Ethiopia The migration story you may have missed
Shortterm trips
Don’t waste your time
The first to arrive
Pioneering in a (literal) mission field
LOVING OUR NEIGHBOUR INSTEAD OF FEARING OUR NEIGHBOUR An in-depth interview with Tanas Alqassis about risky mission in anxious times
THE CALL IN ACTIO N
|
CHURCHMISSIO NSO CIET Y. O RG
THE CALL - AUTUMN 2016
ISSUE 2 | AUTUMN 2016
The Call
The call in action
Welcome to The Call, produced quarterly 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
04 09 15 20
NEWS
22
GOD IN GAMBELLA
LOVING OUR NEIGHBOUR
26
PIONEER FEATURE
DIGNITY BY DESIGN
30
COMMUNITY NEWS
MISSION ISSUES
35
What God is doing through your prayers and gifts
Mission among Muslim people: easier than you think?
Don’t purchase products out of pity, says the founder of Neema Crafts
Short-term mission trips: two perspectives
The migration story you may have missed
Starting from scratch in a (literal) mission field
Upcoming events, finance update and stories from members
HOW TO...
Five steps to starting a missional community
... and much more churchmissionsociety.org 2
CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY
WELCOME
THE CALL BEYOND WALLS
I hope you enjoyed the first edition of The Call. In particular, I hope it has played its part in fulfilling our prayers and dreams for it: that as you read it, it renewed your hope that God is still at work in his world, and that you in turn have been inspired to put your own mission call into action. PHILIP MOUNSTEPHEN
Church Mission Society Watlington Road, Oxford, OX4 6BZ T: +44 (0)1865 787400 E: info@churchmissionsociety.org churchmissionsociety.org
Beyond Duty: A Passion for Christ, a Heart for Mission. Tim Dearborn (World Vision USA 1997) 1
Signs Amid the Rubble. Lesslie Newbigin (Eerdmans Grand Rapids 2003)
2
/churchmissionsociety @cmsmission Church Mission Society is a mission community acknowledged by the Church of England Registered Company No.6985330 and Registered Charity No.1131655 (England & Wales). 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 number 1131655-1 (previously 220297). Registered and principal offices of all above entities: Watlington Road, Oxford, OX4 6BZ.
The Go-Between God. John V Taylor (SCM 1972) 3
4 A Wind in the House of Islam. David Garrison (WIGTake Resources 2014)
Mission is, of course, the core business of Church Mission Society: the clue is in our name! But there’s one very simple reason why that’s the case. It’s only our core business because it’s God’s core business. Our God is a missionary God. If we are passionate about mission it is only because our God has been before us. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that the Church of England has been through a kind of conversion experience in recent years and come to the huge realisation that, to quote the words of Tim Dearborn, “It is not that the Church of God has a mission in the world; it’s that the God of mission has a church in the world.”1 There’s a huge difference between the two attitudes. In the first, mission is just one activity of the Church: mission is smaller than the Church. In the second it’s the other way round. Mission is much bigger than the Church because it’s not our mission, it’s God’s mission. It’s God’s mission that he calls us to be involved in. Mission is God’s agenda, his heartbeat, the bringing back of the world to himself in his son Jesus Christ. If mission is bigger than the Church, then it must change our perspective. The Church of God does not set the agenda for mission. Mission sets the agenda for the Church of God. I think this is a
perspective that is more readily grasped in the global south than in the north. The Church in the global south has grown because of mission – and so mission is a more natural priority for them. But in fact the Church is always only the fruit of mission, so mission always needs to be its primary purpose. That’s as true of an English parish church as it is for a church in the favelas of Rio, or in an informal settlement in Kinshasa. Each and every church only exists because of mission. To say that mission is the Church’s primary purpose is to say that mission must be our own primary purpose. The great missionary theologian Lesslie Newbigin once said, “Our business is to go outside the church walls, become aware of what God is doing, and cooperate with him.”2 Ironically it’s often hardest to see what God is doing from within the walls of the church; there can be so much else that gets in the way. Our God expresses his missionary heart in the world today through the work of his Holy Spirit. As we say in the creeds, he is the Spirit who “proceeds”; he goes forth. As my illustrious predecessor John V Taylor said, in the very first words of The Go-Between God: “The chief actor in the historic mission of the Christian church is the Holy Spirit. He is the director of the whole enterprise. The mission consists of the things he is doing in the world.”3 And, of course, as Jesus himself said, referring to the work of the Holy Spirit, “The wind
THE CALL - AUTUMN 2016
blows where it will” (John 3:8). Today the wind of the Spirit is blowing in some surprising places. In this edition of The Call you will read, among other things, of how he’s blowing through the House of Islam, to borrow the title of David Garrison’s recent landmark book.4 That is truly exciting. However let me close by adding three notes of caution – or rather of challenge – for us. First, for those of us in the UK this is a significant time of political uncertainty. But it is imperative that in this country we continue to look outwards, beyond ourselves and indeed beyond these shores, in mission. It would be a tragedy if we failed to do so. Second, we should not assume that we will know what shape Christian community will take when the Spirit blows afresh into new contexts. Our God is not simply in the business of replicating church as we know it! Let’s prepare to be surprised by what he does. And finally we must not be bystanders in all this. The call is for all. If we are to be truly effective in mission the wind of the Spirit must blow afresh into our lives as well. Are you ready for his renewing energising presence in your life? Are you ready for the mission of God?
Philip Mounstephen Executive Leader
3
MISSION NEWS New home for rescued girls in DR Congo The Kimbilio Project in Lubumbashi, DR Congo celebrated a milestone in June with the official opening of a long-term house for girls who have been rescued from living on the streets. Maison Janet Bokwa was named in honour of a valued carer and counsellor at Kimbilio, who died tragically while giving birth. The house is set within Kimbilio’s 10-acre plot and includes sports pitches, a sewing studio and farmland. Kimbilio is managed by local partner Jean Bosco Tshiswaka along with a team of carers who do sports, sewing, dance, counselling and art with the children. The project takes in boys and girls from the streets and looks to reunite them with family members whenever possible. There are two transit houses, one each for boys and girls awaiting reunion. Long-term housing is for children who cannot go back to their families.
Former CMS mission partner Ian Harvey helped start Kimbilio (which means “place to go for safety”) in 2006 after witnessing the number of street children in Lubumbashi and learning from Congolese colleagues. Commenting on this latest development, Ian said: “Well done to Jean Bosco and the whole Kimbilio team! This opening was held on the Day of the African Child, which also marked the seventh anniversary since we first opened the Kimbilio day centre – the start of a very exciting journey. We would never have imagined then, that seven years later we would be opening our fifth building. This has only been possible with the help and support of the wider Kimbilio community around the world.”
Asia CMS helps equip Cambodian mission leaders Asia CMS’s goal to see local mission leaders in Asian countries equipped to reach their own people with the gospel is gathering pace with a joint training venture recently completed in Cambodia. Asia CMS teamed up with Chhinho Saing, founder and director of Shalom Mission Cambodia (SMC), and held a Missional Leadership Training event in May 2016. Together with Chhinho, who is also an Asia CMS co-mission partner, Asia CMS executive director Dr Kang San Tan and training director Loun Ling Lee taught at the training sessions held at SMC’s School of Ministries in Phnom Penh. There were two training courses: one on Mission of the Church in Asia: Contemporary Challenges and Issues and the other on Missional Leadership in a Buddhist Context. About 25 pastors and church leaders from SMC churches came for the first course and an additional 20 from different organisations and churches for the second. Chhinho explains: “Cambodia is 95 per cent Buddhist and most of us Christians are converts from Buddhist backgrounds, but before the course we had little real understanding about Buddhism and even less about the best approaches to Buddhists with the gospel.” Churches in Cambodia are young – both in history and faith and are crying out for training. Chhinho oversees 32 churches planted by SMC in nine provinces throughout Cambodia. His vision is “to plant a church in every province in Cambodia, and develop true disciples of Jesus Christ who will transform their communities holistically”. Loun Ling said: “Chhinho came for Asia
4
Loun Ling Lee and Kang San Tan of Asia CMS
Gateway Training in Malaysia in 2015, with the intention of strengthening the School of Ministries for leadership training run by SMC when he returned. And that’s exactly what happened.” Asia Gateway Training is an intensive programme laying down a firm foundation in intercultural learning for mission. It is endorsed and sponsored by the Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia, Methodist Church of Malaysia, Malaysia Theological Seminary and five mission agencies: Asia CMS, Interserve, OM, OMF and SIM East Asia. Chhinho said: “Dr Kang San and Loun Ling gave us space for reflection and group work which enabled us to think about our real life experiences, difficulties and possible solutions, which we had never done before. Now we are much more confident about raising spiritual issues with our fellow Cambodians and explaining how they can know Jesus as their saviour.”
CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY
Celebrating the opening of the long-term girls’ house at Kimbilio
“Tight-knit” group campaigns for child safety in Hull One spring morning residents of west Hull woke up to find a long-awaited zebra crossing on a busy road near a school. On closer inspection it turned out to be a knitted zebra crossing – lovingly crafted over many months by a sewing collective called Orts, which was set up by Church Mission Society’s Anna and Chris Hembury. The knitted version was placed where campaigners want a permanent safe crossing. During a visit to the neighbourhood, Archbishop of York John Sentamu paused for a photo on the crossing. He also stopped by the breakfast club run by the Hemburys and the Orts group, which is made up of local women who meet for a chat and to do craft work. Anna takes up the thread: “Despite our collective craftism, we have so far been unable to get the media attention we hoped for in our campaign to have a safe crossing put in place but we plan to send a photograph and short film to the local news channel and to our MP.” Finishing the yarn, Anna said: “In any case, much fun and amusement was shared with the local primary school using the knitted crossing as a teaching aid. It will be incorporated into a larger ‘yarn-bombing’ venture planned for next year’s City of Culture celebrations.”
Archbishop of York (red jacket) lends support
MISSION NEWS New centre for peace for DR Congo youth A centre to promote peace and reconciliation among young people is being built in Bunia, DR Congo – a country that has been plagued by years of war and conflict. The initiative is being led by Church Mission Society local partner the Rev Bisoke Balikenga, national coordinator of the youth department for the Anglican Church of Congo. Plans for the centre were discussed at a training workshop in Goma from 13 to 22 May, which was organised by Bisoke, and attended by more than 50 Anglican youth leaders, Sunday school workers, teachers, trainers and government officials. “One of the resolutions from the event is to build, on land already obtained at Rwampara, Bunia, a centre specifically for young people, to train youth, girls and Sunday school leaders – plus income generating projects from the buildings and land,” Bisoke explained.
Some training has already started in Rwampara in a simple, temporary building (pictured) on the site. Bisoke reports that at least 100 young women, who have suffered during war and conflict, are now being taught practical life skills to help them build better lives in the future – including reading, writing and sewing. Bisoke says the developed centre would promote peace-building, vocational training and activities for the youth of Bunia. “This will equip young people with practical skills and entrepreneurship, making them useful in society. The centre will be used as an evangelism platform reaching out to young people. It will also serve as a reconciliation centre as well as a recreation centre because of rampant conflicts within DR Congo.”
Top: temporary structure for centre Bottom: Rwampara youth centre class
Third graduation floats the pioneer boat A nautical theme provided a fitting backdrop for this year’s pioneer graduation day – as 18 pioneers celebrated their achievements and some prepared to ‘sail’ into uncharted waters. Third-year student Steve Leach organised the celebration and themed it around the need for wind in the pioneers’ sails as they move on. The centrepiece was a boat full of water on which people placed origami boats containing prayers for those graduating. Steve placed a plastic sheet over two electric fans inside the boat which became a billowing sail when the fans were turned on.
Graduates getting ready to ‘set sail’
Among those recognised was Kim Hartshorne, who received a Master of Arts qualification. Three people were admitted as lay pioneers into Church Mission Society and thereby the Church of England, while two others have been ordained deacons in the Church of England as pioneer ministers. Jonny Baker, CMS director of mission education, said: “It was a wonderful day. It is the end of the sixth year of the CMS pioneer mission leadership programme – an incredible milestone. As the 18 graduates came up to receive their certificates and talk about their vision, it reminded me that pioneering is such a brilliant gift.” Among the graduates, Sue Steer is about to start a new role as pioneer community worker for New Lubbesthorpe, a town being developed south-west of Leicester (see page 26). Meanwhile, Bev Richardson, a new lay pioneer, is going to Paraguay on mission with CMS.
That’s AMARE! Assembly a success Catherine Le Tissier and Shelley Stokes with their team of AMARE (Mothers’ Union in Northern Argentina) leaders celebrated AMARE’s first ever general assembly from 6 to 10 July in Ingeniero Juarez. AMARE means love and it also stands for Anglican Women Renewed in the Spirit. In just a few short years AMARE has grown from 50 members to more than 900 – with 367 women (plus children) attending the assembly from across the vast diocese. The main purpose of the event was to elect an autonomous executive committee. “It was a great moment when the women stood before the assembly and were unanimously approved,” said Catherine. AMARE’s first constitution was also signed. The mayor of Juarez allowed AMARE to use the local sports centre, while the organising committee found chairs, firewood, huge cooking pots, cooks, food and mattresses.
THE CALL - AUTUMN 2016
Women arriving from across the diocese for the first general assembly of the Argentinian branch of Mothers’ Union
5
MISSION NEWS CMS helps London church launch ethical cleaning business Clean for Good, an ethical cleaning business, which gained momentum through a Dragon’s Den-style competition run by Church Mission Society and Greenbelt in 2014, is set to launch this autumn. Every day the City of London relies on an army of ‘hidden’ workers – cleaners, security guards, couriers and bar workers. Their hours are anti-social, wages are low and working conditions are often poor, with little scope for advancement. St Andrew by the Wardrobe, a church in the heart of the City, resolved to do something practical to challenge this situation. Miriam Goodacre, who worked at the church, was designated project leader. She entered and won the CMS/Greenbelt competition, which sought the best missional entrepreneurship ideas in the UK. Miriam’s prize was a free place on the popular CMS Missional Entrepreneurship Week, where she developed the cleaning business idea with social enterprise experts. The business – which will provide highquality commercial cleaning services but not at the expense of workers’ quality of life – was given the go-ahead by investors in May. CMS is a founder investor, along with St Andrew by the Wardrobe, the Centre for Theology & Community (CTC) and some private investors and grant-givers.
Indigenous bishops in place In early June, three new assistant bishops were consecrated in Potrillo, a small town in the Chaco region of Northern Argentina. This was preceded by a two-day conference as people gathered from all corners of the diocese. The service was held in the open air because of large numbers (more than 1,000), with the presence of bishops from all the neighbouring countries and
New sensory centre for children in Lebanon
Clean for Good will pay the London Living Wage (£9.40 per hour) or more and will provide paid leave, guaranteed working hours, training and personal development opportunities. It’s banking on the premise that companies will pay a bit more for assurance that cleaning staff are treated well. Project manager, CTC development director Tim Thorlby, said: “Clean for Good is a business with a social purpose, motivated by our Christian faith and shaped by Christian values. We want to change how cleaners are treated by demonstrating that there is a better way to do business in the contract cleaning sector. We’re delighted by the support we’ve had from CMS.” St Andrew by the Wardrobe is the church where CMS appointed its first missionaries 200+ years ago.
Audrey Gibson (centre) in the new sensory room
See www.cleanforgood.co.uk
also the provincial governor. Bishop Abelino Apeleo from Chile was the preacher. It was a significant moment for the churches there – exactly 50 years after the first seven ordinations in Mision La Paz. The two Wichi bishops – Urbano Duarte (from Potrillo) and Crisanto Rojas (from Santa Teresa) and one Toba bishop – Mateo Alto (from Vaca Perdida) – will work in the diocese of Northern Argentina, assisting diocesan bishop Nick Drayson. There are 140 indigenous congregations in the diocese consisting of 15,000plus members. Along with Nick and his wife Catherine Le Tissier, CMS supports David and Shelley Stokes, Ed and Marie Brice, Andrew and Maria Leake and Chris and Helena Wallis in Northern Argentina. Three new bishops for Northern Argentina together with colleagues
6
Children with special educational needs in Lebanon who attend the Special Kids with Individual Learning Differences (SKILD) centre will soon benefit from a new sensory room. That’s the news from Audrey Gibson who works with her husband Colin for the Lebanese Society for Education and Social Development, supporting the most marginalised people in society. Audrey works with children who attend the SKILD centre and says it has been exciting watching the new facilities take shape. “Within a range of environments, we will be able to encourage social skills, improve concentration and build confidence in a therapeutic space where these children feel safe,” she says. The plan is to open the sensory centre later this year, once the rooms are furnished and practitioners trained. Audrey adds: “I have been compiling an extensive list of resources needed to equip the centre and have produced a book, Hands on Science, which is full of science experiments that will be used with the children as part of their sensory sessions.”
More tea, ambassador? It’s not every day the British ambassador in Brazil drops round for a cup of tea. But he did so recently when he visited the ReVive House for girls in Olinda, Brazil. “Preparations started a few days in advance, when we received word that the ambassador had personally requested to visit ReVive. The girls even made some bunting with Naomi, one of our volunteers,” explained Andy Roberts. Andy and his wife Rose founded and run ReVive International, which works with girls who have been abused or abandoned in Olinda. At the beginning of 2014 the charity opened its first safe house in Olinda, which hosts up to 12 girls. On the day of the tea party, the British ambassador, Alex Ellis, arrived with British consul Graham Tidey. Andy continued: “The ReVive girls were very keen to show the ambassador around the house. Then Alex gave them a cricket lesson and they all joined in
CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY
Girls playing at the ReVive safe house
with some parachute games in the sunshine. Afterwards it was time to settle down with afternoon tea and cake, while the ambassador talked with the girls and answered their questions about UK life. “It was a wonderful chance to spread awareness of the work of ReVive. And it was great to build our relationship with the British Embassy Brasilia, which is now very strong. The ambassador even sent a cricket set as a present to the girls after the visit.”
WORLD VIEWS
LIGHT IN GARBAGE CITY
Greetings from bustling Cairo, where I have been visiting. Between the mosque loudspeakers blaring, the car horns beeping non-stop and market vendors screaming out special offers, it can sometimes be difficult just to hear yourself think.
North Africa By a person in mission who must remain anonymous
N
evertheless, there is something deeply enchanting and fascinating about this ancient land of stark contrasts. While the capital has designer boutiques, modern shopping centres and five-star hotels, not too far away lies a place not often talked about, hidden from most tourists – Manshiet Nasser, otherwise known as Garbage City. Thousands of people call this megaslum home and spend most of their
Top photo: A view of Manshiet Nasser, Cairo Bottom photo: The streets of ‘Garbage City’
time sorting through garbage that is brought in from around Cairo. This is their way of earning a living. As I walked through Garbage City, I saw families picking through piles of rubbish on the floor of their shacks and shoeless children running around. The stench was overwhelming. It is in the middle of this gloomy, poverty-stricken environment that God reached out and touched a heart. During a recent evangelistic campaign by our partners, a lady approached, weeping uncontrollably. Her marriage had fallen apart. The team prayed with her as she cried out to Jesus. Then she spoke to her husband, whom God touched as well. They are now both believers and are attending a regular discipleship group meeting. Their marriage has been saved and their lives transformed. While they continue to live in Garbage City, a new light shines from within them. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). Speaking of contrasts, in the middle of this area there is a beautiful Coptic church called the Cave Church because it is built into the mountain. There are images of Jesus and Bible scriptures in Arabic and English carved
THE CALL - AUTUMN 2016
into the mountain. I stayed for the evening service, which 5,000 people attended! It would be impossible to visit Garbage City and the Cave Church without going through a myriad of emotions. It is always a blessing to spend time with Arab Christian families. Each visit forges deeper friendships with both Christian and Muslim Egyptians, for which I am very grateful. I always leave more strengthened in my faith.
PRAY
1
Give thanks for Church Mission Society’s work in North Africa and for deeper friendships with Christians and Muslims.
2
Pray that God continues to touch people’s hearts in this region.
7
WORLD VIEWS
Uganda-to-Uganda mission
Uganda By Dr Corrie Verduyn at Kiwoko Hospital, Uganda
Kiwoko Hospital in south-west Uganda has its own mission team, which travels twice a year to the far north of Uganda, to the Karamoja region near South Sudan. This is one of the poorest regions of Uganda, which is still reeling from the effects of the cruelties of war. The mission team is involved with children in an orphanage and children’s centre. When the team travels to Karamoja, they offer medical services to these children, support them in education, bring the good news of Jesus and give them a good time through playing games and football. Many of these children have never experienced love, so this is very important. This year the team decided to bring the children to Kiwoko instead of going to Karamoja. A group of 40, mostly teenagers, descended on Kiwoko for a few days. Mission is not always what we expect it to be. In the West we commonly think of it as something that certain people – mostly westerners – do in other parts of the world. However, here a group of Ugandan people do mission among their fellow nationals. It’s a type of mission that happens a lot but does not tend to reach the western press. It
does not need elaborate funding schemes, yet it is very important, done with much love and compassion and can be very effective. It also is such a good example of how mission is something that everyone can and must do within their own environment. Interestingly, mission turned out to be a two-way thing. When the Karamojan teenagers came to Kiwoko and testified of their faith, they encouraged many of us in Kiwoko to be more grounded in our faith. They showed what a truly amazing God we have. One story in particular touched the hearts of many. In front of a packed Kiwoko Hospital chapel (there must have been at least 200 people there) a teenage boy gave his testimony. I’ll call him John. He was born with paralysed legs and moves around on his hands and knees. Having a disabled child in some cultures is seen as a curse on the family and so it is in Karamojan culture. His father left after he was born and did not want to have anything to do with him. His mother struggled for
some years, but eventually she decided to get rid of him. So John was thrown into a river with the expectation that he would drown. However, he was rescued and is now in the children’s home. John was really aware that it was God who had saved his life where humans had failed him. He is now attending school and is hopeful for the future. These children do not make headlines and yet there are people who share the love of Christ with them, both in word and practically. The Church in Uganda is growing because of these examples.
Top photo: Karamojan visitors preparing to share their testimonies Bottom photo: Dr Corrie Verduyn
Rural church leaders for Chile
Above: Chile’s Ninth Region is the country’s poorest and has the largest population of Mapuche people. Bishop Abelino is a Mapuche. Right: Repocura church
8
There are around 40 churches in Araucania, the Ninth Region of Chile. There is great socioeconomic diversity among the churches and they tend to be isolated. Every year the archdiocese of Araucania sets itself the great challenge of training leaders. The objective is to strengthen pastoral care in these remote congregations. We recognise that stable, growing churches are those with their own pastor or at least a trained leader. On the contrary, others are in danger of stagnation or closure because they lack pastoral care. It is a worry that many rural leaders are now elderly. For this reason we run an annual training course at the Rural Bible Institute and invite leaders with sufficient experience in their local churches to attend. They are generally eventually ordained to pastoral ministry. We visit churches throughout the year, looking for faithful people with a desire to serve the Lord. It has never been easy because candidates are normally married and working to support their families. So we must ensure financial help for them. We
currently have three students in the 2016 intake. Jose Luis travels the furthest. His home in Repocura is around 100km from Temuco. There is a bus from his community once a day but it is hard to get to. Jose Luis travels home just once a week to see his wife and children. Roberto is about 30km from Temuco and also lives in a community where travel is slow. He also has to leave his family. Omar lives in another city around 30km away and travels in daily as he has three children and needs to take care of their education and other needs. Classes are held from Monday to Thursday. The four days are intense and students are expected to work on demanding research projects. It has been a most enriching experience for us pastors and lecturers to get to know the candidates and to encourage them in their calling. Please pray for new candidates to come forward for 2017.
CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY
Chile By Abelino Apeleo, assistant Anglican bishop of Chile, who oversees the Rural Bible Institute in Temuco
INTERVIEW WITH TANAS ALQASSIS
INSTEAD OF FEARING OUR NEIGHBOUR
As Church Mission Society regional manager for Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, more than half of Tanas Alqassis’s work involves mission among Muslim people. A Palestinian Christian, he also serves on the boards of Arab Vision, Musalaha and Embrace the Middle East. His key to mission among Muslims? “You have to love them...” THE CALL - AUTUMN 2016
9
INTERVIEW WITH TANAS ALQASSIS Growing up in a Palestinian Christian family in Bethlehem, can you describe your relationship with Muslim people? As children, we went to the same schools; my best friends were Muslim. I never thought about us being different. At age 15 I fell in love with a Muslim girl and was confused when we weren’t allowed to date. The second thing that shocked me was when I tried to go to a religious education class on Islam and the teacher wouldn’t let me because I wasn’t “righteous”. But mostly, I didn’t think about our differences. We considered Muslim people our cousins. What do you say to people who say mission among Muslim people is inappropriate? We are called to share the gospel. I don’t see anything wrong with sharing faith with others. If they want to explore faith in Jesus, it’s their decision; you can’t force it. It’s the work of God. I think people use the idea of inappropriateness as an excuse. Muslims have the same calling, to witness to others. Once on a flight to the Middle
East, I sat next to a Muslim scholar. He asked, “What do you do?” I said I work for a mission. He said, “What does that mean?” I said we try to tell people about Jesus through our words and our lives, including Muslim people. His eyes widened, and he said, “That’s interesting. Actually we have the same idea; shahada means witness in Arabic and dawa means calling.” They use the same words. We agreed that people should be able to make their own faith choices. What do you think are Christians’ biggest misconceptions about Islam or Muslim people? Probably assuming all Muslims are the same. Islam is complex; there are many ways of thinking. I’m not just talking about Shia and Sunni; there are factions within each group. I believe broad-brush labelling is a way of avoiding responsibility. If I put someone in a ‘them’ category I don’t have to deal with ‘them’. So much racism comes from fear and it means we avoid our calling. We withhold the gospel and that’s wrong. When we train people for mission in Muslim contexts we stress the importance of learning and listening. I tell our people: “You have to live your faith, not just talk about it. People need to get to know you.” It all has to start with listening – and not making friends with people just because you want to evangelise them, but because they are people. Mission happens through genuine relationship; be honest about who you are and what you believe. You’d be surprised at what can happen. I needed a haircut so I went to a Middle Eastern barber. When I mentioned that I’m a Christian, he actually asked, “How can I be one?” I connected him with some local Arab Christians. A month later, I went to the barbershop again. It was packed so I refrained from
asking about faith, but he saw me and said that he had started going to church and Bible study. He said this in front of everybody. Why do you think he was so curious? I think with all the attention on ISIS/ Daesh and violence, not just in Europe but with Muslims killing Muslims – many Muslim people are asking questions. The problem is we are scared so we avoid them and avoiding them is wrong. Holding the gospel from anyone is wrong. I think the hardest people to reach are the people you love most and the people you fear most. A month after the Charlie Hebdo tragedy, I was speaking at a church. I asked how many people were angry? About 60 per cent raised their hand. I asked how many wanted to retaliate? About 35 per cent. Then I asked, how many of you prayed for the attackers? One person. It’s a sad thing about our faith if fear keeps us from praying for our enemies or people who we think might be our enemies. It means we don’t trust God. We are called to step out in love. One of the easiest ways to begin is to ask if you can pray for someone. Usually they say yes. Do you think Christians think they have to be experts in Islam before they can share their faith? It’s a common myth. But when witnessing to Muslims it’s not about how wrong their faith is; it’s about conveying the beauty of ours. If I can share how my faith affects my life and what Jesus has done for me, they will listen. You don’t have to be an expert evangelist to reach people; you need to be a disciple and know what it means to be Christian. If you can’t share why you follow Jesus something is wrong. The stories we hear of secret believers, of Jesus appearing to Muslim people in dreams...is this really happening? Big time. I’ll share a story. In a Middle Eastern country where we have people in
Name: Tanas Alqassis Location: United Kingdom My call: To be a bridge-builder and to grow new leaders My role: CMS regional manager for Europe, the Middle East and North Africa
10
CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY
Top left: Much mission happens through relationship: meeting over coffee and studying together Top right: Broadcast media is an effective mission method
INTERVIEW finished the Syrian woman said, “When you prayed I felt the baby move!” I wanted to cry; it was amazing. As we walked away later, I asked our partners, “How can you be so bold?” She said to me, “Tanas you need to love these people and I love them.” In the UK, there is great work going on in cities through both our people and churches. Some of our people working in these contexts used to be partners with us in mostly-Muslim countries and they are a great resource.
mission, the head of a remote village had a vision. Jesus appeared to him and said, “Follow me.” Shocked, the next day the man wrote to some Christian leaders in a bigger city, asking for someone to visit and share more about Jesus. Nobody went; they thought it was a trick. Our local partners, a pastor and his wife, heard about this man and they decided to go to the village, a good distance away. The leader was so excited that someone came. The pastor and his wife talked with this man and his wife for hours and ended up staying overnight. The next day the village leader’s wife introduced the mission couple to their neighbours saying, “Listen, they can tell you about Jesus.” It’s amazing how many doors were opened and now regular meetings for prayer and teaching are happening. Is it easier for Muslim-background believers to do mission with Muslim people? Sometimes it’s better for Muslimbackground believers to share Jesus because they understand the faith and language. Sometimes actually people trust foreigners more than locals. People can be afraid that a local person might say something to someone they shouldn’t. We have to evaluate each situation. There is no formula, except to trust God and know he’s with you. Do you think Christians in the Middle East or North Africa are bolder than in the UK? Yes. Particularly Muslim-background believers. They are so excited to share their faith. They want to tell their families: brothers, sisters, cousins... remember in these contexts it’s like everyone is related.
In the UK faith is more private. We are afraid of offending people and for some reason we think if we witness we will offend. Which is sad because this actually creates more division. Instead of talking to each other we say: “They have their faith and we have ours.” And division leads to misunderstanding and complaining: “Why sharia law? Why so many mosques? Why radicalism?” This does no good; we need to step out. If we want to stop radicalism, we actually need to be more visible, living for Christ and talking about him more. I personally feel more comfortable sharing the gospel with Muslims in the UK than in the Middle East because they don’t feel as threatened – they have more freedom to explore.
couldn’t meet them; now they are coming to her. And consider what we are seeing in Lebanon, with more than two million refugees in the country. Some churches in Lebanon are packed and it’s amazing when you consider that Lebanese Christians have to overcome prejudice against Syrians because of past conflict. What a testimony. I was in the Middle East with local partners who work among Syrian refugees. We got a phone call saying a Syrian couple wanted to meet. It was late evening and we parked some distance from where they live. This couple are in their 20s. He used to be
When it comes to mission among Muslim people in the UK, Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, what are you most excited about? When I first went to North Africa I met two Muslim-background Christian leaders; now I know over 30 there. The Arab Spring created many avenues for witness; yes there are dangers but people are open. We have people with Church Mission Society who are training others for mission in North Africa, including many North Africans. In Europe, the influx of refugees has opened doors. As refugees see help coming from Christians they confront their misperceptions about our faith. We have people working in Europe teaching English, advocating for human rights, working in refugee camps to support people, not just to evangelise but to be with the traumatised, holding hands, crying with them, praying. Refugees ask questions because our people are there to be asked. Of course there are millions of refugees in the Middle East, too. One of our people in Jordan has had a burden to reach Syrians for a decade but
“It’s not about telling Muslims how wrong their faith is; it’s about conveying the beauty of ours.” a well-off contractor; now he earns about £10 per day. When they first fled Syria they lived in a barn. They were hungry so they drank the animals’ milk which made them sick. When they went for a medical exam, they discovered the wife was seven months’ pregnant but the baby wasn’t moving much. The woman was suffering from fever but couldn’t take medicine because of being pregnant. The husband said, “I wish I didn’t have to ask, but I need a bit of money so my wife can get a lab test.” Our partner said, “We can’t give you money now but we can pray for you.” The man said okay and our partners began praying, the wife laying hands on the Syrian woman’s stomach. When we
THE CALL - AUTUMN 2016
What discourages you? Seeing comments on social media. There’s so much hate and fear, even among Christians. Muslim people can see our lack of love. And it’s a shame because social media can be powerful for mission. Earlier you talked about Christian misconceptions about Muslims; what are some Muslim misconceptions about Christians? I think they think we are permissive; we do whatever we want and don’t take our faith seriously. Some think we have actually abandoned the teachings of Jesus. When a Muslim person turns to Christianity, there is a perception that they have betrayed their faith and gone astray, that they have been lured by the West. Is mission among Muslims easier than most people think? There are a couple of reasons why mission among Muslims is “easy”. The first is because God is definitely at work. I’ve shared a few stories but there are so many. It’s also easier because there is already a common denominator of faith. With many Muslim people here and overseas, there is a constant acknowledgement of God and reliance upon God. When it comes to mission, not just with Muslim people, we need to think about our primary identity and purpose: who are we and what are we called to be and do? I am many things: a husband, a Palestinian...but for me my Christian identity comes before everything. As a Palestinian I might want to rail against what I see as injustice in my homeland, yet as a Christian I know I am called to love and peace and sharing the gospel. When I live in a way that shows this is my primary identity, people notice. I think it’s similar with the EU referendum. Some are firmly saying they are British, others European, yet the identity that matters most is “child of God”. So how will we live and walk in that identity?
11
FEATURE STORY Name: Susie Hart MBE Location: Harrogate, UK My call: To use my skills as an artist and craftsperson to serve people with disabilities in the developing world My role: Head of Craft Aid International
Don’t buy products from differently-able people out of pity, says Susie Hart, a social entrepreneur who founded Neema Crafts in Tanzania and who now leads Craft Aid International
A
The early years: Susie holds elephant dung, which she and three young deaf men turned into stationery...and Neema Crafts was born
12
re you the elephant dung lady?” is a question I used to get asked regularly. These days I’m known more for directing Craft Aid International, a Christcentred charity that enables and empowers people with disabilities through social enterprise and therapeutic craft activities in the UK and in the developing world. But yes, it all began with elephant dung. You couldn’t have a more inauspicious beginning: a young CMS mission partner and three young deaf men working in a small rented room in Iringa, Tanzania, with nothing but a sack of elephant dung (which I taught them to make into paper) and a start-up budget of £400. Due to the huge stigma attached to having a disability in Tanzania, all the local people felt it would come to nothing: “Why is she working with deaf people? They won’t be able to do anything. She’ll take her photos and go home.” But fortunately it wasn’t my project; it wasn’t even my idea. I knew it was the Lord’s and he
CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY
blessed and grew it time and again, so that by the time I left we were employing over 120 people with a huge range of disabilities. Every single one of those people was lifted out of extreme poverty and degradation to a position of dignity, able to support themselves and their families through the work of their highly-skilled hands. Most importantly, they’ve dramatically changed attitudes towards people with disabilities in their community, across Tanzania and even globally, since their stories are told all over the world. Neema Crafts is now self-sustaining. We’ve got a model that works and we want to help churches all over the developing world to set up similar enterprises, tailored to their specific needs and environment. That’s why, after returning to the UK in 2012, I set up Craft Aid International: first, to provide weekly therapeutic craft workshops for people with disabilities living in Leeds, Ripon and Harrogate (where I’m now based) and second, to start planting social enterprises like Neema Crafts with partnering churches in other developing countries where differently-able people still live in abject poverty. We’re passionate about design, about quality, about providing the customer with a truly desirable, well-made product and we’re passionate about lifting differently-able people out of poverty by teaching them the skills needed to make such a product. Note that we are not interested in selling mediocre crafts to
FEATURE STORY
people based on their sympathy for the person who made it. Quite the opposite. We want customers to love the product first, then discover the story behind it and love that too – and hopefully have their eyes opened and their hearts changed in the process. It’s not just the developing world where there’s stigma attached to disability; speaking as a disabled-born person myself and a mother of a disabled child, I can vouch for this personally. Transforming attitudes towards people with disabilities is as important to us as creating employment for them because, realistically, no project we help plant will ever be able to employ all the differently-able people in that community. But if we can change local attitudes then other employers may consider employing them too. This is something we have seen firsthand in Tanzania, which would have been unthinkable before Neema Crafts was established. In essence, we are helping to restore the image of God in people who have been written off by their society as less than fully made in his image. Some people will be uncomfortable with the idea that a disabled person is made in God’s image. What does that phrase mean though? Does God have a physical body, with arms and legs, hands and feet? No. As I understand it, being made in the image of God means that we reflect his characteristics: the ability to create, to love, to forgive…this applies to a differently-able person just as much as to anyone else. Getting their communities and sometimes even their own families to recognise this is something we strive for in everything we do. You may wonder how the artisans feel about having their stories told. They’re delighted. When I first started meeting differently-able people in Tanzania they described themselves as “forgotten people”. Excluded from opportunities available to their able-bodied peers educationally, socially, emotionally, economically, even spiritually; laughed at and spat on or at best ignored, they were among the poorest of the poor in body, mind and spirit, the most vulnerable and the most marginalised in their societies. We’re currently working with a small church in Peru to establish a new social enterprise in the city of Arequipa and I was struck when I talked to differently-able people there – they describe themselves in exactly the same way: as forgotten people. To have their stories told, their successes celebrated, their talents and abilities recognised, is the stuff of dreams for many of them. (To find out more about our new social
enterprise in Peru, see our three-minute film at www. craftaidinternational.org) As for me, what keeps me going? What motivates me? Well, I guess first, the call that I believe God put on my heart 16 years ago: to use my skills as an artist and craftsperson, to serve people with disabilities in the developing world. Next, I understand what it is like to be different and to be unable to do the things that your peers can; I understand the frustration and the injustice of people’s negative attitudes and I have a desire to be a voice and a springboard for people with similar challenges. I was born with no ball and socket in my left hip and had 22 major operations by the time I was 19 years old to give me the mobility that I have today. But don’t feel sorry for me – or anyone else in a similar position. Being born different can become a superpower. I had thousands of hours in hospital that I used to hone my skills as an artist that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. I also have determination by the bucket-load, something common to many people who’ve had similar challenges. You’ll meet blind people who can tell the dimensions of a room just by the echoes their footsteps make and deaf people who can feel the rhythm of music in a way a hearing person never could and dance you off the dance floor. “Disability” is such a misnomer. Above all, what keeps me going is love. Specifically, the kind of radical, counter-cultural love that Jesus modelled for us in the way he sought out and served people on the margins, the kind of love that compels us to spend ourselves on behalf of the hungry, to bind up the brokenhearted and to preach good news to the poor in word and deed. And finally, a deep belief that we were never intended just to be beneficiaries of the kingdom of God, but its agents. Jesus didn’t go to a cross just so we could go to heaven when we die, but so that we would be the means through which he would bring the kingdom of heaven to earth while we live. Putting my skills and abilities at his disposal to serve the needs of differently-able people in the developing world is my particular way of living that out. It’s a way that I believe he has called me to, and a road that it is my daily privilege to walk with him.
THE CALL - AUTUMN 2016
PRAY
1 For Neema Crafts,
which is now led by Ben and Katy Ray of Church Mission Society, that it will continue to flourish and provide differently-able people with meaningful employment
2 For Craft Aid
Top left: Artisan working in Peru Top right: Jane making a pencil case at Neema Crafts, one of more than 100 differently-able employees
International that it will be able to work with churches to set up similar enterprises throughout the world
3 For differently-able
people throughout the world to experience dignity, respect and empowerment 13
THIS Christmas
add a few more things to your gift list
fo 2 rr 0 th ead % D e c er I od s o SC e: f T O Ch he U ris Ca NT tm ll as usi 16 ng
Cards Children’s books Jewellery Home decor Accessories Dignity Empowerment Transformation
Come for the stuff. Stay for the story. Visit: cms-shop.org.uk
Free shipping for orders over £40
are you FRE // THE BIG IDEA
// THE CAMPAIGN
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE FREE.IN.DEED?
SETTING 1,000 PEOPLE FREE.IN.DEED
We believe all of God’s people are called to join in God’s mission: to bring challenge, change, hope and freedom to our world.
We are actively looking for 1,000 people who want to discover their mission call and put it into action – whether that means going overseas or over the road.
Imagine what it would be like if every Christian put that call into action. But so many things can hold us back from our call. Things like fear, confusion, self-doubt, lack of resources or just “being too busy”. Church Mission Society wants to help release people from whatever is holding them back from experiencing the freedom that comes when we live our mission call. We want to help as many people as possible put their call into action. We want people to be FREE.IN.DEED
This includes people who are called to invest prayerfully and financially to help others be FREE.IN.DEED How are we finding people? Through a creative summer festival stand, media interviews, advertising, an interactive web app and (soon) a free pack for churches. We’re asking people to consider where they would like to be in mission, what kind of mission they’d like to do and what their skills are. Based on what they tell us we can help them on their mission journey.
churchmissio
16
CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY
EE.IN.DEED? // THE RESPONSE // your RESPONSE HOW IT’S GOING SO FAR Since officially launching FREE.IN.DEED at The Big Church Day Out in May, hundreds of people have declared that they want to take a step towards putting their mission call into action. You can see photos of some of them here. Our staff team are busy following up with all of these people and connecting their stated passions with current global and local opportunities.
ARE YOU FREE.IN.DEED? WANT TO BE PART OF THE CAMPAIGN?
Here are some ways you can get involved:
1
Pray for the campaign and spread the word
2
Explore your own call with our fun web app: churchmissionsociety.org/free
3
If you’re a church leader and would like a FREE.IN.DEED resource pack when it’s launched in autumn, email Thomas Fowler: thomas.fowler@ churchmissionsociety.org
onsociety.org
THE CALL - AUTUMN 2016
17
MISSION ISSUES
SHORT-TERM
MISSION Don’t waste your time BY HELEN BROOK, DISCIPLESHIP ADVISER FOR CHURCH MISSION SOCIETY
T
o start, let’s address the elephant in the room. Short-term teams can be paternalistic, have disastrous unintended consequences and waste money. There are many stories of how teams have built buildings that didn’t need building, painted walls which local people could have painted and created difficult situations for long-term partners to clear up afterwards. Yet, and thankfully, there are also many teams where participants have been transformed by their experience, where long-term partnerships have been developed and where relationships have flourished. What makes the difference between the former and the latter? How do we ensure that team visits are done well and what does ‘well’ look like? MOTIVATION David Zac Niringiye, retired assistant bishop of the diocese of Kampala, Uganda and former CMS Africa director, speaks wisely when he says, “Come and be with us, with no agenda other than to be with us.” Much that can go wrong with a short-term team stems from our attitudes and motivations for going. Are we going with hands full of ‘stuff’, high expectations of what we may accomplish and unaware of our cultural bias? Giving teams time to think through their expectations and attitudes is vital. I love this quote from an Aboriginal activist group in Queensland in the 1970s, because it cuts right to the heart of some of the assumptions we sometimes hold, namely that the West is resource-rich and can ‘do something for poor people’: “If you have come to help me you are wasting your time. But if you recognise that your liberation and mine are bound up together, we can walk together.”
18
We all have needs, brokenness, flaws and gifts to give, whatever our socio-economic or cultural background. First and foremost we need to be prepared to learn – learn from being in a different country with a different culture and worldview – and allow our assumptions to be challenged. PREPARATION Start as you mean to go on by planning each step of your team visit with your host, developing a relationship which is interdependent and reciprocal. Put yourself in your host’s shoes: if a team wanted to visit your church what would you want to know and what attitudes would you want the group to show? One of the key questions would be, “Do you want the team to visit and when would be good for you?” This may sound obvious but it can be overlooked in the excitement to plan a visit that fits with school holidays. It’s also good to be mindful that the host organisation you are visiting will be conducting its work as normal; follow its lead particularly with regards to the type of activities and events you can join. Think carefully about the long-term effects of your visit: working in an orphanage for two weeks may be an eye-opening experience, but what is the effect of numerous visitors on the children’s well-being? Understand the host’s perspective and develop a good relationship and communication method from the start. There are many mishaps we can make in a different culture; at best they can be seen as amusing by hosts and at worst they can deeply offend. Start learning about the country and culture while in the UK: eat in an Ethiopian restaurant, visit a gurdwara, invite a local Albanian to a team meeting. Prepare your teams on not only the culture, history and language, but with some cross-cultural skills they’ll need such as observation and reflection. REFLECTION Many churches have long-term links overseas; team visits can be great opportunities to develop
CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY
these partnerships, particularly in countries where relationships are built through face-toface interaction. Such visits can also provide an opportunity to think through the nature of your partnership, which may involve giving financial support. Finances and accountability can be a tricky topic and can create an imbalance in relationships. Giving money is great, but it’s vital for us to remember that there are many other gifts we can give and receive, including friendship, different talents and sharing ideas. Churches in the global south are vibrant and growing and there are valuable lessons we can learn and use in our own communities; it’s therefore important that our learning and reflection doesn’t stop when people get off the plane. Have time with your team to de-brief, consider their experiences and how they may apply this to their own context. As Christians we aren’t isolated; we believe in a global God and we are members of a global body of Christ. Short-term teams give us an opportunity to develop relationships, become aware of our cultural baggage and discover how following Jesus is worked out in other cultures, giving us insight into this glorious, complicated and vibrant world. “We need each other’s vision to correct, enlarge and focus our own; only together are we complete in Christ” (Andrew Walls).
GO
To find out how Church Mission Society can help you make the most of cross-cultural visits contact Helen: helen.brook@churchmissionsociety.org
MISSION ISSUES
CROSS-CULTURAL
VISITS A view from Africa BY KAROBIA NJOGU, CROSS-CULTURAL MISSION MANAGER, CMS-AFRICA
T
he results of CMS-Africa training programmes are communities that have begun to manifest profound change. These communities of best practice are the fruit of the Holy Spirit’s work in the hearts and ministry of leaders and in the lives of people so that they begin to obey Christ’s commandments to love God and neighbour in every area of life. This may sound like a trite statement, but far from it; the gospel of Jesus has been spread far and wide in Africa but the impact of it in every area of human and community life has not been as evident. CMS-Africa has facilitated cross-cultural mission exchanges and visits with these communities of best practice. This has been for all ages: from people in their early 20s to older people coming from different cultures, for a day or two to several weeks and months. Several times a year we have teams from various dioceses visiting each other (for example in May the Tanzania Mothers’ Union visited Kenya, spending time with CMS-Africa and then Mbeere and Embu dioceses). We also have people coming from Europe and North America to Africa to serve in community ministries in Africa and to work in the Church. The reasons for this are:
1
2
At CMS-Africa, we believe that mission belongs to God and he is the one who calls and sustains; he defines mission and determines its frontiers and what the needs may be. Our role is to respond to his call and to be the hands and feet of Jesus in this mission. We facilitate opportunities for Christians from different backgrounds to serve each other and each other’s communities and to grow together and learn from each other. CMS-Africa provides opportunities for visiting missioners to receive from the
local context, and so plans for structured input in their lives. We believe that God is challenging all of us to learn and change in new ways and that everyone can learn from even the most needy-looking or desperate situation – because God is at work to transform each person into his likeness.
3
Some of these community projects are great opportunities for people to be engaged in and to serve. They have needs which missioners can meet with skills, time and other resources.
We have had time to observe how overseas organisations have done mission placements. There can be challenges when people from different contexts and cultures come together. In the specific area of cross-cultural mission exchanges or interaction, some of these have been:
1
Sometimes the number of visitors has been large, thus overwhelming the local ministry, the host organisation, even CMS-Africa. Frequency of visits can also be a challenge.
2
Generally, the local context is fairly forgiving of cultural misdemeanours; there have been cases where visitors are insensitive, either to their local hosts’ sensitivities or to their own cultural biases. This can pertain to food preferences, dress and opinions on general issues like politics and economics. An initial induction could help avoid such problems.
3
Problematic worldview: such as when missioners have a paradigm of solving problems and helping people rather than getting a different perspective and having their lives impacted by the local community.
CMS-Africa is leaning more to the idea of involving younger people, to broaden their worldview early. This can be achieved in a fairly short period of time. If more senior citizens are going to be involved, we recommend that they come for longer periods, at least six months.
THE CALL - AUTUMN 2016
This would enable them to engage with the local context for a meaningful period. Further, CMSAfrica is keen to have missioners stay in homes of church members, partners or staff members. For people looking to lead cross-cultural mission exchanges, I humbly suggest that there are several things that must be considered if these visits are to be useful and effective, especially for the kingdom. For our context, these things can also apply for our trainers and facilitators who go to churches and communities of different cultures. This is also a form of cross-cultural mission, because they don’t just teach and train but also mentor and walk with people. In those interactions, they also need to be prepared for cross-cultural mission engagement.
1
Agreement on clear outcomes for both the visiting missioners and also for the hosts. These include what the missioners seek to achieve over the set period, how it will be gauged, and what the hosts seek to accomplish, how the capacity of the host has been built by the interaction and what felt needs have been met. Boundaries also need to be agreed on: what can be done and what are no-go areas, for example that there will be no funds exchanged and that documentation (reports, photos and stories) are handled with integrity. It is important that hosts don’t feel used by missioners.
2
Organise the logistics: itineraries, communications with all involved parties and stakeholders: service providers, host communities, project managers and so on.
3
Induction for both hosts and visitors. This is very important as it prepares the visiting missioners for engagement with the local culture and also the hosts to prepare to welcome people in mission from another culture.
In summary, we at CMS-Africa believe that God is in mission, the mission is (all) his, and he involves all people in different roles in his mission. 19
FEATURE STORY
Main photo: Sarah, who is from the Nuer tribe, helps lead the local Mothers’ Union Below: Bishop Grant and Dr Wendy LeMarquand
The migration story you may have missed
GOD IN GAMBELLA The world has focused on refugees arriving in the EU from the Middle East but there is a story seldom told about refugees in Ethiopia – and how God is moving through them.
20 20
CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY
BY SARAH HOLMES, STAFF WRITER
T
he world has focused on the refugees who came via the Mediterranean last year to seek refuge in EU countries, but there is a story seldom told about refugees in Ethiopia – and how God is moving through them. Bishop Grant and Dr Wendy LeMarquand visited the Church Mission Society offices in Oxford this summer and provided an inside view of what’s happening in the Gambella region, in the far west of Ethiopia, near the South Sudan border. “Gambella is a two day drive from Addis Ababa,” Bishop Grant explained, adding, “Everything from cars and roads to clothing and money are new there. This is the first generation that’s had any of those things. People live in houses made with mud and sticks and thatched roofs. The temperatures are harsh; it can be easily up to 40s, 50s or even 60s Celsius in the dry season – it’s one of the hottest places on earth. The power goes off most days, water supply is not constant and the internet only works sometimes.” Most people live by subsistence farming. Healthcare is minimal. Ethnic violence and squabbles over land and local politics present frequent challenges. MASSIVE MIGRATION Yet against this backdrop, the Anglican Church in Gambella is growing rapidly, thanks in large part to the influx of Sudanese refugees. For a long time there was only one Anglican church in Ethiopia, in Addis. When the LeMarquands first arrived in Gambella in 2012 there were 53 Anglican churches, which were mostly set up by refugees who fled conflict between Sudan and South Sudan in the 1980s and 1990s and shared their faith among other refugees and local Ethiopians. Today, with a further 300,000 South Sudanese refugees who’ve crossed into Gambella since December 2013 (doubling the population) there are about 90 Anglican churches, including 35 to 40 in refugee camps
throughout the area, while others are in villages and towns. As area bishop for the Horn of Africa, Bishop Grant is responsible for the Anglican churches in Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia and Ethiopia. Most of the area’s churches are in Ethiopia and a majority of those are in Gambella, where currently over half the population consists of refugees. Many are based in large refugee camps. Several new refugee camps have been built to accommodate the most recent influx of refugees, each hosting about 40,000 people. Bishop Grant said: “Wendy and I are quite aware of the fact that migration, emigration
“As Sudanese Christian refugees started evangelising, local Ethiopians...became interested in the gospel.” and refugees are getting a huge amount of press around the world. We are a little disturbed that our refugees don’t get much press.” He traced the background to the refugees’ arrival: “Sudan’s civil war between the north and south began in the 1950s, there was a break in the 1970s but until South Sudan became independent (9 July 2011) there was a war going on in the southern part of Sudan for decades. When that war ended in 2005 and South Sudan formed there was a short period of peace. Then in December 2013 a civil war began in South Sudan – which quickly became ethnically charged. The Nuer and Dinka people were fighting for control and power. Many Nuer people fled into Gambella in Ethiopia, while some of the Dinka (from other parts of South Sudan) had to leave and flee into Kenya or Uganda.” Most of the refugees are Nuer people. There are also Anuak, Opo, some Dinka, Mezhenger, Murle and Mabaan people among the displaced. Wendy said, “We hear people’s stories of having to flee from the bullets, grasping whatever they can. We ask them, ‘What can you carry?’ They tell us, ‘It’s mainly our children.’” RAPID CHURCH GROWTH THROUGH REFUGEES The rapid growth of the Anglican Church in Gambella is thanks largely to the Sudanese refugees who fled Sudan and South Sudan and brought their faith into the refugee camps in the Gambella region. As the Sudanese Christian
THE CALL - AUTUMN 2016
refugees started evangelising in the area, the local Ethiopians of traditional African religion became interested in the gospel, which spread from the camps to the surrounding villages and more churches were planted. Bishop Grant elaborated: “People in this part of Africa have believed in one God but have always thought that God was distant from them; now they hear about a God who has come to them in Jesus. The story of Jesus fits into their faith in God and they see that as a completion of what they have known before. “Church draws people into community and also draws people together across ethnic divisions. Whereas traditional African religion is ethnically based the Church is not ethnically based – it’s a global family of people from every tribe, people and language.” A church Bishop Grant visited recently demonstrates this unity. Bishop Grant: “This church is in a camp in the southern part of Gambella, near the town of Dima. The camp is ethnically mixed: Nuer, Dinka, Anuak and Murle – all traditional enemies. When I went there they told me they did not want separate churches. They wanted to show their people that it was possible to live together. So I called the church Holy Family, both because Mary, Joseph and Jesus were refugees and because this church was demonstrating what holiness means.” With so many churches springing up, the bishop spends many Sundays visiting and naming new congregations. The LeMarquands are based at the Gambella Anglican Centre and have been there for four years, sent through SAMS-USA. They were missionaries in Kenya in the 1980s and Bishop Grant taught at St Paul’s, Limuru Theological College, just outside Nairobi. He has travelled regularly to Africa over many years, directing the academic work of African church leaders. A graduate of Wycliffe College in Toronto, Canada, he most recently taught at Trinity School for Ministry in Pennsylvania, USA – where he was a professor and academic dean. Dr Wendy is a GP with more than 30 years’ experience. She currently encourages women in the churches to improve their health and hygiene, doing so with Mothers’ Union leaders, and prays with them. The Gambella Anglican Centre opened in November 2010 when the first bishop, Bishop Andrew Proud, was in office. Today it provides a central gathering place for the 90 Anglican congregations in the region. It hosts clergy training, a chapel, library facilities, sports programmes and also hosts literacy workshops and Mothers’ Union meetings. It’s also where St Frumentius Anglican Theological College is based. Bishop Grant serves as chair of the board of this new college and teaches courses there. THE NEED FOR THEOLOGICAL TRAINING Church Mission Society has until recently had one mission partner in Ethiopia – Rosemary Burke, secretary-general of the Anglican Church of Ethiopia, based in Gambella and Addis. But in recognition of this growing
21
FEATURE STORY
mission field and at the invitation of the diocese, CMS has recently appointed Chris and Suzy Wilson to work in theological training at St Frumentius. The churches in Gambella are currently served by just 17 clergy, only one of whom has a theological degree. The congregations worship in a variety of languages – including Anuak, Dinka, Nuer, Mabaan, Jum-Jum and Opo. The need for theological training for the current and next generation is something that Bishop Grant and Dr Wendy are passionate about; this is what led them to take up the post four years ago. Wendy explains: “This is one of the few areas in the world where there has been almost no opportunity for people to access education. The Church is growing rapidly. The pastors have said that they know how to plant churches, they know how to bring people to Christ but they don’t know how to make disciples, they don’t know the Bible. When Bishop Mouneer Hanna Anis, the Bishop of the Episcopal/Anglican diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa, travelled to Gambella in 2011 and asked the Gambella clergy what they wanted in a new area bishop, they asked for someone who can teach theology and empower people. This helped us to say ‘yes, we would like to be part of that process of empowerment.’” Bishop Grant says: “When we got here four years ago we had a group of clergy who were keen to lead their churches but had virtually no training (the previous bishop had started a programme of Theological Education by Extension, which served the area well but the clergy needed to go deeper). So our priority has been to do this.” It was a great answer to prayer when, with the help of many people around
22
the world, St Frumentius Anglican Theological College began its first year of operation in September 2015. Frumentius was the first missionary and the first bishop in Ethiopia in
“The 90 Anglican churches in Gambella are currently served by just 17 clergy...” the early fourth century. Nine fulltime students at the college have just completed their first academic year and will go on to do another two years. A further 11 students joined at the beginning of this academic year. The dean of the college is Johann Vanderbijl from Namibia. Meet one of the new intake: Samuel Gatwech Keat is a 21-year-old Nuer refugee living in the Jewi refugee camp just outside of Gambella town. He is married to Nyakuacha Chot and they have one son named Keat Gatwech. Samuel told Johann that when his father died, his uncle refused to take care of him so he cried out to God who provided him with a place to live with his grandmother. Because of this, he decided to become a follower of this God who hears and answers. He is active in the Church and wants to get his diploma from St Frumentius so that he can serve the Church better.
Top left: Bishop Grant visits the Pinyudo refugee camp Top right: The first St Frumentius Anglican Theological College students Above middle: Constructing the chapel at St Frumentius Just above: New St Frumentius student Samuel is a Nuer refugee living in the Jewi refugee camp
CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY
Name: Chris and Suzy Wilson Location: Gambella, Ethiopia Our call: To raise up and equip indigenous Christian leaders to serve rural communities in South Sudan and Ethiopia Our role: Teaching church leaders at St Frumentius Anglican Theological College
GOING TO GAMBELLA‘ Interview with Chris and Suzy Wilson Q WHERE ARE YOU
GOING AND WHY?
We are moving to the Gambella region of Ethiopia to join the staff team at St Frumentius Theological College – a new Anglican theological college that has opened in the last year to support church leaders throughout the Gambella region.
Q WHY IS THEOLOGICAL TRAINING A BIG NEED IN GAMBELLA? Suzy: There are over 300,000 refugees from South Sudan now living in Gambella and that’s on top of many other refugees who moved there during the initial fighting in South Sudan years ago. So Gambella presents an amazing opportunity to train up church leaders. Q WHAT MADE YOU
WANT TO GO THERE? Chris: We previously lived in Zambia, teaching in a rural school, so we saw firsthand some of the challenges facing churches in that kind of context – including lack of leaders and situations where once leaders are trained in Bible colleges in big cities, they can be quite reluctant to return to work in a poor, rural environment. So praying into that, we felt like God told us to help raise up refugees as church leaders. Suzy: We specifically felt like Ethiopia would be significant and that South
Sudan would be significant. So when Church Mission Society presented to us this college in Ethiopia, we immediately felt this was the right thing to be pursuing.
Q WHAT WILL YOU TEACH? Chris: I will teach courses in Old Testament and biblical interpretation Suzy: Initially I will help our two children to settle in: Abigail (twoand-a-half years) and Matthew (nine months). After a while I hope to be involved.
Q WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND?
Chris: We are trained secondary school teachers in the UK but over the past few years I have been teaching part-time in a pupil referral unit for children who are expelled from school or who experienced trauma and cannot attend mainstream school, as well as studying for a master’s in biblical interpretation. Suzy: I studied theology at university and then taught religious education at a secondary school.
Q WHAT DO YOU THINK IT
WILL BE LIKE TO WORK WITH BISHOP GRANT AND DR WENDY LEMARQUAND?
It will be a real honour and privilege. We went to Gambella 18 months ago; we stayed with Bishop Grant and
Wendy and were very inspired by their passion for the Church in Gambella and their love for the people.
Q WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE COLLEGE?
St Frumentius started last year with about a dozen students who are training full-time to be church leaders. Nine students completed their first year – the majority from the Anuak and Nuer people groups. They will continue studying and a new intake of students will hopefully join this summer and the college will double in size. As well as raising up new church leaders, the college also helps train and resource existing church leaders who are working in local communities and inside refugee camps.
Q WHAT DO YOU THINK
SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WILL BE?
It gets very hot in Gambella – people have warned us! Also getting used to a different pace and way of life with two little ones. We will also be working day to day with people who are dealing with much trauma. So we will have to learn to work alongside them and help them deal with that pain. Pray that God will grant us the humility, grace and wisdom to teach and live in such a way that is a blessing to the Church there.
THE CALL - AUTUMN 2016
TAKE ACTION
1 Pray for the Church to
continue to flourish in Gambella despite all the challenges
2 Pray for St Frumentius
College – that more church leaders will be equipped to make disciples inside refugee camps and in the wider communities
3 Support Chris
and Suzy Wilson: churchmissionsociety. org/chrisandsuzywilson
23
PIONEER FEATURE
Name: Sue Steer Location: Leicestershire, UK My call: To pioneer ways of being Christian community through listening, serving and helping others discover life to its fullest in Christ My role: Serving in a (literal) mission field
THE FIRST TO ARRIVE Sue Steer was instrumental in turning an unused church space into the thriving Pathways community centre. Now she’s embarking on a new pioneer adventure.
24
CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY
CAN YOU SUMMARISE THE JOURNEY TO ESTABLISHING THE PATHWAYS CENTRE? The Pathways journey started through a number of events. Doing a module with St John’s Nottingham called God in the World led me to begin thinking about what it meant to be an active Christian in my everyday life. I then went with a friend from church (Hinckley Baptist Church) to a Faithworks conference and heard Steve Chalke talk about how churches could make a difference in their communities by looking beyond normal church activities and engaging with social issues. It really fired us up and we started to look at how our church buildings, which were dilapidated and hardly used, could become of use to our community. I led a team to raise £350,000, we refurbished the buildings and we began partnering with the local community. Over the years we have partnered with various groups, including people with mental health issues, adults with special needs, children’s groups and young people. We also started a ‘silver surfers’ computer club for older people, an art group and a community cafe. Lately we have focused on wellbeing and dementia groups. BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT EXPECTATIONS v REALITY WHEN IT COMES TO PIONEERING? It’s true that Pathways took longer to find its feet than I expected. It’s grown into something I never anticipated, but it is something I feel sure God wanted. Originally we did a community audit to explore local needs. We also looked at our gifts and talents. Church members wanted to start something like an afterschool club for local children. We also found local groups who expressed interest in using our space. These two things gave us a vision of what shape Pathways might take. Once the centre opened, we felt that we didn’t want to set up something in competition with local childminders, so we didn’t proceed with the afterschool club. That kind of left us in no man’s land. I remember feeling lost, not understanding what God wanted us to do. It was also a difficult time as some people in the church felt I should be articulating a new vision. I gradually felt that God was saying that we just needed to listen and love the community, so that’s what we did. Groups of people began using the building and we supported and befriended them. This was a learning curve for me as I’m a driver by nature. Now I know that it’s okay not to have it all mapped out. The first three or four years were an emotional rollercoaster as we set up groups; some succeeded, others failed.
After that, things seemed to settle as our church began to find our place again in the community. We learned so much and began to see some valuable relationships form and people’s faith develop. One thing I expected was that we would see crossover from Pathways to people coming to church. That has never really happened, which doesn’t surprise me now, but it was one reason why I started on the pioneer course with Church Mission Society – I was trying to understand what God was up to. Not seeing Sunday mornings grow was difficult for some people in the church. Now, I think our church has grown, but in different ways. Church happens all week, through our activities and certainly we see people growing in their relationship with Jesus, just not in a conventional way. I’m really grateful for my minister. He’s never once said, “Forget Pathways and spend your time on Sunday church.” When I look back I think how gracious and freeing that was. TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW ‘MISSION FIELD’, WHY YOU’RE MOVING ON AND HOW YOUR PATHWAYS EXPERIENCE WILL BE RELEVANT. I feel ready for a new challenge. The Pathways dream started in 2002, we opened in 2008 and it’s 2016 already! Pathways is in a really good place; it’s really well known and respected. It has changed the face of our church for the better and is financially selfsustaining. A replacement for me has been employed and we have part-time workers and volunteers who will keep it going. I guess I’ve been a pioneer sustainer for a while and I think I’m called to do more pioneering than sustaining at this point. The new venture is about starting from scratch...again. This time though, as yet, there are no buildings, people or church! There are fields, a few builders, a new bridge across the M1 and a vision designed by the council and developers. I’m going to a place called Lubbesthorpe on the outskirts of Leicester. The plan is to build a new town of 4,250 houses along with schools, workplaces, community facilities, shops and green spaces. My role is simply to build community. I’ll be welcoming the first people into Lubbesthorpe and those who follow. It is an amazing opportunity and I still have to pinch myself to believe I’ve been chosen to do it! Churches Together in Leicester are employing me so it is an ecumenical project. There are so many lessons I’ve learned in Pathways and tools I have now through the CMS pioneer course that while there is a part of me that’s scared, that’s okay. There really is no map (in more ways than one). Right now the plan centres on
THE CALL - AUTUMN 2016
finding dreaming space, praying and seeking to gather those who want to join God in his mission for Lubbesthorpe. I’ll be seeking to work with other stakeholders: developers, councillors, community service providers, nearby churches. The hope is that eventually some sort of missional community will be born but when and what it will look like will be decided by God in his time. HOW COMFORTABLE ARE YOU WITH BEING CALLED A PIONEER? I’m far more comfortable than I used to be. I guess that’s from understanding what pioneering is about and realising that’s what I’m called to do. Pioneering is about stepping out beyond the norm, seeing new possibilities and being happy with not knowing the end at the beginning. When you try new things you have to be prepared to fail. Being secure in who I am in Christ means I can live with that more easily now than before. HAS THE CMS PIONEER COURSE HELPED YOU AND IF SO, HOW? I can’t really speak too highly of the pioneer course and the way it has helped me discover and be secure in who I am and what I believe God has called me to be and do. When I started I felt I had so much mush in my head around what was happening in Pathways. I was struggling to make sense of it. Doing the course has helped me articulate theologically why I do what I do. In pioneering you need to be able to do this. The Church needs pioneers to go off grid. And we need to help the Church understand why it needs to change if Christianity is going to survive in a postChristendom society.
LEARN
If you feel God has called you to be a pioneer and ‘to go off grid’ like Sue, then the CMS Pioneer Mission Leadership Training course may be just the thing for you. It offers a creative way of equipping and mobilising Christians for ground-breaking, transformational and sustainable mission. Read more about the course at pioneer.churchmissionsociety.org
25
MISSION REFLECTION Name: Nabil and Sarah Shehadi Location: Lebanon (covering the Levant: Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel and Palestine) Our call: The revitalisation of the Church: to support Arabic-speaking churches, of all denominations, in their faith and mission Our role: Nabil: Alpha Levant coordinator, training churches to run Alpha and Marriage courses in Arabic. Sarah: administration, accounts, fundraising, leading courses in English.
Mission means... BY NABIL SHEHADI, BASED ON A TALK HE GAVE IN MAY 2016 TO A GATHERING OF CMS PEOPLE IN MISSION IN TURKEY. THE SETTING WAS DURING A VISIT TO THE AMPHITHEATRE IN EPHESUS, THE SCENE OF EVENTS IN ACTS 19.
Photos right: The ancient city of Ephesus, where CMS people in mission from Europe, the Middle East and North Africa gathered in May. Taken by Jonathan Self.
26
Beyond barriers: the new humanity Ephesus was big on business; it was the third largest city in Roman Asia Minor. Ephesus was also big on religion; its Temple of Diana was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Paul’s preaching about the Kingdom of God (Acts 19:8) threatened an unholy alliance between business and religion: the lucrative trade in silver shrines of Diana. A riot in the great amphitheatre of Ephesus, with a seating capacity of 25,000, showed the power of these vested interests. Demetrius the silversmith could see that Paul’s preaching was affecting not just his pocket but the whole region. Little did he know that it would affect the whole world, and displace not just Diana but the whole Roman pantheon of gods. The account in Acts 19 and the letter to the Ephesians give us insights into Paul’s worldview. It was nothing less than that of a new humanity in Christ, a world beyond barriers. This was a worldview that would challenge both the pagan and the Jewish mindsets. It broke down the prevailing theological barrier within humanity, that between Jew and gentile: “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by
setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace” (Ephesians 2:14-15). It was a worldview that also broke down an even greater barrier: the one between God and humanity, in effect doing away with the need for temples, let alone idols made by human hands: “For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit” (Ephesians 2:18). MISSION MEANS... doing life the Jesus way This is to be our continuing worldview and mission, the cosmic reconciliation which we also see in Colossians and Galatians, breaking the barriers not just between Jew and gentile but slave and free, male and female, in Christ. How are we to do this? The clue is in a very small two-letter word: “as”. It comes in the Gospel of John’s version of the Great Commission: “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21). It is about doing life and mission the Jesus way. MISSION MEANS... being there, being real (incarnation) How did the Father send the Son? The Word became flesh and “moved into the neighbourhood” as the Message translation puts it. Jesus set “ set aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations”
CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY
(Ephesians 2:15). His reconciling mission starts with crossing barriers; it is about being there. For him it meant crossing from heaven to earth. For us it might mean crossing from one room to another, one street to another, one country to another – wherever the ‘other’ we want to reconcile is found. Mission continues with living out the message fully in our redeemed, re-created humanity; it is about being real. Being real to ourselves and to others. Sharing food, sharing tears, sharing hope. God shared every detail of our humanity and lived for 30 years in obscurity (granted there was a bit of a fanfare at the beginning) before launching his mission. Every detail of our lives is reclaimed as worship and mission, expressing the beauty of the Creator.
CLASSIFIEDS MISSION MEANS... being relational and reliant (Trinity) How did the Father send the Son? We see it in the messianic Manifesto: “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me…he has sent me…” (Isaiah 61/Luke 4). We see here the mission of the Trinity (“Spirit… Lord…me”), which Paul describes with much enthusiasm in Ephesians 1. We are created in the image of our relational God in order to be relational beings. Each person valued as in the image of God, each relationship potentially a reminder of our relationship with God. We are called by the action of our triune God into the very bosom of his eternal love, knowing the Father through the Son, as Jesus prayed for us in John 17 (where he also sends us as he was sent in verse 18). Mission is about being relational – a new humanity through restored relationship with God and with one another. But we can only do the mission of the Son through the Spirit whom he breathes on the disciples straight after he commissions them in John’s Gospel, in a preview of Pentecost. Mission is about being reliant. Mission starts daily with waiting for the Spirit’s
empowerment, whether in an upper room, or in a bedroom, before going out to face – and change – the world. It’s a missiology based on incarnation and Trinity, notably the two most contentious doctrines in an Islamic context. An urgent mission in a world full of barriers From the riot in Ephesus to race riots in the USA. From the ‘comfort women’ of WWII Japan to the abused women in the Syria of ISIS. To the refugee crisis. To the separation barrier in the ‘Land of the Holy One’ which embodies one of the biggest conflicts of this age. The latter, sadly, is not only a political barrier but also a theological one even for some Christians who forget the “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all” (Ephesians 4) which makes one body of Jew and gentile; those who forget that the New Covenant is about being saved by grace not by race. The mission of the new humanity in Christ is as urgent as ever. Life and mission the Jesus way are about breaking down barriers, being present and being real, relational and reliant. These are the values embodied in the Alpha course, which I have the joy of sharing with churches in the Levant. They are values relevant to Church Mission Society too: Church is about being present and real. Mission is about being relational. Society is transformed when we rely on the Holy Spirit.
CURRENT MISSION OPPORTUNITIES IN PEACE AND RECONCILIATION The call: “An enemy is someone whose story you have not heard.” Inspired by the Prince of Peace, help people in conflict find forgiveness and a way forward.
Asia United Mission to Nepal (UMN) is looking for an advocacy adviser to join a small team seeking to empower communities to speak up for justice for themselves, the environment and the most vulnerable. Along with a passion for justice, skills and experience are needed in one or more of the following: public policy advocacy, campaigning, community empowerment, human rights, legal work. This post requires appropriate qualifications to master’s level or equivalent. There are multiple needs at Murree Christian School, a small boarding school in the foothills of the Himalayan mountains in Pakistan. It has students and staff from all over the world. There are opportunities for administrative roles, a director, online studies coordinator, a school nurse, boarding house parents, an elementary ESL teacher, high school teachers in English, German, Korean, religious studies and music, a special education needs teacher and a gap year student.
Africa Location undisclosed. CMS is seeking a parish priest who has worked pastorally in a multi-cultural and multi-faith context, preferably having participated in inter-faith dialogue.
Middle East/ North Africa An opportunity has arisen for a highly skilled networker to focus on developing and maintaining networks to generate support for Christians in the Middle East and North Africa who are facing persecution. This includes mobilising people to pray, political advocacy, working with human rights NGOs, the media and refugee assistance organisations. We are looking for an ecumenically-minded Christian individual or family who are willing to travel across the region.
Middle East The diocese of Jerusalem covers five countries and almost 30 parishes. Healthcare and education ministries are active and growing across the region with the provision of hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centres and schools. Alongside these ministries the diocesan peace and reconciliation department works at strengthening interfaith dialogue with Jews and Muslims. For example, the Kids4Peace programme teaches the next generation tolerance and acceptance. There are opportunities for teachers, youth workers, medical staff, experienced administrators and those interested in peace and reconciliation to serve short-term, long-term or on a gap year.
GO
THE CALL - AUTUMN 2016
To enquire about any of these roles, contact Isaac Frisby: 01865 787416 or isaac.frisby@ churchmissionsociety.org
27
COMMUNITY NEWS
Around the world around the UK
This spring, CMS hosted three events with international edge ASIA PRAYER AND AWARE YOUTH EVENT On 18 June, two bishops from the Punjab – one from either side of the India/Pakistan border – came together to celebrate the anniversary of Church Mission Society’s Asia: Prayer and Aware campaign as well as the legacy of Sadhu Sundar Singh. Bishop Irfan Jamil of Lahore, Pakistan and Bishop Pradeep Samantaroy of Amritsar, India (who is also moderator of the Church of North India) paid tribute to the Indian Christian mystic at an event called How to Roll Like Sadhu. They were joined by a crowd of young people looking to explore his influence for today. The event was held at John Keble Church in Edgware. “It was very significant to have these two bishops there – expressing unity in Christ across the great divide between India
and Pakistan,” commented the Rev Rana Khan, chair of CMS’s Asia Forum. Rana helped galvanise the Asia: Prayer and Aware campaign, which was launched at Lambeth Palace last year. It aims to encourage mission to and from Asia – and to focus on mission among, and by, the Asian community in the UK. The campaign has hosted a series of gatherings throughout the UK. On its launch last year, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, described the campaign as a “gift to the church”.
¡ADELANTE! DAY BY MARY ROLLIN LATIN PARTNER OFFICER The Church Mission Society Latin America Forum day conference was held on 21 May with the familiar focus on ¡Adelante! – going forward. Around 85 people gathered at Christ Church, Birmingham to share in the present and future work of God in Latin America. The forum organised the conference with help from CMS staff and local friends. Geoff Lanham, vicar, and Bishop Maurice Sinclair, former mission partner in Northern Argentina, led seminars about recent visits by the
church to the diocese of Bolivia. Daniel Kirk (Chile) gave a Bible reflection from Mark 12:28-31. Anna Sims and Sharon Wilcox shared stories from their work in Peru and Ecuador respectively, giving excellent presentations about lives changed through Jesus’ love. One aim of ¡Adelante! is to allow time to renew friendships and meet people; fellowship took place over lunch and between sessions. There was an interesting mix of people, with a good number of younger speakers and participants. Craft and resource stalls and Latin American country flags added colour to the day. An afternoon session included live interviews with people preparing to go to various Latin American countries. The conversational style of the session suited the relaxed feel of the day. The conference ended with group prayer for the different nations where CMS is involved in God’s mission, followed by worship. Thank you to all those who contributed to ¡ADELANTE! 2016!
HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY BETTY! Betty York of Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire, celebrated her 100th birthday on 3 July by attending St Peter’s Church Irthlingborough with members of her family. Betty has been a Church Mission Society supporter for many years and still attends meetings of the Mid Northants CMS group. She is actively involved in the life of her home church where she is churchwarden emeritus.
28
CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY
MISSIO AFRICANUS
CONFERENCE
BY HARVEY KWIYANI HEAD OF MISSIO AFRICANUS On 4 June, a group of about 60 pastors, church leaders and mission workers gathered at Church Mission Society for the Missio Africanus annual conference where, with CMS, we commemorated Crowther Day. Philip Mounstephen attended and spoke, remarking on CMS’s continuing commitment to receiving the gifts of the global church in Britain. The main speaker was Professor Andrew Walls (pictured). He has been involved in mission in Africa since 1957 when he went to teach at the Fourah Bay College in Sierra Leone. He spent 10 years living in Sierra Leone and Nigeria. Conversations revolved around mission and migration with a focus on African Christianity in Britain. Professor Walls emphasised that migration shapes the story of the Bible. He spoke about the gifts that African Christians have brought to world Christianity, especially through migration, both to the Americas centuries ago and to other continents today. Migration has become a means to spread Christianity afresh. Sounding the Macedonian Call (Acts 16:9), Walls suggested that Africans in Europe ought to engage in mission, making every effort to reach Europeans for Christ. During breakout sessions participants discussed the practical implications of the mission call. It was delightful to see people talking passionately about how they want to keep trying to reach their neighbours with the gospel.
CLIMB RAISES £5,000 BY NICK FANE, CHAIR OF THE WORCESTER CHURCH MISSION SOCIETY ACTION GROUP How do you set up a sponsored walk that is suitably challenging for ages eight to 80? Ben Nevis (4,431ft) was barely enough for some and hardly local for the Worcester CMS group. So we decided to climb higher still – by ascending the Malvern Hills multiple times – making the challenge adaptable to ability, age or inclination. On Saturday 25 June five participants completed five ascents of the Worcester Beacon, making a total climb of 5,500ft (that is 1,700m if you prefer metric units) and 16.5 miles (or 27km). For Josh Bruce (eight years old) that was a really fantastic achievement and he had the opportunity to talk about his climb and the recipient of his sponsorship (Neema Crafts) in school the following week. Others directed their money to different Church Mission Society activities and the total raised was in excess of £5,000. Well done to Peter, 80, for encouraging us to set up the event and making the ascent himself. The participants were: Canon Peter Burch – one ascent. Five ascents: Rev Stephen Owens, Nick Fane, Josh Bruce, Rev Dave Bruce, Rt Rev Jonathan Ruhumiliza.
COMMUNITY NEWS
COMMUNITY EVENTS 14 SEPTEMBER–2 OCTOBER. Art exhibition: The Christ We Share. Thirty-two images of Christ from around the world. Selby Abbey, North Yorkshire. Contact: Liz Cooper 01977 676766 or Pauline Hill 01263 768738 17 SEPTEMBER. Northern day conference. 10am–4pm at St Philip’s, Girlington, Bradford. Theme: Building Bridges. Contact: Peter Hemming peterhemming@hotmail.com 28 SEPTEMBER. Mission Partners’ Fellowship. 11am at All Saints Church Hall, Greenbanks Close, Milford-on-Sea, Lymington SO41 0SQ. Bring your lunch, drinks provided. Contact: Elizabeth Edmunds 01425 610797 or edmunds37@uwclub. net 7–9 OCTOBER. Annual Africa Conference hosted by Church Mission Society. Venue: Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 1AU. Talks by Philip Mounstephen, Dennis Tongoi (international director of CMS-Africa), Richard Rukundo (children’s ministry coordinator, Church of Uganda), Harvey Kwiyani (director of Missio Africanus) and more. Contact Nick Fane on ac2016@fanes.uk 8 OCTOBER. Spirit of Mission Retreat in the City: Manchester. Nurturing spirituality for mission through prayer, attentiveness, presence. 10.30am–4pm at Home Community Cafe at Emmanuel Church Didsbury M20 6TR. Contact Ian Adams ian.adams@churchmissionsociety.org 8 OCTOBER. The Difficult 2nd Album: what is it to be a fresh expression/mission community after the first few years? 10am–4pm at CMS, Watlington Road, Oxford OX4 6BZ. Cost: £12. Contact: mark.berry@churchmissionsociety.org 15 OCTOBER. York autumn meeting with soup and pud lunch. 12.30pm–3pm, Christ Church,
FINANCE UPDATE BY CHARLIE WALKER, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND CORPORATE SERVICES We are in the business of enabling people to hear, to respond, and to set into action the call God has placed on their lives. I am discovering that this call leads people into a myriad of different projects, countries, people groups and sectors. It’s a huge privilege to be involved in this work. In order to support our wide variety of mission activity we are seeking to grow our ‘live giving’ income streams in 2016–17. This is our core sustainable income from individuals, churches and trusts. The live giving income results to the end of June (five months into the financial year) showed us to be around two per cent under budget and around four per cent under the prior year, so we have our work cut out for us in order to realise these targets.
Stockton Lane, York. Cost: £4 (tbc). Contact: Eileen Wishart 01904 633705 or eileen.wishart@ tiscali.co.uk
THE CALL IN ACTION
21 OCTOBER. Worcester coffee morning + bring and buy. 1pm–3pm. The Guildhall, Worcester High Street. Contact Nick Fane: 01684 566601 or africa@fanes.uk
New people in mission
29 OCTOBER. Kendal gathering for CMS members, friend and supporters. Stricklandgate Methodist Church in Kendal. Details to follow. Contact Jenny Ottewell: 01539 727010 or jennyottewell@breathe.com
Andrea and Andrew Young have moved to Kathmandu, Nepal, where they will use their counselling and pastoral skills to provide care and support to people serving with United Mission to Nepal.
3 NOVEMBER. Jacket potato and posh puds supper in Rushden. 6.45pm for 7pm, St Peter’s Church, Rushden. Suggested donation: £7 per person. Contact Margaret Walker: 01933 223614 or pearlgate21@googlemail.com
Chris and Suzy Wilson, with Abigail and Matthew, have departed to Gambella, Ethiopia, where they will be involved in training church leaders among the large Sudanese community.
8 NOVEMBER. FuturePresent: dreaming of a better world now. Pioneer conversations day. 10am–4.30pm at CMS, Watlington Road, Oxford OX4 6BZ. Cost: £25. Contact: pioneer@ churchmissionsociety.org To book: futurepresent. eventbrite.co.uk 12 NOVEMBER. Africa day conference in Liverpool. 1pm–3pm, St Paul’s Church Fazakerley. Contact Jean Mitchell: 0151 928 3491 or mitchjeph@talktalk.net 13-18 NOVEMBER. CMS Pioneer Missional Entrepreneurship week. Read more about the week at pioneer.churchmissionsociety.org Contact: helen.harwood@churchmissionsociety. org
GOING OVERSEAS LONG-TERM:
GOING OVERSEAS SHORT-TERM (UP TO TWO YEARS): Sara Prior-Sanderson (Israel), Charles Fox (South America), Nicola Maxwell (Uganda), Andrew and Lisa Peart with Liliana and Anayah (Bolivia) MISSION ASSOCIATES (PEOPLE CONNECTING WITH THE CMS FAMILY WHILE OVERSEAS): Ian and Merle Halliday (Kenya), Hazel and John Reese (Israel), Paul Darrall (Africa)
Moving on David and Liza Cooke have returned from Kenya where they served for three years in Eldoret in peace and reconciliation.
15 NOVEMBER. Missional Entrepreneurship Networking Day. 1–5pm at Matryoshka Haus, St Dunstan’s Wharf, 142 Narrow St, Poplar, London E14 8BP. Cost: £15. To book: missionalentrepreneurship-day-sept2016.eventbrite.co.uk
Ben and Kemi Enwuchola have served in Britain for 16 years during which time Ben has been the Anglican Nigerian chaplain. They are now returning to Nigeria where Ben will be assistant provincial secretary.
To keep up to date with Community events visit churchmissionsociety.org/events
Angela and Chris Chorlton, with Anna, Isaac and Noah, have served in Egypt for 12 years, initially with the Coptic Church in Beni Suef and then with the Anglican Church in Cairo. They are now moving to Bradford where Chris will take up a curacy. Andy Wheeler is retiring after 14 years as mission pastor at St Saviour’s Church, Guildford. He and Sue were previously mission partners in Sudan.
At CMS we have a number of different income streams, including the rental income we receive from leasing out space within CMS House. We currently have a significant space in the building that we would love to see filled. Please do pray with us that we will find a tenant shortly. The other major impact on CMS finances going forward will be the result of the triennial valuation of the old CMS pension scheme. The valuation results will be discussed and finalised by the pension board during the second half of 2016, but as expected the draft results are showing an increase in the deficit. Unfortunately, worsening pension deficits are common to the vast majority of defined benefit pension schemes. CMS staff and trustees in collaboration with the pension board are doing all we can to manage the scheme and the valuation results with the best interests of the members and CMS at heart; please continue to pray about this. In and through all of this we count ourselves blessed to be called into mission by our great God.
THE CALL - AUTUMN 2016
Laura and Simon Walton, with Grace, Esther and James, have returned to Manchester after 16 years serving in Tanzania, initially at Mvumi Hospital and latterly in Dar es Salaam.
Church Mission Society staff changes since February 2016 WELCOME: Andrea Campanale, pioneer network animator (February) and pioneer hubs learning coordinator (July), Georgie Morgan, executive PA to the mission theologian in the Anglican Communion (March), Nigel Rooms, Partnership for Missional Church leader (April), Lynda Gerrard, pioneer mission academic administrator (June), Bryony Loveless, key relationships summer intern (August) FAREWELL: Andy Bowman, trust fundraiser (July)
29
MISSION SPIRITUALITY A series exploring the story of Jonah as a resource for nurturing a spirituality for mission
IN THE BELLY OF THE FISH WITH JONAH Part 2: Into Transparency
BY IAN ADAMS, MISSION SPIRITUALITY ADVISER FOR CHURCH MISSION SOCIETY
In the calm that follows we, like Jonah in the water as the ship recedes from view, have a brief pause to reflect. What has happened here?
But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and such a mighty storm came upon the sea that the ship threatened to break up...
This part of Jonah’s story is a process: from deception into transparency, from opacity into clarity. He gets to a point where he can and must say For I know it is because of me...
Jonah has, we can imagine, been shaped by the ritual of Hebrew tradition. His calling to be a messenger of God has been shaped in study and in worship, in prayer and in sacrifice. Perhaps one quiet evening, like the child Samuel, he too said Here I am. But Jonah has fled from God’s presence. And this is no quiet evening. So now the storm becomes the only means through which God can be heard. The fierce wisdom of the sea – another and older bible of God’s wisdom and presence – falls on Jonah and his unwitting companions. The mariners and their captain understand something of what is happening, and have the insight – and desperation – to force Jonah to wake and tell his story. They speak when Jonah has forgotten to speak. And the prophetic words are now addressed to him: What are you doing sound asleep? What is this that you have done? Credit to Jonah. Awakened and awake. He knows what he has done. Now we can sense Jonah’s potential for honesty, equal to his capacity for dishonesty. And he has a desperate remedy. Pick me up, and throw me into the sea. He knows what must be done. And in the end they agree. So they picked Jonah up and threw him into the sea; and the sea ceased from its raging.
Jonah’s story is a reminder that our mission can never be separate from us. Mission can never be about actions that are remote from us. The journey into mission can only emerge from a journey into life. Jonah’s mission foundered when he regressed, and flourished as he began to act again with maturity and awareness. So it starts with us, here and now. Our participation in God’s mission is directly linked to the extent to which we are transparent – and thus present – to ourselves, to our neighbour and to God. As God’s great story unfolds from this point, some centuries on from the writing of the Jonah story, Jesus of Nazareth will teach about the healthy eye: If your eye is healthy, he will say, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. Our ability to see with clarity is linked to our willingness to be transparent, to ourselves, to others and to God. Jonah’s journey (back) into transparency is a dramatic one. And the drama is about to deepen. Our story may not be so eventful. But the call to transparency – to ourselves, to others and to God – remains the same. God help me to be transparent, that your light and your presence may shine through me.
Image: Rachel Yates
30
CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY
APPEAL FOLLOW UP Name: Heather Johnstone Location: Musoma, Tanzania My call: To show love, compassion and mercy My role: Managing the Rehema Project, empowering women and children in crisis
“I AM BACK WHERE‘ GOD CALLED ME TO BE”‘ BY HEATHER JOHNSTONE
A
t the beginning of 2016, Church Mission Society supporters responded generously to a New Year, New People in Mission appeal, featuring two women who were getting ready to put their call into action: Kate Quarrell (Uganda) and Heather Johnstone (Tanzania). Following is a report from Heather, who is now back working among women and children at risk – thanks to your prayers and gifts. It is hot and incredibly humid. From 3C to 39C is quite an adjustment to make in 24 hours. I have just arrived in Dar es Salaam and I have a two-day stopover before I travel to Musoma. I stand in front of the airport, perspiration running down my back, looking unsuccessfully for my pre-booked taxi driver, but I thank God – at long last, I am on Tanzanian soil after three years away. Bwana Asifiwe – praise the Lord! Within 10 minutes of leaving the airport in a taxi, we careen down a dirt rollercoaster-like road through a small village and I panic a little as I see three cars and a motorcycle heading towards us. Then the unofficial rules of the road come rushing back to me – cars, motorcycles, bicycles, trucks, vans, people and animals all jostle for position, whichever side of the road
that might be. I re-check my seat belt, settle back into my seat and absorb the familiar sights, sounds and smells of Tanzanian village life – it feels good, it feels right; I am back where God called me to be. A few days later I’m in Musoma – legally I can’t work yet because my residence visa has still not been issued and I’m a bit frustrated that after all the waiting I am on a tourist visa. However, suddenly all that changes after an impromptu visit to the regional head of immigration, who agrees that even though my paperwork is still being processed, he will allow me to start work. What an amazing answer to prayer! I head for the Rehema Project and my welcome from the ladies is incredible. The six kitchen staff rush out to meet me, ululating as they approach and I am enveloped in the biggest, warmest group hug I have ever experienced. I tell them that I have been praying and preparing to return to Rehema for a long time and I am very excited to be back and they tell me they have also been praying for my return. Then they sing an enthusiastic song which they have written to welcome me. (I posted a video clip on my Heather Rehema Johnstone Facebook page if you’d like to watch it.) Amy and her husband Jono (who returned to Australia in June after 12 years in Musoma) have built the Rehema facility, enterprise and assistance programme over
the past eight years and hand over a beautiful and fully functioning cafe which seats up to 50 people, a spacious workshop which employs seamstresses and women to make crafts, two onsite shops which sell the items made in the workshop and a small spa facility for manicures and pedicures. It is a slice of tranquility within the hustle and bustle of Musoma. It is an honour to have this project handed over to me to run on behalf of the diocese of Mara. Much work needs to be done, but Amy and Jono are confident that having someone on the ground responsible for overall management will make a huge difference. There have been some ‘quick wins’ like getting the project officially registered as a women’s group on 31 March (we had until the end of March to do it – talk about cutting it fine!), getting broken appliances fixed, getting some low level maintenance done, adjusting menu prices to factor in increases in the prices of meat, fish, chicken, etc and focusing on improving customer service in the cafe. Some of the challenges include getting the finance records in order and personnel issues. Settling into life in Musoma has been relatively easy – by and large it has been like slipping into a comfy pair of favourite old slippers. We have a vibrant Kiswahili morning worship session daily with the women at the project,
THE CALL - AUTUMN 2016
which is inspiring, and I sing along with gusto even though I don’t understand a word yet. I have really seen God at work through your prayerful support; thank you. Please pray for the Rehema Project, for the ladies who work here and the women and children who need assistance. Pray that I will be patient and rely on God to guide me.
GIVE
You can help Heather and other people in mission like her put their call into action. Go to churchmissionsociety. org/give
31
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
“The time is right” Dear CMS I have just spent an hour sitting in the sun, deeply absorbed in the first edition of The Call. That’s a rarity for me. As a full-time secondary teacher and an Anglican reader in a large and busy urban parish, I don’t tend to get much time to read the magazines that come through my door from various Christian organisations. I tend to skim most things, unless, that is, they are well written, varied, interesting and inspiring. And that’s exactly what The Call is. If this is what future editions are going to be like, your intuition that the time is right for a mission newspaper is thoroughly vindicated. I’m already looking forward to the next edition. …Keeping in touch with the CMS family, with its international, crosscultural perspective has been one of the most formative influences in my own journey over the past half century. For these reasons and more, it is wonderful to see CMS continuing to reflect, to grow and to innovate in a challenging climate, and even more wonderful to see God honouring your commitment and your risk-taking. May he continue to bless all you do.
stopped because my memory couldn’t do justice to remembering all the very different experiences recorded there and the need to respond appropriately to them. When will it be picked up again...? Just a few first impressions and observations of a long-time supporter who doesn’t enjoy being negative about such a breath of fresh air as CMS! Gwenda
“You have caught a wave” Dear Philip Just a quick line to congratulate you and the team on The Call. I think the new strapline, “The call in action”, works well. I also think you have caught a wave that is happening around waking the whole church up to God’s call on every one of us. We all know this, but in practice so often reduce it to a few specialists – clergy, mission partners... So congratulations. A good mix in the first edition of news and features. I wonder if there might be space for “Meet the...team leader, pioneer trainer, etc” – that helps the community get to know the Oxford team too. Prayers for you all – greetings too. Rt Rev Paul Butler, Bishop of Durham
David, Birmingham
Plymouth perspectives
“A retrograde step”
Dear Sir We were interested to read your article in The Call in relation to Devonport. We are the developer building new homes opposite St Aubyn’s Church. We have worked here for nearly 10 years and have had a close working relationship with St Aubyn’s and the wider community. We have supported many functions carried out by St Aubyn’s including sponsoring Harvest lunches and carol services, which involved collecting beautiful handmade wheat sheaves, printing service sheets and providing financial support. We have introduced at least five people to the congregation and are delighted to say one of them is now the churchwarden – a great demonstration of community engagement. Following the fire mentioned in the article we decided the funds that were allocated to a third party would be better managed by the church as they could
Dear CMS ...The software company of which my husband was a director went through a similar re-branding to very good effect, so when I initially read that you were doing the same exercise I was excited to know how the already first-rate publications and communications could be improved. My initial reaction is that it’s a retrograde step. If it were the other way round and we were to receive the ‘bite-size’ Mission Update, Connect publications and separate financial statements instead of a newspaper I would see that as the step towards getting younger people involved with the stories; they are easily readable in a short time and as such more memorable.... I did sit down to read through The Call before writing this email and after half an hour of reading some fascinating articles of high quality as usual, I 32
provide financial and emotional support for those affected. We were disappointed to read that our homes are sold to “second-home owners” and the wealthy. To our knowledge we do not have any second homes; instead we have a wonderful mix of purchasers, ranging from an 18-yearold first-time buyer to an elderly retired pilot. We also have 19 per cent affordable housing on the development. Devonport has come a long way in the last eight years; it is a vibrant place with a strong community. There are businesses helping to drive Devonport forwards such as RIO, a social enterprise in the historic Devonport Guildhall; Devonport Live who manage area cafes; art exhibitions; Soup, which is a chance for new business ideas to be put forward; the Welcome Hall who host endless events for all and the beautiful Devonport Park, which is run mainly by volunteers. We feel privileged to have been part of this warm, friendly, vibrant community and will be filled with deep sadness when the development comes to an end in roughly 18 months. However we feel honoured to have been able to witness the transformation that has occurred within the area and are proud to have supported the community. Catherine, Plymouth
RE:ACTION
Have a reaction to anything you’ve read? Email the.call@ churchmissionsociety.org or write to: Attn: Editor, Church Mission Society, Watlington Road, Oxford OX4 6BZ NB: Some letters were edited due to space limitations.
CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY
Andrea Campanale leads Sacred Space, a missional community in Kingston
HOW TO...
We were grateful to receive a number of responses to the first edition of The Call and to Church Mission Society’s new look and feel. Here is a small sampling.
LAST WORD
How to...start a missional community BY ANDREA CAMPANALE, LEADER OF SACRED SPACE KINGSTON
STEP 1 Gather people I run a missional community called Sacred Space Kingston. I started it five years ago, having done outreach to spiritual seekers at New Age type fairs since 2005. It began because those who had come to faith found it nearly impossible to settle into conventional church. The services were too long and they felt they had little in common with the regular members of the congregation. I was also gathering people who had been in church for a while and who wanted more space to question and experiment with Christian disciplines from other traditions, as well as be more intentional about mission. It seemed like a logical next step to pull these folk together into a missional community.
STEP 2 Develop a rhythm I deliberately wanted us to be very different from what we’d come from, so we began with a very relaxed, informal and relational style. We met in ones and twos to build relationships, and would come together as a bigger group for meals every couple of months. After about a year, everyone was begging for more structure. This was because it was so fluid people were struggling to work out who we were and what our purpose for being actually was. So we developed a rhythm for meeting throughout the month. We now have prayer every other Thursday evening at someone’s house, one Monday evening a month we join with Kingston United Reformed Church for a Christian meditation and we have a community meal once a month where we break bread and extend hospitality to those who are not yet members of our community or another church. The men decided they wanted to do their own thing in addition to this regular pattern of meeting. So they go out for a curry, take a long walk that ends at a pub or go off-roading. These activities happen as and when it suits them. We also have a community meeting twice a year where we hear what everyone is up to, review what’s working well for the community and decide where we might need to change in order to keep pace with what people are doing.
STEP 3 Prioritise relationship I think what makes what we do distinct is that the relationships are real and honest. Most of us have had, or support someone with, a mental health problem or learning disability. We are therefore used to sharing at a deep level and have a high degree of self-awareness. The core group have also known each other for a long time and have come alongside one another in many joys and struggles over the years. We are also intentionally missional. Our goal is to be agents of transformation in the area and spheres of influence where God has placed us. When I conceived of it, I imagined Sacred Space as a Fresh Expression of church for spiritual seekers but that idea has evolved since its inception. I now help each member of the community work out their vocation and then devise a way in which this might be fulfilled through missional activity in Kingston. We
have set up a town centre chaplaincy service which is being run by a retired social worker in our community and I am currently partnering with another member of our community and a dwindling Baptist congregation to re-imagine their building as a community arts centre.
STEP 4 Discipleship through mission I’ve come to believe that one of the reasons previous evangelistic efforts have failed to bear as much fruit as we’d hoped is because as soon as someone outside the usual orbit of church became a Christian we encouraged them to become just like us. They began only socialising with other Christians and conformed to our values and lifestyle choices. I think we mistakenly thought this was discipleship, when really it was the very human desire to want to fit in. The consequence was that new believers were then unable to reach back into their web of contacts with the gospel. What I’m seeking to do with Sacred Space is to enable people who have access to relationships in a network or subculture to work out what it means to be a follower of Christ in that context. They then disciple others within that culture and create ‘church’ that is a reflection of who they are. My hope is that indigenous expressions of church might grow out of the Sacred Space missional community and that we become an umbrella for a plethora of unique and diverse expressions of the Body of Christ in Kingston.
STEP 5
Discover some theory that makes sense of your practice
On reflection, I have found inspiration from a school of thought called communioecclesiology. This relies upon the Trinity – God in relationship as three distinct persons, each with a different purpose, but with a common aim and made of the same stuff. We have much to learn from this about how we function as Christian community marked by unity, diversity and love. However, this relationship at the heart of God does not stay exclusive and self-serving. It overflows and invites the whole of creation to join in its work of redemption, restoration and reconciliation. For me this is what mission is about. It is a huge a privilege that, wherever we are located, God allows us to partner with him to bring about transformation.
LEARN
THE CALL - AUTUMN 2016
If you’d like to know more about how to develop a missional community, Andrea has written a Grove book entitled Community as Mission which will be available from grovebooks.co.uk
33
LE GA CY
“As part of the CMS family, it’s the most natural thing in the world to leave them a gift in our will.” Barbara and Tim Oakley
ave h ey th , em th f o o tw e th n ee w et Meet Barbara and Tim. B ars. ye 0 5 an th re o m r fo y et ci o S n o si been part of Church Mis e. ic tw – S M C h it w ya en K to em th k Their call to mission too Now back in the UK, Barbara and Tim continue to be passionate advocates for both global and local mission. And they want to see the future of mission sustained. So they’ve chosen to include CMS in their wills, saying: “Church Mission Society has been a significant part of our life together for so long that it would be hard not to consider leaving them a gift in our wills. As part of the CMS family, it is the most natural thing in the world.
SUPPORT
“Mission is non-negotiable for Christians and we trust CMS to always keep moving towards that central aim; they surely merit our future investment – however small.”
Will you join Barbara and Tim and other members of the CMS family and remember us in your will?
We cherish the confidence that Barbara and Tim – and hundreds of people over the years – have placed in us. Gifts in wills have helped keep CMS going for generations and they are vital to our future as we plan to enable more and more people to put their mission call into action.
To play a key part in the future of God’s mission through legacy giving, get in touch with Hannah Caroe at hannah.caroe@churchmissionsociety.org or call 01865 787521 Read more of Barbara and Tim’s story online: churchmissionsociety.org/oakley