Mission is local, national and international

All through the Bible, God's people have a ‘mission': to bring the good news of his love and forgiveness to all people - locally, nationally and internationally. This is the continuing task of the worldwide church today. St Margaret’s Parish Church and SMCC are committed to local outreach in Angmering, and to support for other mission work beyond the parish. This area of the site is about our national and international links.

Mission is always in word and deed

Mission means bringing the gospel message about our Lord Jesus Christ in word and deed. Jesus sent his followers out, to 'make disciples' from people of all nations, baptising them and teaching them all that he had told them. So in our support for mission work we always ask questions like, “…and how do you tell them about Jesus? Do you pray with people and give them Bibles? Do you work with local Christians?”

Mission involves a wide range of work-types

Through our prayers and giving we support a range of different work-types, including medical work, poverty relief, evangelism, children & youth work, theological training, mission workers from overseas coming to the UK (not just ‘the West to the rest’) and so on.

Mission is personal: personal links are essential

We support a range of mission agencies active around the world. Wherever possible, we have a personal link sending us regular updates on their work, and for whom we can pray. We also encourage people from our own church to consider if God is calling them to serve him in mission. Young or old, short or long-term, we hope that people from St Margaret’s will catch the vision.

Organising our mission support

We’ve decided as a church to give 10% of our churches’ annual income to support mission beyond the parish. Our Mission Group meets regularly to plan and pray about allocating these resources. We want this to be wisely used to help God’s kingdom grow around the world and bring him glory.

Mission Aviation Fellowship Flies light aircraft in developing countries to bring spiritual hope and physical comfort to people in remote areas so that they receive the help that they need. Our new partners are Laurie and Emma Nason and family based in Kampala Uganda.
www.maf-uk.org
nason-news.blogspot.com

Tearfund Is a Christian relief and development agency. Its purpose is to serve Jesus Christ and bring ‘good news’ to the poor. It is actively involved in many countries, and in the MakePovertyHistory campaign for international trade justice and debt relief.
www.tearfund.org

The Church Mission Society works in many countries, helping refugees and migrants, training leaders, running community development and healthcare projects. From our church, Alison Gill is going to serve with CMS in Burundi in the near future. Mid-Africa Ministry CMS has a special focus on Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and part of Congo, and from our church Pat & Pam Brooks have also served many years in Burundi.
www.cms-uk.org

Crosslinks is an evangelical agency working with the church in Africa, Asia and Europe, providing personnel, sponsoring students and funding many different projects. We support Godfrey & Rachel now back in the UK, working with Crosslinks to Jan 2009.

The Chichester Diocesan Association for Family Support Work (CDAFSW) supports parents, carers and children across Sussex, providing benefits advice, advocacy, equipment and holidays to families in need.

Interserve is the Christian organisation which helps them with all the practicalities of becoming Mission Partners moving, medical insurance, general well being and sorting out a whole range of difficulties. Interserve is an evangelical mission with over 700 partners in a wide range of ministries in more than 30 countries.
www.interserve.org

Personal Links

Alison Gill is a CMS mission partner in training, selected to help train church pastoral workers in trauma listening and Christian inner healing skills in Burundi, which suffered genocide in 1972 and more recently 13 years of civil war. She worships at Brockley Community Church. “My first taste of overseas mission was on an Africa Experience team to Uganda with MAM in 1997. I later heard about the healings and reconciliations God was doing through trauma healing workshops, in the aftermath of genocide in Rwanda. I felt a strong sense God was calling me to this type of work. I’ve since been on 4 short-term mission trips to Burundi, and believe this is where Jesus is calling me”.

Becoming a Christian around age 6-7, Alison grew up longing to love and serve Jesus with all her heart, soul, mind and strength. God has taken her on a journey through joys and sorrows as she’s discovered what an awesome, powerful and healing God He is. When Jesus was on the Cross, He paid the punishment for our sins. He also paid the price for our sorrows and our grief. (Isaiah 53: 3-6) Her passionate vision is to work on a Youth With A Mission (YWAM) team in Burundi to help empower the Church to be God’s agent of healing and ultimately reconciliation in that land by training church pastoral workers so they can in turn help their church and the wider community to receive God’s healing. The Anglican Archbishop of Burundi, Bernard Ntahoturi, says that Burundi needs to come to terms with its past. The Government in Burundi is asking for the Church’s help in this. It seems there is a crucial role for the Church to release more of God’s healing and transforming power.
www.friendsofburundi.org.uk

You can read Alison’s latest newsletter by clicking here

Bishop Jacob Adjetunmobi has long standing links with St Margaret's and now serves as Bishop of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Neil, Penny (Miriam & Joel) Small with Interserve in North Africa
Neil will be working as Finance Manager for a Development Agency encouraging and supporting nationals. Penny is homemaker and caring for the children. Miriam is at a local French speaking school and Joel at a French speaking creche. They are learning Arabic for the next 6 months and continuing to improve their French.

And what about you? We hope and pray that more people (young and old) from St Margaret's will be called by God to serve overseas, and are ready to support them in this. If you believe God may be calling you, then do speak to Mark Standen, who will be happy to help you think and pray about it. Just read the story below!

THE BARBER FAMILY AND THEIR WORK WITH SCRIPTURE UNION

Martin and Mary: 20 years ago, Mary and Martin were first called to work in Madagascar. They worked with Bible Society and AIM for 2 years. Ben was born there during that time. 10 years ago they returned to work with different missions around the island using their skills of building and teaching, and have been going each year since. Projects have ranged between 2 and 15 months, building and maintaining training centres and campsites, helping run camps for Street Children and youth groups, teaching crafts, health and Bible Study, and training new leaders. Most of their work in the last 10 years has been with the Malagasy Scripture Union at three of their sites around the island, particularly at Lake Mantasoa campsite, 60 kms from the capital.

While in U.K. they worship at St. Margaret’s Community Church.

Becky: Currently studying at Plymouth University.

Ben: Is currently learning to fly in Spain.

Email: barber@wanadoo.mg or MaryBarber@btinternet.com

Post: BP 24 Manjakandriana 116 Madagascar Indian Ocean.

Support donations or funds to sponsor camps, courses and evangelists:

BARBER CHARITABLE TRUST c/o Greenacre Windmill Lane Totland Bay Isle of Wight PO39 0HH

Our mission is: "to know Jesus better and make him better known!"