The Call - summer 2016

A quiet revolution Women on the move in northern Argentina

Devonport in the details Uncovering community mission in Plymouth

Why send people?

Is overseas mission over?

NEPAL One year on How a Nepali mission became a relief agency and saw attitudes to Christianity transformed

THE CALL IN ACTIO N

|

CHURCHMISSIO NSO CIET Y. O RG

THE CALL - SUMMER 2016

ISSUE 1 | SUMMER 2016

The Call

The call in action

Welcome to the first edition of 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.

churchmissionsociety.org

2

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

WELCOME

THE CALL IS FOR ALL I hope you’ll be as excited as I am by what you read in our brand-new publication. You’ll find much here that will encourage you, as you see what God is doing in his world, and much that will challenge you to a fruitful life of mission.

PHILIP MOUNSTEPHEN

W

hy name this paper ‘The Call’? And why have we chosen ‘The call in action’ as our new strapline? Reading what’s written in these pages should answer these questions for you. Here you’ll find stories of all kinds of people who have heard God calling them and who have responded in all kinds of ways.

Calling, in biblical terms, is not just for some; it’s for all. Indeed the word often used for ‘church’ in the New Testament is the word ‘ekklesia’ which means literally ‘called out’.

God’s people, God’s church, are those he has called to belong to him, to serve him and to love him. So to be a Christian is to be called. It’s an inclusive term, not an exclusive one.

It’s certainly not about ordination or being a ‘professional missionary’.

Fundamentally it’s about being called to be a child of God and putting that call into action out of love.

In 1985 the Church of England produced a document called ‘All are called’ which includes these inspirational words:

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

/churchmissionsociety @cmsmission Church Mission Society is a mission community acknowledged by the Church of England. A company limited by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales, charity number 1131655, company number 6985330, registered office: as above. Group: The South American Mission Society. A company limited by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales, charity number 221328, company number 65048, registered office: as above. The Church Mission Society Trust. Registered charity number 1131655-1 (previously 220297), principal office: as above.

[1] ‘All are called – Towards a theology of the laity’ (CIO 1985)

Because all human beings are made in the image of God, they are called to become the People of God, the Church, servants and ministers and citizens of the Kingdom, a new humanity in Jesus Christ. Though we are tainted by our sinfulness, God’s wonderful grace and love offer us all this common Christian vocation. God

leaves everyone free to refuse this call; but the call is there for all without exception.

The young are called; the elderly are called. There is no retirement from the Christian pilgrimage. The beautiful are called, and also the unlovely. The sick are called as well as the healthy and the energetic.

Activists are called and also quiet people. We are called regardless of our intellectual abilities or our formal education. We are called regardless of our race or nationality or social class.[1] The call is for all. And in all of this Jesus is our model. One passage of scripture that has been a constant source of inspiration for me is Luke 4:18-19, in which Jesus stands up in the synagogue in Nazareth and proclaims his calling “to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind and to let the oppressed go free.”

There is something amazing about these prophetic words. On the one hand Jesus focuses them on himself.

And in one sense they can only apply to him. And yet because of all that Jesus has done for us, these words are true for us all. Because of his victory on the cross, because of the triumph of his resurrection, because of his gift at Pentecost, these words can apply to us too, as we too are anointed by the Spirit, to do the works that Jesus did, in the power of his Spirit. His call is our call too.

We in Church Mission Society exist to help God’s people hear and heed

THE CALL - SUMMER 2016

that call. Our vision is to see all God’s people engaged in God’s mission, bringing challenge, change, hope and freedom to the world. This call will look different for each of us. Maybe we obey it through our membership of the CMS community, making a commitment to make our lives count for God’s mission; maybe we do it through our generous giving; maybe we express it through a willingness to cross cultures and even continents to make Jesus’ love known and felt wherever God calls us to be.

Our individual response to God’s call will be very personal. But this call is for all. As Jesus’ call is our call too, so his words can become our words. So I invite you, whatever your own calling may look like, along with all the other members of the CMS family, to join with me in making Jesus’ words your own, today and every day: “The Spirit of the Lord is on us, because he has anointed us to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent us to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”

With my very best wishes, in Christ’s service,

Philip Mounstephen Executive Leader

3

MISSION NEWS

Christians from Ukraine and India share the gospel with hundreds Hundreds of people in India received medical and spiritual care in February as Christians from Ukraine and India joined together for a month of mission.

This was the fourth time Alison Giblett, who serves in Kiev, has helped lead a team from Ukraine to India to serve alongside partner churches.

The 12-strong team visited several towns and villages in central India. With local leaders, they led children’s programmes, meetings for young people and women and provided a mobile eye clinic.

More than 1,000 children, with their families, enjoyed stories, skits and games, while about 500 people received much-needed prescription glasses.

The eye clinic and children’s programme proved to be powerful testimonies of Jesus’ love. “We had been told that we would not

be able to visit people in their homes in one village due to their negative attitude towards Christianity,” Alison said. “However, we had run the eye clinic and children’s programme, which really helped people to feel God’s love and care and strengthened the reputation of the local church. We prayed with a family of five to receive Jesus as their living saviour.”

The trip was also a time of renewing relationships. Alison said, “We had the joy of hugging the child of a previously barren couple who had received prayer on our previous visit.”

Alison also met up with Indira, a girl she has been sponsoring for four years. “She is truly a blessing and an encouragement...she loves Jesus,” Alison said.

Indira and her younger sister live with their 29-year-old mother Suhana, who tries to provide for them by working as a building assistant. Her husband left many years ago – possibly as a result of having a second daughter, as girls are often considered a burden on their families.

Alison said: “Thank you for all your prayers during our month in India. Truly God blessed us greatly and we were very aware of God’s grace.”

Alison Giblett (centre), sharing God’s love in Indian homes

Walking in the light (and heat) in Kiwoko

Prayer march for the community of Kiwoko

In searing heat, and fortified with umbrellas as sun shades and bottles of water, more than 300 Christians took part in a prayer march through Kiwoko town in Luweru Diocese, Uganda.

The event, with the motto Walking in the Light, was organised for a Sunday afternoon in February by the Kiwoko Hospital mission team in cooperation with three local churches.

Among those marching was Church Mission Society’s Dr Corrie Verduyn, who uses her skills as clinical lead for women’s health, obstetrics and gynaecology at Kiwoko Hospital.

“The purposes were manifold,” she explained, continuing: “Kiwoko is a town where half the population profess to be Christian and half profess to be Muslim. As in Europe most Christians are only that in name and not in practice. In both religious communities, witchcraft is still commonly

practised. The aim of the march was to be fully visible as Christians in the town – people ‘walking in the light’.”

Corrie also says that the prayer march was to show the local community how keen the hospital mission team and churches are to pray for them: “We stopped at schools to pray for teachers and students, at churches to pray for encouragement and spiritual growth, at mosques to pray for people...at the local police station to pray for peace and security, at the house of the local MP to pray for integrity in government...and at places with known witchcraft activities to pray against such activities. As this was only five days prior to national and local elections, we also prayed in the town square for the peaceful conduct of those elections.

“We continue to pray that it will have a lasting effect in the town. The power of prayer is never to be underestimated!”

Baby’s life saved as God takes over

Ann Moore, trusting in God at Kisiizi Hospital

4

At the beginning of the year baby Janet arrived on the special care baby unit at Kisiizi Hospital in south west Uganda, where Ann Moore serves as a nurse and midwifery teacher.

“Janet was very premature and very sick,” explains Ann. “She really needed a ventilator and intravenous feeding. We could do neither of those things. Our prayer was, ‘God, we can’t. Please take over.’”

After several weeks of both prayer and intensive

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

care, baby Janet was able to be discharged well from hospital. “Perhaps this [prayer] was the intensive care she needed,” said Ann. “I am reminded of John, a boy I nursed when I first came to Kisiizi. He had dreadful wounds. I wondered how they would ever heal. Amazingly they grew flesh, then skin.

The Psalmist tells us: ‘I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made’ (Psalm 139:14). Do continue to pray for the staff on the unit who work so hard.”

MISSION NEWS Green shoots of transformation in London

All in a day’s work in rural Tanzania

A formerly derelict space in London is bearing fruit – literally and spiritually, thanks to the efforts of Kailean and Kim Khongsai, who serve with Church Mission Society in Southall, and to dozens of people from the community who have pitched in to help.

Transforming neglected land into beautiful green spaces is central to the Khongsais’ mission. Seconded by CMS to work with Christian environmental charity A Rocha UK, their latest community project is Wolf Fields, in the borough of Ealing. Together with a local team, they are turning a three acre abandoned wasteland into an urban nature reserve – a haven for wildlife and people in the city.

Six years ago Kailean and Kim created a community garden at Bixley Fields allotments in Southall. The project was very well received by the local community. But as more people got involved, the vision grew and everyone agreed a bigger space was needed so they could grow food, have a sensory garden and an orchard.

Kim and Kailean discovered Wolf Fields, close to the community garden. “We prayed several times asking God if the place could be transformed for his glory. Our vision was to transform the place into thriving green spaces for the benefit of both people and wildlife…a place for proclaiming God’s lovely creations and teaching people how to take care of it.”

Dozens of people pitch in for community tree planting at Wolf Fields with Kailean (kneeling)

After a huge clean-up operation in 2014, including shifting 54 tonnes of rubbish, the area is now blossoming. In March more than 100 local people helped plant 60 trees and 100-plus fruit bushes in two days. The sensory garden and food-growing area are also being established.

The mayor of Ealing, Councillor Harbhajan Kaur Dheer, attended the planting day.

In a telltale sign of community support, on Sunday 1 May more than 300 people gathered for an open-air service at Wolf Fields. Five local Anglican churches were included and the service was led by Holy Trinity Church, Southall.

Commenting on the progress made at Wolf Fields, A Rocha UK conservation director Andy Lester said, “We’ve had offers of funding and significant offers of help from volunteers. The level of support has increased.

“We’re now getting churches visiting us to seek advice as to what they could replicate. That’s really exciting.”

Dr Ruth Hulser in Tabora, Tanzania, did not let heavy rains and flooding stop her and her team from taking a mobile antenatal clinic to a local village – providing much needed care to more than 350 women and children in just one day.

“The river flooded to a level that we have never seen before and getting to the villages is a real test of endurance, ingenuity and perseverance…it took us four hours to travel 60 kilometres; the last 10 kilometres took us two and a half hours!” says Ruth.

“It made me a lot fitter as I was the scout jogging in front of the car to show the way after we got stuck in the mud.”

En route, Mama Ndugu, the nurse midwife in charge, pierced and injured her foot after stepping on a branch as she walked through the water covering the track.

“But once there, we saw many children and women – including 60 newborn babies and 50 unregistered ladies who really needed an antenatal service,” says Ruth.

Ruth is health coordinator for the diocese of Tabora and heads up St Philip’s Health Centre.

Ruth Hulser caring for a patient

Lambeth Awards for faithful witness Deaconess Susan Essam and the Rev Pamela Cooper, who between them have served in mission with Church Mission Society for almost 75 years in Nigeria and Japan respectively, were recognised in the annual Lambeth Awards.

Both received the new Alphege Award for Evangelism and Witness, which was presented to them in a ceremony on 31 March at Lambeth Palace by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.

The award takes its name from Alphege, a former Archbishop of Canterbury who was slaughtered by Viking warriors in the 11th century.

Archbishop Justin Welby said: “The recipients [of the Lambeth Awards] come from many walks of life and many parts of the world, but all have served in their fields with distinction and self-sacrificial service, going beyond the call of duty.”

Deaconess Susan Essam has lived and worked in Nigeria since 1983. After arriving, Susan spent

time travelling, teaching and preaching before being appointed as administrative chaplain to Dr Benjamin Kwashi, the Bishop of Jos. She is now dean of the Christian Institute in Jos – the diocesan theological college, which runs a variety of certificate, diploma and degree programmes in theology, music and health. The Church in Jos has experienced significant growth despite intense persecution and murderous assaults from Boko Haram and other militant groups.

Susan said, “I was absolutely astonished to be offered the Alphege Award. However, I accept it with all humility and gratitude. It is a great honour for me personally, for CMS and also for the Christian Institute,

of which I am dean, and for the whole Anglican Diocese of Jos.” Pamela Cooper joined CMS in 1968 and served the Church in Japan until 2008. She lived in Osaka where for many years she worked as a teacher at Poole Gakuin Junior College.

In 1999, Pamela took on the role of chaplain at Poole Gakuin University, playing a key part in helping the university to maintain its Christian identity and ethos. She combined this with her role as assistant vicar at Christ Church Shonai and was priested on 12 January 2004.

She sought to encourage renewal in Japan’s Anglican Church, the Nippon Sei Ko Kai, through Alpha programmes and other initiatives.

THE CALL - SUMMER 2016

Susan Essam with her Alphege Award for Evangelism and Witness Pamela Cooper receives her award from Archbishop Justin

5

MISSION NEWS CMS-Africa builds for sustainability

Trusty trustee runs half marathon for mission

Craig Hampton, champion effort for Amy and David

Huge thanks to Craig Hampton, a trustee for Church Mission Society, who ran the Reading half marathon and raised more than £1,000 for Amy and David, who are serving in mission with CMS in Lebanon. Says Craig: “I’ve always loved running... however I rarely do competitive races. Recently I realised it had been 10 years since I last ran the Reading half marathon. Having just passed a significant birthday I thought it was perhaps time to try again. As a trustee of CMS I figured I should not let this opportunity pass. It was suggested that I do a sponsored run to support CMS people in mission. Amy and David, who are based in Lebanon, and are also helping with issues overflowing from the Syria conflict, seemed an ideal choice. I have met them a couple of times and have been impressed by their enthusiasm and dedication. My old knees held up and I completed the course in 1:52:36 which was only a few minutes slower than 10 years ago!”

To do a sponsored challenge for mission, contact Hannah: hannah.caroe@churchmissionsociety.org or phone 01865 787521

CMS-Africa is closer to its vision of making mission by Africans economically sustainable.

Building work is now underway on a new nine-storey office block in Nairobi, which includes rentable space to generate income.

Like many building projects it has been a long journey to reach this point. One of the biggest challenges for CMS-Africa has been finding the right investors.

So it was an answer to prayer when a partnership with Truestone Impact investment company and a number of Kenyan investors was finalised earlier in the year.

Proposed design of CMS-Africa building The building project is also underpinned by an appeal

by CMS-Africa called the Footprints campaign.

The building will house CMS-Africa’s offices and training centre (CMS-Africa’s key strategy is training and capacity building for transforming mission) on one floor, while the income received by renting out other floors should allow CMS-Africa to become financially autonomous and support CMS-Africa missionaries working in different parts of Africa.

CMS-Africa international director Dennis Tongoi said: “Growth in Christianity in Africa is largely attributable to western missionaries. To sustain this in the face of shrinking mission resources from the west in light of global economic downturn there is a need to put in place mechanisms for continued missionary work that would ensure sustained impact of Christianity.

“The Footprints campaign seeks to transform lives for the better by ensuring continued engagements with the church not just today but in years to come. Now more than ever in its eight-year history, CMS-Africa is determined to execute strategies that will ensure millions of people across Africa and beyond develop home grown solutions to address their needs.”

For more information see www.cms-africa.org

New mission planted by new bishop in Chile

New position will promote church mission partnership

On 19 March Alf Cooper was consecrated as an auxiliary bishop in the diocese of Chile at St Paul’s Bishop Alf Cooper and wife Hilary (second and Church in Valparaiso. third from left) at his consecration service. They have been mission partners in Chile since 1975.

His specific remit is to plant churches, something he is certainly no stranger to, having served as long-time pastor at La Trinidad Church in Santiago (several other churches have sprung from La Trinidad over the years). Bishop Alf has already been busy; in February he journeyed to southern Chile, close to where the first Anglican missionaries served in Tierra del Fuego, Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales. He said, “The lovely St James Church in Punta Arenas has been in place for 120 years…and has never planted a church.

Recently pastor Ali Morrison and a good team of lay workers decided it was time to launch out...[so] we gathered the team, prayed, looked for contacts and visited the mayor who welcomed us into the city of Natales.

“On Saturday 5 February, we were able to see come into existence the new Anglican mission in Puerto Natales. Then, after a few days in Tierra del Fuego we were able to make the first contacts in Porvenir where again, a promise of an established mission was laid.... It was a fruitful time indeed!”

6

The Rev Canon Dr Nigel Rooms has joined Church Mission Society to help grow Partnership for Missional Church across the UK. Nigel was previously director of ministry and mission at Southwell and Nottingham diocese, where he led pilot Partnership for Missional Church ‘clusters’ in his own and Leicester dioceses.

“I’m delighted to join CMS...and I’m looking forward to growing missional churches with it,” he said.

So far 45-plus congregations across the dioceses of Southwell and Nottingham, Leicester, Oxford and Durham have recently set out in clusters on the Partnership for Missional Church journey: a three-year process of reflection, transformation and engagement that aims to challenge the way churches think about, and respond to, mission in Britain.

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

The goal is to have clusters running in many more UK dioceses and denominations. Clusters comprise between 12 and 15 local churches.

Together, they learn new ‘holy habits’ around reading the Bible, creating Christian community, making decisions, and discerning what God is up to in their community so they can join in with it.

Throughout, God is understood as their primary partner in mission.

Research shows that congregations who complete the process grow in worship attendance, new followers of Jesus, lay leaders and in community partnerships.

CMS teamed up with Church Innovations, the US organisation who developed Partnership for Missional Church, to launch it nationally in UK churches.

See churchmissionsociety.org/pmc

MISSION NEWS

NEWS IN BRIEF

Closer to the centre The dream of Eric and Sandra Read (Philippines) to build a library and community centre for people on the southern island of Mindanao, is closer to reality, thanks in part to a recent grant.

“We are now applying for the building permit and have had a visit from the inspector, who encouraged us to change the design to allow for easier future expansion,” Eric explained.

A local church pastor, Pastor Boy, helped facilitate the contact with the inspector. Pastor Boy is looking forward to the new building as the church will have use for it too.

The Reads, whose mission involves training and mentoring churches and other groups to reach out to local communities, say that many local people will benefit from the new building, which will serve as a meeting room, training venue and somewhere to come for coffee, as well as a library.

Local primary school children will be one of the first groups to use the building. Currently they meet on Saturday mornings at the Reads’ house – “which is

An August invitation to Bradford Do you have a heart for mission with children?

Jenny Green, who works as a community chaplain in Bradford, is inviting people to get involved in a weeklong summer street outreach to children in Flaxfleet.

The event runs from 26 August to 3 September 2016. Accommodation is available.

“We have a small experienced team. But we need YOU to help us run the venture,” Jenny says. Musicians are particularly needed, but all are welcome to help with activities, teaching, catering and cleaning.

“Come be surprised about what God might, and probably will, do,” Jenny says.

Sandra and Eric Read, looking forward to a new community centre

not ideal and puts some of the older ones off going,” says Sandra.

The new centre will also be used for sharing ideas with local farmers about sustainable and natural agriculture. The first meeting will be about dry season vegetable growing using a simple, low-cost drip irrigation method Eric and Sandra have recently discovered.

Love in motion in Kenya A Kenyan man with a spinal injury was one of dozens of people to receive a wheelchair in February as David and Liza Cooke worked in partnership with Wheels for the World to carry out a sizeable wheelchair distribution.

This is the third year in a row that the Cookes have helped with wheelchair distribution as part of Liza’s work in community based rehabilitation.

“We have grown and learned so much, improving our practice to the point that this last distribution was...almost perfect,” said Liza, adding, “So many factors came into play. Things like planning, crosscultural understanding, problem-solving and [grace] to name but a few.”

The man with the spinal injury spent the whole day with the Cookes while his wheelchair was prepared. They said, “His family were overwhelmed by the holistic care they received and asked many questions about the motivations behind the distribution.

“We replied in unison with St Paul in his letter to the Corinthians, that ‘the love of Christ urges us on’.”

After four years of peacebuilding and community based rehabilitation work in Eldoret, David and Liza are back living in the UK. A wheelchair recipient

Church Mission Society has welcomed the appointment of the Rt Rev Dr Steven Croft as the new bishop of Oxford. Bishop Steven is currently bishop of Sheffield, a role he has held since 2009. As the archbishops’ missioner Bishop Steven oversaw the emergence of Fresh Expressions, of which CMS is a partner. CMS executive leader Philip Mounstephen said: “We’re delighted that Bishop Steven, who has a strong passion for mission and a commitment to mission, is appointed to lead Oxford diocese where CMS has been providing ground-breaking Pioneer Mission Leadership Training for more than five years, and where a number of churches in the Berkshire area are involved in the Partnership for Missional Church process which CMS is developing in the UK.” See page 6 for more about Partnership for Missional Church.

Congratulations to Gavin Mart who received an award for Positive Impact from the UK Centre for Events Management at the end of April. Gavin, who studies on the Pioneer Mission Leadership Training course with Church Mission Society and who is a CMS lay pioneer, is involved in engaging with local communities through the arts and social enterprise in North Wales. Gavin’s latest venture also won a regional food and drink award.

Church Mission Society is supporting an initiative that helps churches welcome followers of Jesus from Muslim backgrounds.

Growing numbers of Muslims in Britain are choosing to follow Jesus, and this resource – Joining the Family – aims to help churches develop their discipleship processes with Muslim-background believers.

Produced by Interserve and launched in London on 11 April, the six-session course comprises film clips, a workbook, a facilitator guide and accompanying book.

Many Christians from Muslim backgrounds have contributed to the resource. For more information, see www.joiningthefamily.org Over Lent, more than 50 people attended a “taster course” at St Cedd Centre for Pioneer Mission in Romford to explore whether pioneer ministry is for them. Launched in November 2015, this pioneer hub is a joint initiative between Church Mission Society and Chelmsford diocese.

The vision for the centre is to provide an environment that identifies, equips and supports Christians to operate beyond Sunday services and church buildings and bring transformation in their communities.

The idea of pioneer hubs grew out of the popularity of CMS’s Pioneer Mission Leadership Training course in Oxford. Several people contacted CMS saying they would like to develop something similar in their own local area. A pioneer hub is also starting in Manchester.

For more information, email jennykisoro@hotmail.com

THE CALL - SUMMER 2016

7

Name: Lynn Treneary Set free to: teach in South Sudan

SCAN ME AND PUT YOUR CALL INTO ACTION

FREE.IN.DEED? churchmissionsocie

ty.org/free

This summer we will be at Big Ch urch Day Out, New Wine, Greenbelt and O NE Event Join us at the st and or online a nd discover how you can be free.in.deed

WORLD VIEWS

“HE WOULD NOT THINK OF

ABANDONING

HIS CALLING”

SOUTH SUDAN Mission Partners Derek and Jane Waller

Meet Charles (pictured above right with wife Asenata), one of our students at Bishop Allison Theological College (BATC). We hope this brief interview will give you some insight into the students at BATC and inspire you to follow the call of Christ.

PRAY

1

2

Give thanks for a successful first year at BATC. Pray for the continuing process of accreditation with Uganda Christian University.

Pray for those affected by the challenge of high inflation. Pray for peace to prevail in South Sudan.

Charles, tell us about your family...

I am married to one wife (many men have more than one) called Asenata. We have seven children; the firstborn is 28 years old and the youngest is eight.

How do you manage with such a large family?

I grow lots of food in my garden: bananas, sugar cane, green vegetables and onions.

I sell some produce to pay for school fees and medicine. The children and Asenata help.

Tell us about your life in the church?

I love to serve Christ. I began as a Sunday school leader and later became a lay reader. I was ordained as a deacon in 2013. I had no formal training. I used to visit an elderly canon every evening who taught me the Bible. As a deacon, I preached, taught baptism and confirmation classes, visited the sick and advised Christians on the life they should lead.

You were ordained priest last year. What was this like?

I was very happy. All my friends came to the cathedral to support me. My wife, who is the Mothers’ Union leader, was very happy too. I felt the Holy Spirit the moment I was ordained and was full of joy.

How do you find being at BATC? I am very pleased to be there. Because of the war I left school before completing and I am enjoying learning again.

There is no limit to education!

I’m now able to lead worship in English. I’m also enjoying the Old Testament. Before it was too tough and I only preached on the New Testament but now my best sermons are from the Old Testament.

What about leaving your family for long periods to study?

I don’t mind as they are in good morale.

What about your future?

My future life is to bring those outside to receive salvation.

What would you say to your fellow Christians in the UK? I give thanks because of what God has done for me.

Pray for me that I might feel happy in God’s service. I want God’s help so that I can stand and complete my work. Let God be with them. Let God give them courage. They are welcome to visit us here!

Though Charles makes light of the personal cost of studying at BATC, the sacrifice is very real.

He is 47 years old and is sharing a small dormitory with 15 other men. The food here is adequate but lacks variety – beans and asseda (dough made from maize flour) twice a day, every day.

He receives no income while at college and cannot grow as much produce at home while here. Finding the money for books, medicine, washing soap, etc is a challenge.

He and other students get anxious about their families, especially when school fees

are due or when they are sick.

Recently Charles’s garden was damaged by people in his village burning the grass.

Inflation is running at over 400 per cent per annum so the cost of transport home has increased fourfold. This economic crisis is having severe consequences for many people. People are going without medical treatment; children are being forced to take time out of school; some are eating only once a day.

It’s amazing that Charles keeps smiling; he will not let go of his ambition to learn more about his faith and he continues to minister gently to his fellow students. He would not think of abandoning his calling or his faith in God. One day my (Derek’s) phone rang and it was Taban, the principal of BATC, telling me that a student’s mother had died; the student is called Isaac. “As chaplain could you break the news to him?”

Taban asked. I started for college, where I saw Charles.

On hearing the sad news, he hurriedly got ready and came with me to speak to Isaac.

I was relieved to have a local Christian with me and couldn’t think of anyone I’d rather have in this situation.

He also dropped everything and accompanied Isaac in a taxi to the funeral place, 45 miles away.

For us, it is a privilege to be here and to share in the lives of Charles and the other students. We are humbled by their sacrifice and are learning much from their faith.

You can find out more about the Wallers’ work at churchmissionsociety.org/waller

THE CALL - SUMMER 2016

9

WORLD VIEWS

God is moving through people movements

North Africa Mission Partners Names withheld for security reasons

By a couple (anonymous) based in Europe who are helping to train people in mission for challenging North African contexts: Several months ago, we sat in our team’s training centre in Europe with a group of around 10 people who had joined us from around the Muslim world to learn more about people movements.

The seminar shared some keys to helping people make communal – rather than individual – moves towards Christ. This is something that is happening with considerable momentum in certain parts of the world.

Just weeks before hosting this training, we welcomed a new staff couple into our team. H is a Kabyle Berber from North Africa and is living testimony of just such a people movement. Over the past 20 years, thousands of Kabyle people have come to faith in Jesus. Many recognise

their calling to share their knowledge of Christ, both locally and even to “the ends of the earth”. H has joined us because he wants to be part of communicating the gospel to other North Africans.

It is not easy for H and his wife B (who is European) to leave their people, culture and language and to become part of our multi-cultural team. We cannot overestimate the significance of North African believers participating with workers from other parts of the world to enable their people to encounter Christ – it is both very significant and very challenging. Please pray for H and B as they adjust to a multi-cultural environment, and pray for us all to learn from one another in humility and love. We believe that we are laying the foundation for more partnerships between western and North African believers, so that the grace shown to the Kabyle

Berbers can be experienced by other people groups in the region and so that a large number of people can experience a relationship with Jesus. For example, we would love to see Algerian Kabyle Berber believers working among the Tuareg of Niger. The indigenous Berbers have retained their own culture and language over centuries and are revered by the proud Tuareg people. Kabyle believers could be part of the key to unlocking the Tuareg in large numbers to the Lord. Pray for this movement of cross-pollinating believers across the Sahara region.

Anonymous mission workers need our support, even when it is hard to share news.

One language, many voices

Having finished translating the Bible into the Enxet language – a project that spanned 25 years – Tim Curtis in the Paraguayan Chaco shares about the next stage: creating an audio version.

It was a great privilege to have with us Henry Mamani and Rodrigo Javier from Faith Comes

by Hearing, which operates within the Bolivian Bible Society. They arrived in January to begin the dramatised recording of the Enxet New Testament, using the recently completed Enxet Bible.

I met them at Asuncion airport and drove them up to Rio Verde, where they immediately set to work building a recording studio in the translation office, using mattresses, rugs and a couple of old carpets [for soundproofing]. A couple of days were spent training Enxet Bible translators Asuncion Rojas and Juan Martinez to check the accuracy of the recorded texts and to prompt the readers during the recording.

It poured with rain during the first day of recording, but amazingly we only had a short power cut that day and hardly any power cuts from the end of January to the beginning of March. The mainline electricity kept going even through bad weather and we only had to rely 10

on solar power during the occasional hour or two.

We had some extremely hot and humid days with temperatures in the 40s, which Henry and Rodrigo coped with admirably, accustomed as they are to colder weather in the Bolivian mountains. We kept the fridge full of cold drinks and the fans were on all the time.

Henry did get one nasty fright when he encountered a large rattlesnake near the translation office!

It was great to have all the translation team together again for the recording. Martin Rojas, who is now the political leader in Makxawaya, narrated Luke and Acts; Asuncion Rojas took on the role of Jesus and Juan Martinez, St Paul.

A total of 30 readers of all ages came from Makxawaya, La Herencia and from five of the El Estribo communities. The roles of Mary, the mother of Jesus, the Samaritan women, Elizabeth, Herodias and others were all taken on by members of the church in Makxawaya. Derlis Arce (age 12) from Makxawaya impressed us all with his flawless reading. In addition to the boy Jesus, he read the part of the son of Paul’s sister in Acts 23 and the children shouting in the temple in Matthew 21.

We felt great sadness during February when translator Juan Martinez’s mother Rosa died suddenly. I drove with Juan and Asuncion to collect her body from a local hospital about 40 miles north of Rio Verde and then drove to El

Estribo for the funeral the following morning.

Juan took about 10 days off work to spend time at home with his father before rejoining the team.

We were able to finish well ahead of schedule on 2 March. Juan and Asuncion stayed on a couple of days to help clear up the office and put away the equipment. Recording the New Testament brought a significant group of Enxet Christians together, deepened our fellowship and friendship and prepared us for the launch of the Enxet Bible, which happened in April. There is something uplifting and thrilling about the near continuous reading out loud of the word of God for a number of weeks.

From top left: Tim and Rodrigo at the computers, with translators Martin Rojas, Juan Martinez and Asuncion Rojas. Checking recordings. Wilma Acuna as the Samaritan woman.

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

Paraguay CHACO Mission Partner Tim Curtis

NEPAL HOPEFUL VISION Painting on the wall outside Kathmandu zoo.

Photo: Sophia Cameron

Between aftershocks, a border blockade and media with a limited attention span, the people of Nepal have faced a steep uphill climb as they try to recover and rebuild in the wake of the spring 2015 earthquakes. Local mission leader Ram Prasad Shrestha provides an on-the-ground view of how God has been at work in and through his people during a year of upheaval...

THE CALL - SUMMER 2016

11

NEPAL: ONE YEAR ON

Name: Ram Prasad Shrestha Location: Nepal My call: Living and breathing mission for God My role: Leader of National Mission Commission of Nepal

RAM PRASAD SHRESTHA

I

EARTHQUAKE FACTS

The earthquake and aftershocks killed more than 8,800 people and destroyed nearly 600,000 homes. Tremors were felt more than 1,000 miles away. There have been more than 450 aftershocks with a magnitude over 4.

12

t was Saturday 25 April 2015 when the first deadly earthquake hit Nepal, with a magnitude of 7.8.

It claimed close to 9,000 lives and hundreds of thousands of buildings, including homes, schools and churches. Since it was a Saturday, the day of worship for Christians in Nepal, many Christians became trapped in their churches as they collapsed. In Kathmandu, 27 worshippers died when Canaan Prayer House collapsed and 17 Christians died at Salvation Church, including the pastors.

Aftershocks jolted us repeatedly throughout the day and into the next.

Then on 12 May, another powerful, merciless earthquake struck, this time with a magnitude of 7.3 – structures that were damaged but still standing from the first quake tumbled into rubble. Hundreds more people died.

Suddenly millions of people were homeless. Can you imagine that?

It seemed as if nature itself was against us. Almost 90 per cent of the people of the Kathmandu valley were forced to sleep outside in the elements.

Two weeks after the earthquake, heavy rains came, which obstructed relief efforts and put lives in misery. Dead bodies of humans and animals started decaying under the rubble. There was a lack of safe drinking water and people started to become sick and worried about disease epidemics breaking out.

There were landslides, blocked roads

and food and petrol shortages.

During this time, women and children became easy prey for evil people. Taking advantage of the widespread trauma, human traffickers appeared and enticed hundreds of young girls to come with them to India. Little ones disappeared.

Up until that point, we at National Mission Commission of Nepal would not have considered ourselves relief workers

“Suddenly millions of people were homeless. Can you imagine that?” or experts. But the needs were so huge.

With so many missionaries based in remote and hard-to-access places, we knew right away it was time to mobilise.

The people of Kathmandu and other parts of the country were starting to pull together, sharing blankets and whatever food and water they had.

They felt the importance of their neighbours. As the news of the quake spread, aid workers started flowing into Nepal to help with rescue and immediate supplies. We became hugely involved in taking relief materials such as food and tents to the most affected districts. In many places our missionaries and pastors were the ones

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

to lead the community in distribution and restoration. Our friends around the world including Church Mission Society and Asia CMS joined hands with us and gave generously to help us look after the suffering people of Nepal.

Those gifts allowed us to help people like brothers Krishna, Shantosh and Pradeep in Gorkha, ages 10–14, who had already lost both of their parents to AIDS-related illnesses and then lost their home in the earthquake.

Their grandmother, aged 70, was also homeless. We provided building materials, including zinc sheets, and constructed a temporary house so all four of them could live together and support each other as a family. More than 60 other people in the Gorkha district received similar assistance; Gorkha was often overlooked during relief efforts as the people living there are of a lower caste. We were so grateful to be able to help in this heavilydamaged area.

In the very hilly district of Dhading, Santos and Samjhana and their baby boy lost their home, their farm animals and their food supply in the earthquake.

The three of them crammed into a makeshift tent and struggled to survive.

Samjhana told us they felt hopeless and afraid. We gave them metal sheets so they could construct a shelter. With their baby safer and warmer they were able to begin thinking about rebuilding their lives.

These are just a couple of stories of families we were able to assist.

Altogether we helped more than a

NEPAL

thousand people with food or shelter or both, thanks in part to the generosity of people around the world.

With all of this taking place and with what seemed like goodwill from across the globe, we had no way of knowing that in late September, a blockade on the border with India would make life for people in Nepal even more perilous.

Following the ratification of a new constitution in Nepal, a protesting political party called Madhesi, based in southern Nepal, imposed a blockage of border crossings, which stopped almost all vehicles from coming to Nepal.

It almost felt as though the people of Nepal were cursed as petrol, medicines, building materials and many other essentials were prevented from reaching us. As a landlocked nation, we are dependent on imports from India. It felt like nobody could hear our cries or feel our anguish as the harsh winter approached and the humanitarian situation worsened.

This blockade continued for five months and is still affecting us even as we move forward with plans to build 200 semi-permanent houses and earthquake resistant

buildings in different districts.

We have appointed a disaster relief coordinator to lead the rebuilding effort. Churches have started counselling seminars for people who are still afraid or traumatised. We are still feeling aftershocks and some people, especially children, are scared to be in buildings in case it happens again.

A year on from the earthquakes, I can say that humanly speaking, this was a huge source of death, fear, suffering and homelessness.

Yet spiritually, God stirred the churches of Nepal to rise up and get involved in humanitarian work. Nepali churches have often been good at evangelism and outreach, but it would be fair to say some were quite behind in caring for their neighbours in holistic ways.

As churches in Nepal collected and distributed practical resources to people regardless of faith, caste or creed, people’s perspective of Christianity changed. Many used to think that Christians only gave out literature or Bibles or tried to convert people, but when Christians arrived with food for the hungry and clothing and shelter for the homeless, they saw things differently. People from other faiths have developed

softer hearts toward Christians and even become more positive toward the Church’s ministry; they now see us as honest and caring. The government and community have placed much trust in the work of Christian NGOs and churches due to their effectiveness and efficiency. In some cases our missionaries were able to get to places no other NGO or organisation could reach. And the people know we are here for the long term.

We hear from our pastors and missionaries that several people whom we have helped with relief materials have started coming to the churches and their children have joined the Sunday school.

In some cases, these are people we likely would never have met before the earthquake.

In such a time of disaster and calamity, God is using his people to serve others so that people can see Jesus in us. The Church in Nepal has learned to see needs beyond the church compound and to translate their faith into works. And with so many people still traumatised, fearful and vulnerable to the elements, there is much physical and spiritual work yet to do.

THE CALL - SUMMER 2016

PRAY

1 CMS people in mission

in Nepal: Anjila and Manoj Pradhananga, Grace and Milan Magar, Esther and Saggu Abraham, Bhibin and Romi Shakya, Keshari and Ram Prasad Shrestha, Dan and Phillipa Munday

2 Recently returned:

Jean and Paul Dobbing with Jennifer

Left: Food and tents being distributed in Durbang, Gorkha District Right: A severely damaged home in Lamjung

3 Soon to go: Andrea and Andrew Young

4 NMCN, led by Ram

Prasad Shrestha, has 120 missionaries serving in Nepal, India and beyond 13

FEATURE STORY

A quiet revolution The diocese of Northern Argentina is vast, culturally complex and facing massive changes as industrial interests encroach upon the land and its people. In this context, a fast-growing movement of women is leading “a quiet revolution of love in action”.

CATHERINE LE TISSIER IN JUAREZ, NORTHERN ARGENTINA

“

Since I was a child I have gone to church, but always sat near the door to get away quickly. I thought that I was all right, but I did not know God. It was through the AMARE training that I met him and I had to repent.

I have stopped gossiping, I am happy and trying to be different and loving and show that I am renewed through his Spirit.”

A woman called Susana spoke these words at a recent gathering of around 200 Toba women. The Tobas are one of several language groups in the area, the Wichi being the largest. AMARE is the Argentine branch of the Mothers’ Union (MU) and this is the story of how it has grown from 50 members to more than 800 members in a few short years.

Anglican missionaries first shared the gospel in northern Argentina in 1911. When my husband Nick and I arrived in 2009 for him to take up the role of diocesan bishop, we realised that there had been a strong work among the indigenous women, as we met women who believed in the power of prayer and who were praying fervently for their families. We discovered too that there were historic links with Mothers’ Union and that even though these links had lapsed, MU had faithfully prayed for the women of northern Argentina for more than 60 years.

Isabel Vilte, a remarkable Wichi woman, had served faithfully over several years and continued to hold biannual women’s conferences. It was hard work on her own, and she welcomed our offer to accompany her. A small leadership team comprising Wichi, Toba, and Criolla [settler] women, as well as Shelley Stokes (also with Church Mission Society) and I got together to help Isabel develop the work. Little did we know that this team would eventually help to birth AMARE. As we met with local women, we heard their concerns for their families and we saw the reality: the lack of parental leadership and their confusion as they faced so many dramatic changes. Their once well-established, simpler way of life has been eroded by western influences, leaving them on the margins of society. For generations these huntergatherers lived relatively untouched in the Chaco forests.

However, today many have moved to towns and live off government subsidies. There are few jobs and little incentive 14

Name: Catherine Le Tissier Location: Northern Argentina My call: To serve God’s kingdom in Latin America My role: With a wonderful team, coordinating the work of AMARE, the Argentine branch of the Mothers’ Union

to work, and this often leads to alcoholism. Those who remain are threatened by deforestation as the agricultural industry clears massive pieces of land to grow soya. Western education occupies so much of the children’s time that parents rarely teach life skills to their children, such as hunting or fishing, although some mothers do pass on artisanal skills. The towns are home to other problems such as racially-motivated violence, drug use and prostitution. Whereas the indigenous culture valued family time in the evenings, the availability of electricity means television and internet have replaced this. Parents are finding themselves deskilled and with little to fall back on.

The women told us how they felt that they have lost control of their children, how schoolteachers (mainly Criollos) have become the authority figures rather than the extended family, how young people no longer respect their elders and the older generation often lacks confidence to be able to relate to young people. As we listened we heard cries for help.

At the request of the bishop and the church

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

synod, a working group called Pastoral Familiar was formed to explore how these issues could be faced.

An initiative called Making Disciples in the Family (MDF) was started and initially financed by Carlisle diocese. MDF served as a wake-up call to parents to take responsibility for their children, to guide, teach and disciple them (Ephesians 6:4).

There was a need for help with parenting skills, so we accepted MU’s generous offer to run their parenting programme, and this began a fruitful relationship with MU. I was invited to a meeting of MU presidents and met amazing leaders from across the world. I was inspired by stories of rescue, empowerment and practical help. We longed to see this happening in Argentina, and began to work in earnest on establishing AMARE. AMARE stands for Anglican Women’s Group Renewed in the Spirit. The acrostic describes its mission: Animar, to encourage, Motivar, to motivate, Afirmar, to affirm, Renovar en el Espiritu, to renew in the Spirit. In AMARE we are looking for people to make a commitment to “love in action”; the name works too as a response to Jesus’

more active too, taking donations to the hospital and reaching out to the lonely and to those who do not know Christ. It is exciting to see.

There are certainly many challenges. Inevitably after the initial excitement of joining AMARE, some women lapse into what they have always done, or stop meeting altogether.

There can be misunderstandings and struggles for power.

There are over 150 churches spread out over an area the size of France, and they all want visits. Many of these villages are off the beaten track; when it rains, the roads become impassable, and in the dry season the sand makes progress impossible. Often, it is just plain risky. Just recently, when I and a truck full of women visited a local Toba community, a mighty storm and heavy flooding meant that I alone could not have got us out. Prospects of either sleeping on the church floor for

“We are seeing a shift from them being the receivers, the poor, the oppressed, to being women with something to give.”

command to “Love the Lord your God, and your neighbour as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-40) since amare means “I will love.”

In AMARE, women are encouraged to make a commitment to practical ways of showing love in the family, church and community. They participate in a day of training, which includes putting their relationships right and often involves public acts of forgiveness and reconciliation before making a commitment.

In less than two years more than 800 women, both indigenous and urban, have become members. AMARE gives them a sense of belonging, purpose and identity in Christ, as members of the Anglican Church and also of MU worldwide.

AMARE brings the women of the four different indigenous groups and the Spanish speakers together, uniting people across the diocese. They want to belong and the AMARE t-shirts are visible signs of belonging – they love them.

AMARE is empowering women; there is a quiet revolution taking place. For example, recently Nick was at a retreat with the zonal pastors and a group

of local women was there too. They helped serve food, clean, clear and generally looked after the group. On the last day, Nick asked about payment but their response was, “No, we have done this because we want to; it is a way of loving and serving – we are AMARE!” We are seeing a shift from them being the receivers, the poor, the oppressed, to being women with something to give. The AMARE logo (pictured above on the t-shirts) reminds us of that too: loving God, loving each other, but always looking to the needs of others.

Some women visit and pray for the sick, minister in other communities and share with their families what they have learned. Some are involved in children’s or youth work, and some younger people read the Bible to the elderly. Many offer hospitality.

Some groups help their pastor or clean their church. Some are involved in helping those with marital or family problems and some groups have raised funds for building or repairing a church or visitors’ room.

The Spanish-speaking groups are becoming

THE CALL - SUMMER 2016

the next week or getting stuck trying to get home were not attractive. We were so grateful that God had a back-up plan in the shape of a local Toba lorry driver who fought the elements to get us home.

The churches have tended to wait for mission partners to fulfil this role of visiting, encouraging and teaching but with AMARE this is changing as local women are becoming empowered to lead, and we are pleased local initiatives are growing.

With that in view, in July we will celebrate our first general assembly, when an autonomous executive committee will be elected. We pray that AMARE will flourish in the hands of able and spirit-filled women and continue to thrive once we have left northern Argentina. Without a doubt prayer has been one of the key factors in the development of AMARE, and prayer will be key for its future.

God has given growth; both we and AMARE are tools in his hand and are learning to love, to forgive, to persevere. Shelley (without whom this journey into AMARE would have been unthinkable) and I often reflect that things are not always as they appear to us. Working in complex cultures there is a tendency on our part to judge by what we see, and often we have little idea what is going on. We can only persist, trusting God for the future.

PRAY Main image: Founding women of AMARE: Catherine Le Tissier, Mirna Paolo, Alberta Cristano. Left: Isabel Vilte (left) with her sister Melita. Right: Wichi woman praying

Please pray for the first AMARE general assembly in July, when an executive committee will be elected.

15

CHURCH MISSION SOCIET Who is Church Mission Society?

Like Ann-Marie, who has dedicated her life to eradicating FGM ( female genital mutilation) in Africa

?

Start

Good question, since we are all about the “who” – our people.

We are a community of people who have been set free to follow God’s call in mission. Thousands of people from all walks of life are part of Church Mission Society – praying, learning and acting together in pursuit of that call.

[

WHEN HAS YOUR HEART BEEN STIRRED?

JOHN VENN’S mission principles (we still use them):

1

to follow God in the same way as the missionaries of the early Church

2

to begin humbly and on a small scale

3

to put money after prayer and study

4

to depend on the Holy Spirit

The call today

But there are lots of things that keep people from putting this call into action: confusion, fear, busy-ness, lack of resources, lack of support; the list goes on.

Like Manoj, who is training Christian leaders for the fast-growing church in Nepal

Like St Emmb have sta on m

[

Together they worked to abolish the slave trade, they fought for the rights of oppressed people at home and they launched out on dangerous seas to share Jesus with the world. The effects of their efforts – as well as the work of thousands of men and women who have followed in their footsteps – are still seen and felt across the globe today.

[

ANYTHING HOLDING YOU BACK?

We want to cross things off that list and help set people free from whatever is holding them back from mission. For some people, this will mean going overseas; for some this will mean staying local.

We believe all of God’s people are called to join in God’s mission.

16

Like Cristina, who accompani excluded indigenous people thro Argentina’s healthcare syste

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

Our story began more than 200 years a with a group of Christians whose hearts w stirred to put their call into action. This gr included people like William Wilberforce, J Venn, and John Newton.

[

R SIX Currently, there are Church Mission Society people in more than 40 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, Europe and the UK. Some have been sent from Britain and Europe, some have been sent by their local church in partnership with us, some through our sister societies CMS-Africa and Asia CMS. And we are committed to helping Christians in the UK receive the gifts of the global church.

Making disc of people be wit Encouraging worldwide a People at ris by unjust sy

Lasting ec not depende and generati Peace and conflict fin Creation c – the plane join

TY: OUR CALL, YOUR CALL Like Rana, a London vicar who is passionate about sharing the gifts of Asian Christians with the UK church

ies rough em

t Paul’s Wokingham, St Nicholas brook and Woosehill Church, who arted a three-year journey to focus mission in their local community

Like Barbara, who faithfully leads a local group that prays for people in mission

Like Isaac, who works in our Oxford office, helping connect people to opportunities

Like Dominic, who ran the Brighton marathon to raise money for mission

is ion Society “Church Miss of people in a community of ing the call mission obey el aim the gosp l c o r p o t d o G her s and to gat in all place hip into fellows s e l p o e p l l a st.” d Jesus Chri with the Lor – Law 1

Our interesting history

ago were roup John

Like Luke, one of our pioneer course students, who builds relationships with bikers

[

LIKE...YOU?

[

We believe every Christian – and ultimately every person – is called to join in God’s mission and has the potential to bring challenge, change, hope and freedom to the world.

We all have a part to play.

6

[

WHAT’S YOUR PASSION?

Pioneering: In the spirit of our founders we’re never afraid to try something new.

[

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE X MISSION PRIORITIES:

ciples: We want to see communities eing like Jesus with one another and thin their neighbourhoods. g leaders: Walking with local leaders and investing in their mission calls. sk: Showing people made vulnerable ystems or circumstances that they are valued by God. conomic change: It’s about dignity ency, encouraging entrepreneurship ing income for generations to come. d reconciliation: Helping people in nd forgiveness and a way forward. care: “For God so loved the world” et and the people – and we want to him in the renewal of both.

VALUES In everything we do, we want to be:

Take a look, take a step.

Relational: Where connections are made between people we find gold. Especially between people of different cultures.

Evangelistic: Underpinning everything we do is a desire to see people discover a living, loving relationship with Jesus.

Finish

FIND OUT MORE – including local groups and events – at churchmissionsociety.org New website launches 6 June.

1

YOUR CALL

Faithful: With God, we’re in it for the long haul. To date, 217 years of not giving up.

ARE YOU FREE.IN.DEED? Try out our new web app and begin exploring your call in action: churchmissionsociety.org/free

2

THE CALL - SUMMER 2016

SIGN UP TO PRAY WITH US and back new ventures in mission: churchmissionsociety.org/pray

3

WITH YOUR CHURCH: To see what being part of Church Mission Society has to offer your church visit churchmissionsociety.org/churches

4

17

MISSION ISSUES

Sending in mission: what (or who) is it good for?

BY SUSANN HAEHNEL, VOCATIONAL RECRUITMENT MANAGER FOR CHURCH MISSION SOCIETY, WITH COLIN SMITH, DEAN OF MISSION EDUCATION

A

s I write this I have a tune stuck in my head like a broken record; it’s a protest song from the late 1960s that goes, “War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing!” The song was a stand against a course of action that continued to perpetuate brokenness and harm.

Working for Church Mission Society, I certainly don’t want to be known for contributing to brokenness and harm.

Yet as the person primarily responsible for selecting people to send overseas in mission, I often get asked: sending – what is it good for? Sometimes I get the sense that the person asking the question already has an answer formed in their mind: absolutely nothing.

In this age of globalisation, is there still a place for sending people overseas in mission? Do we continue to send people merely because we’ve always done so?

Haven’t we learned from the mistakes of the past? Surely we don’t need more colonialisation? Shouldn’t we just work through local people? Some friends ask, surely Britain is now a post-Christian country and needs people to serve here, rather than go overseas?

Questions such as these are good, because they force us to evaluate our practices, to check our motives and to make necessary changes and adjustments.

In some ways, I think it’s easier to be known for what we’re against – for example, one might be against sending people in mission for a number of reasons.

But there is an art to articulating what we’re for. I think back to the protest song, which contains the lyrics: Peace, love and understanding tell me Is there no place for them today They say we must fight to keep our freedom But Lord knows there’s got to be a

better way.

Are there better ways? What are they? If we can’t articulate them, might we just be engaging in wishful thinking rather than practical solutions for change?

18

Two centuries of mission experience have taught us quite a bit. There is much to be grateful for: things done well that we can build on. There are also things to learn from. It is the combination of learning from both success and struggle that equips us as we move forward. I want to suggest that this is a worthwhile path to follow.

Again, it’s good to be able to explain what we are for and why. So here are some reasons why CMS still sends people overseas in mission.

1. Starting with the Trinity: God is a sending God The sending of the Son and the Spirit by the Father are the two primary acts of mission in the New Testament. Sending in mission originates in the love of God, and is expressed within the community of the Trinity, which flows out to embrace the world God has created. The Church’s mandate to send is rooted in the fact that the Father sent the Son who in turn sends his disciples into the world. “As the Father sent me so I send you” (John 20:21).

Sending, then, is a reflection of the nature of God and central to the calling of the Church.

2. We are sent to be (not just do) In the Incarnation, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Just like Christ became one with us, our calling is to be present with others, bearing witness to his redeeming work. While we do send people with particular skills and experience which are needed in a given context, the motivation for sending is not just giving or transferring skills or resources, but offering ourselves within the wider community of God’s Church and God’s world. Of course this also means that we should receive people from other places in mission here.

3. A truly global community of mission Missiologist Andrew Walls’s description of the “Ephesian Moment” says that our different ethnic and cultural identities and perspectives aren’t to be dividing walls between us, but openings to a fuller understanding of what it means to be in Christ. The Church in every nation, including our own, is sent into the world.

We send people in mission because we are convinced that God’s Church is a community of every tribe and nation and in sending we want to be part of that reality.

People are sent in mission, not because

they can do something that someone else cannot do, but because they bring a difference in perspective that enriches the life and faith of God’s people. Our different perspectives provide opportunities for discernment of, and participation in, God’s transforming work in our world. Again, this is as much an argument for receiving the gifts of the worldwide Church within the UK as it is for participating in mission elsewhere in the world (see my colleague Harvey’s article on the next page).

I recently had a couple come forward for mission service overseas and I loved something they said in their interview: mission always involves going – if that’s going down to the pub to engage with my local neighbourhood or going across the world – the underlying principles are the same: • We believe in a God who is at work in this world.

• We believe in a God who invites us to join in this work.

• We believe in a God who is global and a God who is local – both at the same time.

• We believe in a God who is changing the face of this world. By setting people free. By proclaiming good news. By granting sight to the blind. By releasing favour into this world (Luke 4).

Real and lasting change starts with Jesus sending us and with us joining in what God is already doing. Yes, that might be here in Britain in my local community – and it might be the other side of the world: being present in situations of unrest, standing with our sisters and brothers and reminding them of the presence of God among them.

Yes the world has changed over 200 years and we need to adapt and to be humble. What is sending good for? For changing lives, impacting communities – and for our lives, too. We learn as much from those we work alongside as they learn from us – if not more! Mission involves both giving and receiving. It requires all that is within us – isn’t that what Christ did? In return we receive the keys to the kingdom which is at hand and not yet here.

Like the protest songwriters, we long for something better, a hope that stirs our hearts and yet there is a key difference: God catapults us into action.

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

MISSION ISSUES

Being sent in mission:: an African perspective: DR HARVEY KWIYANI, HEAD OF MISSIO AFRICANUS AND PART OF THE CHURCH MISSION SOCIETY PIONEER MISSION LEADERSHIP TRAINING COURSE FACULTY

I

n August of 1861, David Livingstone led the first group of the Universities Mission to Central Africa (UMCA) to Magomero in the Shire Highlands in what later became southern Malawi. This was the beginning of British mission work in Malawi. It was also the beginning of Christianity in Malawi.

Bishop Charles Mackenzie and his team were sent to Magomero by the Church of England to work in God’s mission in Africa.

Magomero – which happens to be my home – continues to be recognised as the place “where it all started”. Since then, Christianity in Malawi has grown to become the religion of the majority – 13 million out of 15 million Malawians identify as Christian. Yes, the explosion of Christianity in Africa is a direct result of the great sacrificial service done by the mission workers across the continent especially in the years between 1800 and 1970. Church Mission Society is one of the leading mission organisations who made this happen. It is not possible to tell of the history of Christianity in West Africa without acknowledging the important role played by CMS. For this we are extremely grateful.

Christianity continues to grow in Africa with millions of new converts coming to the faith every year. To convert a person to the Christian faith is also to invite – or demand – them to participate in God’s mission.

Nothing less. Thus, the five-fold growth that Christianity has seen in Africa since 1970, from 100 million to 500 million, translates into an African mission movement characterised by: (1) a commitment to the ‘evangelist-hood’ of all believers, which means that most of them live evangelistically, diminishing the gap between the ordained ministers/ mission workers and laypeople, (2) a firm belief in God’s direct involvement

in human life through the Spirit and (3) migration and other forms of displacement both within the continent and to other continents.

All in all, this means that ‘sentness’ is embedded in the African understanding of Christianity. It is a well accepted fact today that Africa has been converted to Christianity by African evangelists. To be a follower of Christ is to be sent as a bearer of Christ’s good news to a world desperately in need of such news. And this world in need may be within one’s own village or thousands of miles across the seas.

“To be a follower of Christ is to be sent” It is fair, I presume, for me to say that this understanding of Christians being sent in mission is central to most of African Christianity. Some are sent to be the good news right in their own communities. Others are sent to countries far away. But all are sent to share the good news with everyone who needs to hear it. I remember one of the popular songs we sang in Malawi in the 1980s, “ndi ndani wantuma kuti nkalalike uthenga wabwino” meaning “who has sent me to preach the good news?” Of course, the answer to the question was “ndi Yesu wantuma” (it is Jesus who has sent me). What I found significant about that song and many others like it was that they were sung by everyone, especially during evangelistic meetings. The people believed that they were sent to preach the good news. For them, ordination and commissioning were only additions to the calling. They believed that they could – and should – preach the good news even without being ordained. The call that they received when they decided to follow Christ was also their ordination to preach the good news to their neighbours.

This concept of being sent, (kutumidwa or kutumizidwa in Chichewa, my mother tongue), is very

THE CALL - SUMMER 2016

important for many Africans even outside Christianity. Mtumwi (the one sent with a message) or mthenga (the messenger) can be a servant of the king, the chief, or the government.

But mtumwi also happens to be the vernacular for “apostle” (Ephesians 4:11). The messenger is the bearer of the good news of hope. As such, a hospitable audience is the least they can be given because, of course, if you have been sent with a message to deliver, you must deliver it. And if a message has been sent to you, it must be heard. The honour due the sender is to be given to the messenger. Thus, when we sung “ndi Yesu wantuma,” we claimed it was Jesus, the king of kings, who sent us. We had to deliver the message.

One hundred and fifty years after the arrival of the UMCA in Malawi, God has sent many Malawian Christian sons and daughters to other continents. The same has happened in many countries around Africa. For Malawians, what started at Magomero has eventually brought Malawian Christians to Britain. Thus, African Christians living in the West are a fruit of the labour of the Western mission organisations (whether those organisations recognise this is another issue). But African Christians bring their ‘sent-ness’ with them as they migrate. In most cases, they find neither audience nor support. But when they do, great things happen.

God sends, and where God sends us, we go.

LEARN Missio Africanus online Harvey edits an online journal of African mission thinking at missioafricanus.org

19

FEATURE STORY

Name: Ruth Sayers Location: Plymouth My call: To serve, first overseas, and now in the UK My role: Church worker in the local community

MIDDLE EAST TO SOUTH WEST Ruth Sayers (also on facing page) met culture shock amid Devonport’s rivers and tower blocks after nine years in Bethlehem, Jordan and Egypt.

20

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

Devonport in the details During the four-hour drive from Oxford to Plymouth, I recount what I know, or think I know, about our destination. Jonathan, the photographer, and I have been invited by Ruth Sayers to come and get a glimpse of mission in Devonport, where she has been serving with Church Mission Society for three years.

SARAH HOLMES, STAFF WRITER

M

Photographer Jonathan Self

y understanding is that despite being in picturesque Devon, the area faces real deprivation – high unemployment, low wages and prohibitive property prices.

My mind is already constructing a story about the ‘forgotten people’ of Plymouth – those at the end of the line, broken and without hope.

The first morning of our three-day visit we join Ruth at St Aubyn’s work club. She is a member of the support team and is there every week. The club helps unemployed people with their CVs, job searches and general employment advice. The team members also help jobseekers get access to training, and things like Maths and English support.

Ruth’s directions say to look out for a church opposite a new housing development.

What looks like a grand old Georgian church from the outside turns out to be so much more inside. Walking in, I’m struck by the fact that the space is open plan, light and airy, with tasteful glass and chrome. I also see rows of neatly stocked bookshelves. It turns out I’ve walked into the Devonport Library and St Aubyn’s Church. Later I learn that in 2008 the original church, which was down to a handful of members, was given a £2.2 million facelift, funded by the Devonport Regeneration Community Partnership. On the ground floor, the space now houses Devonport’s

THE CALL - SUMMER 2016

public library, community facilities, plus a cafe.

My eyes are quickly drawn to a large stained glass window, on the east wall, which bathes an altar below in sunlight. This is St Aubyn’s chapel, the heartbeat of the building, which sits on a mezzanine floor in the former chancel.

This is where Ruth worships with the loyal congregation of 16 – and growing – which meets on Thursdays when the library is closed.

We’ve entered the building behind a couple of middle-aged gents in fleeces, jeans and trainers on their way to the work club. We pass Shelley on the front desk; she’s long-term unemployed, with health problems, a smiley lady who meets and greets people on arrival.

Past the public library, which includes Plymouth City Council’s naval history collection, we follow the stairs up to the top floor – an interior balcony (based around the architecture of the original church). We see a table set out with tea and coffee urns, slices of cake and a bowl of fruit. Behind this are computers for the jobseekers to do job searches, write CVs and consult with Ruth and other volunteers on their quest to fulfil the benefits office requirements and apply for four jobs a week.

For Ruth, it’s a far cry from her previous nine years of mission in the Middle East and North Africa. But she believes her experience gained overseas was part of God’s plan to prepare her for Plymouth – which she describes as her hardest mission field so far:

21

FEATURE STORY REACHING UP Devonport’s towers dominate the skyline but closer to ground, work club members seek new opportunities.

Opposite page: Rob is a regular at work club and at Thursday church in St Aubyn’s intimate worship space within the library (right)

“I was in Egypt following a short spell in Bethlehem – then went to Jordan and worked in a school for deaf children.

I came home, knowing there was an opportunity here. But this has been much harder – the culture shock. Yes, I speak English but being accepted as part of the community is hard. I’ve been in Devon three years but sometimes still feel like an outsider.” Ruth originally hails from Guildford – a long way from the sea – so a big thing for her was getting to grips with the city’s long maritime history and tradition. The people of Devonport have seafaring blood running through them – several generations of families have worked in the dockyard, been shipbuilders, worked on the ferries, in the navy, or as fishermen.

She adds: “Coming here has made me think about what mission really is. It’s about walking alongside the community. At work club, I often just sit and listen. We’re not here to judge.

We accept people as they are and love them.”

Observing people at work club interacting with Ruth, you see that they trust her and appreciate her quiet, diplomatic, caring and common-sense approach. I sit down with Rob – a wiry man, with kind, twinkly eyes. He wears 22

a blue cap and looks older than his 52 years.

Originally from Bromsgrove, Rob is long-term unemployed – a painter and builder by trade, doing contract work.

He lives in lodgings in Devonport and is now looking for jobs as a care worker.

He’s applied for nine jobs this week.

He had a tough start in life. His mum had an affair when Rob was about four

“I’ve been in Devon three years but sometimes still feel like an outsider” years old; his father (a gamekeeper) found out, shot her lover and then killed himself. The mother left home never to return and Rob had to take care of his younger siblings – including a baby sister – for a month on his own.

A neighbour discovered them and then Rob was in and out of children’s homes.

Another tragedy struck when Rob’s wife and son (age six) were killed in a car

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

accident in Newton Abbott. Rob moved to Plymouth 21 years ago to get away from the memories – “It was haunting me.”

He adds: “I lost it for a bit. Not had a relationship since.”

Rob usually turns up at work club every week. “He was very sceptical at the start about church but now comes to Bible study and to church every Thursday,” Ruth later adds.

When I ask him about Devonport, he says: “Apart from the drugs, violence and pubs – everything is OK. You get it everywhere you go.” When I ask him about the difference Ruth makes, he smiles: “She’s a little diamond. I like to wind her up and make her laugh. I like to make people laugh and make them happy.”

And work club? “It’s made a difference. It’s good, looking for jobs, the staff are friendly and make time to help you out,” he says. So what would be his ideal? “A nice job, a little place and a few more snakes.” Rob’s passion is snakes alongside fishing.

Ruth overhears me interviewing another jobseeker, Dave. He is 40, lives with his mum and struggles with reading and writing. Work club helps him do applications, online job searches and print things off, as he doesn’t have a

computer or printer at home. He knows work club is attached to the church.

I ask him if he will be going to the Thursday service in the chapel. “No, no, I won’t be,” he says quite emphatically.

Ruth overhears. She’s fiercely protective – and asks me afterwards to go softly, softly when talking about church. She has seen that when people are ready they will come and find out more about church and God. After four hours at the work club, we take a walk. There’s a sense that change is in the air. The housing estate is going to transform the old town centre of Devonport, which was ripped out by the Blitz. Ruth explains that a lot of government money is being invested in Devonport (and Plymouth as a whole) but so far it hasn’t really benefited local people. New housing is being developed but local people cannot afford to buy – many of them are workers who lost their jobs when Devonport dockyard scaled back and became more mechanised (and privatised). The new houses are being snapped up by second homeowners, including parents whose children need accommodation while they are at Plymouth University.

Behind the new housing, there are older estates – which are on Ruth and her colleague Tim Woods’s beat. Tim is a church community development worker; he was one of the group who originally set up the work club, which is currently supported by St Aubyn’s Parish, Job Centre Plus, Plymouth City Council, local housing associations and other organisations.

Ruth explains: “The best thing Tim and I can do is walk the streets.

It’s about building trust and being a presence. I used to work in countries where people believe in God. They have a strong faith – Muslim or Christian. God is not an issue for them. It is different here. ‘What do you mean, God?’ ‘Who is God?’ Here most people are ‘unchurched’, some are ‘de-churched’.

Church is not a connection people have.

It isn’t part of society anymore. We need to reach the community and the only way to do that is one to one befriending.

You may not even talk about God. Rob has taken nearly two years to get to the point where he will talk to you about the Bible. We are just part of the process of leading people to God.” We arrive at three 15-storey tower blocks named Lynher, Tamar and Tavy after local rivers. We visit Sandra – St Aubyn’s longest serving parishioner, who lives on the 14th floor of one block.

Thirty-two years at St Aubyn’s; 20 as church warden.

Ruth points out another block of flats that is boarded up. It burnt down last summer – allegedly caused by an incident involving a teenager and a Bunsen burner, according to the Plymouth Herald. The fire destroyed 24 flats. (No lives were lost.) St Aubyn’s Church stepped in to help and was entrusted with the support committee’s collection fund. Nearly £16,000 was raised, mainly from local contributions.

Despite having very little, the surrounding community dug deep to help the fire victims.

“I used to work in countries where people believe in God. They have a strong faith – Muslim or Christian. God is not an issue for them. It is different here.”

Our trip to Devonport ends with a wonderful, intimate Eucharist at St Aubyn’s. Driving away, I think again about this notion of ‘the forgotten people of Plymouth’. The truth is, the people we met are not forgotten, thanks to Ruth, Tim and others. The individuals we met do not appear bitter or sorry for themselves. They are just living their lives as best they can and are grateful for help along the way.

A prayer request from Sandra, longstanding St Aubyn’s church warden, sums things up: “Pray for our church. For those who are poorly. God has always looked after us and sent us people like Ruth. We’re looked after so good… although we are small in number, we’re in his heart. Plymouth is a wonderful place and there’s a lot of potential. I love my city.”

PS: Since this article was written, we have heard from Ruth that Rob has got a job as a care worker.

THE CALL - SUMMER 2016

SUPPORT

Our UK-based people in mission like Ruth need people to get alongside them and encourage them through prayer and giving. To read more about people in mission in the UK go to churchmissionsociety.org 23

Classifieds

PUT YOUR CALL INTO ACTION Some of our latest mission opportunities

The Africa conference

2016

The Call: Work among people at risk – showing those made vulnerable by unjust systems or circumstances that they are valued by God

AFRICAN VOICES AFRICAN VISION AFRICAN MISSION

THE ROLES JORDAN The Holy Land Institute for Deaf and Deafblind Children in Salt, Jordan, the Jofeh Community Rehabilitation Centre and the Kremeh Community Rehabilitation Centre (both in Jordan Valley) are seeking a secretary/personal assistant, a PR officer and programme and project managers.

Commitment: two years or more.

TANZANIA The Nuru Workshop in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, provides meaningful training and employment in handicrafts production for physically disabled adults. They are currently seeking a manager.

Commitment: flexible.

7-9 OCTOBER 2016

ntre, The Hayes Conference Ce Swanwick, Derbyshire

Speakers include: Dennis Tongoi, international director of CMS-Africa Harvey Kwiyani, head of Missio Africanus Richard Rukundo from Church of Uganda children’s ministry

For more information contact Nick Fane: ac2016@fanes.uk or visit churchmissionsociety.org

INDIA Yuvalok invests in the lives of children from the streets and slums of Bangalore as well as rescued child labourers and disadvantaged women. The Yuvalok school has two teaching posts and one vocational training coordinator post available.

The former will work with children up to age 16 and the latter will work with boys aged 16+.

Commitment: flexible.

BRAZIL The ReVive safe house for girls in Olinda, Brazil, is seeking a female volunteer to help in the dayto-day running of the house. Up to 12 girls, ages 5–15, live in the house at a time; all have suffered either physical or sexual abuse. ReVive cares for them and provides fun activities and educational opportunities, reuniting girls with family members when possible. Portuguese language skills are desirable; some training in this can be provided.

Commitment: gap year or short-term.

PIONEER MISSION

LEADERSHIP TRAINING A creative learning community

Modules Certificate Diploma MA Accredited by Durham University

GO

For lay people and pioneer ordinands To enquire about any of these roles, contact Susann Haehnel, vocational recruitment manager: 01865 787415 or susann.haehnel@ churchmissionsociety.org 24

DAYrch N E OP t Chu

ne a ety 14 Ju sion Soci Mis Oxford in

For more information and to apply: pioneer@churchmissionsociety.org

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

MISSION SPIRITUALITY Introducing 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 1: Rooted in Presence Which brings us back to Jonah.

BY IAN ADAMS, MISSION SPIRITUALITY ADVISER FOR CHURCH MISSION SOCIETY Jonah’s story begins as a classic mission scenario.

God comes calling.

And God tells Jonah to go.

At this (very early) point in the story things begin to fall apart.

Jonah flees from God’s presence.

And continues to flee.

To suffer.

To argue.

Eventually only doing as called under protest.

Focused on his own woes.

Angry with the people who respond to God’s message.

And in the end left only with questions and regrets.

My hunch is that mission needs to emerge from a way of being.

Mission – the healing and flourishing of all things in a renewed and loving relationship with God and neighbour – is not just a task.

But the natural outcome of lives lived.

We might say that how we are brings about change as much as anything we do.

The things we do for mission matter, of course.

But what the world really needs is our authenticity, our presence and our love.

So the Jesus story that we are sharing in mission has to be a story that is moving and shaping us if it is to be encountered as a gift by those with whom we are living and working.

To be taken seriously by anyone else it needs to be changing us for the better (however slowly and quietly).

And when, in God’s grace, our words and actions emerge from a life of loving presence, interesting things may begin to happen.

This moment in Jonah’s life is not his finest.

We don’t know why Jonah’s hopes and desires begin to separate from God’s hopes and desires, which were presumably so close up until this point.

But Jonah is putting himself at a distance.

How might this complicated and contrary prophet be a source of inspiration for us as we seek a spirituality to nurture us for life and mission in the 21st century?

As we explore his story in this series of articles in The Call we may discover that in some ways Jonah is more of a role model than we might have imagined.

There will be things about Jonah that we will like.

In other ways we will discover that Jonah is truly an example of how not to be.

We will want to do the opposite of what Jonah does!

And in his complications he may be a source of encouragement to each of us who recognises that we too are complicated.

What is clear is that the story begins to go awry when Jonah flees from God’s presence.

Jonah’s non-presence breaks the story.

And the contrast is stark.

The usual pattern for Jonah is presence.

But for some reason, yet to be revealed, he now plunges into absence.

So where are we in terms of seeking presence or absence?

Presence towards God is a daily call.

Yesterday’s presence was good.

But it is in the past.

Yesterday’s absence may be regretted.

But that too is in the past.

How might we nurture our renewed presence towards God today?

To desire to be present is the first step.

Let that be the beginning to which we return each day.

Image: Rachel Yates

THE CALL - SUMMER 2016

25

COMMUNITY NEWS

“Where are we going?”

BY MARK BERRY, COMMUNITY MISSION MOBILISER FOR CHURCH MISSION SOCIETY

C

hurch Mission Society leader Philip Mounstephen opened the Community Vision Day on 19 March with this key question: “Where are we going?”

This was the second annual Community Vision Day, an opportunity for CMS community members to gather together from across the UK, to hear from the CMS leadership about the focus and direction for the year ahead. Held at CMS’s offices in Oxford, it’s also a chance for members to help shape the community’s plans.

So where are we going as a community?

Philip suggested that in order to map out our future, we need to remain connected to

our heritage. “Our past is important,” he said. “The truer we are to the best of it, the brighter our future will be.” He referred to the CMS vision, which is “to see all God’s people joining in God’s mission, bringing challenge, change, hope and freedom to our world.” He noted that this has always been true for CMS. Then he moved on to CMS’s current priorities, which are to raise more disciples in mission, partner more churches in mission and maximise our effectiveness in mission. “This is an agenda we can measure and it is an agenda for growth,” he said.

During the afternoon Debbie James, church and community mission director, led everyone in a discussion about our communications (print and online), particularly what we as a community want to see in The Call, and how we can contribute to this new newspaper. Members’ suggestions were collected and given to our communications team, who were pleased and impressed to see that many of the ideas put forth showed that in so many ways we are all on the same page (so to speak). Hopefully, those who took part in this communications discussion will enjoy seeing their

ideas brought to life in The Call and in our new website, which is being launched in June.

It’s always a joy to be able to meet, greet and share in prayer and fellowship with friends from across the UK. One member said to us, “We love the annual day; it recharges our batteries!”

JOIN US

NEXT YEAR’S COMMUNITY VISION DAY will be on 18 March 2017 – please join us!

Left and above right: community members catch up at this year’s Vision Day. Above left: Mark Berry

“I’m a missionary in Norfolk” JEREMY WOODHAM TALKS WITH PAULINE HILL, WHO LIVES IN ALDBOROUGH, NORFOLK AND IS PART OF THE CHURCH MISSION SOCIETY FELLOWSHIP IN NORWICH What does being part of Church Mission Society mean for you in your day to day life?

Well, I realise that I should be more out in the community than in church. This seems strange to some fellow parishioners – the fact that I may not be worshipping where I “should” be Sunday morning, but might go to the farmers’ market instead because it’s important that Christ has a presence in the marketplace. The most important thing is sharing the love of God with whomever you meet wherever you meet.

Is that how you describe your mission call?

Yes, I’m a missionary in Norfolk. My call is to be in loving relationships with people and to help them through life. It’s more important to me than being on

26

committees to organise things.

For instance I’m not a member of the PCC. I belong to a secular organisation in my community called Aldborough Village Care which provides a luncheon club weekly and lifts to surgeries, opticians and things like that.

Being a living presence as a Christian within that secular setting is important I think, because people do know you’re a Christian; they know that “Pauline goes to church” and they may have a point of reference if they have a problem and discuss it with you.

In the last year I seem to be getting involved with how we can help people with dementia. We’re looking to start a dementia cafe [a social group that reduces isolation and improves wellbeing.] It’s not a Christian initiative per se but a Christian presence.

Why be a Christian presence rather than set up a ministry?

I think you build things through personal relationships – so things develop organically. I have another friend; we’ve known each other for 14 years. Increasingly I’m getting

braver with people, saying not only, “Would you like me to pray for you?” but, “Would you like me to pray with you?” And that’s happened. She started coming to church with me. She hasn’t been to church since she was 15 and she’s now 82. Up until recently she’s never gone to the communion rail even though I told her she was entitled to for a blessing at least – but when she discussed it with the vicar, the vicar agreed that she could take communion. This is a tremendous development and commitment. And it’s just through love that this has happened.

How did you connect to Church Mission Society?

Since I was a child I’ve loved the idea of international movements. I was in the guiding movement, and you go see a jamboree and you’re aware of all these different nations.

Then when I was at university I belonged to the international friendship society – although I did write God out of my life as a student. But in my 30s, when I lived in Yorkshire, I landed in a very loving parish where there

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

were CMS members and I started babysitting for those who went to the missionary meetings.

Then they invited me to Bible studies. Gradually I became a Christian. Those who were running the CMS group left the village and I became the parish link – though the only place I’ve been on mission officially was as part of a team that went to Middlesbrough. In 2010 I took part in the Holy Land Study Tour.

You say you’ve been “officially on a mission” only once with CMS... but as a CMS member – Yes it’s a lifetime isn’t it – it’s a lifetime of mission really!

COMMUNITY NEWS

COMMUNITY EVENTS 4 JUNE. Missio Africanus – Crowther Day. 10am – 4pm at Church Mission Society in Oxford.

Theme: Migration, mission and African Christianity in Britain. Main speaker: Professor Andrew Walls.

Contact: info@missioafricanus.org Register: www. missioafricanus.org 6 JUNE. CMS gathering in York. 7pm at The Tithe Barn, Church Lane, Nether Poppleton, YO26 6LF. Speaker: Mrs Margaret Sentamu. Contact: Eileen Wishart Tel: 01904 633705 Email: eileen.wishart@ tiscali.co.uk 8 JUNE. Coffees, lunches and teas in York. 9am – 4pm at: St Crux, York. Refreshments and a variety of stalls. Contact: Miranda Smith Tel: 01904 424322 11 JUNE. Coffee and lunch in Harrogate. 10am – 2pm at Wesley Chapel, Harrogate. Contact: Tony and Pat Ninham Tel: 01423 873617 Email: patninham@tiscali.co.uk

for Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

Contact: Chris Carey Tel: 01291 425010 Email: crcandkili@tiscali.co.uk

THE CALL IN ACTION

16 JULY. Strawberry tea in Worcestershire.

2.30–4pm at 6 Jordans Close, Willersley, WR12 7QD. Contact: Peter & Penny Burch Tel: 01386 854833 Email: pj_pjburch@hotmail.com

New people in mission

21 JULY. ForMission Feast. Spend an evening eating great food with Church Mission Society people in mission and hear stories of local, crosscultural mission. 7pm at St John the Evangelist, Great Horton, Bradford BD7 4AB. Cost: TBD. Email Linda on linda.sammons@churchmissionsociety. org

Mark and Rosalie Balfour are heading to Guatemala to work with street children and young people at risk in Guatemala City and in due course to plant a church community in La Terminal, the marketplace and bus station area in the centre of the city.

GOING OVERSEAS LONG-TERM:

3 SEPTEMBER. Coffees, lunches and teas in York. 10am – 4pm at St Crux, York. Contact: Miranda Smith. Tel: 01904 424322 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 own lunch, drinks provided. Contact: Elizabeth Edmunds Tel: 01425 610797 Email: edmunds37@ uwclub.net

14 JUNE. Pioneer Mission Leadership Training course open day. Explore a course by pioneers for pioneers: modules, certificates, diploma, MA. 10.30am – 2.30pm at Church Mission Society in Oxford. Email: pioneer@churchmissionsociety.org 16 JUNE. Cream tea in Irchester, Northamptonshire. 2.30pm at St Katherine’s Church, Irchester NN9 7AB. Contact: Margaret Walker Tel: 01933 223614 Email: pearlgate21@ googlemail.com 18 JUNE. How to Roll Like Sadhu: an interactive afternoon exploring the life and story of Sadhu Sundar Singh. Part of the Asia: Prayer and Aware campaign. 2.30–6.30pm at John Keble Church, 142 Deans Lane, Edgware, HA8 9NT. Free. Contact: Naina on sadhu@churchmissionsociety.org or 07554 168345 Register: sadhu.eventbrite.co.uk 25 JUNE. Sponsored climb on the Malvern Hills.

Contact: Nick Fane Tel: 01684 566601 Email: africa@fanes.uk 15–16 JULY. CMS Wales and the Borders Annual Conference. Venue: Broneiron Conference Centre, Llandinam, Powys, SY17 5DE. Main speaker: Tanas Alqassis, Church Mission Society regional manager

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 Mark Berry on mark.berry@churchmissionsociety.org 17–27 OCTOBER. Unique Holy Land Study Tour. Led by Tanas Alqassis, regional manager for Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

Registration deadline: 30 June. Contact: tanas. alqassis@churchmissionsociety.org

Lynn Treneary is returning to South Sudan, where she has already served short-term, to teach at Chaima Christian Institute, a training college run by the diocese of Maridi.

GOING OVERSEAS SHORT-TERM (UP TO TWO YEARS): Jane Andrews (India), Rachel Burton (Bolivia), Alex and Jane Cacouris (Brazil), Ed Hutton (Kenya), Ellie May (India), Lee Norfolk (Bolivia), Lizzie Sparks (Tanzania), Antony Scott (Jordan), Eleanor Thompson (Peru) MISSION ASSOCIATES (PEOPLE CONNECTING WITH THE CMS FAMILY WHILE OVERSEAS): David Burgess (India), Maria Hembrow (Malta)

Moving on Bertha and Wim Schoonbee served as doctors at Gahini Hospital for over 10 years – Wim as an eye surgeon, Bertha working with blind people – and are now returning to South Africa to develop community health work there.

Marjorie Gourlay served in Lebanon for three years and is now working with a charity in Dundee, welcoming Syrian refugees and helping them settle into British culture.

Michael Green has relocated from Jordan to Ipswich, where he’s helping churches welcome Syrian refugees and reaching out to the increasingly diverse local community.

To keep up to date with Community events visit churchmissionsociety.org/events

Community teapot causes a stir in America From 7–10 April, Church Mission Society staff members joined around 1,000 participants from the USA, Canada and other countries at the New Wineskins Missionary Network 2016 conference in Ridgecrest, North Carolina, USA. Executive leader Philip Mounstephen, Latin America director Henry Scriven and key relationships manager Hannah Burnham attended the event in a bid to further strengthen CMS’s connections in the US and with dioceses from around the world. They launched a new fundraising initiative called

The American Friends of CMS – inviting people to learn more about what CMS is doing across the globe, to pray and to give. The Rev Janet Roberts Echols of St Matthew’s Church, Fort Motte, South Carolina is its president.

“We took the CMS silver teapot, which was a great hit. People were fascinated to hear the role it played in the founding of CMS, when a group of Christians got together around it. We called it the teapot that changed the world,” Philip said.

New Wineskins is held every three years for Anglicans and Episcopalians.

Archbishop Foley Beach of the Anglican Church of North America and Hannah Burnham of CMS hold the ‘teapot that changed the world’

THE CALL - SUMMER 2016

27

MISSION REFLECTION Name: Alex and Jane Cacouris Location: Brazil Our call: To see people lifted out of material and spiritual poverty Our roles: Alex: leadership in Christ Church Jane: international development

Mission means...

BY JANE CACOURIS, WHO IS GETTING READY TO WORK IN RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL, WITH HER HUSBAND ALEX AND THEIR THREE CHILDREN

W

e are hugely excited to move to Rio de Janeiro. We want to share a little about what led us to this point, as well as our hopes and dreams for the work that we are about to begin.

Mission means...grappling with injustice I have a passion for poverty alleviation, which God first stirred in me when I was about 14 years old, at our church youth group meeting. The youth leader asked a mission partner to speak about her work with street children in Burundi.

As she spoke, I was overcome with a physical feeling that started in the pit of my stomach and spread upwards. The feeling grew as she showed us images from the slums where she was working.

The feeling became intensely emotional, as I grappled with the injustice of it all – that the children in the images had such a different life to mine. They lacked basic provisions, such as clean water and sanitation, things we take for granted.

I’d never felt even a nugget of thankfulness when I ran the tap at home.

By the time she finished speaking, I felt like I was about to burst. She paused and looked around the room – there were about 20 of us – and asked if anyone felt they might like to do

28

this type of work in the future. I shot my hand in the air, and looked around, expecting to see a sea of raised hands. But I was the only one. I realised some time later that it wasn’t that I was wrong, and the rest of the room was right, or vice versa, but that God had put a very specific calling on my life and given me a heart for people living with physical poverty. I went on to become qualified in international development at a postgraduate level and have worked in the sector, mainly on water and environment issues, for around 10 years.

Since becoming a Christian as a teenager, Alex has had a deep-seated longing to see people come to know Jesus, regardless of age, ethnicity or background. He has a heart for evangelism and mobilising Christians for mission.

Mission means...being holistic We both desire to see people lifted out of spiritual and material poverty, and we can see how God has woven our callings together. Jesus crosses cultures, stigmas and socio-economic divides, and we’ve both witnessed this firsthand in the work that we’ve done in different continents. So we are expectant of what God has in store for us in Rio. Rio de Janeiro reflects Brazil, a country of extremes, with expensive penthouses next door to the poverty of the favelas. Estimated to have the seventh largest economy in the world, 26 per cent of Brazil’s population live below the poverty line. Brazilian society is known for its flamboyant and party-loving lifestyle. However, violence,

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

corruption and the drug trade are stark realities.

We see mission as holistic, in that it has to be the practical outworking of God’s love and grace (social action) alongside evangelism.

We hope to work together in this way. Alex will be serving as associate chaplain with Christ Church, one of a handful of English speaking churches in Rio. He will be working as part of a new team ministry with Mark Simpson, who is also with Church Mission Society. There are approximately 100,000 English speakers in Rio; the opportunity for evangelism is huge. The team is also passionate to mobilise the church to social action within the city’s favelas.

I’m keen to use my experience in urban water supply, sanitation and environmental sustainability – major issues in the favelas. I have also felt God prompt me in the area of gender inequality and the associated role of the Church; in Brazil rates of violence against women are some of the highest in the world.

Mission means...being called as a family We are passionate about seeing our children experience and enjoy a relationship with Jesus.

We very much believe that each of our three children has been called to Brazil too, and that they are an integral part of God’s plan for the mission work that we hope to do there. We pray that all five of us will grow and deepen in our relationship with Jesus as we step out on this new chapter in our lives.

APPEAL FOLLOW UP Christmas appeal follow-up:

THE WAIT OF THE WORLD Church Mission Society supporters gave generously to our Christmas 2015 appeal, raising just over £80,000 for people in mission working among refugees and asylum seekers.

BY DOUG AND JACQUI MARSHALL IN MALTA

W

e are befriending asylum seekers in Malta and providing them with practical and spiritual support. Doug is currently the team leader of the International Association for Refugees in Malta.

Europe’s refugee crisis seems to be dominating the news. There is uncertainty all around as the world is seemingly on the brink.

More than ever the Church needs to engage with the issues of our time, to provide an alternative way of doing things, to seek consensus and build bridges rather than walls.

Protecting one’s own interests seems to be a key concern at the moment, but self-interest was never a hallmark of Jesus.

The photo below shows, in a way, what life is like for asylum seekers. I took it in the waiting area of the

office of the refugee commissioner, who has the authority to decide what level of protection, if any, an asylum seeker is to receive.

This office is also responsible for determining how frequently a person must renew their status; for some it is annually, for others it can be every three years.

The photo is unremarkable, technically, and wouldn’t have been re-tweeted once. Yet it sums up perfectly how life for asylum seekers is about waiting. Waiting on someone else’s decision about your life. We’ve all waited for things; waiting can be good.

But have you ever had major life decisions made for you by other people, where you have had no input in the process? And this isn’t the first time – the reason you’re here is because of someone else’s decision to destroy your home, your city. When or where does it end?

How do you get your independence back?

We want the world to know Jesus, to really know him. One of the challenging elements of this in the context here is unpacking who Christ is, and who or what he is not. It is fantastic to be able to sit down and discuss matters of faith, life and everything else with people who are willing to be open and to ask questions. The similarities and differences in faith life are amazing to hear firsthand, unmediated.

Probably the best starting point is being willing to sit down and listen to another person’s life experience. This takes time, but is not only worth it, but possibly the best way to get a better understanding of where a person is coming from, as well as letting them express themselves in an unthreatening space.

We mention this because in the epidemic of busyness, we think we have lost the art of conversing, of investigating assumptions, truly listening to a person and connecting to a deeper, less superficial place.

Doug has begun discipling a young man from a Muslim background who found Jesus a number of years ago. He lacks a spiritual family here. They meet once a week. It is always majestic to see a person turn from fear to love and peace. Pray for much fruit from this young man.

Above: The Marshall family Left: Two men await their fate in the office of the refugee commissioner

THE CALL - SUMMER 2016

PRAY

1

Malta is seeing many Libyans applying for asylum. Yet there have been recent developments in Tripoli with the arrival of a formally elected government. Pray for Libya, that peace will become a viable option, and that its people can rebuild their lives.

2

With the continued loss of life in the Mediterranean Sea, pray for a more humanitarian response to asylum seekers entering Europe.

3

Please pray for all people in Church Mission Society who work with refugees and asylum seekers.

29

LAST WORD

The 2015 financial year

BY CHARLIE WALKER, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND CORPORATE SERVICES

F

or those of us in the finance and corporate services team, it is such a joy to hear from people in mission when they visit the office. Their visits fuel us in carrying out our calling.

We have other encouragements, too. The finance team have been busy finalising the 2015/16 financial year figures and I am glad to report that total income for the year reached £8.4m. This is a significant increase from last year (£7.5m). The main reason for this increase has been some wonderfully generous legacies.

As a result we can put some much-needed money into our reserves and we’re very thankful to God for this.

As we end the first quarter of this financial year, 2016/17, we continue to focus our finance and fundraising lens on our core supporters: churches, individual donors and trusts. These supporters are the bedrock of our finances and without them

“In everything we remember the sovereign God we serve and we look to him first in all that we do. John Venn, one of our founders, said to put prayer first and money second. And that we are determined still to do.” (you) we would not be able to carry out much of the mission work we do across the globe. We are so thankful for people’s generosity and our commitment is to steward these funds as carefully and as wisely as we can, so they make the maximum impact for the kingdom of God. Like many similar charities, we are facing some financial pressures. For the 2016/17 financial year, please pray that our general fund giving will grow. The trend is for giving to be restricted to specific people and projects. We also face a challenging pension situation. This year is a “triennial year” which means the CMS pension scheme will be formally valued.

Despite all the steps we have taken in recent years, our pension scheme deficit will have worsened, simply because of falling yields on investment returns. Please do pray for our excellent pension trustees to find fruitful ways forward in servicing this deficit.

In everything we remember the sovereign God we serve and we look to him first in all that we do. John Venn, one of our founders, said to put prayer first and money second. And that we are determined still to do.

Please contact me if you have any questions or issues regarding CMS finances: charlie.walker@churchmissionsociety.org

30

How to... start a mission newspaper in a digital age

HOW TO...

FINANCE UPDATE

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

BY NAOMI ROSE STEINBERG, PUBLICATIONS MANAGER FOR CHURCH MISSION SOCIETY (AND NEWSPAPER NEWBIE)

“We think you should start a mission newspaper,” said the artfully-spectacled brand agency representative.

My response: blink. Blink blink. “I’m sorry, what?”

I was shocked. We had been working with a brand agency to help us, among other things, connect with a younger audience, and the perceived wisdom of the age dictates that those conversations are to be all about digital, mobilefriendly, social media-compatible content strategies. The idea of starting a newspaper seemed anachronistic.

But as the surprise subsided I began to feel excited, for a few reasons. As a communications team we have long felt that it might be good to combine some of our existing publications – Mission Update, Connect, Africa News and Share (Latin America) – into one entity. We are, after all, a global mission with people being sent from everywhere to everywhere, so it makes sense for our friends to be able to see the whole picture (though we realise people will have particular passions). Also, a newspaper can be less expensive to produce than say, a magazine, and it is a fairly flexible format – pages can be added or removed easily and there’s space for in-depth features.

Having said all this, it had been a long time since I had actually engaged meaningfully with the medium. My first job out of university was as an assistant managing editor at a quarterly charity newspaper, but that was (we don’t need to talk about how) long ago. I confess I’m not currently a print newspaper-reader. I could feel my uneasiness returning.

Fortunately, I work in a great team and, together, we started to feel our way forward. So here it is. How to start a mission newspaper in a digital age:

LAST WORD

Come up with ideas for newspaper

4 sections and a story list.

1 Pray. Much.

2 Figure out your purpose.

Together, we asked, “What is the point of this publication?” You can see what we came up with on page 2. I hope this rings true for you as you peruse this paper.

3 Define some principles.

What are we committed to doing and, equally, to not doing within these pages? Together, we agreed on the following five guidelines for The Call:

This was fun. Yes, it’s challenging to make sure we include all the regions we work in and types of work we do – but it’s also inspiring to have so many wonderful people to feature and to be reminded repeatedly as we pitch story ideas how God really is working in our world. And we get to be part of this, even from our cluttered desks.

5 Accept that you can’t always make everyone happy.

Diversity: We are a platform for global voices in mission. Hopefully you’ll see a wide variety of cultures, backgrounds, opinions and ages represented in this paper as well as a good gender balance. While we do edit articles from our contributors, we hope their perspectives come through clearly. (Note: we may not always fully agree with each other on everything – but that’s the beauty of community.)

Simplicity: We will attempt to use as little jargon as possible – no easy feat as even the word “mission” can mean so many things to so many people. Yet, we don’t want to exclude people by using “insider” language.

Dignity: In our writing and photography, we will aim to be authentic and absorbing while avoiding sensationalism, manipulation and exploitation.

Respect for past, present and future: As faithful inheritors of 200 years of mission learning, we honour Church Mission Society’s history and values; at the same time we are enthusiastic about the future of mission and trying new things.

Everything filtered through a mission lens: if it’s not about God’s mission, we don’t talk about it in this paper.

I don’t mean to sound defeatist. We are aiming for excellence with The Call. However, we understand that, for some readers, there might be too much about one subject or not enough about another. Some might disagree with some of the content. There may even be one or two or 40 typos. We hope that you will help us by sending us feedback and ideas. You can contact us by email: the.call@churchmissionsociety. org or by post: Attn: Letter to Editor, The Call, Church Mission Society, Watlington Road, Oxford OX4 6BZ

The communications team. Top row left to right: Dan Misson (designer), Jonathan Self (link materials editor), Jeremy Woodham (web and media manager) Bottom row: Sarah Holmes (staff writer), Naomi Steinberg (publications manager)

ONE LAST THING...

We’ve titled this piece “How to...start a mission newspaper in a digital age” not because we actually want you to do this, but because in future editions of The Call, this page will cover pertinent topics like “How to...do community development well” and “How to...start a missional community”. So watch this space. Also, be sure to visit our new website, which will be unveiled on 6 June: churchmissionsociety.org Thank you for reading The Call. All of us involved in its production hope you like it and we hope to steadily improve as we go. But most importantly, we hope that as you meet the people in these pages, you will see something of yourself reflected in their stories – and be inspired to keep putting your own call into action, too.

THE CALL - SUMMER 2016

31

AP PE A

L

Break new

GROUND A gift to our People in Mission Support Fund will help people like Mark and Rosalie put their call into action – and help Church Mission Society pioneer new work in new places.

Mark and Rosalie Balfour will soon embark on the toughest assignment of their lives: working with street children in Guatemala City – a far cry from the Anglican church they’ve been leading in Maidenhead.

In the heart of La Terminal, the largest market area in Central America, Mark and Rosalie believe Jesus is calling them to plant a church and provide mentoring and life skills for some of the thousands of children who are fighting to survive through stealing and prostitution. As Mark says, “We believe it is only through encountering the transforming love and power of Jesus that real change can come to the street children struggling to survive.”

Mark and Rosalie are breaking new ground by being the first CMS people in mission to work in Central America.

With your support they can face the challenges ahead and young lives will be changed. The People in Mission Support Fund enables us to support new partners to do amazing work in some of the world’s toughest places.

// PRAY

SUPPORT

15

for Church Mission Society people who are forging new mission paths in places like Guatemala, Romania and South East Asia.

// GIVE

to support new work in new contexts through the People in Mission Support Fund at churchmissionsociety.org/give

CHURCH MISSIO N SO CIETY

// ACT

Is God calling you to do new things? Get in touch with Susann on 01865 787415 or vro@churchmissionsociety.org

c h u rc h m i s s i o n s o c i e t y. o rg