CMS Annual Review 2007-08

SHARING

JESUS CHANGING

LIVES www.cms-uk.org

There’s a hymn you may be familiar with called, “I love to tell the story.” In CMS, we really do, as the song says, love to tell stories of “Jesus and his love.” As a community of mission service, we’re in a unique position to hear stories of Jesus being shared and lives being transformed from people in mission all over the world. These stories become part of the fabric of our own narrative as we share them with our friends and supporters.

The CMS 2007–2008 story, as you’ll see in the pages to follow, is an exciting one. It has been a time of transition; in moving from London to Oxford we’ve seen some of our favourite “characters” go and welcomed new ones. As with any good story, there have been some twists and turns, some surprises along the way.

We invite you to journey with us as we look back on this past financial year, beginning in February 2007. After all, the prayerful support of our members and friends has helped make this story possible. For this we are extremely grateful.

Thank you for joining us in telling the story.

Sincerely in Christ

The Rev Canon Tim Dakin CMS General Secretary

Cover: Our people in mission are our greatest resource

The Rt Rev Paul Butler, Bishop of Southampton Chair of Trustees

Grace abounds

Transforming people and perceptions is what Neema Crafts is all about. Founded in Iringa, Tanzania in 2003 by mission partner Susie Hart, Neema, which means “grace” in Swahili, trains and

employs exclusively deaf and disabled people. To date they’ve provided skills and livelihoods for more than 90 people who would otherwise be passed over for jobs and left to fend for themselves or become burdens to their families. And Neema continues to expand.

Early in 2007, five disabled people attended a course to learn to make recycled glass beads from discarded bottles and jars. Susie reports, “We are now the first – and only – organization within the region to be recycling glass.”

Five other trainees have been trained to make small solar panels, which provide enough power to charge mobile phones, small lights and radios. Mission partner Andy Hart, Susie’s husband, takes these trainees to conduct seminars in villages that don’t have electricity. “Seeing disabled people making and selling this kind of technology is turning people’s perceptions upside down,” he says.

With such rapid growth, Neema’s premises in a rented warehouse have become overcrowded. In order to take on more disabled craftspeople and expand their physiotherapy practice, Neema began construction of permanent premises this year. “We are excited that Neema Crafts will be a beacon of hope for deaf and disabled people for years to come,” says Susie.

Andy, Susie, Grace and Rosie Hart

Background: One of Neema Crafts’ famous elephant dung cards

A journey in more ways than one

It’s easy to compartmentalise our lives, to put things in categories: work and leisure, private and public, sacred and secular. This kind of division can happen with church and mission.

Mission gets separated from the rest

of church life, relegated to a specific committee, and world mission is usually put in one box and local mission in another.

CMS is committed to helping churches reverse this trend and rediscover mission in ways that involve the whole church, not just “professional” missionaries. And we help people see connections between global and local mission.

In 2007, twelve people from Beverley Minster wanted to “look afresh at God’s mission in our parish and throughout the world” so they embarked on a journey with CMS – in more ways than one.

In March, four of them travelled with CMS to Uganda, where they have a link with St Peter’s Cathedral. Two others visited a children’s home in Brazil. “We compared our own strengths and weaknesses with our mission partners elsewhere in the world.”

With some guidance from CMS, the group applied lessons learned overseas to their local community. Participants say they understand more clearly that mission (global and local) involves sending and receiving, listening and learning from each other’s experiences. In addition to sending more church members into the community and overseas, over the next year, “We’ll be working with CMS to arrange for a team from Uganda, where we visited last year, to visit us, so that we can continue to share and learn through an ongoing cross-cultural encounter.”

”In the New Testament, as we read of the first Christians sent out into the world, we

can see that their mission flourished through networking - linking different parts of the Church through mutual support, building relationships and travelling to meet one another face to face and sharing one another’s experiences. It is exciting to be part of a local church committed to the same aim.

Beverley Minster member

”

You couldn’t open a magazine or turn on the television in Spring 2007 without hearing about the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade. This celebratory event paradoxically highlighted the plight of millions still trapped in slavery today.

CMS is no stranger to the battle against slavery. William Wilberforce was one of our founders and Samuel Crowther, the freed slave who became the first African bishop, was educated and supported by CMS. For years we’ve joined in the fight to set captives free from physical and spiritual slavery.

For 2007 CMS produced African Snow, a powerful play that portrayed an encounter between former slave trader John Newton and former slave Olaudah Equiano.

As the play toured cities such as York, London, Birmingham, Hull, Bristol and Brighton, its message captured the conscience of audiences nationwide, motivating them to act against injustice.

Meanwhile, the CMS youth team continued with Free for All, a special programme for schoolchildren, which used drama, music and dance to teach thousands about the horrors of the slave trade past and present. Free for All toured 30 cities, beginning in South London and culminating in Sierra Leone.

Additionally, a schools resource pack called Ending Slavery: an unfinished business, received rave reviews.

The bicentenary allowed us to highlight how CMS is working to set captives free — be they sex slaves or child labourers or those shackled by addiction. Whilst the celebrations have ceased, CMS remains firmly committed to eradicating slavery, just as we always have.

Always anti-slavery

A place of welcome The Mind Body Spirit (MBS) festival, held annually in May in London, attracts hundreds of people looking to connect with their inner self and with others. This year, at the Dekhomai stand, MBS participants also had the chance to encounter Jesus.

Run by CMS and Christians from various communities, Dekhomai ‘The Welcoming Place’ offered prayers for healing, foot and hand massages and resources for understanding Jesus.

One communication tool is the Jesus Deck, a pack of cards resembling Tarot cards. The four suits correspond to the four gospels. Each card contains a spiritual theme, scripture and Jonny Baker

illustration. Visitors are invited to take a card and see how it might apply to their life.

Jonny Baker, CMS team leader, says: “One man pulled a card showing Jesus, the Pharisees and a wounded person at Jesus’ feet. This guy related to the wounded man. Turns out he’d been hurt by a church experience.

It was great to pray for his healing. Being at MBS involves listening to people, trusting God to meet them.

One woman came to the stand and whilst having her feet massaged she asked, ‘Can you tell me the story of Jesus?’ No doubt she heard lots of spiritual things that day – but she also learned about Jesus.”

Our first day in Oxford...

27 July. One hundred and fifty years to the day since freed slave Samuel Ajayi Crowther and his all-African CMS mission team arrived on the east bank of the River Niger. Thousands of people, including CMS General Secretary Tim Dakin, stream into Onitsha, not only to commemorate the diocese’s 150th anniversary, but also to celebrate a century and a half of the gospel in Nigeria.

The Rt Rev Ken Okeke, Bishop on the Niger, recommitted the diocese to evangelistic mission: “We believe what Crowther started gave birth to the church and if we don’t continue it, we will die.” He says priests in remote areas are still “breaking new ground”.

www.cms-uk.org In July we relaunched the CMS website. An updated look and features like our interactive map of people in mission, podcasts and prayerspace – with rolling prayer updates – were just the first steps toward making the new site an engaging hub for the CMS community online.

The relaunch was the culmination of hundreds of hours of intense planning and hard work.

During recent outreaches, people brought boxfuls of idols to destroy.

Amid the festive singing and dancing, women’s groups marked the anniversary by opening two new care homes for troubled teenagers and motherless babies.

These homes were named in honour of Crowther.

150 years and counting

While our thoughts and prayers were with the South Korean missionaries captured in Afghanistan, we welcomed a visit from a talented group of Central Asian Christians involved in challenging, life-changing work in an often-hostile location.

Civil war and natural disasters have left Central Asia in poverty and thousands of children and young people without schools, job prospects or hope. Drugs, crime and — perhaps the biggest threat — despair, are a constant temptation. Founded in 1998, one CMS partner organisation gives young people at risk a chance to rise above their circumstances.

Over 6,000 young people and their families have received physical, social, career and spiritual support from Youth Life. Each week, 1,500 boys and girls participate in youth clubs, where programmes varying from education to breakdance seminars give them a chance to build relationships and avoid the dangerous distractions of the streets.

Ira, a young woman, resisted the clubs at first, but when she saw the lifestyles and character of the Christian leaders and youth, she turned away from a life of destructive behaviour.

As their lives are transformed, many young people go on to serve with the organisation. One young man, who uses his skills as a breakdancer to reach out to young people with the love of Jesus said this to the crowd at the Greenbelt Festival in August, “I used to breakdance and it was all about me. Now I have purpose. I dance to help others and I dance for God.”

Audiences at the Greenbelt Festival in August flipped over watching the breakdancers and hearing their stories

The dance of hope

“Climb Mt Kenya to train the next generation of African leaders”, read the CMS leaflet. It caught the attention of Henry Guy, 69, who says he’s always had a heart for Africa. “In one ear I could hear, ‘Off you go!’ Yet in the other were warnings of high altitude dangers“, Henry recalls.

So after getting his doctor’s OK, Henry began months of planning, training, praying and asking friends, clients and former colleagues for sponsorship. His accountancy background helped him keep organised and Penny, his wife, and a friend helped assemble information packs and presentations explaining why Some of the African leaders who received training thanks to CM S

Henry was doing the climb.

“As pledges and money started coming in, I marvelled

at how God moved people to give so generously,” Henry says. “During the climb, when I settled in my sleeping bag at night, I prayed for my sponsors.”

The six-day trek was, according to Henry, “a dream come true for my dedicated companions and me. Knowing we were on a mission to change lives kept us going to the summit.

“When we reached the top, one of our team, Richard, led us in praise to our Creator.

The whole experience — from hosting barbecues for potential donors to writing thank you notes to visiting Kibera, the vast unforgettable slum near the Kenyan capital — was more rewarding than I could have imagined.”

The Mt Kenya team raised more than £50,000. These funds will create long-term transformation in Africa through providing vital skills training for Africa’s future leaders.

Heads in the clouds

Stephanie, Phil, Richard, David, Kate and Henry

CMS office opens In October, we officially opened the CMS office in Oxford. Above is a view of the new Crowther Centre for Mission Education, which houses a 29,000-volume library, a portion of our vast archives and space for people to learn, grow and connect.

Four hours of light They are often sick and undernourished. Their language is vulgar. At just a few years old they may have already witnessed unspeakable acts of sexual assault. They each bear the shame of their mother’s profession. They are the children of the red light district.

CMS co-mission partner Dr Lalita Edwards has long prayed for a chance to start a creche for these children, to take them out of their high-risk environment, if only for a few hours. In November 2007 her prayers were answered.

Lalita rented premises in the heart of the red light area and she found qualified staff to help take care of the children.

“The creche is for kids aged one to 10. It’s doing very well,” says Lalita, adding, “We have a regular attendance of between 23–25 children from 5–9.30pm everyday. This is the time the children are most vulnerable and have no one to supervise them.

Instead of watching as their mothers see “clients”, the children at the creche learn songs and nursery rhymes, finish their homework if they have any and eat a wholesome meal h before going home. es ad e l Lalita says, “We know that each child is precious ng t h Ba on p and unique and each has been made for a s i t e re he l r h s w to r purpose. Our prayer is to enable them to find d S i e r e ve e r t n t i nu e c o and fulfil that purpose and show them how n r a n o c l n p c o i s ild . special they are to God and us.”

C y io d e sh u 7 i s s a n ad re b .0 l e 11 ur m en ang and .

13 O sc B

Violence following the disputed Kenyan elections left a thousand people dead and over half a million displaced. CMS personnel were able to make a big difference during – and long after – the crisis. CMS Africa director Dennis Tongoi set up his mobile phone as a message centre and calls poured in from people looking for lost loved ones or supplying information that became vital for organisations like the Red Cross and the United Nations.

At the same time he helped coordinate an alliance of Kenyan churches for rescue, rebuilding and reconciliation.

Meanwhile mission partners Anita and Colin Smith, Bob and Rosalind Arnold and John Padwick kept all of us up to date with developing events in Kenya and Uganda.

From his position in Kibera, the vast informal settlement

Anita & Colin Smith

just outside Nairobi that suffered greatly in the violence, Colin reports, “At the Centre for Urban Mission, almost one third of our staff have had to move house, either forcibly or voluntarily, for security reasons.” However, since the crisis, the Centre has been instrumental in helping people in Kibera restart businesses that were destroyed.

Bob & Rosalind Arnold

There can be no doubt that this has been a time of great pain for Kenya, as well as a time for soul-searching. In the midst of all the chaos, the church has an unprecedented opportunity to step up and facilitate healing and reconciliation. That’s certainly priority number one for CMS personnel in Africa.

John Padwick

Dennis Tongoi, Executive Director CMS Africa

Kenya renewal

A handful of rice The state of Mizoram is culturally and economically isolated from the rest of India. Yet their marginalised status hasn’t kept the majority-Christian state from excelling in mission. Though they live in poverty, giving sacrificially to mission is a way of life; when they are cooking, they always set aside a handful of precious rice to sell in order to further the sharing of the gospel.

It has been estimated that one in every 500 Mizos is a missionary. Yet they want to do more. Recently, they advertised 23 training places and 200 people applied.

Through a groundbreaking resource-sharing partnership, CMS is helping the Presbyterian Church of Mizoram add to these numbers.

In January, five new Mizo co-mission partners were posted. One is working in Bangalore with an innovative youth cafe ministry; two are working as nurses in Himachal Pradesh – a state with one of the smallest Christian populations in India.

The other two are teaching in India, one in a church school and one in a mostly Muslim school.

The partnership with the church in Mizoram is a prime example of CMS’s commitment to supporting indigenous international missionaries, particularly in places that are resource rich but cash poor.

There is much more to be done, as well as much to learn from Mizo brothers and sisters. Faith2Share network managing consultant Mark Oxbrow believes the secret of the church’s success is that everyone from the ages of eight to 80 is in Sunday School.

“They call it Sunday School, but it’s really a small group discipleship programme.

That’s what gives them the strength and commitment. Ten per cent of the members are acting as leaders of small groups and discipling others.”

Mizoram mission gathering.

Above: Five new co-mission partners, the first fruits of this historic partnership

The 2007–8 Financial Summary Total income: Donations from churches: From individuals:

From trusts: Legacies: Investment income: Other (rent, sales, etc.)

£2.2 million £1.9 million £0.5 million £1.7 million £1.3 million £0.3 million

Total Expenditure:

£7.9 million 28% 24 % 6% 22 % 16% 4%

£9.8 million

Programmes: £7.3 million 75% We work within a worldwide network, supporting partner organisations, the interchange of people in mission and projects including leadership training, evangelism, education, healthcare and development.

Generating funds:

£0.9 million

9%

Governance: £0.1 million 1% We are responsibly investing in fundraising in order to offer people the opportunity to share in our commitment to mission now and in the future. Effective governance helps ensure that we operate with integrity and accountability.

Relocation: £1.5 million 15% We moved our UK office from London to Oxford in June 2007, driven by a vision for mission in the 21st century.

The Oxford office, like CMS offices in Cape Coast, Nairobi and Seoul, symbolises a CMS community that is both globally connected and rooted in local mission.

In 2007–08 CMS received a total income of £7.9 million and spent £9.8 million. Most of this planned deficit is the result of CMS relocating to Oxford and was covered by reserves generated from the sale of Partnership House in London.

Mission partners and co-mission partners: 161 Africa 58, Asia 67, Europe 25, In training 11 Other people in mission: 68 Africa 30, Asia 37, Europe 1 Cross-cultural exchange programme participants: 116 Study partners: 159 Projects financially supported: 141 Note: This annual report contains highlights of CMS’s financial position; however at the time of publication, these figures had yet to be externally audited. From September 2008 you can obtain a free copy of our fully audited Report and Accounts for 2007–2008 by contacting the CMS office.

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CMS Governance 2007–2008 Patron

Personnel Director Mr Patrick Goh, Fundraising and Marketing Director The Rev Joseph Steinberg

The Most Rev Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury President Viscountess Brentford OBE, to 31 December 2007 Chair The Rt Rev David Urquhart, Bishop of Birmingham (Bishop David retired from the Chair on 31 December 2007. The Rt Rev Paul Butler, Bishop of Southampton, became Chair as of 1 Jan 2008.)

Trustees The Rt Rev Paul Butler, Ms Alexis Chapman, Dr David Fulford, The Rev Canon Philip Groves, Mrs Shona Passfield, Mrs Paddy Payne, Mrs Katharine von Schubert, The Rev Martyn Snow, Dr Kang-San Tan, The Rev Dr Kevin Ward, The Rev Canon Mavis Wilson, The Rev Simon Winn

Support from Trusts, Foundations and Dioceses

CMS Leadership Team General Secretary The Rev Canon Tim Dakin Directors International Mission Director and Assistant General Secretary The Rev Canon Mark Oxbrow, Regional Director for Africa Mr Dennis Tongoi, Regional Director for East Asia The Rev Canon Chye Ann Soh, Regional Director for Eurasia The Rev Phil Simpson, Director for Mission and Community The Rev Canon Chris Neal, Finance Director Mr Paul Breckell (to July 2007) Mr Adrian White (from September 2007),

CMS would like to thank everyone who gave to the Society’s work in 2007–8.

Listed below are the trusts and grant-making bodies who gave large gifts during the year.

Candap Trust, Christian Book Promotions, Church In Wales Appeals Scrutiny Group, Coachmans Charity, Cumber Family Charitable Trust, Diocese of Canterbury, Diocese of Derby, Diocese of Leicester, Diocese of London, Diocese of Oxford, Diocese of Swansea & Brecon, Evangelical Trust Limited, Fairbairn Charitable Trust, Forest Hill Charitable Trust, Fulmer Charitable Trust, Girdlers’ Company Charitable Trust, Global Mission Network, Hilden Charitable Fund, Jerusalem Trust, John James Charitable Trust, Kirby Laing Foundation, Link Charitable Trust, Maranatha Christian Trust, Maurice and Hilda Laing Charitable Trust, Mercers’ Company, Nancy Kenyon Charitable Trust, Oak Foundation, Pan Charitable Trust, Rochester Diocesan Poverty & Hope Appeal, Rozel Trust, Ruffer Charitable Trust, Seven Fifty Trust, SMB Charitable Trust, Souter Charitable Trust, Spring Harvest Charitable Trust, St Christopher’s Trust, The William Leech Foundation Limited, Tisbury Telegraph Trust, Trust Greenbelt, Whitecourt Charitable Trust

SHARING

JESUS CHANGING

LIVES

www.cms-uk.org

CMS is commited to evangelistic mission, working to see a world transformed by the love of Jesus Church Mission Society Watlington Road, Oxford OX4 6BZ Tel: +44 (0)1865 787400 Email: info@cms-uk.org www.cms-uk.org Registered Charity No. 220297