) and (by our partner organisation Growing the Church) in South Africa, Lesotho and Namibia. Additional local training took place in a number of dioceses where Rooted in Jesus had already been introduced.
The task of translating the Rooted in Jesus leaders’ booklets is continuous, as new versions are needed for new people groups, or as additional books are needed for groups moving on to the later books. Working with local translators, in 2024 we published translations of the adult programme into Bari and the Dinka Agaac dialect for South Sudan, into Yao for Mozambique and into Lozi for Namibia. For the Junior programme we were able to produce new translations into Nuer for South Sudan, into Lingala and Lugbara for DR Congo, and into Northern Sotho for South Africa. We were also able to publish the Rooted in Jesus Team Manual and Junior Team Manual in Malagasy for use by local trainers in Madagascar. Rooted in Jesus is now available in whole or in part in 50 languages, and Rooted in Jesus Junior in 14 languages.
We are grateful to all those who have sent in annual reports from their own dioceses or networks. The full report can be viewed on our blog, or downloaded here.
Posted 14th April 2025.

Rooted in Jesus conferences in South Sudan

The Mathetes Trust Christian discipleship, Rooted in Jesus
South Sudan is the youngest country in the world, and now considered to be the poorest. A recent World Bank report states that 92% of the population live below the extreme poverty line (up from 80% in 2016) with a projection that in 2025 the country will experience universal poverty. It is a challenging and yet rewarding context for ministry, and despite the inevitable challenges we are delighted to be invited to continue to support the church there. South Sudan, we feel, is the kind of place where Jesus is to be found at work.
In the first quarter of 2025 two Rooted in Jesus teams travelled to South Sudan, visiting the Dioceses of Cuiebet, Rumbek and Bentiu for the first time and returning to the Diocese of Maiwut to conduct the first Rooted in Jesus Junior training for Sunday School teachers.
We have published a full report on all four conferences on our blog.
Posted 26th March 2025

Joy and sadness

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We have some good news and some not so good news.

Here is the good news:

Until now, Rooted in Jesus had been adopted by Anglican dioceses in 19 African countries. We are proud to share that in 2024 that number became 20, thanks to the ministry of Growing the Church, which oversees Rooted in Jesus in South Africa under the direction of Revd Bruce Woolley.
We have just received their latest newsletter, in which Ven Amenlenge Alleta Shikwambi reports how the first Rooted in Jesus training conference took place in the Anglican Diocese of Namibia (photo above left). You can read the report here.
Namibia
Meanwhile we have received joyful photographs from the Diocese of Nzara, S Sudan and the Diocese of Bunyoro Kitara, Uganda, (photo below left) where groups have been awarded certificates for completing part or all of the Rooted in Jesus programme; and from the Diocese of Fianarantsoa, Madagascar (photo right) where members of the cathedral youth group have been appointed to lead new groups. We’ve posted their reports on our Facebook page.

However, for every moment of joy the world seems to offer us also one of pain:

As you will be aware, the people of eastern DR Congo are going through a time of great insecurity and turbulence due to the advance of the M23 militia, first to Goma and then to Bukavu. The M23 fighters are now continuing towards Uvira – just as the USAid programmes have been suspended. Many people in these areas are Christian, and many are (or were) using Rooted in Jesus. The latest message our team leader Amanda Johnson has received from her contact Justin reads (translated into English) as follows:
  • Monusco closed, agents unemployed;
  • USAID closed, agents unemployed;
  • Looting at Bralima, unemployed agents;
  • State office closed, agents unemployed;
  • NGO office closed, agents unemployed;
  • Looting PAM office, unemployed agents;
  • Banks closed, agents unemployed;
  • Looting Kadutu market, shops, boutiques, etc. traders at home.
  • Added to this are rapes, killings, thefts, kidnappings, etc.
  • Lord, if you do not intervene, who will come to our aid?
It is hard to take on board the depth of suffering that this is causing – but what is clear is that we must continue to pray for them.
Posted 11th March 2025

Remarkable growth in the Diocese of Gogrial, South Sudan

The Mathetes Trust Christian discipleship, Rooted in Jesus
In January 2024 we sent a Rooted in Jesus team to the Diocese of Gogrial, one of the largest Dioceses in the Northern Bhar el Ghazel Internal Province and located near the border with Sudan. Spread over a huge area, it has 12 Archdeaconries, 24 Deaneries, 72 parishes and 150 sub parishes. 117 group leaders were commissioned to lead groups in their communities.
One year later, we have received a highly encouraging report from Revd Albino Akeen Akoon, the Diocesan Coordinator, who says that “All the group leaders and the diocesan administration met together last month to share their experiences and evaluate the programme. The groups that were formed have been going from strength to strength, though facing many difficulties. The Rooted in Jesus programme has not only provided Gospel outreach, it is now contributing to peace building in our communities, as we are visiting some far places that were inaccessible before.”
Group members in the Archdeaconry of Gogrial receiving their certificates and Book 2
To find out what difference Rooted in Jesus has made to the Diocese, visit our blog, where we have posted Albino’s full report.

Rooted in Jesus is invading our diocese!

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We’ve recently had some very encouraging reports from Dioceses where we have facilitated Rooted in Jesus conferences. In brief:

One of 5 groups in the parish of Anivorano Nord

  • Coordinator Odilon Rafanomezantsoa reports from the Diocese of Antsiranana, Madagascar. They held their first conference in October, and already have 55 active groups in 20 of the 21 parishes. Odilon says: ‘Four months after the Rooted in Jesus conference, we can say that Rooted in Jesus is invading the Antsiranana Diocese!’ Both he and Bishop Jaomandiny plan to provide personal ongoing support for the group leaders, and more groups are due to launch this month.
  • Coordinator Rev Emmanuel Etsegeri reports from the Diocese of Aru, DR Congo, which relaunched Rooted in Jesus in 2021. They now have 73 groups, working their way through all four books, and Emmanuel says that many group members have been able to share personal testimonies as their faith grows.
  • Coordinator Ven Minduli Mulanda reports from the Missionary area of Lake Tanganyika, Diocese of Bukavu, DR Congo. 24 parishes have 47 active groups, with over 500 people participating. Thanks to a donation from a UK parish, they have been able to give out Bibles to group leaders, and in September and October they provided additional training for group leaders to help them move on to the next book.
To find out more visit our blog post!
In the next few months we have teams going out to South Sudan, Kenya and Malawi. We are grateful to all those who underpin this ministry in prayer and to those who support it financially. If you aren’t on our intercession team but would like to be, just let us know.
Posted 9th January 2025

Eight Years on – Rooted in Jesus returns to Kajo-Keji

The Mathetes Trust Christian discipleship, Rooted in Jesus
Our latest Rooted in Jesus team has just returned from the Diocese of Kajo-Keji in South Sudan. We first went there in 2016, just before a renewal of the civil war which has taken such a deep toll on the people of South Sudan. The cathedral was burned down, violence led to famine, and by January the following year 95% of the people had been forced into exile in neighbouring Uganda. When we asked how we could best support them, Bishop Poggo’s successor Emmanuel Murye had replied: ‘The believers need Rooted in Jesus at this time of distress and spiritual need. Rooted in Jesus is the only tool and way forward to nourish the Christians and make the newly born Christian grow.’
Eight years have now passed, and we were delighted to be invited back to Kajo-Keji by the current Bishop, James Lule. Mike Cotterell led a team of experienced leaders from the UK and Uganda, and despite the ongoing suffering of the people the conference was remarkable for its joyful worship in song, dance and quiet reflection. Many of the participants had travelled from the Ugandan refugee camps where they still live; by the end of the conference 163 had been commissioned to lead small groups back at home.
We have published a full report on our blog here.
We remain truly grateful to all those who support Rooted in Jesus in prayer, on teams and through their giving. This conference was run with the support of the Provincial Office of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan, and of the Relay Trust who provided a grant to the diocese to help with food and travel costs for those attending.
To find out more about Rooted in Jesus visit our website here.
Posted 14th November 2024.

Rooted in Jesus Conferences: Ministry in Madagascar

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A Rooted in Jesus team has just returned from Madagascar, where we had been invited to introduce Rooted in Jesus to the dioceses of Antsiranana and Toamasina. Both conferences went very well, and we were delighted with the hospitality which we received.
We’ve posted a full report on our blog https://rootedinjesus.blog/2024/10/07/new-rooted-in-jesus-conferences-in-madagascar/, and if you’d like a taste of the wonderful worship please head over to our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/rootedinjesusforafrica/ or click the image below.
We are hugely grateful to Bishop Jaomandiny and Bishop Solo for arranging and hosting the conferences, and to them, their families and the church members who offered us hospitality during our visit. We are also grateful to those who translated for UK team members Alison and John, to our fellow facilitators Jean Flobert and Keziah Rateloson, to those who provided prayer support each day during the conferences, to the Relay Trust who helped with the funding, and finally to Revd Donné and Neny Vero of the Diocese of Toliara who printed the books.