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bath & wells: mission
Your Parish in World Mission
Why Get Involved?
There are at least three good reasons to do so.
Firstly
Because God got involved! He loved this world so much that he sent his only Son into it. Followers of Jesus are called to go into the world to share in the task of making known God's love.
"As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."
John 20.21
Secondly
Because we belong to a world-wide church. The Anglican Church alone has congregations in over 165 different countries. We are part of that body.
Thirdly
Because there is tremendous scope for mutual encouragement and stimulus to local mission that genuine partnership with the world church can bring.
The Diocese of Guildford (or Gambia for that matter) cannot say to the Diocese of Jerusalem I do not need you... "God has combined the members of the body so that all its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it."
1 Corinthians 12.24-26
"'Partners in Mission' is a vital reality, not an empty phrase. We would be foolish indeed not to seek the help of others more experienced than we are in this global village, to help in the missionary endeavour of understanding our culture."
Building Missionary Congregations - Robert Warren
Developing a Policy - Some Practical Steps
1. Begin where you are.
Look around your congregation for people who already have overseas links. For example, someone whose niece is working overseas as a volunteer, or a Nigerian family who live in the parish. Ask members of the congregation to mark the connection they have with different countries on a world map (try using coloured "stick on" labels). Then explore how these links can be made more real.
HOW ARE YOU MAKING THE MOST OF THE CONNECTIONS YOU ALREADY HAVE?
2. Missionaries are not extinct!
Missionaries - often called mission partners today - are a valuable "way in" to understanding the hopes and concerns of Christians in other parts of the world.
Several mission agencies also support mission partners here in the UK. Most societies can introduce you to mission partners.
IF YOUR PARISH HAS A MISSION PARTNER, HOW MUCH DOES IT KNOW ABOUT THEM? HOW ARE YOU KEEPING IN TOUCH?
3. "Strangers are invited in..."
Nothing so dispels caricatures of one another's culture or country, or deepens friendships as eating together. Overseas visitors appreciate invitations to homes and mission agencies are eager to find homes and parishes ready to offer hospitality to their visitors and study partners. ... "He startled my husband by asking why we didn't say grace at meals. We had the most tremendous discussion." (A church warden, about the recent visit of a Kenyan pastor.)
COULD YOUR PARISH HELP IN THIS WAY?
4. Money matters
Though the role of our mission agencies has changed, their work and support remain absolutely crucial to many dioceses around the world.
HOW ARE YOU DEVELOPING A POLICY FOR GIVING TO THE WORLD CHURCH?
5. Our Diocese can help
Most dioceses are now linked with at least one other diocese somewhere in the Anglican Communion; in Bath and Wells Diocese our link is with Zambia. This has helped many parishes feel that they belong to the world church.
"Discerning God at work in another part of the world can provide a whole new perspective for discerning him at work in an English parish." -
A Growing Partnership
HOW IS YOUR PARISH INVOLVED WITH THE DIOCESAN COMPANION LINK?
6. Here am I ... send her!
Almost every mission society and aid agency today provides opportunities for people of varied ages to go overseas on short and long term service.
HOW ARE YOU ENCOURAGING PEOPLE IN YOUR PARISH TO CONSIDER OVERSEAS SERVICE?
7. Prayer and Preaching
The Anglican Cycle of Prayer and the prayer diaries of the mission agencies can be a great help, along with interviews with mission partners or use of newsletters and videos.
"He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers."
2 Corinthians 1.10
HOW CREATIVELY ARE WORLD MISSION AND THE WORLD CHURCH PRAYED FOR AND PROMOTED IN YOUR PARISH?
What next?
- Select two of the above areas and work on them over the next 6 months.
- There are a number of leaflets produced by Partnership for World Mission (PWM) which your parish may find helpful and from which this information was taken. You can contact PWM at:
Partnership House
157 Waterloo Road
London
SE1 8XA
Tel: 020 7928 8681
- Ask groups in your parish to use PWM Leaflet 3: Your Parish in World Mission: Reviewing What You Do.
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