For God So Loves the World… Rethinking Mission for the 21St Century PAGE 6 Faith, Hope and Justice in a Broken World PAGE 18
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JULY-AUGUST 2017 JULY-AUGUST For God so loves the world… Rethinking mission for the 21st century PAGE 6 Faith, hope and justice in a broken world PAGE 18 Being Christ Luleå twins: Who is my Special feature: to others: Thetford and neighbour? Christmas done in The Gambia 4 Holmsund 13 Film on refugees 16 different! 30 Our vicar is away for a two-month exchange in Uganda. When Q we asked around for cover, we discovered that the neighbouring Mrs clergy are on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and our area bishop is researching church-planting in rural Asia. Meanwhile our Burrington churchwardens and readers are in various parts of the Mediterranean. No one seems to be interested in Norfolk. What can we do? Writes It’s unfortunate that everyone’s away at the same time. Mrs B Your church questions However, here’s my advice: answered by the lady i) Give them all a warm welcome when they return. It’s possible they wanted a break from you. who knows ii) Don’t begrudge anyone their time having adventures. Having been immobilized for a month following my bunion operation, I can assure you that people often long to get out and about. iii) See if you get something back from all these trips – a return visit from an overseas minister, exotic snacks for the next coffee morning, or some amusing stories involving the bishop and an intemperate goat (there are always a few of those). Although I’m happy to do a little gardening to keep the church Qlooking nice, people don’t realise how hard it is to keep the weeds down in summer. No-one else wants to help. What should I do? I recommend stopping altogether for a while; people will only Mrs B properly understand when the church ceases to look nice. Find a get-out that no-one can really argue with. Do you have any bunions that need attention? 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To find out more, contact Sally on01603 882322 or email [email protected] From the Editor Contents THE MAGAZINE | JULY – AUGUST 2017 s I write this editorial, might seek to influence political the General Election is policy to help the outsider. If we don’t 5 PAUSE BUTTON: How big is your imminent, but the usual do it, who will?” (pg 6) world? John Ashe political clamour has been The other articles range across muffled by the awful terrorist events in describing partnerships between Manchester and London. By the time Norwich and Burkina Faso, Stoke youA read this, I’m sure the headlines Holy Cross and Uganda; learning will have moved on, but the impact will from one another from Thetford to linger far longer. Holmsund and China to Cawston; Amid the tumult of stories of terror, and relationship-building between 6 pain and heartbreak, a defiant love is East Harling and Papua New Guinea. FEATURE: making is voice heard. While there will, Alongside these are stories of Rethinking mission & inevitably, be some who use these evil individuals who have followed God’s engaging worldwide incidents to incite hatred and division, calling from Norfolk to The Gambia or there is an insistent and heartfelt cry Southern India. from all sides of the Manchester and London communities (some of the most The common theme is one of diverse in the UK), and indeed across “generous justice” (pg 40) and, as the world that there is more that unites Dr Rowan Williams says (pg 18), “It us than divides us. is about a proper alignment with 10 REVIEWS: books on world God’s world, a conscious giving of mission This edition is all about engaging ourselves to the stream of God’s with the world around us, through action in the world.” 11 Community Partnership: connecting with people. I hope this edition will inspire you Norwich – Burkina Faso In Pause Button (pg 5) John Ashe says: to look beyond our differences, “We can no longer ignore what is make connections, take action, start 12 East Harling & Ave: sharing life happening on another continent and a conversation to learn from one lessons the challenge of the gospel doesn’t another in this amazing, rich diversity allow us to demonise those we don’t of humanity to which we belong. understand. This challenge to engage with the world, whether our neighbour Blessings, is a few yards away or thousands of miles away, is the way we live out the 15 Eucharist in practice.” ONE DAY: Evie Vernon states: “It must be the Barbara Bryant Pat Atkinson in mission of every Christian to extend Editor Southern India hospitality to the outsider and to educate themselves about how we The Magazine design: Get in touch Adept Design www.adeptdesign.co.uk 01603 882348 (Editor) Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily [email protected] those of the Diocese and the acceptance of advertising 24 From China to Cawston does not indicate editorial endorsement. Diocesan House, 109 Dereham Road, – lessons in Mandarin Easton, Norwich NR9 5ES Cover photo: The Peace Globe at Norwich Cathedral © Paul Hurst www.dioceseofnorwich.org/magazine 25 Children, Youth & Families facebook.com/dioceseofnorwich @DioceseNorwich 26 Comings & Goings 28 FOCUS ON: The Yare Valley The next issue (deadline Monday 17 Churches July) focuses on mental health. 36 What’s on across the Diocese To advertise in The Magazine please contact Sally on 01603 882322 or email [email protected] 40 SOUL SPACE: generous justice 3 Being Christ to others or many, the word mission will terrible witness. One day, walking alone, showing practical love over long periods bring to mind images of people I met a lady, Sarah, who gave me a before you share your faith. in poverty somewhere overseas. prophecy. She said: “I see you surrounded God’s love becomes real when through In my experience mission starts by African ladies, you are all dancing and me it touches another because, as St much closer to home. As a child in a smiling and you are happy.” I accepted this Theresa of Avila says: Methodist church I used to collect for word and hid it in my heart; it was lovely FJ.M.A (Junior Mission for All); it taught me but I had no idea how this might happen. about people who gave to help others In November 2013 I heard Janet and Les and those who received that help and Christ has no body now but Clarke talk about work their work in The passed it on. yours. No hands, no feet on Gambia. I listened and it was as if God In my youth I was part of an was speaking into my heart. I chatted earth but yours. Yours are the extraordinary organisation called with Janet afterwards and it seems I was eyes through which he looks Endeavour Training; our motto was an answer to her prayer for help; so I with compassion on this world. “people matter most” and as individuals became involved with G.A.T.E (Gambian we were encouraged to give our time Aid Through Education). Yours are the feet with which and skills to other people and learn that he walks to do good. Yours are At first it was mainly helping with the we grew and developed ourselves as we fundraising events but eventually, in the hands through which he invested in the lives of others. January 2015, I made my first mission trip blesses all the world. Yours are Life moved on, I married, had two sons, to The Gambia. Much of our work is in the hands, yours are the feet, rediscovered faith along with my husband receiving donations of money, clothing, but then ... divorce. I was completely seeds and sponsorship from people in yours are the eyes, you are his broken and felt such a failure. I gave up the UK and channelling that help to the body. Christ has no body now wearing my cross as I believed I was a people in The Gambia who need it most. on earth but yours. It’s physically very hard work when we are in The Gambia, but the rewards of the joy brought to the people we help far outweighs anything we go through. The people we work among Jane Moore are predominantly Muslim but they are worships at St people first and I learned many years ago Edmund’s, Taverham. from a French nun, in a rubbish dump in Egypt, you have to earn their trust by 4 How big is your world? ritish Gas adverts over the past With all this privilege of modern is the way we live out the Eucharist in few years have suggested that technology comes greater responsibility practice. The final part of the service the world we need to look and we are challenged to ask again is called “The Dismissal” and without after extends only as far as the the lawyer’s question to Jesus “Who it, the Eucharist is incomplete.