Missionary

One chosen for the propagation of religious or other moral work

WORLD MISSION GIFT DAY

SUNDAY 11th JULY

We are holding our annual Mission Gift Day this year on Sunday 11th July – do put the date in your diary and plan to be there!

As it is some time since we had a speaker from CPAS (Church Pastoral Aid Society), we will make that our focus this year, and Laurence Gamlan has kindly agreed to come and tell us more about their work of helping local churches to be more effective by providing training and resources, as well as organising summer camps and activities for young people. They also encourage children's work through Climbers, Explorers, Pathfinders and CYFA groups.

Look out for more information about the day in the next Parish Magazine and in the noticesheets nearer the time, but we are hoping to have a church family picnic after the morning service and to lay on some activities for the children, so it would be an ideal opportunity for everyone to get together – weather permitting!

There will be envelopes in the pews to encourage us to make our offerings for God's work throughout the world. As this is our main annual source of giving for Mission, please be thinking and praying, in advance, about how much the Lord is prompting you to give. In these days of financial constraint, when we all have so many demands on our resources, the Societies and Agencies we support are feeling the pinch even more as the value of the pound falls and donors feel unable to give as generously as they did. For those who are tax-payers, Gift Aid increases the value of our gifts at no extra cost to us, and is a huge help.

St John's supports ten different charities and mission partners, both at home and abroad. As a church, we pledge to give away at least 10% of our income to Mission, most of which is given during the Mission Gift Day. Last year we were able to raise £12,278 which was so encouraging; it would be wonderful if, even in these days of economic hardship, we could exceed that this year! The money is divided between all ten Agencies, the larger proportion being given towards the support of our Mission Partners. Details of all those we support are as follows – perhaps you'd like to tear out and keep these pages as a reminder to pray for all our Mission links! Information can also be found on the church website, www.stjohnsfelbridge.co.uk, under 'Outreach', and the Mission noticeboard at the back of church highlights a different society each month.

LINK PARTNERS

UCCF (Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship)

Natasha Kasprowicz is known to many of us, as she grew up at St John's. Having worked for several years amongst students in Russia, she is now based in London where she has the responsibility as Team Leader for co-ordinating the outreach to students in the various London Universities, although she is based mainly at University College. Earlier this year they held a London-wide Mission to students which was very successful, and are now busy with following up and encouraging those who committed themselves to Christ or expressed interest. From time to time she also has opportunities to return to Russia and Eastern Europe on outreach events. Dan and Suzy Callaway are the church links for Natasha, and distribute her prayer letters.

CMS (Church Mission Society)

Allan and Anne Lacey are our Link Missionaries, working in N.W. Uganda. They 'postponed' their retirement in order to use their combined experience overseas; Allan is teaching in a Theological College and trying to improve educational facilities and resources for the clergy and lay staff of the diocese, while Anne is based at the local mission hospital, helping to improve nurse education and community health in the surrounding area. They find it both a challenging and rewarding situation, and miss their family at home, but press on in the assurance that they're in the place of God's choosing for them. Our church rep is Barbara Cottier, who also worked with CMS in East Africa.

SAMS

Silvina Granger is our church rep for the Leakes.

OTHER AGENCIES

CHURCH ARMY

The Church Army trains and sends evangelists to work in Anglican churches and in projects with children, homeless people and the elderly, both in the UK and abroad. We have links with Mark and Heather Dadds who work with the Marylebone Project and The Bridge in London, providing a safe centre for vulnerable women and helping disadvantaged people find homes and return to useful lives in the community. Di Giles, an ex- Church Army Sister, is our rep.

CPAS (Church Pastoral Aid Society)

CPAS aims to help local churches by training and advising leaders and providing resources – spiritual, practical and sometimes financial – for the whole church, but especially for Youth Groups like Pathfinders and CYFA. They also organise activity holidays for young people during the summer. If you'd like to know more, or find out about the holiday camps, speak to our church rep, Glen Jones.

SCRIPTURE UNION

S.U. seeks to make God's good news known to children, adults, young people and families, and encourages people of all ages to meet with God daily through Bible reading and prayer. They publish a wide range of literature and have recently set up an interactive website – www.wordlive.org – as well as offering training, support, and a variety of holiday events. Bible Reading Notes, in various formats and for all ages, are available from Gill Matson.

TEARFUND

Tearfund works through local churches and Christian agencies to open up a brighter future for the world's poorest communities, and to see lives and situations transformed by God's love through the generosity of Christian people. It also campaigns for social justice and human rights, particularly the need for clean water and proper sanitation in every community. They are perhaps best known for their response to disaster situations, supplying vital supplies of water, food, shelter and medical equipment as speedily as possible, but also providing ongoing support and resources to disaster areas – such as Haiti. Gordon and Brenda Wilkinson are the Southeast Reps, and also sell Tearcraft goods at local events – including their book, 'Recipes for Disaster', which makes an ideal gift in aid of Tearfund! Prayer updates are displayed in the church porch each week.

WELCARE

This is a local charity, working with families who are in need through poverty, isolation, family breakdown or homelessness. Their aim is to help and support families before they reach crisis point, by providing practical aid such as toys, clothing, debt management, counselling and friendship, through volunteers and designated social workers. At Christmas we hold a 'Toy Service' to provide some cheer for families who otherwise would have no cause for celebration; speak to Rona Bingham for more information.

ST. CATHERINE'S HOSPICE

Many of us know of St. Catherine's in Crawley, and have visited their Charity Shop in London Road! The Hospice is a Palliative Care Centre, offering people with progressive life-threatening illness the opportunity to live life as fully as possible, to die with dignity, and to provide support for those close to them. The Chaplain, Mike Neville, and the staff are trained to care for the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of each patient, their families and friends, whether in the Day Centre or as in-patients. Hospices are not funded by the NHS, so our support is vital. For the past three years, in December, we have held a 'Tree of Light' service at St John's, in memory of loved ones who have died; and we hope to do so again this year. Jenny Young has all the information.

BISHOP DANIEL YISA

Anne Butler (Mission Team Co-ordinator.)