bath & wells: mission

World Mission

How to Create a Parish Link - Bath And Wells Zambia Links

1. Read the Partnership for World Mission (PWM) Guidelines for Parish Links leaflet. Bear in mind that one of the purposes of a link is to assist each other in mission, in ways appropriate to each others' culture.
2. Invite the World Mission Adviser or another member of the Zambia Sub-Group to a PCC meeting in order to hear more about how a link can work, and to have any questions you may have answered.
3. Having decided that your parish would like a link, write a statement of your aims and expectations. Inform the World Mission Adviser and a letter will then go to one of the Zambian Bishops asking him to suggest the name of a parish wishing to have a link.
4. Once this information has been received, your parish priest should write to the Zambian priest, introducing himself/herself, enclosing the statement of your aims and expectations and asking for their response. This will form the basis for a review of the link in future years. If possible, the name of a link correspondent (preferably a lay person) should be given and a request made for a lay correspondent to be nominated in the Zambian parish.
5. Display a copy of your link statement on your church notice board together with the Partnership leaflet and poster.

1. Include prayers for your link in your worship.
2. Involve as many local organisations and people as possible: congregation, Sunday school, Mother's Union, Brownies etc.. There does however, need to be a person with overall responsibility.
3. Consider holding a Link service (firstly to launch the link and thereafter annually to renew it) followed by a lunch, where people can be given details about the link. Take photos and send them to Zambia.
4. Each month send a copy of your parish magazine and Grapevine. (Using Newspaper Rate Airmail.)
5. When writing letters enclose with your letter a stamped Zambian airletter form for your correspondent the other end to use in reply. (Supplies of these are available from the World Mission Office in The Old Deanery). Photographs could also be enclosed. Remember to mention the bad as well as the good things; bad weather, poor harvests, unemployment, homelessness, asking them to pray for situations over here. Ask them for details of their congregational leaders (Mother's Union, Father's Union, Sunday School etc.) and their prayer needs. Send picture postcards of your area, or when on holiday. Find out if someone in each parish can set up an e-mail link for correspondence.
6. Sometimes the Zambian congregation is able to send photographs. If they have no camera, you could send a disposable one, ask them to take photos of their neighbourhood, church, congregation, etc.. And return it to you. You then have the film developed, asking for two copies of each print, one for you and one for Zambia. There is always a risk that the camera will be lost in the post, but several parishes have successfully undertaken this operation.
7. Some linked parishes find they get a lot of requests for specific items. On the whole, it is unwise to respond to requests for radios, cameras, etc.. It is most useful to send things which can be used in self-help projects, such as equipment for sewing or knitting. (Wool is very expensive there, and knitting needles very difficult to get hold of.) Schools and Sunday schools in Zambia are very short of books, paper, crayons and posters. Take care when selecting written material that it is suitable for the African scene. Zambians love to receive calendars with a different picture for each month. Christian posters would also make a good gift; a link poster is available from the Old Deanery and can be used for display in your own church as well as for sending to Zambia.
8. Depending on the locality of your Link Parish, exchanging tapes and videos is a good way of getting to know each other. You might like to make a tape (perhaps one of your church services, or to include interviews with members of the congregation) to send.
9. Small parcels can be sent by airmail. It is cheaper to send by surface mail but this obviously takes longer. If you send parcels, number them and send details of each parcel separately. Address all parcels to the church, rather than to an individual, and mark them "Charity Goods". Large parcels can be difficult to send, and expensive personal presents can cause problems. Ask advice from the World Mission Adviser if in doubt as to the suitability of any gifts.
10. Ask your linked parish in Zambia to send you a supply of palm crosses. It would be wise to ask them early in the New Year to ensure that they arrive in time for Palm Sunday!