with the CMS community online www.cms-uk.org

SHARINGJESUSCHANGING

LIVESSUMMER 2014

Getting people to understand the connection between their faith and caring for the environment is often diffi cult, says Kailean Khongsai. Yet it’s a diffi culty he understands personally.

“Ten years ago, even though I was a Christian with a background in environmental sciences, I never saw the connection. Only relatively recently have I come to understand that right from the beginning of Genesis God says, ‘The world I have made is good and beautiful, take care of it.’ He must be serious about it.”

As it turns out, when you take care of the environment, people naturally end up asking faith questions. Conservation leads to conversation.

“One thing my wife Kim and I have started is a community food growing

project, which has been very successful. Some people who come are depressed or disadvantaged and they fi nd fun and encouragement, especially when we cook food we’ve grown together.

“As we get to know each other’s story, people ask questions like ‘Why would Christians do this kind of work? ’

Doors open all the time to share the gospel and we’ve even seen some people become Christians. Honestly, when we started working here, I didn’t expect that through conservation, we would see so

many people asking about Jesus. But I think where maybe they wouldn’t feel comfortable approaching a church or a vicar, they feel they can ask us.”

The Khongsais coordinate activitiesat Minet Park, a formerly derelict area in Southall that was transformed into an oasis for the community.

“This generation lives a very indoor life with Playstations and iPhones,” says Kailean. “If they remain disconnected from nature, how can they learn to appreciate and care for it? We involve people in berry-picking, making kites out of plastic waste, pond-dipping and lots of other things.”

“I didn’t expect that through conservation, we would see so many people asking about Jesus.”

Sharing faith, naturallyWe spoke to CMS mission partner Kailean Khongsai about his work with A Rocha UK in multicultural London and how creation care serves as a natural bridge to—and from—faith

Creating an oasis for the community

project, which has been very successful.

Let the cleanup begin

Kailean at the community food growing project

Continued overleaf

The Khongsais are now undertaking another transformation challenge in an area of Ealing Borough called Wolf Fields.

“One day a few years ago, we bumped into an open space. It was beautiful, but it looked horrible. Every corner was littered with rubbish.

“We thought if we could transform this area into a haven for wildlife and people, it would benefi t the community. A few months ago we started clearing the site; we removed 54 tonnes of rubbish including 17 mattresses, hundreds of syringes and household waste.

“Our vision is to transform this land for God’s glory. I’m working on getting a group of local Christians together who will commit to praying for Wolf Fields. So far eight people have said yes; I’d love to fi nd a few more.” There will also be a Friends of Wolf Fields group, comprising people of as many as fi ve different faiths, as creation care is common ground on which the Khongsais have built

strong interfaith relationships.“I see reclaiming land like this as an

extension of God’s kingdom. If there is lots of rubbish, people keep littering. When you clean up a place it reveals God’s goodness. People don’t tend to trash an area when it’s clean.”

Even though it can be sad when people, especially Christians, can’t see the link between their faith, caring for people and protecting the environment, Kailean responds, “I just say Lord, use me. I know there is a gap and I have to sow your wholeness into it.”

If you or someone you know lives near the area and would like to join a prayer group for the Wolf Fields Project, contact info@cms-uk.org.

We have much to be thankful to God for in the fi nancial year that ended 31 January 2014.

Total income was £7.8m, which is comparable to the previous year. Income from churches was lower, but this was compensated for by increased donations from individuals. CMS also benefi tted from generous legacy income of over £1.2m.

Generally, we have continued to see income under pressure due to the economic climate and the increased call on church resources for other uses. Our aim has been to increase income every year, to meet increasing costs and to close the gap between income and expenditure that has previously been funded from reserves. The year to 31 January 2014 saw us make a small surplus (before pension adjustments); however,

we do not anticipate such substantial legacy income going forward and we need to plan accordingly. For people who serve overseas or in the UK, our aim is to work with them to ensure that their funding is secure over the longer term so they can stay in their locations and develop their ministry. For the most part we have been able to do this, thanks to our generous donors.

Pensions continue to be a signifi cant challenge. In the past CMS ran a “defi ned benefi t” pension scheme, which made promises about the value of pensions it would pay in the future. There are more than 900 former mission partners and staff in this scheme. Because of the recent investment climate and increased longevity, these promises are becoming increasingly expensive to keep. Fortunately we have

been able to do this by drawing on reserves and have not had to make signifi cant adjustments to mission activity. We are very grateful to our pension trustees and investment advisors.

Please continue to pray for CMS’s fi nances, that people will put themselves forward for mission partner service and that churches and individuals will support them. When you give to CMS, remember you can restrict the money you give to a particular mission partner. If you would like to give more generally, that is helpful to us in supporting ministries where suffi cient funding is not available and also in funding essential support services run from the Oxford offi ce.

If you would like to receive a copy of our latest report and accounts, please email me: adrian.white@cms-uk.org

Financial Update By Adrian White, director of fi nance and corporate services

A society for the worldAt the time of writing, I will be heading to Hull to help the CMS association there celebrate its bicentenary.

The Hull association was the very fi rst of many such to be founded: rightly so given the very strong links between that city and the Clapham Sect to which CMS’s founders belonged. Most notably, William Wilberforce started his political life as MP for Hull. (Henry Thornton, another of our founders, also considered standing for Hull but refused when he learned how much he was expected to pay to bribe the electors!)

We do well to remember that from the very fi rst, CMS was a community enterprise. In today’s terms the Clapham Sect would probably have been called a ‘new monastic community’. These were people who shared their lives together, and their families were criss-crossed with many happy marriages further uniting them.

Like all good communities, the Clapham Sect was outwardly focussed. The question discussed at the meeting of the Eclectics Society (to which many Sect members belonged) that led directly to the founding of CMS was this: “What methods can we use more effectually to promote the knowledge of the gospel among the heathen?”

The answer to that question was to form a society – the society to which we belong today: a society not formed for itself, but formed for the sake of others, and formed indeed for the sake of the Lord, to love and to serve his world.

And what an effect our society has had! By the grace of God it has been remarkably fruitful. Let’s go on being inspired by our founders’ vision and passion. And in the power of the Holy Spirit, may our lives in mission be fruitful too.

will commit to praying for Wolf Fields.

Creation care builds bridges

across faiths in London

Philip writes...

...Continued from front page

I am daily impressed by the amazing commitment of CMS supporters who, after a lifetime of prayer and giving, go on to remember us in their will. Every now and then we have the privilege of learning something of their story.

And then there’s the other end of the story: lives changed and Jesus shared across the world because someone chose to remember us in their will. Recently, a generous supporter left £3,000 in their will for the work of Dr Lalita Edwards at the Santvana (Comforter) Centre in Pune, India, a home for children left as orphans due to HIV and AIDS or abandoned by their HIV-affected parents. Lalita had been praying for more funds to help the children she cares for. One morning, when praying, she heard God promise that he would stand by her. Later, on hearing the news of this generous gift, Lalita’s response was, “I just do not know how to write all that my heart wants to

say...I was so awestruck after reading your letter that it took me two days to digest the matter. You will never know how much I thanked the Lord for his hand on his children who cannot provide for themselves.”

To the children there, Lalita is Nanna. And they delight to show her their school work at the end of the day. They sing about Jesus never letting them down. Each evening there’s a prayer time.

If you could meet Dr Lalita she would want to tell you about children like:• Lakshimi, age 11, born to a sex worker. Until three years ago she was a runner in a brothel. If she had to leave Santvana, she’d likely become a sex worker herself. • Michael, whose only experience of love before he died aged six from AIDS-

related illness, was the few months he spent at Santvana.

Never underestimate the effect that a gift in your will can have. Gifts of all sizes are deeply appreciated, prayerfully received and spent with integrity. To fi nd out more about gifts in wills, contact Hannah at giftsinwills@cms-uk.org or on 01865 787521.

Are you interested in crystal harp channeling? Taoist psycho-energetics? Awakening your crown chakra, bathing in earth energies?

If not, why? Many people pay good money to go to Mind, Body, Spirit fairs and Christians can be there, creating opportunities to talk about Jesus as the way, the truth and the life.

I have just returned from helping at a stand at the London festival. Three days of non-stop talking to people about spiritual matters. My idea of a fantastic weekend out!

Our stall is called Dekhomai (Welcome). We use specially designed sets of cards to help facilitate conversations.

Jesus Deck cards each have a scene from one of the gospels along with a text. Sitting with people, I talk about the story of the card, the text on the card and the colours used. I then ask if any of this resonates with them and it is astonishing how often something does. For example, a young girl vaguely interested in Buddhism picked a card with an angel proclaiming “a Saviour who is Christ the Lord”. She felt she must investigate Jesus further and I gave her a New Testament. I adore being at this fair and get a real buzz having conversation after conversation about Jesus. Everyone there is interested in the spiritual side of life and we have truth to share with them. People in the New Age marketplace are

interested in being told about Jesus, the light of the world and how he can help them on their spiritual journey.

I think this is great work for retired mission partners. We have cross-cultural experience, which helps to make connections. Certainly, I found the fact that I had lived in India and also in Bethlehem helpful. If this is for you, please get in touch with CMS.

Legacy brings orphans comfort By Hannah Caroe

By Mary Fairfi eld

Your local New Age fair needs you

Having conversations about Jesus at Mind Body Spirit fair, London

Dr Lalita admires one of the children’s work

The weekend of 31 May and 1 June saw great celebrations in Hull as the local CMS Association marked 200 years since its foundation – the fi rst local CMS group to do so.

1 June 1814 saw the initial meeting which formed the Church Missionary Association for Hull and the East Riding. Two hundred years later – almost to the day – dignitaries including former home secretary Alan Johnson, a local MP, joined more than 100 local Christians to celebrate, refl ect and pray.

The Rev Allen Bagshawe, the current chair of the association, explained why there is such a strong link between Hull and CMS.

“CMS was founded in 1799 by Hull’s own William Wilberforce and his friends of the Clapham Sect. Since then CMS has always held a special place in our local affections.”

The special celebration service took

place in the afternoon of Saturday 31 May at Holy Trinity Church (where Wilberforce was baptised) after a morning of events at St Mary’s Lowgate. Canon Philip Mounstephen, executive leader of CMS, preached. Also taking part was Bishop Billy Simbo from Freetown, Sierra Leone - Hull’s longstanding twin city.

A special feature of the service was the receiving of the Bicentenary Purses. In 1914 the association marked its centenary with purses containing 100 coins to support the work of mission with CMS.

This time Hull’s CMS Association set a target of 200 coins (or notes!) for the celebration service. Purses were fi lled by both local congregations and individual supporters. So far, a total of £2,300 has

been raised.The money raised is to be split

between CMS and the African Foundation for Children with Learning Disabilities, recently set up in Freetown by a Sierra Leonian who has been living in Hull for some time.

Celebrations continued on Sunday 1 June, the actual anniversary, with special services across Hull, and a fi nal service and tea in the afternoon at St Columba’s Church.

CMS is still active in mission in Hull. In addition to the work of the local association, mission partners Anna and Chris Hembury work in the city (see their story on next page).

Their work was featured in the Channel 4 programme on “Breadline Kids” (Dispatches, Monday 9 June) and in the CMS short fi lm, Does it really matter if the world knows Jesus?

Hull churches also support Canon Patricia Wick, a CMS mission partner in South Sudan, who was formerly a curate at Drypool parish in the city.

Says the Rev Bagshawe: “Hull has long been the pioneering city; Wilberforce just one of many who changed the world around them.

“This bicentenary celebration is about the local churches recognising the part they have played in the past and their commitment to continue into the future. Together we have been, and together we will be, people committed to changing our world for the better.”

The CMS window St Columba’s, Drypool, Hull

“CMS was founded in 1799 by Hull’s own William Wilberforce and his friends of the Clapham Sect. Since then CMS has always held a special place in our local affections.”

Never a lull in Hull! Looking good for 200 years old

Philip Mounstephen with Bishop Billy Simbo (Sierra Leone)

Growing up near Hull, whenever you went to the chippie, they used to offer you the bits of batter that came off the fi sh with your chips: “Scraps, love?”

I recently visited mission partners Anna and Chris Hembury who are working in one of the most disadvantaged areas of Hull. The people living in this area could be seen as the scraps of society, without much of a chance in life. The sort of people that Jesus spent most of his time with.

Today, Jesus is with the people in Hull through the work of Anna and Chris. They have been living in the community for more than 15 years. I spoke to many people who had only praise for them (and this is in Yorkshire, where we are famed for grumbling!).

I met youth club members who spoke about the fun they have at the club and at the annual youth camp. Some of the young people have become Christians and gone on to volunteer as youth leaders.

I went to the breakfast club, attended by 30 - 50 children and many adults

before school in the mornings. I chatted to a couple of mums, one of whom was helping serve breakfast, and another who said she had helped at the youth camp. They talked about how much they enjoyed the Mums’ Night that the Hemburys organised on the eve of Mothering Sunday.

Lastly, I visited the Orts, a sewing and crafts group that has been meeting since January. Orts is a word meaning scraps or leftovers. Some of the women have come from diffi cult backgrounds. This group is amazing. Anna had been thinking about setting it up for a while, and then Liane Kensett, who had been on CMS’s missional entrepreneurship week (part of the CMS pioneer course), helped her

launch the group. In less than three months, they have found the perfect premises and received donations of craft items, fabric

and sewing machines. The women who come enjoy being creative and having the opportunity to chat as they make things. Anna does not see the Orts as a “project” but as an opportunity for people to meet together, learn new things, be built up,

and experience the love of people and of God.

The Orts group reminds of me of one of my favourite Scripture passages:

“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were infl uential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are.” (1 Corinthians 1: 26-28)

God loves scraps.

“Some of the women have come from diffi cult backgrounds.”

Scraps, Love? By Katie Jenkinson, CMS speaking engagement agent

Sewing hope

Captions

In May, 18 Christians from across Kendal in Cumbria did four sponsored walks to raise money for CMS mission partner

Ruth Radley’s work with children in South Sudan. Ruth’s mum Jean was one of the participants. Together they raised almost £650. Thank you, walkers! To organise a sponsored challenge, phone Hannah on 01865 787521 or email challenges@cms-uk.org

CMS in Scotland rebooted Hannah Williams writes: “This century is the third to have seen Scots in mission with CMS and Scots in support, but by the end of the 1990s a Scotland-shaped hole had emerged. On 29 March a CMS Day of Exploration at St John the Baptist, Perth, plugged it. In attendance were dozens of members, supporters and former mission partners. We are now, we trust, on the map, with a steering group to maintain momentum north of the border.” Our thanks to Hannah, Catherine Stewart, Liz Paterson and many people who undergirded this event in prayer.

CMS, in partnership with Greenbelt, has launched a competition to fi nd the best new ideas for missional enterprises in the land. The competition encourages Christians to imagine innovative ways to communicate the gospel

while developing a fi nancially sustainable model of funding. Finalists will pitch to a “Dragons’ Den” style event at Greenbelt Festival in August, aiming to win a place on CMS’s annual Missional Entrepreneurship week (part of the CMS Pioneer Mission Leadership training course) in November.

The CMS Pioneer Mission Leadership training course held its fi rst graduation and ordination celebration on 8 July in Oxford. Story to follow in the next Connect, or visit pioneer.cms-uk.org

A training day for people leading short-term mission teams took place at CMS on 8 March. About 20 team leaders attended who were taking groups to Nepal, South Africa and Paris among other places. They called the day “very worthwhile”, a “great blessing” and “excellently prepared”. One participant said, “I felt much more comfortable with my future role as a result.” For more information on cross-cultural mission training events and short-term teams, contact Kathryn: kathryn.jerome@cms-uk.org or 01865 787493

On not “chickening out” of hospitalityBy Mark Berry, CMS community mission facilitatorIn February I visited Uganda, South Sudan and Kenya; spending time there had a lasting impact on me and my missiology.

This part of Africa has seen tragedy and brutal violence. However, being with local people and mission partners Isobel Booth-Clibborn and Ruth Radley showed me that mission is a work of celebration not crisis. Their ministries, based on participation and fi rmly rooted in scripture, are focused on helping communities to see how resource-rich they are and how God can help them to use what he has given them.

In Lun, South Sudan, Ruth took me to meet a group of village elders. They had studied the Bible and then together built a bridge, a church and are working on a school. In Kampala I saw how teams have helped communities see just how important children are to God and how they should be valued and nurtured.

Isobel took me to Mbale, where I met an amazing lady called Mary. Mary lives alone in a small hut. Isobel has worked with local tradesmen to extend the hut so that Mary can rent half of it for some income. We visited Mary to drop off some paint, but as is the way in Africa, it would not be that simple. When we arrived Mary insisted on making us tea and baking biscuits on the fi re for us. She then presented me with a live chicken. It was hard to accept; as a wealthy westerner I knew she needed it far more! But the CMS daily prayer reminds us that, “The Father is revealed, Christ made known and the Spirit encountered when… hospitality is given and received.” In Mbale this became real for me as God confronted me with the challenge that mission does not mean having the upper hand, as Jesus himself tells the 72 in Luke 10, but sitting alongside people and showing them the love and respect that God has for them.

“Living in community” is in some ways an ambiguous phrase. In reality we all live in community – frequently interacting with those around us and learning, by the grace of God, to love them.

This is an essential part of discipleship, due to the simple, shocking truth stated in 1 John 4:20: “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen” (NIV). Love for God is meaningless – illusory even – unless it is accompanied by love for our “brothers and sisters”.

This is one reason why, nine months ago, I decided to move into House 244, a CMS-owned community house in East Oxford. I was convinced that in sharing more in the lives of others in the mess and routine of daily life, I would open up

new opportunities to learn more about myself, and the nature of the incarnational God.

All sounds very grand and noble, doesn’t it? Well, in many ways it isn’t, and that’s actually kind of the point. Committing to share your life with people in a community house means there must be room for compromise, disagreement,

honesty and arguments. These are not necessarily words we would associate with a community of believers working together in unity (John 17) but for me one of the most oft-repeated lessons in the story of God and humanity is that the diamond of God’s glory is usually found in the rough of ordinary lives.

So it really doesn’t matter whether you live in a community house or not. We all have the opportunity (responsibility?) to grow in our relationship with our creator by growing in our relationships with those around us. If I can take the liberty of turning the verse from 1 John on its head, he seems to say that if you can do that, you can do anything. If you can love those around you, then maybe you can begin to understand what it means to love the Big Unknowable who, as The Message translation puts it, made himself known by moving into the neighbourhood.

Community News in Brief

“Living in community”By Michael Bourne, a newish member of House 244 in Oxford

Mark Berry left, with Mary and friend

Missional entrepreneurship week

to events: www.cms-uk.org/events

to CMS people

CMS groups, associations, and conferences20 September 2014 Connect Live for northern members and friends: Praying together for mission Venue: St Mark’s Church, Broomhill, Sheffield, S10 2SE. 10am-4pm. Contact: Alan Nickless. Tel: 0114 2364517 E-mail: alan@nickless-online.co.uk

27 September 2014 Africa day conference in Liverpool Main speaker Rev William Challis, Chair, CMS Africa forum. Venue: St Paul’s Church Fazakerly, Formosa Drive, Liverpool, L10 7LB. 12 Noon-4pm. (Bring your own lunch). Contact: Jean Mitchell. Tel: 0151 9283491 E-mail: mitchjeth@talktalk.net

1 October 2014 Central South regional meeting (Mission Partners Fellowship) All Saints’ Church Hall, Greenbanks Close, Milford-on-Sea, Lymington, SO41 0SQ. Bring your own lunch. Drinks provided. RSVP to Dr E Edmunds by 2 September 2014 Tel. 01425 610797 E-mail: edmunds37@uwclub.net

4 October 2014 From imagination to innovation-sharing the mission heart of God A day of worship and prayer. Venue: Christ Church, Cheltenham. 10am-4pm. Cost £10 - includes a two-course lunch. Contact: Patrick or Val Harris. Tel: 01242 231376 E-mail: pandvharris@blueyonder.co.uk

10 October 2014 Harrogate CMS group Supper and speaker (TBC). Venue: St Mark’s, Harrogate. 7pm. Contact: Peter and Pat Ninham. Tel: 01423 873617 E-mail: patninham@tiscali.co.uk

17 October 2014 Worcester diocesan CMS group coffee morning with bring and buy. Venue: The Guildhall, Worcester 9.30am-12.30pm. Contact: Nick Fane. Tel: 01684 5666601 E-mail: africa@fanes.co.uk

23 October 2014 Mid-Northants group The shape of mission – reflections on the Laceys’ work in Uganda. Venue: St Peter’s Church, Irthlingborough. 7:30pm. Fish and chip supper. £5 admission. Contact: Margaret Walker. Tel: 01933 223614 E-mail: pearlgate21@googlemail.com

25 October 2014 York & District CMS association autumn meeting An afternoon for CMS supporters beginning with a soup lunch. Speaker: CMS mission partner Catherine Lee talking about her work in Taiwan. Venue: Christ Church, Stockton Lane, York 12.30 pm. Contact: Eileen Wishart. Tel: 01904 633705 E-mail: eileen.wishart@tiscali.co.uk

14-16 November 2014 CMS Africa conference Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire. Main speaker: Bishop of Durham, Paul Butler, former chair of CMS trustees. For details and bookings contact Nick and Val Fane, 1 Woodshears Drive,

Malvern, Worcs. WR14 3EA Tel: 01684 566601 E-mail: ac2014@fanes.co.uk

CMS sponsored challenges5-7 September 2014 Hadrian’s Wall trek – Trek with Jesus! Discover the beautiful World Heritage site over a weekend, in a trip run by Discover Adventure. For more information, email challenges@cms-uk.org or contact Hannah on 01865 787521

CMS pioneer eventsPioneer mission leadership training open days 2014/15: Tuesday 4 November 2014 and Tuesday 3 March 2015: 10.30-2.30pm. CMS, Watlington Road, Oxford, OX4 6BZ. Contact: Andy Freeman or Anne Henriksen. E-mail: pioneer@cms-uk.org

Pioneer mission leadership modules Anyone can join in modules on the Pioneer Misson Leadership Training course. For more information about the course and individual modules, e-mail: pioneer@cms-uk.org

Among the modules is the missional entrepreneurship week: 16-21 November. Venue: Pickwell Manor, Georgeham, Nr. Crodye, Devon, EX33 1LA. This module looks at how pioneering mission can become financially self-sustaining. It takes your transformational and marketable idea and helps you develop it into an income-generating social enterprise. See website:

pioneer.cms-uk.org

14 October 2014 Pioneer hub: research conversations day to learn and reflect on the latest in pioneering research. Steve Bevans is booked as one of the keynote speakers. Venue: CMS, Watlington Road, Oxford, OX4 6BZ. Contact Andy Freeman. E-mail: pioneer@cms-uk.org

ReSource weekends3-5 October 2014 Love in Action Moot, London Come and encounter the life of the Moot Community as they practise new monastic community rhythms and care for broken people in the heart of London. Hosted by Ian Mobsby.

30 January – 1 February 2015 Crossing Cultures, Birmingham A great opportunity to explore different mission initiatives across this culturally diverse city. Hosted by Richard Sudworth.

June 12-14 2015 Food, Earlsfield Friary Explore mission spirituality and the dynamics of community and hospitality through sharing life, community feasts and spiritual rhythms with the Earlsfield Friary based in South London. Hosted by Johnny Sertin and Mark Sampson.

All three weekends £250 Individual weekend £95

www.resourcemission.com Email: pioneer@cms-uk.org

A partnership between CMS, Fresh Expressions and ACPI

NEXT CONNECT: AUTUMN 2014 Send your stories to:

naomi.steinberg@cms-uk.org

Welcome and farewell: People in mission Jenny Green has ended 16 years of service in Uganda and is moving to Bradford as a CMS mission partner. Joan and Nigel Bull will also be mission partners in Bradford - after serving 10 years in Pakistan. Amy and David Roche, who initially served in France, are moving to serve in Lebanon. Newly announced mission associates are: Phil Davies (Uganda), Amanda Redwood (Italy), Dot and Godfrey Stone (Malaysia), Ann and Simon Tyndall (Belgium), John and Mair Pugh (Burundi), Peter and Shirley Massey (France), Jill Ball (Ecuador – transferring from mission partner

to mission associate after 11 years – remaining in Ecuador). New short-termers are Irina Dale (Ecuador), Sarah Norris (Rwanda), Gavin and Hannah Steele (Uganda), Adrian and Ruth Whitehall (Tanzania), Paul and Sarah Zadik (Uganda).

Welcome and farewell: Oxford, UK staffMatt Clarke joined CMS as head of facilities – taking over from Sarah Kerrigan who has moved on to pastures new. Jim Barker was appointed director of fundraising for mission; while Debbie James became director of church and community mission. Previously Debbie was discipleship team leader and Jim was interim direct marketing

manager. Meanwhile, Andy Freeman and Anne Henriksen are supporting the pioneer team due to a colleague’s current leave, as well as continuing in their existing roles. In the international mission team, Raj Patel succeeds Olivia Rathbone as Asia regional manager, as Olivia is pursuing a career outside CMS. In the church and community mission team, Kathryn Jerome joins as temporary discipleship advisor to cover a colleague’s current leave. In the fundraising for mission team, Hannah Burnham joins CMS as key relationships manager. Danni Parker has been appointed direct marketing assistant and PA to the director of fundraising for mission.

DEATHSJanuary Ruth Anderson, Burundi and Kenya 1966-83FebruaryAnne Bent, Nigeria 1954-70Rev E Mary P Sharpe, Uganda and Kenya 1957-78MarchDonald Russell, Kenya 1952-54 and 1962-76AprilOlga Kerr, Kenya, 1956-62Dorothy Shillaker, Iran 1954-77MayMargaret Bowes, Egypt 1946-47John Davies, Uganda and Burundi 1967-82JuneGeoffrey Stanley-Smith, Ruanda Mission: Burundi and Rwanda 1951-69

Community mission facilitator: Mark Berry: mark.berry@cms-uk.org or 01865 787482

Link with mission partners: Julie Hinckley: julie.hinckley@cms-uk.org or 01865 787524

Giving: give@cms-uk.org or 01865 787468

Encounter trips: Kathryn Jerome kathryn.jerome@cms-uk.org or 01865 787493

Local groups and associations: Barbara Oakley: barbara.oakley@cms-uk.org or 01865 787487

Community events, forums, networks, communities of practice: Mark Berry: mark.berry@cms-uk.org

Changes to personal details or mailings: Kate Hall: kate.hall@cms-uk.org or 01865 787467

Ways to connect to the CMS community

Caption

Church Mission Society, Watlington Road, Oxford, OX4 6BZ Tel: 01865 787400

COME FOR THE STUFF STAY FOR THE STORY

CMS 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 offi ce: CMS, Watlington Road, Oxford OX4 6BZ

If you haven’t visited www.cms-shop.org.uk

recently, we invite you to go and see what we’ve done with the place and get to know some of the

wonderful people behind our products.

Possible world, positive response

Since its launch at the beginning of the year, hundreds of people have purchased The Possible World, CMS’s new seven-session, mission-focused discipleship course for small groups. We got in touch with a couple of groups who have used the course – a small group of seven people from Holy Trinity Church Northwood and Sanctus 1, an emerging church of 35 people in Manchester – to see how they got on with the material, which covers topics like justice, hospitality, the environment and consumerism.

“Sanctus hasn’t really followed any courses before,” said member Matt Carson. “This was a way for us to experiment...We also wanted something that provided a theme for the duration of Lent. It was great to have topics and themes ready to go. The DVD was professionally produced and we found that people engaged with that, especially as the clips weren’t too long and showed a good range of projects.” The Possible World DVD features candid interviews with Christians who are offering both a challenge and hope within their communities.

“The DVD was very helpful in refocusing our thoughts and understanding,” agreed Gerry Edwardson from Holy Trinity.

According to both groups, the course content generated some lively conversations. Matt recalled, “We had a discussion on how marketing seems to drive us to consume more and more, even when we don’t need it and how the purchasing of ‘stuff’ just leads us into a situation of having to get rid of that same ‘stuff’, which in turn leads to environmental issues. There was also concern that we live in sheltered lives and we don’t always know what is going on in areas we don’t see.”

“Before the course, there were a wide range of views within the group and some of these views were very strongly held,” said Gerry, adding, “It was very hard to keep the opening section and even the Bible study on track.”

The Sanctus 1 group, which has a general focus on the 20-40 age range, added some creative activities to their sessions: “We used the course booklet as the inspiration for services, using some content and adding our own twist - e.g. heaping rubbish on the table for the discussion on environmentalism, going out into the city to see just what shops were trying to do to us in the session on consumerism,” said Matt.

As The Possible World encourages groups and individuals to take practical

action, each group was asked how this worked out for them.

“One or two small actions have followed directly, with much greater interest in campaigns for social justice,” said Gerry. “Also some thinking has started about how God might be calling us to be church in this place.” Gerry also mentioned that their group, with ages ranging from 22 to 75, is now working through another CMS resource, 40 Days of Yes.

Matt says, “We are a small group, many of whom are already engaged in some type of action personally. However [the course] did challenge us to think about how we might engage corporately.”

Both groups had helpful suggestions on how the course could be enhanced with more activities and a wider range of case studies.

“Overall, we greatly enjoyed the course and are trying to think how it might be used again but with a larger group,” said Gerry.

To order The Possible World resource, go to www.cms-shop.org.uk

Holy Trinity group

Sanctus 1