World Church
St Michael's has two very important links with Christians in other parts of the world.
St Michael and All Angels, Mtwara
Our Diocese of Hereford is linked with four Dioceses in Tanzania - Dar, Tanga, Masasi and Newala. In turn, our Deanery of Ledbury is linked with St Michael and All Angels, Mtwara, in Newala Diocese (a new Diocese which was formed out of the Diocese of Masasi in 2009).
There are often visits from Ledbury to Mtwara, and our PCC supports the link with a substantial annual gift - along with amounts raised from the annual Lent Lunches.
In the past we have supplied motorcycles for clergy to use, supported the building of the daughter Church at Likonde and the Church Hostel in Mtwara, and have also helped to set up a scheme, run by the Church, for training Kindergarten Teachers. The latest project is to develop a stronger link between the Ligula School in Mtwara and Ledbury Primary School, following a visit from a teacher from Ledbury in July 2008.
In June 2008 Revd. Emmanuel Chilumba from Masasi Diocese was able to visit and preach at St Michael's, and also spend time with the children at Ledbury Primary School.
Prayers are offered regularly for each other's congregations.
Ventzislav and Zlatina Karavaltchev
Download the latest newsletter from Ventzy & family
Ventzislav and Zlatina are our link mission-partners from the Church Mission Society. Originally from Bulgaria, have served in Georgia, and are now working in Kiev, Ukraine. Ventzislav has been helping to set up a new Theological College for the Orthodox Church in Kiev and is now teaching there. The College started receiving students in the autumn of 2009.
Ventzy will teach Introduction to Islam and Muslim-Christian relations, and other theological subjects, helping at the same time to restructure and reorganise the study process. Zlatina will be involved in teaching Greek and church history, and also helping in study programme preparation.
Once or twice a year they will travel to Kazan, Russia, to the Kazan Bible School, which prepares Christians from protestant denominations for doing mission in Islamic contexts.
Ventzislav and Zlatina married in 1998 and they have one son, Stefan, who was born in 2002 in Birmingham and a daughter, Iva, born in 2004 in Sofia. They both enjoy reading, fishing, mountain and seaside walks, computing, sports and now more than anything else... spending time with their children.
Please pray for Ventzislav and Zlatina:
- As they are in the process of relocation, please pray for wisdom and discernment - that God will direct them to the right place.
- For on-going relationships with Link churches and also for new relationships with churches to be established.
- For good health for the children and especially for Stefan with his speech problems. Recently he has started stammering and now is going through a long therapy. Please pray that this will produce positive results.
- For Georgia and for all our friends and activities they left behind.
- For protection and safety for the family and for God's blessings upon them.
- For openness amongst British churches towards the Orthodox Church and engaging in constructive dialogue with it.
