Fui selecionado para participar da XVIII mostra de arte "Primeiros Passos" do CCBEU em Belem. A exposicao estara aberta do dia 11/12/09 ate 13/01/10. Certain ofthe future, with our history in our handsBishopSaulo Mauricio de Barros Anglican Diocese of the AmazonWithlove on our mindsAndflowers on the groundCertainof the futureWithour history in our handsWalkingand singingAndfollowing the songLearningand teachingAnew lesson has begun(GeraldoVandre) Certain of the future1. During the first preparatory meetings for the Centenary of theAnglican Church in the Amazon, the work group, whom we call GT 100,firmly established the following objectives: To narrate the history of Anglican presence in the Amazon (memories); To thank God for the work carried out so far (celebration); To renew our purpose as a Church (mission).2.Without adoubt itis fundamentallyimportant toreclaim thehistory ofthe AnglicanChurch andother minorityChristiantraditions,pointing outthe religiousdiversity ofour people,which isa lotmore complexthan ourSunday Schoolbooks teachus. Of-coursewe wantto thankGod foreverything thathas happenedover thislong periodof time,as weare awarethat allthings comefrom thedivine goodness, as weexpress clearlyat theoffertory: Allthingscomefromyou,andofyourowndowegiveyou.1.However, thisletter tothe 6thDiocesan Synodemphasizes thethird objectivebecause weunderstand thatthe relevanceof Anglicanismin theAmazon regiondepends directlyon therenewal ofour missionproposal. 3.We believethat thetheme ofthe Synod,Certainofthefuture,withourhistoryinourhands,taken froma wellknown songof protestwritten byGeraldo Vandrethat inspiredgenerations tofight againstthe authoritarianregimes inour country,provoked ustowards agreaterinvolvement inthe realityaround us,considering ourhistory notonly asa seriesof socialand politicalevents, buta spacewhere theHoly Spiritacts. OurGod acts in history and through it. Ourhistory in our hands4.I alsohave tosay herethat theAnglicanunderstandingmakes ussee that"althoughthemessageoftheGospelisunique,thewayitistransmittedvariesaccordingtothediversityofthechurches,indifferenttimes,culturesandplaces2.Our understandingof missionis notonly influencedby thecontext inwhich welive, butwe canalso affirm,without adoubt, thatthere isno correctmodel inthe Scriptureswhich weshould follow,but missionis alwaysfound markedby theambivalencebetween thedivine andthe humane3.The historyof Anglicanismin ourregion isa confirmationof this.5. In a little more than 100 years, including the period before thefoundation of the community of St. Mary, we can confirm the presenceof distinctive models of mission and those implemented them werepeople with good will who left a legacy of selflessness andcommitment to the Gospel of love. Taking as a symbolic reference theordained ministers who worked in Amazon lands, we can talk of thepietistic fervour of the Revd. Richard Holden who wanted to takeeveryone through an experience of conversion (1860-1862), thepersistence of the English clergyman Arthur Moss who developedintense work as the chaplain amongst British and otherEnglish-speaking immigrants (1912-1945), the challenges faced andovercome by the Revd. Leslie Hallett, the first minister sent by theEpiscopal Church of Brazil - apart from attending to those stilllinked to the time of the chaplaincy, he also began evangelizing theBrazilians (1955-1957).6. Aquick glanceover theseperiods leadsus tothe conclusionthat theunderstanding ofmission hasbeen througha fewchanges, moresignificantlyafter 1960,when itstarted tobecome clearfor somesectors ofthe ChristianChurch,especially thosecommitted toa lifeof communion,that missionis:missioDei,a divineattribute. Inthissense,missionisunderstoodasGodsmovementtowardstheworldand thechurch asaninstrumentforthismission4.In theworks ofSt. Paul,the Apostle,we arecooperators ofthis divinemission. (1Corinthians 3:9).A new lesson7. Adocument ofthe AnglicanCommunion filledwith thisnew conceptionpoints outthat theaimofGodsmissionisthetransformationoflife,notonlyofindividuals,butalsoofsociety,ofnationsandoftheorderofcreation.Because, asthe documentexplains, thetransformingGospelisnotonlyforpersonalsin,butalsoforstructuralsin. Therefore,it continues,the visionofthemissionarychurchistoworkwithGodreinventingthestructuresofhumansociety,sothattheyreflectmorecloselyGodsownplans.(...)ThesalvationthatChristpromisedisthecomingoftheKingdomofGod5.A conceptionalready presentin ourEucharisticPrayer whenwe pray:Let thegraceofthisHolyCommunionmakeusonebody,onespiritinChrist,thatwemaytransformthekingdomsofthisworldintheKingdomofourLordJesusChrist6.8.The LatinAmerican theologyof liberationbrought animportantcontribution tothe conceptof missionwhen itperceived thatin ourcontinent theexperience ofGod isupdated andrenewed inourcollectivehistory7,from theperspective ofthe suffering,the strugglesand thevictories ofthe people.The songsof theSuffering Servantin theOld Testament(Isaiah 42:1-9; 49:1-6 ;50: 4-9; 52:13-53: 12) before theywere interpretedas referenceto oneindividual,pointed towardsa collectivevision, whichis whyin thetranslation intoPortuguese ofthe HebrewBible weread: SurelyMyServant(thepeopleofIsrael)shallprosper;hewillberaisedandliftedupandhighlyexalted(Isaiah 52:13)8.This isthe biblicalbasis thatsupports thisunderstanding ofGodsmission asthe missionof thosewho suffer.And this mission, from the