The Call - winter 2020 by Church Mission Society

Mission is… An overview of our three-year campaign

Young people lead the way Local partner Salvator Nkorerimana shares stories from Burundi

Crossing paths Pioneers near and far draw on CMS training as they see God at work

MISSION ON THE MARGINS

Meet people in mission working on the margins of Europe

T HE CALL IN ACTIO N

| CHURCHMISSIO NSO C I E TY.ORG

THE CALL – WINTER 2020

ISSUE 14 | WINTER 2020

The Call

The call in action

Welcome to The Call, produced three times a year by Church Mission Society. The Call is a platform for global voices in mission. In these pages you will get to know people from around the world who are joining in God’s mission in a variety of ways. By sharing their stories, insights and reflections, our goal is to give you hope that God is still at work in our world and to inspire you to put your own mission call into action, if not with Church Mission Society then with someone – but preferably with Church Mission Society.

In this edition

MISSION NEWS

LEBANON PHOTO DIARY

WORLD VIEWS

LAMENT FOR LENT

COVER STORY

SO WHAT IS A PIONEER?

MISSION IS…

HOW TO…

What God is doing through your prayerful support

Eyewitness reports of God at work from a “missionary kid” and a Rwandan hospital

Meet CMS people in mission working in Eastern Europe

We look back at our campaign to make a case for mission

Dan Misson shares highlights of a trip to see people in mission

Join us as we make space for lament ahead of Easter hope

We answer frequently asked questions about pioneering

Clean for Good share their story of establishing an ethical business

... and much more

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WELCOME

JOURNEYING TOGETHER: AN ABSOLUTE JOY ALASTAIR BATEMAN, CEO, CHURCH MISSION SOCIETY

Church Mission Society Watlington Road, Oxford, OX4 6BZ T: +44 (0)1865 787400 E: info@churchmissionsociety.org churchmissionsociety.org

/churchmissionsociety @cmsmission

If you have any comments about The Call, please contact the editor: the.call@churchmissionsociety.org Opinions expressed in The Call are those of the authors, not necessarily of Church Mission Society.

Church Mission Society is a mission community acknowledged by the Church of England Registered Company No. 6985330 and Registered Charity No.1131655 (England & Wales) and SC047163 (Scotland). Also part of CMS: The South American Mission Society, Registered Company No. 65048 and Registered Charity No. 221328 (England & Wales); The Church Mission Society Trust, Registered Charity No. 1131655-1 (previously 220297). Registered and principal offices of all above entities: Watlington Road, Oxford, OX4 6BZ.

or m one major milestone of 2019 for me was getting the chance to travel to Kenya for the first time to attend a joint conference for CMS people in mission in Africa as well as CMS-Africa staff and their local partners. Altogether there were about 80 of us. Before arriving I must confess I was a little intimidated at the thought of meeting so many people with so much mission experience. Especially all at once. At the time I was only about five months into my role as CEO. It turns out I needn’t have been nervous. My nine days in Nairobi were an absolute joy. It was evident how much prayer and work had gone into preparing for this time together. As these gatherings take place every few years, this happened to also be the first joint conference for Moses Bushendich, international director of CMS-Africa. CMS-Africa is now into its 11th year and it’s encouraging and inspiring to see how much this Africa-led part of the CMS network has accomplished since its establishment. If you would like to find out more about their story, I encourage you to visit churchmissionsociety.org/africa. We truly have much to learn from our African colleagues. During our first couple of mornings at the conference, Moses taught us from Isaiah 43. You might remember that Church Mission Society staff in the UK regularly read and reflected on this passage together throughout 2019. The passage is as follows: Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters,

who brings out chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild animals will honour me, the jackals and the ostriches; for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise. Based on this Scripture, Moses led us in some fantastic conversations about what new things God might be doing between CMS in the UK and CMS-Africa and how we can all support one another. It was thrilling to see Western and African people in mission answering these questions together, making connections, building relationships. Moses then talked us through CMSAfrica’s current strategy to renew mindsets and transform nations throughout Africa. Again, if you’d like to read more about this, go to the web page I suggested above. Another highlight for me was a session on African theology run jointly by Moses and CMS mission partner Chris Wilson, who lives with his wife Suzy and children in Gambella, Ethiopia, and teaches at St Frumentius’ Theological College. Moses provided a historical overview of Christianity in Africa and Chris brought contextual input from his experiences in Ethiopia, where he teaches a mix of Ethiopians and refugees from Sudan and South Sudan, many

THE CALL – WINTER 2020

from different (and often-differing) tribes. As the world seems to become more fragmented, it’s refreshing to hear of people from different groups and nations coming together, worshipping together, learning together. On our final day together, we took part in communion, led by Bishop Hassan from Sudan. The sharing of the peace had a particular poignancy for us all as we seek to work together more closely in the future. And of course, as is often the case with these kinds of gatherings, so much happened between the sessions, at meal times and breaks. One of the brilliant people I got to meet is Salvator Nkorerimana, a CMS-Africa local partner from Burundi. You’ll read more about him on page 13 of this edition of The Call. I feel I can say confidently that everyone left the conference feeling excited and encouraged by what God had done and what he has in store for us in the future. I’m pleased to report that momentum from this conference hasn’t been lost. Moses has since been to visit us in the UK, speaking at the annual Africa Conference in Swanwick and meeting with us as we plan for the future of our two organisations. As some of you will be aware, CMS has kicked off a strategic review process, aptly called The Isaiah Project. The purpose of this is to discern together God’s calling on CMS for this generation. It would be wonderful if you could be praying for this. Thank you for prayers as we enter this new year together. Without God’s presence and your prayerful support, the stories within these pages cannot happen. Let’s give thanks to God for lessons learned in Africa and for all we will share together in 2020. 3

MISSION NEWS Network to help local organisations work smarter Short-termers Rosie and Stu Bayford at ReVive in Recife, Brazil, are championing a web-based network to bring together several projects addressing the needs of at-risk children in the area. It will help the projects to share knowledge and expertise as well as provide a public platform for locals to access the vital services they offer. The idea is for a hub where projects can share information, joining forces to increase the projects’ overall impact and make it easier for people who need their services to find what they’re looking for. So far, more than 10 projects

have joined the network, and the hope is for every project in the Recife area to be part of it. ReVive is doing the important work of providing temporary homes for at-risk children and advocating for adoption among Christian families, forging new paths into loving homes for many children who need them. The endeavour is headed up by mission partners Andy and Rose Roberts, and several other CMS people in mission have joined the team: Daniel and Sarah Brito Medeiros, Evaldo and Rebecca Reid Rodrigues as well as Rosie and Stu. Presenting the website idea

CMS pioneer students celebrate graduation In early December, pioneer students in both London and Oxford celebrated their graduation in style. In London, Bishop Ric Thorpe presented certificates to students from the London School of Pioneers and shared how delighted he was and how much the church in London needs more pioneers. These students were interviewed and shared stories of what stood out for them and what they were going on to do. They said they could now see differently, had learned pioneering tips for getting started, saw a much bigger picture and had been disturbed in a good way. Their pioneering ranges from prison visiting, setting up new monastic communities, reaching out to mums with new babies, a Christian community growing out of a charity shop, leading a community church, setting up a prayer network across London and so on. In Oxford, graduates from CMS Pioneer Mission Leadership Training celebrated with a non-stop display of pattern and colour, using the kaleidoscope as an analogy for pioneering. Jane Gray, one of the organisers, says: “As pioneers, everything we do is part of the kaleidoscope of God’s Kingdom. Every piece is unique and vital... Thanks to CMS I have come to understand that – to see my unique place in God’s world.” Rt Rev Christopher Cocksworth, bishop of Coventry, said that admitting lay pioneers to an order of the Church of England was “the church saying we need this gift and we want this gift… A particular calling of lay pioneers is to keep helping the church to be what it should be – ‘apostolic’ – always in the mode of being sent.”

DR Congo: Pioneering project celebrates 10 years of serving street children In July 2019 the Kimbilio project in Lubumbashi, DR Congo, celebrated its 10-year anniversary and broke ground on a new primary school building. Initially started by former CMS mission partner Ian Harvey and a team of local people, Kimbilio (“place to run to for safety”) has provided clean water, food, healthcare, shelter and education to thousands of street children. The project is now led by CMS local partner Jean Bosco Tshiswaka and supported by the Congo Children Trust. Beyond providing for the basic needs of street-connected children, Kimbilio’s key focus is reuniting children with their families where possible and preventing their return to street life. This is done through strengthening families and providing life skills courses, so families don’t feel their only option is to leave children to fend for themselves. Kimbilio has also stepped in on behalf of children who have been falsely accused of witchcraft and thrown out of their homes. Since starting in 2009, Kimbilio has grown, adding more and more safe houses for boys and girls and expanding its team of caring professionals. The next step is to establish a primary school to offer quality education to former street children and local children whose families can’t afford school fees.

Left: Bishop Ric Thorpe congratulates one of the graduates Below: Oxford graduates’ kaleidoscopic celebration

Kimbilio breaking ground on primary school

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MISSION NEWS Getting in the Grove: new books Attention churches! CMS’s Partnership for Missional Church (PMC) manager Nigel Rooms has recently written two volumes for Grove Books. These are great resources for congregations wanting to become more mission-centred: Missional Church: What Does God Look Like? and Spiritual Leadership in the Missional Church. They are available at grovebooks.co.uk. To learn more about how PMC can help your church join in God’s mission, go to churchmissionsociety.org/pmc

Enterprising mission: research shows CMS course brings good ideas to life Mixing business with mission is working, according to recent research commissioned by Church Mission Society. This research, which looked at the outcomes of CMS’s week-long Make Good missional entrepreneurship course, found that of those who participated in the research, 76 per cent said they had started a new mission/business project and 25.5 per cent said they had started more than one new project, thanks to the course input. One example of a mission enterprise started with help from Make Good is the ethical cleaning business Clean for Good (see page 31), which is now changing the lives of cleaners in London. Other missional projects started include a coffee company, a brewery with shared workspaces, retreat centres, social justice initiatives and fresh expressions of church. During the Make Good week, which CMS runs in partnership with Matryoshka Haus, participants learn how to bring their ideas for missional businesses to life. There is gradual refining throughout the week, as well as input from experts and a chance to pitch ideas to investors at the end. See more about Make Good at pioneer.churchmissionsociety.org

To the ends of the earth In December a group of CMS people in mission (including four bishops, four more clergy and five lay people) travelled to the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia. They were there to commemorate “God’s sentinel” Waite Stirling, South America’s first Anglican bishop, and to walk in his footsteps 150 years after he first arrived. All last year the Anglican church in South America has been celebrating the 150th anniversary of two events: the establishment of the first Amerindian mission on Argentine soil, and the consecration of South America’s first Anglican bishop. The contrast between the majestic peaks and huge seas in Tierra del Fuego and the miserable state of the canoe dwellers was not lost on early explorers in the area. The passion to share the love and hope of Christ led to very brave action by men like Stirling and Allen Gardiner. A plaque was unveiled at the monument to Waite Stirling in Ushuaia (Argentina), on the site of the first mission house in the area. The group also

A 15-yearold with nodding syndrome

Making a difference in Maridi Lynn Treneary, a mission partner based in Maridi, South Sudan, is working together with churches, government and other charities on an ambitious project to help children with nodding syndrome, a condition affecting children in South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania. An estimated 20,000 children in Maridi have nodding syndrome, and until recently little has been known in the community about how it can be treated. Nodding syndrome begins to affect children between the ages of five and 15. One of the first symptoms is that children start to drop their head when they see food, then pick their head up again to try to eat – giving the appearance of nodding. They then have epileptic fits. Further symptoms include stunted growth, not going through puberty and significant cognitive impairment. This means that children are unable to stay safe in day-to-day life. When Lynn first came across the condition, there was no access to research, treatment or medication in the area. The challenge seemed far too big for her to address. But she realised that as she was constantly speaking of how nothing is impossible with God, she prayed: “We can’t do this Lord. We need you to do this.” Since then, Lynn has visited a treatment centre in northern Uganda that cares for children with the condition and found out more about some medication that can help. She has brought together a focus group including national and local government health representatives, the health department of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and a couple of other NGOs. This group has drawn up a proposal for the first treatment centre for nodding syndrome in Maridi. They have acquired land from the church, Lynn has been sourcing medicines and the government will provide medical staff once the medicine is available. In the future, they hope to go beyond the centre with an outreach team travelling to more remote areas and to build a school and dormitory to provide respite care. Lynn comments that she has learned: “Think big, don’t think we can’t do it.”

sailed across the Beagle Channel to Chile in a small yacht to visit the house where Waite Stirling lived. While in the area, they were able to worship and pray with local Christians. Bishop Nick Drayson commented, “It was heartening to pray with local believers, in some ways the direct descendants of those early missionary efforts. And it was inspiring to sense the same missionary call today, as the Latin American church looks outwards to the other ‘uttermost parts of the earth’.”

THE CALL – WINTER 2020

The plaque was unveiled in Ushuaia, Argentina

MISSION NEWS Remembering the value of the Bible

NEWS IN BRIEF

Mission partners Patricia and Peter Wyard, working in palliative care and theological education in Aru, DR Congo, were recently reminded of the precious gift of owning a Bible – which may be the only book someone owns. Peter has been selling Lugbara Bibles at cost price, a very significant saving for local people. While they were away, their colleague Robert sold the last copies. However, one of the palliative care patients had decided that he wanted to be baptised, and during his baptism class was encouraged to get a Bible. Following one of his hospital visits, he came to their house with money. Their cook, Clementine, told him to wait for Robert, unaware that Robert had already sold the last copy. When Robert turned up and told the man there were no more Bibles available, the man burst into tears and was inconsolable. Clementine and Robert were so moved by the man’s distress that they decided to sell him Clementine’s copy, and Robert was dispatched on his motorbike to fetch it. The man was utterly grateful and asked Clementine to pray for him before he left. As she finished, he held his Bible

Rediscovering hope Recently Mathews Thomas, a CMS local partner in India, and the church where he is a field coordinator were profoundly impacted through their involvement in Priya’s (not her real name) life. Priya came to the church for help after leaving her abusive husband of many years. She arrived with two young daughters and an aging mother, and none of them had had anything to eat for almost three days. Faced with this starving, terrified and damaged family, the church leaders weren’t sure at first how they could help. Mathews and the team that he ministers with at the local church made them feel comfortable, showed concern, fed them and listened to their horrific story. The church arranged a place for the family to stay and provided them with clothing. They also helped Priya to file a police report so that she is no longer threatened. The team began praying for her and soon, the whole church was helping the family by providing clothes, food and shelter. Priya is now beginning to rebuild her life with her two daughters and her mother.

In 2019 Bujumbura Christian University (BCU) celebrated its first graduation, with 13 students (12 men, 1 woman) receiving Bachelor of Theology degrees. This is an important step forward for the Anglican Church of Burundi in the area of training future leaders. Rev Canon Donald Werner, vice chancellor emeritus and former CMS mission associate called this an historic day and saluted the courage of students who persevered with their studies, especially during the 2015 crisis.

The palliative care patient who received the Bible

up towards the sky in gratitude. Fortunately, Patricia and Peter had brought more Bibles back from Kampala on their return, so Clementine could receive a new Bible and the ministry can continue.

Bradford baptisms: 16 people of a variety of nationalities, mainly from Muslim backgrounds, were baptised or confirmed in September, according to a joy-filled report from Joan and Nigel, mission partners who are part of a local church in a very multicultural area: “Many had harrowing stories to tell… Please pray for these new Christians as they face challenges and learn to trust in the Lord.” Mission partner Kailean Khongsai, working with his wife Kim in creation care in Southall, London, was recently interviewed for the Discovery Channel as he unveiled an owl sculpture made of scrap metal, part of a Wolf Fields art project. Wolf Fields is an area of land that Kailean and local volunteers are transforming into a vibrant community green space.

She is beginning to find hope again through the caring community she has found in the church. She can now see a glimmer of light – discovering Jesus and anticipating a brighter future ahead. Priya’s story has had a profound impact on Mathews and his team at the church. More than ever, it has made them realise the importance of the church’s role to help rebuild someone’s life and help them discover hope again.

The Zukuka Bora Coffee project in Mbale, Uganda, is creating quite a buzz, with up to 100 local people employed during the harvesting season and over 3,000 bags shifted across Uganda in the last few months alone. Anna and Dave Bishop, CMS mission associates who oversee the project through their work with JENGA, said, “We’ve even been roasting coffee in our garage in the last six months as we look to generate more employment and as demand rockets. We’re now working with 600+ farmers and it’s thrilling to see the growing impact of a sustainable development idea with a Kingdom focus.” Zukuka Bora coffee is also exported to the UK and Australia.

Mathews Thomas

Best wishes to mission partner Lynn Treneary in South Sudan, who was ordained deacon in the Diocese of Maridi in December. Lynn teaches English at the Chaima Christian Institute.

For more mission news, stories and resources visit: CHURCHMISSIONSOCIETY.ORG 6

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WORLD VIEWS

THIS

BEAUTIFUL LIFE K reflects on what growing up as a “missionary kid” has meant for her.

I K, a member of a mission partner family

wasn’t aware that I was a “missionary kid” until well into my teens, when people at church or a conference would ask “so what’s it really like being a missionary kid?” It never really occurred to me that my life wasn’t especially normal until we moved to the UK for two years. Now I really know what being a missionary kid is like – it is painful, it is messy and it leaves you feeling on the outside of things: a bit strange and quite misunderstood. Being a child of people in mission has given me a very fertile environment in which to grow and mature. I’ve had to learn to relate to and engage with people who aren’t my age. However, having to engage with so many people who aren’t my age has left me at a disadvantage. I find it a bit uncomfortable to relate to others my age and find it hard to fit in. Living on two continents and in three different countries has meant that I

have been to six schools, not including preschools. Because of this my life has been a more or less continual process of adjustment and readjustment. I have struggled with the fact that I don’t live in the same country as my closest friends, and that my family live in a different country to those people too. I have felt on the edge. Always having my feet in two places, standing across seas, bridging the gap. I have grown in my cultural understanding of this world. I feel mission has taught me how to honour other people of different cultures, languages and beliefs. I have also had the amazing privilege of travelling to over 25 countries, all in 18 years. I feel really at home in airports.

Being a missionary kid hasn’t always been easy. At times, I have felt ripped from my closest friends and plunged into the depths of the uncomfortable. However, I am eternally grateful for this beautiful life that I get to call mine, with

“I am eternally grateful for this beautiful life that I get to call mine, with friends all over the world.” friends all over the world. I have been taught what to value in life – relationships and communication, close and intimate moments with family, traditions and rhythms, culture and language and people of all kinds of backgrounds. I have been taught to make my home wherever we plant our feet and have learned to find beauty in all kinds of mysterious places. While challenging, being a missionary kid also leaves me with a sense of pride. Pride in knowing I am different. Pride in knowing that I have lived such a colourful and vibrant life. Pride in myself and my family for our ability to adapt and change and adjust to new ways of living with new traditions, new languages and new food. I am so proud of us for sticking out the tough times and for constantly supporting each other. Because we have moved to different places, we have had to grow so close that we are knitted together.

Growing up as a missionary kid: I feel really at home in airports

THE CALL – WINTER 2020

WORLD VIEWS

SUPER-SPIRITUAL OR LACK OF FORWARDTHINKING? We gave one of the hospital security guards a lift to Kigali, or at least halfway there. He had got time off to go and visit a doctor, and pounced on the chance for free transport.

W Rwanda By Catriona and Steve Bennett, mission partners at Gahini Hospital, Rwanda

Right: Catriona and Steve both work as doctors (an anaesthetist and a surgeon) at Gahini Hospital, Rwanda

e weren’t sure exactly where in Kigali we were taking him (due to the limitations of combined English and Kinyarwanda communication), but we were surprised when he asked us to stop and let him out at a small town a little over halfway there. He had relatives living on an overlooking hill and had to go to them to try to get some money to pay for his visit to the doctor. As we left him at the roadside, cheerfully preparing the next stage of his journey, we considered this significant cultural difference between Mzungu and Rwandan – we would never have set out without having the money to complete the task. One could argue strongly and biblically that he was living out his Christian faith. Paul declares in Philippians 4 that, “God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus,” in the context of describing being content in all situations. This man had managed to get a couple of days off work and was setting out on a long journey without the means to pay to get there or for what he needed when he got there, but he trusted that he would be able to acquire the money he needed on the way, and complete his journey in time to be back for his next work shift. However, Jesus says in Luke 14 that if you want to build a tower, “Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’” So had our guard prayed and trusted God to meet his needs, or had he failed to estimate the costs in advance? In our area of Rwanda there are many

partially completed buildings. It would seem to be fairly standard practice to start when you have enough money for foundations, and then continue building when you have a little more money. Many buildings show little or no progress, but others do move forward each year. This situation probably isn’t helped by the cultural expectation that if you have money, you will help out your (potentially quite distant) family member who is in urgent need. Our former nanny had failed to complete college due to a lack of money, but once she was earning working for us, she was expected to contribute to the cost of school fees for a younger sibling, meaning she was unable to save up to pay for returning to education herself. I think we have a lot to learn from those around us. On the one hand, in order to move forward, sometimes you have to trust that

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God will supply your needs and guide your steps. “If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat.” At the same time, you have to consider the potential cost, and while it’s all very well to say that God will provide, sometimes his means of providing involves you doing the work to gain that provision. For us, that has meant stepping out of the boat that is the NHS, and moving to work for Church Mission Society in a Rwandan hospital. At the same time, we had to ensure that enough funding was in place, and pledged for the future, in advance of us leaving – and we are incredibly grateful to all of the churches and individuals who continue to support us financially. I suspect for many of us, we need to have a little more faith and trust in God, so that we do keep trying to walk on water.

NEW PEOPLE IN MISSION

NEW PEOPLE IN MISSION We would like to introduce some of the new mission partners who have joined Church Mission Society and are preparing for their next steps. This issue features Andy and Kati as they look forward to moving to Brazil, and Neil and Sue preparing to work with refugees in Uganda. South America has always been part of our lives and close to our hearts. Andy, a dual British/Argentine citizen, and Katiane (Kati), from Brazil, have lived in Leeds since 2014. In 2019 our daughter, Eva, was born. We first got to know each other and were married in Florianopolis, southern Brazil, where we have a local connection. Having returned to Brazil on several occasions, we have felt God calling us to work alongside local churches and the most marginalised sectors of the community there.

ANDY AND KATIANE WALSH

Our heartfelt desire is to tell people about Jesus and grow disciples within the refugee community from Kajo-Keji, South Sudan, currently living in Moyo, Uganda. Neil will use his surgical skills in a hospital serving local and refugee communities. Sue will work as a lecturer and mentor at Kajo-Keji Christian College, which trains lay and ordained people for the Episcopal Church. Kajo-Keji College is currently in exile in Uganda due to the civil war in South Sudan. It is playing a crucial role in training pastors and lay ministers. The college is in the process of upgrading its

IF YOU...

Economic inequality and precarious housing conditions are prevalent social issues in Brazil and are among the worst in the world. Without opportunities we are afforded in the UK, young people face real social disadvantage and many resort to crime, drug

use and gang involvement. We are called to those who face social exclusion, including those living in favelas, to support people to realise their potential through a life-changing hope in Jesus. Kati, who is a lawyer, has many years’ experience of mentoring young people – particularly teenage girls who are susceptible to abuse and exploitation. Andy has a 20-year track record of working in and managing government-funded projects to help tackle homelessness and drug-related crime, and initiatives to help people to secure employment. In Leeds, Andy presently works in a senior management position for a national housing association that provides housing solutions and specialist services for young people and adults who are socially excluded due to disabilities, mental health issues and homelessness. With the support provided by Church Mission Society we will be working together with local churches and NGOs to help children and adults practically, socially and spiritually.

qualifications and they are excited to have Sue on board. Neil has been wanting to work as a mission surgeon for many years. He has been welcomed to work at the government hospital in Moyo, and looks forward to working closely with the medical team in this challenging placement. We grew up in South Africa and have travelled a lot over the years, always trying to serve God wherever we have been. Neil is a general and vascular surgeon, and has done five short-term stints in Galmi, Niger. Sue is a qualified teacher and licensed lay minister, with some experience of prison ministry. She is completing her Masters in theology in order to be able to better serve the growing church in Africa. We have been living in the UK for the past 22 years and have four grown up children, three of them based in the UK and one in South Africa.

would like to find out more about these mission partners or sign up to support them, please go to: churchmissionsociety.org/pim

NEIL AND SUE BROWNING

IF YOUR CHURCH...

would like to link with CMS mission partners to give financial and prayer support, please get in touch with our church relations team for more information at: churchrelations@churchmissionsociety.org

THE CALL – WINTER 2020

MISSION ON THE MARGINS

COVER STORY

Journey to the edges of Eastern Europe with Jenny Muscat as she explores how CMS people in mission are making a difference in Ukraine, Romania and Moldova.

thnically diverse communities. Children with disabilities. Adults grappling with addiction. A church planted in a town known for high crime rates. Sharing Jesus in the poorest country in Europe. These are all glimpses of contexts in Eastern Europe where CMS people in mission are seeing God at work. “What I really love is seeing people’s lives change through their faith and through their obedience to God.” Mission partner Alison Giblett has been in Ukraine for the last 16 years, and shares her passion to see God transforming lives in a context of spiritual and economic hardship. Alison explains that life in Ukraine is difficult – with economic instability meaning that many are struggling to get by, particularly in the villages. Many churches in the villages cannot afford to pay a pastor, so church leaders are juggling their pastoral role with providing for their families. For young people, unemployment is a significant challenge. There are also high levels of alcoholism: Alison shares that 40 per cent of men have alcohol problems, meaning that in most families there is someone grappling with addiction-related issues. Through the Genesis ministry, Alison runs training programmes to help people overcome life-controlling

problems including addiction and destructive thought patterns. They learn to develop healthy habits based on God’s truth.

TREMENDOUS TRANSFORMATION Before entering the Genesis programme, one man’s struggle with alcohol cost him his marriage and his church position. He had travelled to Kiev with the intention of going abroad to start afresh. Then he met Alison. While he had sought help and reduced his alcohol consumption, he still felt worthless and without purpose or identity. Alison encouraged him to stay in Kiev and work through the Genesis programme. He was reluctant, but agreed to start the course. As he opened up to Alison and other leaders, the man began to see his life turn around. He decided not to travel abroad, as he realised that running away wasn’t the answer. He has now gone a long time without drinking. He has learned to control his temper and no longer manipulates people into giving him money. He and his wife are still separated, but they are friends again and there is a possibility of restoring that relationship.

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Left: Members of a Holy Spirit Mission team speak with a resident in Rzhyshchiv, Ukraine Bottom left: Alison Giblett has been a CMS mission partner in Ukraine for 16 years Right: Local partner Valery Alymov prepares for an evangelistic concert Page 12 top: Sergiu and Diana Bradean – local partner Sergiu leads a missionfocused church in Constanta, Romania Page 12 bottom left: Mark and Arleen Rowell and Sharon Rose recently moved to Moldova Page 12 bottom right: Valery Alymov and Alison Giblett with members of the Tabernacle of the Living God church, Kiev

This man is now a Genesis leader and counsellor, sharing his testimony of all that God has changed in his life. This is just one of the tremendous stories of transformation that Alison has seen. Alongside Genesis ministry, Alison is involved in evangelism and discipleship through a church plant in Kiev, Tabernacle of the Living God, and mission visits with the Holy Spirit Mission, going to villages and towns around Ukraine. Alison serves with CMS local partner Valery Alymov, the pastor who started the church plant and who leads the mission trips. Valery became a Christian as a young army lieutenant in 1988. While drinking tea, he heard the voice of God saying, “I exist, seek me.” Valery read religious books and asked others about God – but didn’t hear any Christians preach. In 1991 he watched the Jesus film and decided to follow Christ. Since then he has led a number of churches – including one that he started in his garrison with other officers and soldiers because there was no access to church.

The group had given up a week of their holiday and paid to travel to the area – sleeping on a church floor for the week. This is the normal routine of the outreach trips – reminding Stephen that mission is “not just about what is comfortable or convenient for us.” The groups pray early each morning, then head out and speak to people on the streets and in their gardens, sharing the gospel and praying for people when this is welcome, as well as inviting them to a concert at the end of the week. They return to the church to share testimonies and pray during the day. Tanas was struck by their faithfulness in prayer, commenting, “these people are prayer warriors”. At the end of the week, the team put on an outdoor concert in a park, where people could come and hear music, a gospel message and stories of changed lives. Valery is involved in the outreach at every level – from the overall planning and speaking at the concert, through to the manual labour of setting up the equipment. For Valery, the important thing is to preach the gospel simply and with sincerity and love.

southern Romania, it is “spiritually poor”, meaning that there is “a vast field of work” for Christians in the area. The church they lead, Golgotha Baptist Church, has a congregation of about 150 and has long been committed to mission in their area and further afield. Golgotha has planted multiple churches. Two of these are in Constanta, and a church was also planted to be a light in Cernavoda, a town known for having particularly high rates of crime and prostitution and where girls are recruited and trafficked into the sex trade. The main church is connected to two mission churches just outside Constanta in Tuzla and Ovidiu. The areas of ministry Sergiu and church members are involved in include:

“What I really love is seeing people’s lives change through their faith and through their obedience to God.”

AN OPEN COUNTRY AND A LABOUR OF LOVE Valery is passionate about sharing the good news of Jesus in Ukraine: “People in Ukraine are very open compared to other places. There’s no laws against preaching the gospel in the street or squares and so we have the opportunities to do personal and public evangelism. God has given us a special grace to do this evangelism and so it helps us to warm people’s hearts and approach people in a way that is not threatening and they can hear the gospel.” As he shares the gospel, Valery has seen people freed from addictions and marriages restored. Last August, CMS staff members Stephen Wells (communications) and Tanas Alqassis (regional manager for Europe, the Middle East and North Africa) joined Valery, Alison and a team from their church on a trip to Rzhyshchiv in the Kaharlyk Raion region, whose name translates as “the cursed land”. This is an area with limited Christian witness, and where many people are involved in the occult.

A VAST FIELD OF WORK Valery is not the only CMS local partner in this part of the world involved in church planting and evangelism. Sergiu Bradean leads a church in Constanta, Romania. Located in the east of the country by the Black Sea, Constanta is a city with many ethnic groups. For Sergiu and his wife, Diana, arriving in Constanta from further inland five years ago, this represented an opportunity for cross-cultural mission on their doorstep. They are learning about the cultures and finding culturally relevant ways to present their faith. Constanta has a population of around 300,000, and the evangelical Christian community in the city is around 1,000. Sergiu comments that, along with the wider region of

connecting with children and their families, including English classes, holiday clubs and a children’s choir; running summer camps, particularly using football coaching to bring young people from different communities together and share the gospel; a Christian music and arts festival for young people; work in prisons, contributing to New Testament studies and helping prisoners and their families to prepare for release and reunion; a Christian radio station that can get to places that would otherwise be impossible to reach; and meeting the practical needs of impoverished families in their community.

REPRESENTING JESUS This final area of meeting practical needs is important in Constanta. Many people travel there for summer work, but if they lose their jobs at the end of the season, they can be left unable to afford to return home. For families, this can mean children drop out of school because they cannot afford the materials needed. Sergiu and Diana therefore try to put together backpacks with enough resources for at least the first semester, so the children can continue their education. Diana said: “You can tell them about Christ, but if you don’t show up where they are in need, if you don’t help them pass this moment in their lives, they won’t understand you. Jesus was all about doing not just talking. So that’s what we need to learn as a family and as a church. We need to understand that coming to church on Sunday is not enough. You have to be relevant to the whole week.”

THE CALL – WINTER 2020

MISSION ON THE MARGINS Sergiu and Diana have seen the fruit of these efforts, telling us of a couple who joined the church: “We saw two houses that looked poor in the neighbourhood. So, we took some food to these houses. At one house we met a couple living in a tiny space. We gave them something to eat and then we invited them for a meal. We had a family at church that organised meals for older people, not only the poor. As the couple lived very close to the church, they walked to this meal and started coming to it every week. And they started coming to church. The woman wants to be baptised. Her husband also wants to, but keeps saying maybe not this year, he’s not prepared. “It’s amazing to see them on Sunday at church. Whenever we have a prayer time, it’s either one or both

MOLDOVA UKRAINE

ROMANIA

Mission on the margins in Ukraine, Romania and Moldova.

of them praying out loud in the whole congregation. We have members of our church who I’ve never heard pray out loud in five years. And these people, they are just so grateful for everything Christ did in their lives and the changes they see. They want to be so close to him and are ready to forget everything and everybody around them just to be able to say, ‘Thank you Lord for saving my life.’” One of Sergiu’s dreams for the future is to plant a church in the local Turkish community. He is partnering with a Turkish pastor who started the first Turkish congregation in Romania to make this a reality.

Yet amid the busyness, Sergiu explained, “We don’t want to just do things, but to represent Jesus.”

MULLING OVER MOLDOVA Sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania is Moldova, one of the poorest countries in Europe. Alison went to Moldova in 2019 to reconnect with some of those people that she had run Genesis programmes with a few years ago. And in 2019, more CMS people in mission moved to Moldova. Sharon Rose admits that when she was first invited to consider spending time in Moldova, she wouldn’t have been able to find it on a map. A friend invited Sharon to join her on a trip to Dancu in 2016. On that trip, Sharon was blown away by how the local church community were sharing God’s love. She comments: “There were lots of needs but so much hope.” After a couple more visits, Sharon decided to move to Dancu on a longerterm basis, and joined CMS as a mission associate. She moved to Moldova in autumn 2019. Sharon is now using her professional skills as a speech and language therapist to work with a team supporting children with disabilities and their families. Arleen and Mark Rowell were reflecting on what God might want them to do next, as Arleen came to the end of a job and Mark considered retirement. As they sought to discern where God might be calling them, they started conversations with CMS and it became clear that Moldova was to be their destination. Although they knew that there were people from Eastern Europe living in their town in the UK, Arleen and Mark realised that they didn’t know very much about the countries these people had come from. They read a book about mission in Moldova that whetted their appetite and discovered a Moldovan fellowship in the next town. After undertaking training in teaching English as a foreign language and visiting Moldova to meet the pastor, Arleen and Mark are now teaching English in Cahul, a small town in the south of the country, through a project run by a local church. The project involves teaching English to children, young people and adults – and there are over 400 students. Through the teaching programme and other community

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projects the church is able to build relationships and create a space for people to find out more about the Christian faith and to demonstrate that Jesus is relevant to everyday life.

All these people in mission on the margins of Europe are committed to sharing Jesus in word and deed, being present and bringing hope in the face of great needs. All have seen that Jesus is at work with those who are forgotten or left behind, and that mission means being on the margins.

Might God be calling you to the margins, near home or further afield? To find out more about placements with Church Mission Society, go to churchmissionsociety.org/ opportunities

FEATURE STORY

YOUNG PEOPLE LEADING THE WAY IN BURUNDI At a gathering of people in mission from CMS and CMS-Africa in the autumn, Nicole Stephens (key relationships officer) heard about young people bringing change in Burundi.

“I

n Burundi young people face many challenges,” says Rev Salvator Nkorerimana, a CMS local partner and the country coordinator for CMS-Africa’s work in Burundi. Serving as a priest in Matana Diocese, Salvator is burdened by the apparent lack of opportunities and the untapped potential of the many young people in his parish, yet he is excited by what God is doing through the delivery of CMS-Africa’s youth discipleship training, known as 3D. The focus of 3D is to help young people discover their talents, develop those talents and deploy them for the benefit of their community and church as well as themselves. Rooted in finding identity in Christ, the training aims to combat the helplessness that young people feel. Salvator is passionate about seeing youth grasp the message, “You are able to do something, even if you are not employed, because of who/whose you are.” When Salvator first introduced 3D in 2016, the training was advertised in different churches and denominations across Matana Diocese, because, “poverty is

not for this church or that one… we need to show people that God is not for this church or that one, but for all churches.” Salvator says the youth responded en masse, with 300 young people taking part in the sixmonth programme.

ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT

francs towards the project, giving them a total of 600,000 Burundian francs. This was enough to buy a machine to make soap and to give a foundation to their activities. ADIPIC is organised into nine groups, and each group took the homemade soap products to sell in their different networks.

Below: CMS-Africa staff visit a soapmaking project started by young people

After completing 3D, young people in the diocese came together to discuss what they could do in view of the lack of jobs and opportunities. They formed an association, ADIPIC (Association for Integral Development and the Promotion of Community Initiatives), and decided to have a go at various income-generating activities. First they undertook soap-making. In need of start-up capital for the business, ADIPIC members decided not to go to the bank for credit, but, inspired by the teachings of 3D, said, “let’s use first what we have”. Over the next two months, each member of ADIPIC contributed 1,000 Burundian

THE CALL – WINTER 2020

YOUNG PEOPLE LEADING

As they began to see money come in, Salvator says the young people of ADIPIC reacted by saying: “Wow, we can get a profit. Let’s begin another activity.” Energised to add further income-generating activities to their efforts, some started small businesses in local markets, others produced sanitary towels and still others worked on producing school chalk. For the local community, the impact of releasing the creativity and God-given

a community that supported her and even organised a space for her to start her own business, making and selling a variety of products. Gradually, Emima was able to earn enough to resit her exams, which she passed! She is now at university in Bujumbura, in her second year studying economics, and is involved in a church there. Another young lady found herself rejected by her family following a sexual assault while at school. She was left with a young baby to care for and little means of finding the necessary support. Encouraged by Salvator to attend 3D training, she was supported through her difficult circumstances and empowered to use her talents for good. She started a small business in the market selling fruit and vegetables, and began earning enough to provide for herself and her child. Unfortunately, last January a fire broke out at Matana market which destroyed many businesses, including hers. Through ADIPIC, she has found fellowship and a supportive community. The association has been able to rally around her and support her with a small loan to help restart her business. Salvator says that this young woman has started coming to church because, “the challenges she is passing through have pushed her also to approach God… I thank God, because it can be the window to give her the strength. We are praying for her.”

“The building of this church stands as a physical representation of the power of 3D training and mindsets renewed by faith in a good God.” potential of the youth has been tangible. Where previously local schools would have had to go to the capital, Bujumbura, to buy chalk, they can now buy it from former students, “Made in Matana”. The local hospital has asked for training in making sanitary towels and the local senator has invested in the work of ADIPIC by contributing six-months’ rent for the property they use as a base.

CHURCH BEYOND SUNDAYS

Top: Young people made 40,000 bricks and helped with construction of a new church building in Mahwa

3D training has not only helped the young people financially but also changed their perception of church as having relevance beyond Sunday – as much on Monday in the marketplace as in the Sunday service. Emima is one young lady who had fallen away from church because of negative reactions to her riding a bicycle and playing football as a woman. She hadn’t passed her exams to be able to go to university and so was at home with no sense of a future. That’s when Salvator met her and invited her to 3D training, where she was encouraged in the talents that God has given her. Salvator also invited her to his church; there she found

BUILDING THE CHURCH, ONE BRICK AT A TIME… One of Salvator’s ambitions since arriving at Mahwa parish has been to have a church building large enough for everyone to meet in. The church currently meets in a school classroom, and for a number of years has been overflowing with people having to listen from outside.

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Unexpectedly, the young people of Mahwa have been contributors to work on a new church building. Encouraged that they have gifts and resources to contribute, they told Salvator, “We can bring stones, even make bricks.” Using local resources they made a total of 40,000 bricks, which has been enough to lay the foundations and begin constructing the walls of the much-needed church building. Others brought beans that they had harvested, which were sold to buy cement. The building of this church stands as a physical representation to the community of the power of the 3D training, and of individuals having their mindsets renewed by faith in a good God. Salvator is excited for the finishing of this building, praying that he will soon be celebrating with his congregation inside. As country coordinator for Burundi, Salvator plans to extend CMS-Africa programmes across the country’s nine dioceses. “I have decided to not go too quickly,” he says. “I have asked the bishops to give me a person in mission in each diocese as a contact. That way we can plan the activity for each year together. My vision is to finish getting the training materials translated into Kirundi, to train more trainers and to extend the programmes across the dioceses.”

LEARN

Find out more about local partners like Salvator at churchmissionsociety.org/local

to lo o k . e re

Two and a half years. One big survey. Thousands of responses. Multiple myths busted. A nationwide photo competition. Loads of new resources created and used – including a mission-themed card game.

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In 2017, Church Mission Society embarked on a campaign called Mission Is. Why? There are so many causes that are worthy of people’s time, energy, prayer and giving. We think God’s mission should be one of them. In fact, we believe that all of God’s people should be involved in God’s mission. And so we set out to make a case for mission: to give people hope that God is still at work in our world and to challenge them to get more involved. In the following pages, we look back on the Mission Is campaign. Thank you to everyone who prayed and took part. Though the campaign may be officially drawing to a close, God’s mission is still happening all around us, sometimes in ways we’d never expect. It’s still alive, vibrant and moving forward. Mission still is – and we are so grateful to be able to join in with what God is doing…

THE CALL – WINTER 2020

MISSION IS

PHASE ONE: WHAT IS MISSION?

We figured the first thing we needed to do was listen. We went on a journey to discover what people think of mission today. We developed a short survey, which we rolled out during summer 2017 festivals. More than 2,000 people across the country shared their views of mission with us.

When we say “mission” whatʼs the first thing that comes to mind?

8% WORKPLACE

7% ENVIRONMENT

13% LOCAL ESTATE

2% PITH HELMET

2.5% HOSPITAL

18.5% CHURCH

3% PUB 2% MONEY

44% EVANGELIST What holds you back from participating in mission?

28% NOTHING HOLDS ME BACK

17% I DON’T FEEL EQUIPPED

27% FEAR AND/OR CONFUSION ABOUT MY CALLING

21%

LACK OF TIME

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I’D SU MI THR G

LACK OF MONEY

PHASE TWO: MISSION MYTHBUSTING

Through our survey, we learned that there are some common misconceptions about mission that might be keeping people from getting more involved. So we decided to “bust” some of those myths. We created a series of free resources including a What is Mission? Bible study, 11 short Mission Mythbusting videos, a 30-day devotional booklet and a card game. Hundreds of people have used these resources and had their views of mission expanded. At summer 2018 festivals we de-mystified mission in our Mission Mystery House.

UPPORT ISSION ROUGH GIVING

19% I’D LIKE TO

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THIS IS ION MIS3S 0-DAY

A L DEVOTIONA

5% LIKE TO

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STRETCH MY MISSION THINKING

God is

49% I WANT TO

at wo r

If you were to take a next step in mission, which would it be?

27% I’D LIKE HELP IN FIGURING OUT WHAT MY CALL IS

...we j u st h ave

tion

The call in ac

PRAY FOR MISSION

THE CALL – WINTER 2020

MISSION IS

PHASE THREE: THIS IS MISSION

We listened, we learned and then we proceeded to show the world the many forms that God’s mission takes: Mission is… reconciliation. Mission is… art. Mission is… administration. Mission is… boxing. Mission happens in an incredible number of ways through ordinary people. To celebrate this, we started a new Instagram page called This is Mission and ran a national photo competition, inviting people to contribute their ekka Reb wick’s d own stories of God at work. Stre ER N N I W Rebekka Stredwick’s photo story of a young mother with HIV in South Africa, hiding behind a curtain, concealing her suffering through a veil of silence, won the photo competition.

So, after two years of campaigning, is it “mission accomplished”? We believe that through raising questions, creating resources and sharing stories, we’ve helped thousands of people think of mission in new ways, pray for mission and consider their next steps in mission. We will never stop making a case for God’s mission. It’s our heartbeat. But we are pleased with how the Mission Is campaign has been received and we are so thankful for your prayers and participation.

GOD IS AT WORK IN OUR WORLD. WE JUST HAVE TO KNOW WHERE TO LOOK. churchmissionsociety.org/missionis instagram.com/mission_is 18

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MISSION MEANS

MISSION MEANS… HEARING THE SONGS SAM IS A LOCAL PARTNER IN SOUTH ASIA, WORKING IN THE FIELD OF ETHNODOXOLOGY.

y interest in different cultures stems from my background as a third culture kid. I was born in the Middle East but moved to South Asia as a child, and though I am ethnically from that area, I had to learn to blend in. South Asia is hugely culturally diverse, with thousands of people groups and hundreds of official languages (plus many unofficial ones). You can encounter a new culture every 20km. I am used to always thinking about how what I am saying is being understood by the person I’m speaking with. Having grown up in a Christian family, I became a Christian myself after hearing a talk by Billy Graham while I was still at school. My life changed drastically as I wanted to learn more about God and started studying the Bible intensively. As a student, I was involved with the local church and also with the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. I started to do gospel outreach using contemporary music and the arts. WHAT DO PEOPLE HEAR? As I started using different art forms for outreach, I realised we tend to look at one format, such as a street sketch, and keep doing that, assuming people understand us. We don’t always realise that what we are trying to communicate might mean different things to those who are watching or listening. I started using more varied artistic styles for outreach which set me on my path as an ethnodoxologist. Ethnodoxology as a term comes from two words: ethne, referring to the people (and by extension their culture); and doxology, the way people worship. My work is about understanding the way in which people communicate

involves building bridges Local partner Sam’s work es and contexts, from New with many different cultur t Asia (bottom). Zealand (top) to South Eas

and putting biblical truth into those forms and using them in worship. This has taken me to communities in Africa, across South Asia and beyond. ORAL CULTURES I discovered while working alongside various organisations engaged in Bible translation that, while audio Bibles are useful in some ways, most people groups love to hear songs or stories in their own cultural forms of artistic expression. In oral cultures, there can be a distance between the language used in the Bible (which may be based on formal writing systems) and day-to-day language. People understand the Bible, but they wouldn’t naturally use its language in everyday communication – even though the Bible was originally formed in an oral way to be memorised. This is not about literacy or levels of education – some cultures are highly oral and reading doesn’t play a big role. In these cultures, those who are literate and highly educated might still prefer the oral style of communication. Cultural differences also affect the way the gospel is communicated. In some African and Asian cultures, someone preaching – standing up and giving a message – is just not something they connect with. It might seem the easiest way for us to share our faith, but that doesn’t mean it is going to be meaningful for the audience. It might be that sharing a song or a piece of narrative drama makes more sense culturally. We are often more creative when sharing with children, yet we know Jesus used parables with people of all ages because they were part of the culture. Whatever our background, we all use art forms to communicate. Singing is very important in many cultures – it allows people to use their native language and connects with their emotions. But we need to understand the culture more fully to know what types of song are appropriate. If there are styles for courtship, working or war, can we share a Scripture in that context, such as using a warrior-style song to tell of Jesus defeating death?

THE CALL – WINTER 2020

FINDING COMMON GROUND The starting point is always the community – I am just a facilitator. Usually I will be invited to work with a people group by a pastor or Bible translator. As I am a documentary maker, I go to record the heritage and cultural traditions of the community. Many elders are keen to do this as younger generations don’t always continue the traditions. This allows me to understand the culture and how they communicate. I look at how they receive messages in their culture, then find common ground and ways to connect with that. We work out how to share the message of Jesus in their culture through questions and dialogue, with conversation happening through art forms. It is important to know that all people are made in the image of God and therefore their creativity stems from him. According to the book of Romans, God’s invisible attributes are clearly seen. The Bible also says that Christ is reconciling all things unto himself. Many times, we don’t think of Jesus reconciling culture. One of the key challenges is communicating concepts that don’t exist in a particular culture. I worked with a community in South Asia to revive their ancient language and folk singing style using Scripture. As they were Christians, they chose to use Psalm 23, but we hit a roadblock as their language doesn’t have any concept of sheep or shepherds. So we looked at what in their culture might give the same ideas, and found that they have a type of water buffalo that is huge but docile, and is also used as a sacrifice – so that meant we could use an image that spoke to them. BREAKING CULTURAL BARRIERS What really excites me is when people immediately connect. In the Bible we see that God speaks to us using different literary forms. God spoke in the culture of the people in both the Old and New Testaments. God has been doing this since ages past – it excites me to see people understanding God’s message as cultural barriers are broken today. 19

LEBANON PHOTO DIARY

GOD IS AT WORK... CMS designer Dan Misson travelled to Lebanon to meet people in mission and see what God is up to in a fragile country. 1

w ay Wednesdded to Mansourieh to Ginibtesrvonie(6 and

hea Colin nal Today we udrey and ociety for Educatio A rs e n n e rt e a S s to mission p Lebanese Monday the Middle East has nreedvethreb which help uals rk for the o ), w D S y E e S h T (L 7). to de ble individ elopment Travelling t list. I’d never pon uld be Social Dev sic needs of vulnera ering SKILD d n e o a k c c t u a b on my r the ba e pione jor an area th ed provide fo Audrey works at th with a ma I of visiting d y n it a il ib are assess fe s a n s s . o re s n p d ty u ie il , il ie h x le c m n b a fa here s with and e the d unsta f LSESD, w l needs. Colin liaise o considere . So you can imagin also because rt a p , e SESD a centr risis sure that L education this trip – n l e ia s to c refugee c a to e p d p u rs s n e g y a for an g leadin onal partn d. Audrey first time, was feelin d internati adequately finance ws for the is felt beyond n ie a l rv a te c lo in g rt and I was doin graphic designer th we arrived ective and see greater suppo ff e e b n a s r c ational to io na with educ eds.” ould love CMS’s sen e. However, as soo by the warm w n I “ re , d s il u h c ld f to ck ts o enc ial ne my experi ort, I was taken aba . The anxiety s for paren boos around spec ctor of s e n re a w a irp e people are still ta ho is LSESD’s dire at Beirut a e Lebanes few days ds – there th t e x e e m d with us n n Alia w o e fr e th ul . She share spite t to meet knew s I o tf welcom n c g d o a n n ti p a e la e im th re id We subs ging and d public anon. De started to pment an ces in Leb n encoura t our a lo fa a e e h d v b ng and e e rc d iv to u rr h g c a od is heali es the G g “ , were goin ple in mission. We n e e c ll n a h le c ese are the d vio eo and Leban se onflict an n c a f visit with p on at 11pm. ri o y S ry – to a his urches dati t becau ing our ch unity – no accommo transform ng into one comm forget, but because rati nd l now integ ecision to forgive a Colin y a m to trave a d 8 s t d a udrey and e a A g k u .” o in s T v to g a rt n y a le e e ti , e h rt th e eir e, but so full day, m an early sta n are hug rking in th o o n w a ). b is e (1 d L o m We made rth to Zgharta for a in G s ee r people.” no “The need show God’s love fo le in Emil and R , id a s e e e c g n two hours ing local partners o unities to ong peop Syrian refu iew chool for h the opport sed God at work am wing despite s c a a re and interv a d te e y rt tl n ta eem s glimp y curre h is gro Emil and R eir own home. The I definitely saw how the churc as well n o ti a c d th u n ). children in s, offering basic ed Lebanon a s. el (2 and 3 il p p s u nge o p g 0 e 2 1 th d 80– the challe ren to pe an d o il h h g c n g ri in b c as introdu m have a passion to eem said, “I ee R ees. R d n a sday t to interview mission paurtrjners r u Emil y people h s of refug n d a T n m a s d u n o a e th . We wen ey live in B rian healing to , but God is using m to experience ur last day Good (8 and 9). Th O g d n ny Sy in a th e o v s.” ylvie t with ma od’s lo S have n re u a G g d ir c t e n u a o B o f h il b o h w a P od rea d watchin now em d, a poor a eing with them an ip with a G e need to k u h R s o d n m n o y a ti it m il a n la u H ful re gh Em ies (11). B eir comm the beauti God is doing throu in so many ways. gee famil ople in th tion Church e fu p re h t it e a g w h t n interac 3 Seeing w Resurrec d a challe f (4). She told us, a third of how they iration an work with a p y h s e a in h R T n d . families – a y e y s ll il 0 jo a 0 l m c wa 7 a r fa ld re e e o v a k o rs li support of re wa 15-yea o provide gregation em, who a 12 years ls n e a o R y c d We met a e a n h a t, T . u il Beir d off at e serves ’t for Em refugees “If it wasn een marrie r the future and are Syrian hurch, which likewis tor, Said b m e o v a h h w ld ou e fo e Center c t down with the pas of the to me, I w r, she now has hop h are for the Lif ctor. One o e d v a e our churc e w . We sa f s o b l o d e H il e e rs it g w e v e fu b in old.” h re f s m a e e Syrian at one day “All the m when Rah e Lebanes o told us: dreams th the trip for me was ren, to d when th ans, they h d n il w a , h ), c d 0 n ir (1 u e of m and th n backgro rting Syri highlights (5). If you il and Ree om a Syria lises we are suppo lp the stranger.” m m fr e E h th it h w it g e w y rea to he us, alon have tea d Lebanes communit ut Jesus taught us till healing family and history of Syrian an is still r e h B t . e d that is s it e n e m la k y e a li ll a th ’t in t n re l u o e d p ut God is which le abo es the gos long way to go, b h c a know a litt ards to the civil war, ople, then this re p id Sa reg e pe here is a people in civil war. T his people. minds of th yrian and Lebanese d m n o a fr s rt a nt of S hrough age of in the he nic mome werful im working t was an ico ting together. A po families sit doing in Lebanon. is rm a what God can perfo y. u o y y a d t every n famil And it’s no gic tricks for a Syria ma couple of

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8 4

“I have not hing, but God is usin g me and many peop le need to know abou t God’s love and to exp erience the beautiful re lationship with a God who cares. ” 11

THE CALL – WINTER 2020

COMMUNITY NEWS

COMMUNITY EVENTS 17 FEBRUARY. Edinburgh CMS – mission focused prayer, 12 noon at St Andrew’s and St George’s Church, George Street, Edinburgh. A time to share news and pray for mission including CMS and world events, followed by shared lunch in the church cafe. Contact Liz Traill: 01620 894843 or liztraill2000@yahoo.co.uk. 28 FEBRUARY–1 MARCH. CMS Southern Conference, High Leigh Conference Centre, Hoddesdon. The theme is “Sharing the gospel, here, there and everywhere.” Speakers include Judith Stevenson, Anglican chaplain at Wormwood Scrubs Prison and Janet Quarry of Church Mission Society. Contact Jane Fulford: 01189 695039 or jane.fulford@btinternet.com. 7 MARCH. CMS Scotland Conference, St James the Less Episcopal Church, Hilton Road, Bishopbriggs. A chance to hear about recent work within the CMS community. Contact Catherine Stewart: CMSCommunityScotland@outlook.com.

16 MARCH. Edinburgh CMS – mission focused prayer, 12 noon at St Andrew’s and St George’s Church, George Street, Edinburgh. A time to share news and pray for mission including CMS and world events, followed by shared lunch in the church cafe. Contact Liz Traill: 01620 894843 or liztraill2000@yahoo.co.uk.

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ywhere Ever

SOUTHERN

20 APRIL. Edinburgh CMS – mission focused prayer, 12 noon at St Andrew’s and St George’s Church, George Street, Edinburgh. A time to share news and pray for mission including CMS and world events, followed by shared lunch in the church cafe. Contact Liz Traill: 01620 894843 or liztraill2000@yahoo.co.uk. 25 APRIL. CMS Yorkshire Mission Day, Hull, 10am for 10.30am. Speakers TBC. Contact Allen Bagshawe: 01482 702220 or bagshawe@bagshawe.karoo.co.uk. MAY. The Worcester CMS Group annual event, further details TBC. Contact Nick Fane on 01684 566601.

18 MAY. Edinburgh CMS – mission focused prayer, 12 noon at St Andrew’s and St George’s Church, George Street, Edinburgh. A time to share news and pray for mission including CMS and world events, followed by shared lunch in the church cafe. Contact Liz Traill: 01620 894843 or liztraill2000@ yahoo.co.uk. JUNE. Asia Prayer and Aware. A time to hear news of mission in Asia, and to bring these to God in prayer. Details TBC. Contact Jane Fulford: 01189 695039 jane.fulford@btinternet.com or Rana Youab Khan revrana@hotmail.com.

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH CMS EVENTS AT churchmissionsociety.org/events

The Church Mission Society Southern Conference welcomes members, supporters and friends of CMS to the High Leigh weekend.

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20 APRIL. Norwich CMS Fellowship, The House of Prayer, St Edmund’s Church, Fishergate, Norwich, 10.45am to 1.30pm. A time to share news of mission, local and global, and to pray together. Bring your own

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lunch. Tea and coffee provided. Contact Louise Wright: 01508 536940 or louisewri@ yahoo.co.uk.

16 MAY. Southampton CMS Africa Conference, details TBC. For more information, contact Charlotte Smith: charlotte.plieth@doctors.org.uk or 02380777810.

10 MARCH. York CMS Fellowship Group, St Bede’s Pastoral Centre, 21–23 Blossom Street, York, 11am to 1pm. Cost approx. £5. An opportunity to share news and pray for God’s work. Optional lunch in the Bar Convent cafe afterwards. Contact Rev Andrew Bailey: 58abailey@gmail.com or 01904 914516.

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THE CALL IN ACTION

Location: High Leigh Conference Centre, Hoddesdon, Herts. Speakers: Rev Dr Judith Stephenson and Janet Quarry

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ar y

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For more info or a booking form contact Jane Fulford: jane.fulford@btinternet.com or 01189 695039

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

CHURCH MISSION SOCIETY STAFF CHANGES SINCE MAY 2019 FAREWELL TO:

Jonathan Self, link materials editor (November); Stephen Wells, video and multimedia content producer (December).

WELCOME TO:

Evy Prentice, junior graphic designer (October); Joanna Barrington, communications and social media assistant (November); Angus Crichton, assistant undergraduate coordinator/lecturer (January).

CHANGES:

Ray Kobinski, now also team administrator for mission transformation (October).

PEOPLE IN MISSION CHANGES MOVING:

Kate and Tim Lee, with Rebekah, James and Grace, have relocated to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, after nine years serving in Britain. Kate is teaching in a school and Tim is working with Asia-CMS and continuing his work with Jigsaw Kids Ministries in the Philippines.

ENDING SERVICE:

Andrew and Faye Parfitt. Andrew initially served in Afghanistan but since 2010 he and Faye have worked in Glasgow. Andrew is now training for ordination in the Episcopal Church of Scotland and Faye will soon qualify as a midwife. Mim Knowles has ended service after six years serving in Iringa, Tanzania, where as an occupational therapist she has led the therapy work of Neema Crafts. Ann Moore is retiring after 23 years of faithful service at Kisiizi Hospital in Uganda. Doug and Jacqui Marshall, with Ethan and Chloe, have returned to Scotland after five years working with refugees in Malta. Martin Lawson has ended mission partner service after 15 years. He and Pam served for eight years in North Africa and latterly he has supported people doing business as mission in the Middle East and North Africa, and the UK. He and Pam continue as mission associates. Alex and Jane Cacouris, with Mylo, Maia and Louis, have completed three years in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where Alex was a curate and Jane worked in a nearby favela. Finally and very sadly, mission associate Peter Melling died suddenly on 20 November in Goma, DR Congo, where he was serving with the Anglican Church. Peter had spent many years living and serving the Lord in Uganda and DR Congo. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

LAMENT FOR LENT Lately, it seems there is suffering or crisis of some kind wherever we turn.

THIS LENT... ...we invite you to lament with us. Join us in offering this psalm of lament for the nations of North Africa, written by one of our mission partners.

L LAMENT N T FOR

We hear of wars, political unrest, natural disasters and the climate crisis. We see division and hate across political and ethnic borders in the UK, and tensions in the Middle East seem to be growing all the time. Lamenting, or grief, is not an end in itself, but a step towards hope.

“Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5

O Christ, you know how it feels to be led into the wilderness. You who have known hunger and thirst, Remember now the dry and desert places of our world. In the wilderness of political strife, Do a new thing, O Lord. Among the disenfranchised and the disregarded, Extend your invitation to belong with you, O King. Where churches are being closed down, Make a way for your people, dear Christ.

GIVE

For Christians facing clashes with Muslim neighbours, Cause waters of friendship to flow, dear Jesus. May those who face instability and loss of homes, Find in you their safe and secure abode, our King. Amid many goodbyes, connections made and then lost, Be a cup of water to the grieving, our Spring of Life. We lift to you, O Lamb of God, the dry and dusty nations of the Sahara. United in longing, our hearts cry out to you, That artesian wells of your Spirit might open up And that the waters of Life would flood These parched places. Make a way in the wilderness! Give drink to your people! We have waited so long for your Life to come. Do a new thing, O Lord.

E MAKLENT YOUGRIFT ay to esd of our y Wedn

h op by As ur free c evotional ve yo nt d recei nt for Le hy Ross. Lame y Dr Cat b

THE CALL – WINTER 2020

You can help Christians in the Middle East and North Africa move from weeping to rejoicing by making your Lent gift to CMS today. Simply go to churchmissionsociety.org/lent or return the donation form to us.

MISSION SPIRITUALITY

By Ian Adams, mission spirituality adviser for Church Mission Society

CANTICLES: SONGS OF THE CHURCH Part 4: A Song of Humility

he mission of the church has been shaped over two millennia. One wonderful repository of this experience lies in the collection of songs we know as canticles, which emerged from some of the earliest songs of the Church. These songs have been sung in times of plenty and in times of need, in times of joy and in times of persecution. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by experience, they offer gifts to us now as we seek to live and share the Jesus Way. While necessarily reshaped for time and context, their message of faith, hope and love remains the same. What might happen if we begin to speak or sing these canticles again? How might we be changed? This series in The Call continues by exploring the canticle A Song of Humility based on Hosea 6:1–6 – a canticle often sung during the season of Lent.

REFLECTION The prophet Hosea was active in Israel in the second half of the 8th century BC, a period in which the kingdom fell into decline. Hosea was clear that this was due to the apostasy of the people. His call to repentance before the overwhelming love of God was largely unheeded. The Song of Humility comes to us in two distinct halves. Both are calls to repentance. The first half (stanzas 1–5) is spoken by the prophet to his people. The second half (6–9) has God speaking to his people. Both the prophet and God have the same end in mind – a repentant people turning back to the God of love. The opening section begins in remorse, with a call to return to the Lord. In the previous chapter of Hosea, God has been likened to a lion who will tear into this unrepentant

people. The prophet urges a return to the same God – now pictured as one who heals and binds up wounds. Come, let us return to the Lord who has torn us and will heal us. 2 God has stricken us and will bind up our wounds.

O Ephraim, how shall I deal with you? How shall I deal with you, O Judah? 7 Your love for me is like the morning mist, like the dew that goes early away. 6

This Lent, let us return to the Lord. Let us seek healing. Let us seek the binding of our wounds. Let us repent for ourselves, and for our world. In stanzas 3 and 4 the Lenten pattern to the canticle becomes clearer. If this is a time for repentance, it is also important to keep holding on to the promise of new life. After two days, he will revive us, and on the third day will raise us up, that we may live in his presence. 3

Lent requires serious self-examination and repentance. But in God’s grace the hope of resurrection life is never far away. However challenging this Lent may be, let us hold on to the hope of Easter. The prophet Hosea’s words close this section with reassurance that God is constant and good, and a God of blessing. Let us strive to know the Lord; his appearing is as sure as the sunrise. 5 He will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains that water the earth.

Judgement has already come and will yet come, but God is ultimately a God of love above all. Therefore, I have hewn them by the prophets, and my judgement goes forth as the light. 8

We might have expected more “tearing by the lion”. But God’s “hewing” of the people will be the words of the prophets. We might have expected more darkness. But his judgement will come in the form of light. If there are more tough implications yet to come for the people of Israel – and there will be – they will be of the people’s own making. God seeks loyalty to him and knowledge of him. For loyalty is my desire and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. 9

What is the gift of the Song of Humility? It is perhaps the revelation that God calls his people above all to presence and to intimacy. To be with him. To remain with him.

May we find God’s blessing showering upon us “like the spring rains” this Lent. Make this a prayer this season for those around you, and for your world. Now to God’s words. And as portrayed by Hosea, God has a dilemma. How to deal with a people who have rejected him and his ways, a people whose love for God is as temporary as a morning mist.

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PRACTICE This Lent, find yourself gradually becoming drawn deeper into the loving presence of God.

Text of canticle from Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England © The Archbishops’ Council 2000 and published by Church House Publishing.

WHEN CULTURES CHURCH WORKSHOPS CONVERGE

MISSION. WORKSHOPS. IN TELFORD… AND. WHERE YOU LIVE?.

“I’ve loved the interactive element of it, the fact that it hasn’t just been presentation from the front. Sometimes interactive things don’t reinforce what you’re learning, but today it has!”

t’s a Saturday morning in October and a group of Christians are gathering in Telford, Shropshire. Why? Because Church Mission Society is running a mission training workshop, organised by All Saints Wellington and open to churches across the Telford Christians Together network. There are a few church leaders present, but they are not the primary attendees. The day is designed for anyone in the local congregations because, after all, we all have a part to play in God’s mission. As one participant, Alwyn Jones, puts it, “I came along because it would encourage me to reflect on what God was calling me to do in support of the community, and to demonstrate God’s love.” Nick Brooke, mission enabler for All Saints Wellington, explains how the day came about: “In Telford there is a strong Churches Together network. Through conversations there it became apparent that, although we were all speaking the same language and assumed everyone meant the same thing in regards to mission, what it meant to be missional was different to different people. At the same time I was thinking of putting together a training day for our congregation, but came across an advert from CMS. It seemed perfect and at a reasonable price and could accomplish a whole lot more than I could have done alone.” So what does the workshop consist of? A number of mission concepts are covered throughout the day including the idea of Missio Dei (the mission of God), the importance of “being” and a focus on identifying the assets in our community rather than the deficits. But it’s not just nice theoretical ideas – there’s plenty of practical application through the use of maps of the local area and case studies from the UK and around the world. Above all it’s an interactive participatory experience with lots of opportunity for people to share and discuss ideas and local knowledge. Chris Densham from River Community Church commented, “I’ve loved the interactive element of it, the fact that it hasn’t just been presentation from the front. Sometimes interactive things don’t reinforce what you’re learning, but today it has!” So why is CMS running these workshops? John Orchard from the church relations team explains: “At CMS there is a wealth of knowledge from over 200 years of mission experience. Some people are able to access this through programmes such as our pioneer

THE CALL – WINTER 2020

training courses and the Partnership for Missional Church process, but we wanted to offer something that everyone can access as a way of introducing them to some of the mission thinking that is core to CMS. We don’t pretend to solve churches’ problems, or even tell them what they should be doing, but hopefully we can help congregations to look at things from a different perspective and ask some new questions.” The workshop was back in October, but what has happened in Telford since then? We caught up with Nick Brooke: “After Christmas we plan to get those who attended back together. I’ve kept the maps we used at the workshop so that we can look for the places where God is at work in our local community. People can struggle to answer the question of ‘what is God up to?’. So we need to equip the church to discern that – to focus on that question and take church services out of the equation. People are definitely thinking about this.” And what advice would Nick give to other churches who are wanting to do something similar? “I would highly encourage using the workshop training. I enjoyed the process; I approached CMS a few months before the day, they stayed in touch and asked the right questions to find out where the church was at to make the training most effective. It felt tailored and the team used resources to bring what was needed. No church has that capacity to do this, so it’s a huge help.”

TRY IT

To find out more about CMS church workshops and enquire about running one in your church visit churchmissionsociety.org/workshops or contact the church relations team on 01865 787523. 25

PIONEER FEATURE

CROSSING PATHS Some think of pioneering mission as a “mostly UK thing”. Others are convinced true pioneers go overseas. In fact, pioneering mission knows no geographical boundaries. And although CMS’s pioneer mission training was designed with the needs of the UK in mind, the students don’t always stay put.

n 2010, Church Mission Society piloted a Pioneer Mission Leadership Training course with nine students. Over 10 years that number has grown annually. In fact, in any given year, CMS is equipping as many as 120 students for pioneering mission, mostly in UK contexts. And there are now two delivery centres and three extension hubs. At the same time, CMS still sends mission partners overseas (see page 9 for our newest trainees). The training process for these people in mission is different, and yet the two groups seem to overlap more and more. For example, Levi Santana enrolled in the pioneer MA course in 2014 while he was a curate in High Wycombe, reaching out to young adults. While on the course, he and his wife Debora, who are both from Brazil, sensed a calling to return to their first country. Today, they are putting both CMS pioneer training and mission partner training into practice in

Goiania, Brazil, an area where a number of people struggle with poverty and addiction. They are challenging the local church to step out of their comfort zone and mix with people on the margins. What’s more, Debora, a trained hairstylist and beautician, is planning to use a course developed by Erika Biscoe, who was also on the CMS pioneer course. Erika started a manicure ministry – listening to people’s stories as she did their nails. This led to her writing Cherish, a course based on the book of Esther for pre-teen and teenage girls that is all about discovering their selfworth in God. This is equally applicable in Debora and Levi’s context, where Debora spends lots of her time chatting with people trapped in poverty and addiction while she cuts their hair.

HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE Debora and Levi are examples of people who undertook pioneer mission training – usually thought of as a UK thing – and ended up overseas. On the flipside, CMS has seen mission partners return from overseas and take up pioneer mission training, too. One recent example of this is Dr Corrie Verduyn, who has recently returned from working at Kiwoko Hospital in Uganda. She likes the pioneer course’s focus on moving out of traditional pathways, and found many other courses to be too long, or online only, which she didn’t feel was right for her.

BUILDING ON THE SAME HISTORY In a sense, this convergence of local and global mission shouldn’t be too surprising. After all, CMS’s history of pioneering mission goes back more than 200 years. And the Pioneer Mission Leadership Training course aims to take these two centuries of crosscultural mission experience and apply it to

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Bottom left: Debora Santana cutting hair on the streets Top left: Pioneer students graduating, December 2019 Top right: Erika Biscoe developed the Cherish course after many conversations over manicures Bottom middle: Ann-Marie Wilson was licensed as a lay pioneer through CMS Bottom right: Mission partner Bev Richardson

“The reason CMS was a great home for pioneer training initially was because its mission practice round the world is cross-cultural, which is exactly the approach to training needed in UK contexts now.” the UK mission field. There is much shared DNA between the two training tracks. Ann-Marie Wilson, who pioneered 28 Too Many (an organisation dedicated to eradicating FGM (female genital mutilation) across Africa and in diaspora communities) has valued CMS’s traditional mission partner training as well as being part of the pioneer course. She said, “Going with CMS has provided a network; I have linked with other pioneers through the pioneer training which has been invaluable

to me, to not feel like a complete misfit in society. I’m in with a group of misfits, which is reassuring!” Ann-Marie has found it particularly helpful to become a licensed lay pioneer through CMS: “This will enable me to work across dioceses and that’s thanks to CMS.” Bev Richardson was part of the pioneer training learning community before becoming a shorttermer, and now a mission partner, in Paraguay. Having begun her work in Paraguay by supporting the work already in place, she has more recently been able to start introducing new ideas in line with her pioneer training. This has included considering different ways of doing church; for instance youth Alpha, Messy Church and all-age worship. Bev continues to apply and share with others many of the spiritual practices she learned on the course, including retreating to spend time with Jesus. A do-er by nature, Bev says the pioneer training’s emphasis on being continues to encourage her to find a balance between being and doing in her context where it is all too easy to become driven by the doing. Returning from Latin America is CMS short-termer Rachel Burton. Having worked with recovering addicts in a

THE CALL – WINTER 2020

residential setting, she is keen to expand on this and pursue new ideas centred around creating community, particularly for those on the margins or who are struggling/recovering from emotional issues. She has recently enrolled on the pioneer course to help her with this. In the words of Jonny Baker, director of mission education, “The reason CMS was a great home for pioneer training initially was because its mission practice round the world is cross-cultural, which is exactly the approach to training needed in UK contexts now. So it makes perfect sense to me that there is synergy and overlap between those pioneering in mission in the UK and those who cross borders to participate in mission in cultures elsewhere in the world.”

JOIN

To find out more about Pioneer Mission Leadership Training go to pioneer.churchmissionsociety.org and come along to one of our open days. 27

PIONEER FAQS

PIONEERS… AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM Some frequently asked questions about pioneering WHAT IS A PIONEER? A CMS pioneer is someone who dares to take risks and do things differently; innovators who follow their call to reimagine church. Often this means moving away from more “traditional” church models, thinking differently about the how, when and where of expressing the gospel and building communities that draw people to Jesus.

WHAT DO PIONEERS DO? In short, they stop, look and listen. Rather than try to do things the way they’ve “always been done”, a pioneer will often stop, look at what God is doing, and listen to the community around them. This phase will often move into building community around shared acts of service with the local community and gradually inviting people to explore faith and worship together. By nature, pioneers are called to do very different things, so what they’re doing on the ground takes a lot of different forms. Some of the results of this process are: a youth and community hub on a large urban social housing estate, within which a fresh expression of church has now been started hosting community gardening, ceramics courses, street parties and more for residents of a new housing estate offering a space at local Mind, Body, Spirit fairs where people can connect with Jesus innovative expressions of discipleship and worship in a rural multi-parish benefice alongside inherited patterns a cleaning company that pays its employees a living wage

ARE PIONEERS “DANGEROUS”? No. Some people are unsettled by the idea of pioneers and their sometimes radical ideas which are often perceived as challenging “traditional” church. Many resist change because the status quo feels easier. Pioneers are certainly not wanting to change things for the worse; they are usually just responding to God’s call as best they can, and a supportive church family is vital as they carry out God’s call. However well-intentioned, trying to stop a pioneer from doing something radical might be pointless anyway. In the Pharisee Gamaliel’s words, “For if their

purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” Acts 5:38b–39 (NIV)

AREN’T WE ALL SUPPOSED TO BE PIONEERS? God inspires and calls lots of his people to do new things, but Church Mission Society recognises pioneering as a specific calling (similarly, we are all called to make disciples but God calls some as evangelists specifically). With a pioneer calling often comes a vision for what isn’t there yet and how to make it happen. Many pioneers also experience an uncommon willingness to be on the “edges” of church.

HOW DO WE DISCERN SOMEONE IS A PIONEER? Does the person themselves feel they have a specific calling on their life to create new pathways? How do those around them feel about the idea of this calling on their life? Alongside a consensus around God’s call for the person, a pioneer is typically already doing something different and will often have a track record of innovation, of thinking and doing things differently (sometimes in a previous career). They are self-starters, often buzzing with ideas and drawing others to their creativity and leadership.

HOW DO WE TRAIN PIONEERS? Our pioneer training focuses on application of core principles in each pioneer’s individual context rather than academic theory. Because each pioneer’s context, vision and focus is individual to their situation, our training doesn’t focus on prescribing specific methods. Rather, we aim to give pioneers a theological basis for their ministry, helping them to develop a spirituality to enable and sustain ministry. CMS offers several different training options: unaccredited training in local hubs, accredited training which can lead to a pioneer being officially recognised as a pioneer in the Church of England, and now also partners with Ripon College Cuddesdon for pioneers seeking to be ordained.

HOW CAN A CHURCH BEST SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE A PIONEER IN THEIR CONGREGATION? Pioneers are often unaware that they are pioneering; they are just doing what feels

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natural to them. One of the most valuable things a church can do to support a pioneer is to recognise their gift and encourage them in it. In addition, a church can nurture their gift by helping them network with other pioneers, find the right training and giving them the freedom and space to pioneer.

WHAT IS A PIONEER ADVOCATE? A pioneer advocate has an important role in enabling and supporting lay pioneer ministry. An advocate leads the church in affirming a pioneer’s calling and takes an active role in creating the necessary space and resources for them. An advocate champions a pioneer’s work within the church, helping to manage the expectations of the church community and to communicate the developing picture of the church as new models start to blossom alongside longer-established ways of doing church.

To find out more about pioneering at CMS, go to pioneer.churchmissionsociety.org

WHEN CULTURES APPEALCONVERGE FOLLOW UP

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TO A LL SUP OUR FA POR ITH TER FUL S

Back in September, we asked you to join us in working to stop the thief who “steals and kills and destroys” (John 10:10). Thank you! You donated nearly £26,000 to show vulnerable women around the world the joy and love of Jesus. Because of your generosity, we are one step closer to stopping the thief.

“R

ehema brings huge assistance to my life and the life of my children. It is by the grace of God that we met and I now know the project. Rehema is like the husband of widows and the father of orphans. The project is like my husband, the father of my children and also my mother.” Neema’s life was changed through the Rehema Project, and your gifts will change the lives of more struggling women as the Rehema Project helps them get back on their feet. Heather Johnstone, CMS mission partner working at the Rehema Project, shared Neema’s story:

“Neema (which means “Grace”) first came to Rehema two years ago, just after her husband passed away. Pregnant with her third child, and with no income, she was forced to rely on friends and neighbours to be able to feed herself and her young family. She had tried to turn her hand to making fabric doilies for sale, but profits were minimal (about 30p a set). I tried to give her small sewing jobs, but her work didn’t meet the required standard for sales in our shop. We were willing to provide full-time training, but that wasn’t an option either as she had a young family to care for. About a year ago we opened a small

THE CALL – WINTER 2020

food outlet in a local market selling nutritious, affordable Tanzanian food to stall holders. We taught Neema how to prepare our dishes and today she is our best cook! Life is still tough at times, but her life is forever changed and she always says it is only by the grace of God that she is at Rehema. A devout Christian and a delightful young woman, Neema is guaranteed to make you smile with that huge, heartwarming grin of hers.” Thank you to all our faithful supporters who responded to our appeal to stop the thief and gave to support CMS people in mission working with women around the world.

CLASSIFIEDS PUT YOUR CALL INTO ACTION SOME CURRENT MISSION OPPORTUNITIES ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHER

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT WORKER

SOUTH EAST ASIA

DR CONGO

Passionate about using your teaching gifts for God’s kingdom? Our partners in the Diocese of Singapore are searching for an English language teacher to work at the ARDA Language Centre in South East Asia. ARDA is a ministry of the Singaporean Anglican Diocese and has been operating in South East Asia since 1996. The diocese will consider applications from people willing to serve for a minimum of four months to long term. DUTIES: Engaging students in academic and relational areas.

Our partners in the Diocese of Katanga, DR Congo, are looking for a project development worker to develop the Congo Children Trust’s programme with street children. The project has grown significantly in recent years and is supporting approximately 100 street children weekly through five centres. The number of street children in Lubumbashi continues to grow, due to the downturn in the copper mining industry. Many people have lost work and are struggling financially. Parents cannot always afford to feed their families and their children end up on the street. That’s where you come in: by bringing your gifts to this role you will help to continue the fight to change this situation. SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Helping students to develop employment skills.

Background in youth work or social work. Experience in administration or development. Flexible and outward-looking approach to work.

Closing date: 15 March 2020

Closing date: 3 March 2020

To enquire further about either of these roles, please contact our recruitment team on 01865 787400 or email vro@churchmissionsociety.org HOW DOES CMS ARRANGE PLACEMENTS?

Exploring a placement with CMS is a bit different to requesting a job description and, if you like the look of it, applying. Most CMS placements are actually arranged with partners, as leadership was handed over to local churches, organisations and people decades ago. CMS partners with churches and organisations all over the world to provide volunteers who support the ongoing work of those projects. We offer volunteers with gifts, skills and experience and, in return, we in the UK church gain the stories and renewed perspectives on mission back here, with eyes fresh from seeing the world

through very different contexts. This means that not all of our roles are the neat and bullet-pointed job descriptions you might be used to seeing. A lot of it gets worked out as we go on this mission journey together. This is what CMS does best – and we’ve being doing it for over 200 years. Exploring a placement with CMS is the beginning of a journey. We in the selection and recruitment team would love to speak with you more about our programmes. From there, we can set up conversations with our regional managers who will be able to answer your questions about putting together a role and which of our partners need your gifts, skills and experience.

FINANCE UPDATE BY CHARLIE WALKER, CMS DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND CORPORATE SERVICES

n this update I have a request. The CMS trustees are looking for a new chair of the finance committee. This committee reports to the board and is responsible for overseeing the finance, IT, facilities and some of the HR function within CMS. The board are looking for an experienced finance professional with the capacity to chair the finance committee and be a significant contributor to the main board. Please pray for us as we seek to fill this position. If this is something that interests you and you would like to know more about what the role entails, or if you know of someone who would be right for this position, I would love to hear from you at charlie.walker@ churchmissionsociety.org.

I’d also like to share with you changes made to the CMS pension scheme in the last few years. We have changed our actuarial, secretarial and administration service providers and there have been challenges along the way, but the pension board are very happy with the new providers and the service they offer. It should also materially reduce the ongoing annual cost of running the scheme. The pension board have engaged a professional trustee to chair the scheme. Steve Jones from Capital Cranfield started in June 2019, and we are delighted the scheme will be in a very safe pair of hands. The latest valuation shows the deficit on the scheme remains significant, and it’s certainly onerous in terms of deficit repayments, but I was very pleased with a much speedier process for signing off the CMS recovery plan. Please do keep both the members of the scheme and the elimination of the deficit in your prayers.

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LAST WORD

HOW TO… ESTABLISH AN ETHICAL BUSINESS

LISTEN In the City of London, every morning, thousands of well-dressed people hurry to work: financiers, lawyers and others who work in the City’s glass and steel skyscrapers. At the same time, thousands of other workers are going in the opposite direction, back home or on to their next job. There is an unheralded army of hidden workers who keep the City of London running – the cleaners, security guards and couriers, among others – whose work is essential, but often overlooked. Their invisibility has worked against them as their jobs have been outsourced and budgets downsized. Out of sight, out of mind. Many of them now rank among the lowest paid and worst treated workers in the UK. This is not just a problem in London; some five million workers earn less than a Living Wage in the UK today. In 2014, a small church in the City of London conducted a listening exercise among low paid workers in its parish, asking them what they wanted. A very simple but powerful question. They didn’t want more church services, or any kind of charity. They just wanted fair pay and respect at work. Justice, not charity. RESPOND The church was St Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe, whose vicar at the time was Guy Treweek, newly ordained after a financial career in the City. He was particularly moved by the challenges the area’s cleaners were facing. He was open to the idea that “good news” for the cleaners of London might actually mean creating an ethical cleaning company which would deliver the fair pay and dignity that they were asking for. His colleague Miriam Goodacre, the parish’s new Commission for Social Responsibility officer, enthusiastically took on the challenge and helped to turn a crazy idea into a real project. Church Mission Society is entwined in this story too. St Andrew’s is the church where CMS held its first meetings in the late 18th century, around the kitchen table. The idea for an ethical cleaning company took

shape in that same kitchen. Having completed CMS’s Make Good missional entrepreneurship course in 2014, Miriam was able to craft the idea into something deliverable. The project also benefitted from technical support in creating a detailed business plan (by the Centre for Theology & Community), a few grants to help pay for the development process, and of course, identifying investors to fund the new business. The founding team raised capital investment of nearly £90,000.

customer survey (September 2019) we achieved excellent satisfaction ratings for our service. The third promise we made is to future generations. We have chosen to set high environmental standards as a company so as to tread lightly on our planet. We minimise the use of chemicals, but when chemicals are needed, we use independently eco-certified products. We minimise our carbon use. We launched this business to be the best cleaning company in London – good news for cleaners, customers and the City. LEARN

DELIVER On Valentine’s Day in 2017, our start-up manager, Catherine, began getting Clean for Good off the ground. Clean for Good is a business with a social purpose. Cleaning offices and workspaces across London, the business aims to deliver an excellent professional cleaning service, but also to deliver a fair deal for our cleaners. The broader vision is that by setting a new standard for how cleaners are treated – and sharing this – we can impact the cleaning sector more broadly. We want to see every cleaner paid fairly and treated with respect. Clean for Good is a business, not a charity. Our cleaners are not looking for sympathy, just fair pay and respect in return for delivering a good service. We are now in our third year and have grown steadily to an annual turnover exceeding £0.5m. We have won contracts from businesses, charities and public sector organisations. We currently employ over 40 cleaners. We are aiming to achieve a small surplus this year. We recently helped to launch the 2019 Living Wage Week, alongside the Mayor of London.

Some lessons we have learned: There are no heroes, only teams – Clean for Good has always been a collective endeavour. Many of our workplaces need a renewed focus on what dignity at work looks like. The cleaning industry is one example. The Church and its members need to be fully involved in the marketplace. Sometimes the answer to a social problem is not charity, but justice.

Tim Thorlby was part of the founding team of Clean for Good and is currently its managing director.

ARE WE REALLY DIFFERENT? When Clean for Good was launched, we made three promises – to cleaners, to customers and to the planet. Are we delivering? Firstly, our promise to cleaners. We are a Living Wage Employer, always paying the London Living Wage (£10.55 per hour) or more. Nearly 90 per cent of our recruits get a pay rise when they join us. We also offer decent terms and conditions above statutory minimums – sick pay, pensions, holidays – and actively train and manage our team. Clean for Good has built a reputation for treating its cleaners fairly. Secondly, we deliver a good, professional, reliable cleaning service to our customers. In our last

THE CALL – WINTER 2020

LEARN

For more information and to get a free quote for cleaning your London offices, go to cleanforgood.co.uk 31

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