Presbyterian moderator to travel to Zimbabwe with 'message of goodwill' next week in historic first

The synod of Harare is one of the pan-national denomination’s five synods, and is hosting the CCAP’s general assembly conference, taking place in Zimbabwe’s capital Harare.

The conference happens every four years and will see representatives attend from congregations across its synods in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Dr Kerr has been invited to bring "a message of goodwill" to the general assembly from PCI and address its members.

Accompanied by his wife Brenda, Dr Kerr said: “I am genuinely very excited about this visit, as it will be a wonderful opportunity to deepen our relationship with the CCAP’s synod of Harare. I understand I will also be the first Irish Presbyterian moderator to visit Zimbabwe.

“As a Presbyterian church, we have a long-standing relationship with the CCAP, which goes back nearly 70 years, when in 1958 Rev Bill Jackson became the first of 90 men and women from PCI to serve our denomination in Malawi.

"Over the years our relationship has centred on the three Malawian synods, so it will be good to visit the synod of Harare, who have invited me, and see a number of its projects and congregations in Zimbabwe.

"I am also looking forward to preaching at a special combined worship service at one of the congregations in Harare. It will also be an honour to address the church general assembly.”

For the moderator and Mrs Kerr, it will also be a welcome return to southern Africa.

“Brenda and I were commissioned by the Irish Presbyterian Church in 1991 for service in Malawi, having previously served as volunteer short-term mission workers from 1989, which was also with PCI, working in CCAP’s synod of Livingstonia in Malawi.

"In total, we served the Lord in the country for 11 years, a time that was very formative for both of us, and as a family, as all three of our children spent their early years there.

"We have wonderful memories of our time in Malawi and the deep friendships that were made, which remain to this day. This includes current general secretary of the synod of Livingstonia, Rev William Tembo, whom we taught in first form school, just one of many old friends we hope to meet.”

While Dr Kerr was in Malawi, he became health co-ordinator for the CCAP. This involved overseeing hospitals, health centres, staffing, and development work across a large and demanding network. He was also elected an elder in the church’s Katawa congregation in the city of Mzuzu in the northern part of Malawi.

The three synods in Malawi – the synods of Livingstonia, Blantyre and Nkhoma – have some 600,000 members and 500 congregations between them, making it the largest component part of the CCAP, while the synod of Zambia comprises some 85,000 members in just over 100 congregations.

The synod of Harare was established in 1965 as the synod of Salisbury, and is the smallest, with around 9,000 members across its 21 congregations.

As the secretary to Presbyterian Church's Council for Global Mission, Rev Uel Marrs explained: "The primary focus of the eight-day visit will be to deepen PCI’s relationships with each of the CCAP’s synods.

“While our relationship with the denomination goes back to the late-1950s, last year Rev Dr Trevor Gribben preached as moderator at the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the original mission in Livingstonia by Scottish Presbyterians, which was a considerable honour.

"At this year’s general assembly in Belfast, we welcomed the general secretary of the synod of Nkhoma, so our relationship with the CCAP as one of our global mission partners is a very close one.

"Dr Kerr will see the work that the synod of Harare is doing in schools and other projects, visiting a theological college, and a number of congregations. Meetings with CCAP senior leaders will also be an important part of the agenda for the visit,” Rev Marrs added.

As he prepares to travel, Dr Kerr said: “My wife Brenda and I are excited about this trip, and are very much looking forward to going, as it is an opportunity to reconnect with Presbyterians in that part of Africa. It is also an important opportunity to deepen PCI’s ties with the CCAP and the synod of Harare in particular.

“When we left Malawi in the year 2000, we were aware that God was doing something in his church there. It will be good to see what the outworking has been over the last quarter of a century across the entirety of the denomination.

"As we meet with, encourage, and pray with our brothers and sisters in Christ in the CCAP, I know that we will also be encouraged while learning much from this visit.”