By Blackson Mkupatira

Chiradzulu, September 24, Mana: Chairperson of a committee responsible for the construction St. Michaels Anglican Church construction in Chiradzulu District, Wilson Dickson, appalled to people of good will to financially support construction of the new church building which will cost about K42 million upon completion.

Speaking in an interview with the Malawi News Agency (Mana), Dickson said congregants at St. Michaels Anglican need for a proper and spacious place of worship considering growing number of Anglican church members in the area.

“From Blantyre taking the Phalombe road, the only established Anglican church is in Milepa. As such, many people are failing to attend church due to the distance and lack of a proper facility.

“Since God loves those who pray and respects the house in which they pray, we as members of St. Michaels Anglican Church, decided to embark on this project,” he added.

According to Dickson, the church requires an estimated K42 million to be completed, and so far, the congregation has managed to raise K9.2 million.

"Church members and other well-wishers mobilized the money through events such as Paper Sundays,” he added.

Dickson therefore called on more individuals to contribute financially or donate construction materials such as cement and bricks to completed the church project in time as congregants are currently holding church prayers in a dilapidated building.

In a separate interview, Bishop Alinafe Kalemba, of the Anglican Diocese of Southern Malawi, praised St. Michaels' congregation’s initiative and further commended their dedication in mobilizing financial resources towards the project.

“Our three strategic objectives are to evangelize, build shelters for prayers and ensure financial stability. It is therefore commendable that a small congregation, consisting of only 14 families, has taken the initiative to build a new church.

"As secretariat, we will support them in ensuring that the project is completed so that people can worship without disturbance,” said the Bishop Kalemba, adding that the new church building will serve as a spiritual hub for many Anglicans in the area who currently lack a nearby place of worship.

In May 2023, the 14 families mobilized financial resources to buy land such that in July the same year construction of the new church building began.