From Portugal to the World

Our Local Community

Over the years All Saints has provided funding for a variety of local causes, too numerous to mention here, but which include safety equipment for the Bombeiros (fire department), orthopaedic beds for a care home, blankets for the elderly and support for several young people with physical disabilities and individual needs. 

We have had a strong link with ASCA (Associação Social e Cultural de Almancil) where we used to worship since 2006 in supporting their work helping local families in need as well as leading craft activities in their Retirement Home and Day Centre.

image.pngFollowing the outbreak of war in Ukraine, our church was asked by the local Junta or Parish Council, to assist them in offering help to the Ukrainian families that were coming to the Almancil. We received a great response to the need and now having helped set up a halfway home for people arriving, we use the remaining funds to help assist the expenses both in the halfway house, and to families that have adopted Ukrainian refugees to assist with the extra costs they incur. On Sundays we have a food collection that is delivered to the half-way house.

Blankets for ASCA
Volunteering for the Banco Aimentar (foodbank)

There are also members of our congregation actively working with Re Food and other Food banks which give help to needy people of all nationalities across the Algarve. Covid and its effect on the tourist industry in the Algarve has severely affected the lives of many people who rely on it for their income. 

This work is ongoing and will be for the foreseeable future.

First of all... where is Rwanda?

Known as ‘The Land of a Thousand Hills’ Rwanda is a small, very beautiful, landlocked African country, not much bigger than the Algarve, bordering on Tanzania, Burundi, Congo and Uganda. The capital city is Kigali in the centre of Rwanda.

When did All Saints connect with Rwanda?

In June of 2008. for the first time in history, three senior church leaders agreed to give official oversight to an Anglican Church in Europe. In a radical break with tradition, these leaders, The Most Rev. Emmanuel Mbona Kolini, Archbishop of the Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda and Bishop of Kigali, The Most Rev’d Dr. Justice Ofei Akrofi, Archbishop of the Church of the Province of West Africa and Bishop of Accra and The Rt. Rev. Frank Retief, Presiding Bishop of the Church of England in South Africa came together at the GAFCON (Global Anglican Future Conference) conference in Jerusalem and signed a Concordat, a document of acceptance which brought Christ The King Anglican Church (formerly All Saints Anglican Church) Algarve, Portugal into their care. This was a truly global, cross border commitment to ensure that Anglicans everywhere can look forward with confidence. You can can read more about Our Journey Together.