Support for Yei Diocese and CMSI from Connor Council for Mission

Thursday February 9th 2023

Archdeacon Paul Dundas presents a cheque to Jenny Smyth of CMS Ireland and her colleagues.

Archdeacon Paul Dundas, chair of Connor Council for Mission, recently visited the offices of CMS Ireland to present a cheque to support CMSI and projects in Connor’s partner diocese of Yei, South Sudan.

Paul is a long-time supporter and friend of CMSI. The link with Yei, formed in 2007, will formally end this June, and last summer Connor Diocese welcomed Bishop Levi of Yei and his wife Agnes during CMSI’s Kingdom Voices event.

The bishop and his wife were hosted by Agherton Parish and Lisburn Cathedral, with time to meet with Bishop George Davison and enjoy worship together at a cross-cultural celebration in St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast.

During his visit to CMSI, Paul shared the moment that he and Bishop Levi realised they had met before, 23 years earlier! He was telling the bishop about his visit to Uganda with Armagh Diocese in 2000, when he had the opportunity to teach a class at Bishop Allison Theological College in Arua. “I was there!” said Bishop Levi – he was studying at the college at that time!

The funding from Connor Council for Mission will in part be used for Yei Diocese’s coffee growing project.

As part of the partnership, Connor Council for Mission designated a gift for Yei Diocese, and for CMSI, and during his visit Paul presented a cheque for £1,750 which was gratefully received.

The gift for Yei will be transferred for Bishop Levi’s two priority programmes – coffee planting for financial sustainability of the diocese, and clergy training for spiritual growth of the diocese.

CMSI expressed thanks to Connor Council for Mission for long-term partnership with CMSI and for its generosity in supporting the organisation and the Diocese of Yei.