Pastor Michael Schlick from the Protestant Church of Réunion Island (EPR) recently visited Mauritius to strengthen the ties between the churches of the Indian Ocean region. This visit was marked by discussions on the history of cooperation and the potential for future collaboration between the Protestant communities in Réunion, Mauritius, and Madagascar.
On Saturday, July 27, at the Jean Lebrun Center, Pastor Michael Schlick met with the executive committee of the Synodal Council, the Moderator Mr. Eddy Rocves, and Pastor Nicole Armand, President of the Pastoral Team of the PCM. This was an official visit aimed at revitalizing the cooperation between our two Churches.
Revisiting the Historical Ties
Pastor Maurice Davantin, President of the Synodal Council, and Pastor David White provided an overview of the history of the Presbyterian Community in Mauritius. They recalled the regional relationships, particularly with the Protestant Church of Réunion Island and the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar (FJKM). There was a reminder of the international meeting of the Youth of the Indian Ocean (a project initiated by Pastor Olivier Brest and continued by Pastor Bernard Stoher of the EPR), joint activities between the Women’s Guild of the PCM and the Dorcas Women’s Association, exchanges between children and catechism teachers, and the memory of the establishment of the Conference of Protestant Churches of the Indian Ocean (CEPOI), which existed in the past. Pastor Bernard Massias was the first pastor from the sister Church to make an official visit to our Church in Mauritius.
Pastor Schlick’s Background and Mission
Pastor Michael Schlick has been working at the EPR for two years. The Moderator had represented the PCM during his installation. Originally from Germany, he pursued his theological studies in Montpellier, France, where he got married. “Meeting others is my passion,” emphasized Pastor Schlick. He favors a ministry that seeks to build bridges between cultures and religion. Sent by DEFAP, the pastor served in Djibouti and ministered to the Community of French-speaking Protestant Churches in Egypt before arriving in Réunion. It is a young Church, but one with qualities, he said. The EPR pastor advocates for “growing together.” This involves training. He is intrigued by the project of exchanges between our two Churches and supports the idea of a steering committee in this area.
Plans for Future Cooperation
Pastor David White hopes to see the structures of this cooperation restart, particularly the training projects for catechism, pastoral retreats, and other seminars, to revive dynamism and better foster exchanges.
Pastor Maurice Davantin affirms that Cevaa encourages such meetings. He notes that the projects discussed will be the subject of discussions at the Synodal Council. After the meeting, David and Françoise White invited Pastor Schlick, his wife Christel, and the entire group to a lunch.