Bishop of Aston, the Rt Revd Esther Prior has returned from an official visit to Malawi in April 2026, marking 60 years of partnership between churches and schools in Birmingham and Malawi.
During the two-week visit, Bishop Esther visited all four Malawian Dioceses and met with bishops, senior priests and members of several congregations.
The visit aimed to renew and deepen the long-standing partnership between the Church of England Birmingham and partner dioceses in Malawi.
Bishop Esther explains, “In this 60th anniversary year, it was important not simply to celebrate the past, but to strengthen the relationships that will carry us into the future.
“I was born in Malawi, so this visit held deep personal significance for me. Returning there was a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness, the way Christ is at work through every stage of our lives, drawing together past and present for his purposes.”
A long-standing partnership
The partnership between the Anglican church in Malawi and the Church of England Birmingham began in 1966 and is one of the longest diocesan partnerships in existence.
Since then, countless visits have taken place between the two dioceses – including teachers, clergy and bishops – with many benefitting from shared experiences, learning and support.
During the visit, Bishop Esther was warmly welcomed in local parishes, where she joined in joyful worship with several church congregations.
Reflecting on what she learnt from the churches and communities she visited, Bishop Esther said: “I was struck by the strength of grassroots growth and participation, including the initiative and faithfulness of lay people.
“There is a strong sense that the life of the Church is not confined to clergy but is carried and extended by the whole community.
“The growth of the Church was particularly striking, both in numbers and in depth of commitment. It is growth shaped not by resources, but by faith, perseverance, and a shared sense of calling.”
Deep relationships and shared projects
Several schools and parishes in Birmingham have partnerships with their counterparts in Malawi, enabling children and congregations thousands of miles away to learn from each other.
Over the decades, Birmingham has also supported the Anglican church in Malawi through project funding. Projects have included new roofs on classroom blocks, clean water to hospitals and communities, and motorbikes to enable clergy to travel around their rural parishes.
Bishop Esther reflects, “I saw the partnership most clearly in the depth of relationships and shared commitment on the ground, with Paul Bracher, the Chair of the Malawi Task Group as a leading light in this”
The partnership model encourages shared participation and ownership. With an increasing number of church building projects in Malawi, local communities take responsibility for constructing the church buildings themselves, while Church of England Birmingham contributes by funding the roof.
“This approach has helped to foster a strong sense of ownership, dignity and confidence within local congregations,” Bishop Esther explains.
During the visit Bishop Esther joined in worship at Maganga church in the Diocese of Lake Malawi, where she met members of the congregation just days after they first worshipped in their new church building – the building’s roof had been funded by churches in Birmingham.
Bishop Esther said, “I saw the partnership at its best – built on mutuality, trust, and a shared commitment to mission, where each brings what they can and all are strengthened together.”
What’s next for the partnership?
Looking to the future, the partnership’s shared work will focus on five strands: sustainability, leadership, parish growth, church planting and education.
Upcoming projects include a clergy training conference, support for the construction of a church building at the outstation of St Andrew’s, Chikwawa, and repairs to a classroom block at Mplisi school.
Bishop Esther said: “My hope is that the partnership will continue to grow as we support one another in mission, encourage each other in faith, and learn from each other’s context.
“People in Birmingham can be involved through prayer, through building parish and school links, through giving to our shared projects, and through focused visits.
“This is a partnership that belongs to all of us, and there is space for everyone to take part.”
Find out more about the Birmingham-Malawi partnership at the Malawi Praise and Prayer Evening, Wednesday 13 May at 7pm at Birmingham Cathedral or by visiting the Church of England Birmingham website.