CHURCH MISSION SOCIETY BELIEVES THAT ALL OF GOD’S PEOPLE ARE CALLED TO JOIN IN GOD’S MISSION: TO BRING CHALLENGE, CHANGE, HOPE AND FREEDOM TO OUR WORLD. AS A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE IN MISSION, WE WANT TO HELP AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE BE SET FREE TO PUT THIS CALL Community Handbook 2017 INTO ACTION – WHETHER THAT MEANS GOING OVERSEAS OR OVER THE ROAD. Church Mission Society, Watlington Road, Oxford, OX4 6BZ T: +44 (0)1865 787400 E: [email protected] churchmissionsociety.org /churchmissionsociety @cmsmission Church Mission Society is a mission community acknowledged by the Church of England. Registered in England and The call in action Wales, charity number 1131655, company number 6985330. 1 CHURCHMISSIONSOCIETY.ORG As Christian people we are a sent people. The first people Jesus sent in mission were 1. WELCOME an inauspicious bunch, huddled together behind barred and bolted doors. But their TO THE fear was no obstacle to Jesus’ purposes for them. He gives them Philip, centre, at a mission training event his peace, he shares COMMUNITY in whatever your particular call his Spirit with them – may be: whether that be to your and he sends them. next-door neighbour or to your And the manner of his sending of neighbours on the other side of the them is special: “As the Father has world. And I hope this community sent me, even so I am sending you.” handbook will help resource you to These first Christians are sent just live your life of mission, knowing as the Father had sent the Son, and that you do not do so alone. You Jesus came and stood among in the power of his Holy Spirit. As do so with brothers and sisters Christian people today we too are a the whole world over. With them them and said to them, “Peace be sent people: caught up together in you too are sent, just as Jesus was: with you.” When he had said this, the mission purposes of God who is by the Father, in the power of the he showed them his hands and his Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Spirit, and for his glory. side... Jesus said to them again, Church Mission Society is a So may our God bless you and make community of people who want you a blessing in his mission. “Peace be with you. As the Father to take seriously our nature as With my love in Christ a sent people. CMS’s vision is to has sent me, even so I am sending see all God’s people engaged in you.” And when he had said this, God’s mission, bringing challenge, he breathed on them and said to change, hope and freedom to the them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” world. That process starts with us, and with our being sent in mission. Canon Philip Mounstephen John 20:19-22 My hope and prayer is that as a Executive Leader, member of the CMS community you will feel supported and valued Church Mission Society 3 COMMUNITY HANDBOOK 2017 3 CHURCHMISSIONSOCIETY.ORG CHURCHMISSIONSOCIETY.ORG | THE CALL IN ACTION 4 Introduction people of faith, including William Throughout Christian history, from Wilberforce and John Newton, the sending of Paul and Barnabas worked together to abolish the slave from the church in Antioch trade; they fought for the rights of 2. THE onwards, apostolic movements oppressed people at home and they have been vital for the spread of launched out on dangerous seas to the gospel. Thus bands of Celtic share Jesus with the world. So began monks, the peregrinati, in the so- the mission movement we know CHURCH called Dark Ages, the Franciscans, and love today. the Jesuits, the Moravians and the Church Mission Society has been a Methodists have all been essential community committed to mission for the advance of the kingdom of from our inception. The story of God. Indeed there has never been the Clapham Sect and Church MISSION a significant advance in mission Missionary Society, which they without the involvement of such established, is a classic example of mission movements. community giving birth to a mission Historically these “two structures of movement. Our identity has always SOCIETY God’s redemptive mission” (Ralph been that of a community. D Winter 1973) – the local church and the apostolic movement – have “[Church Mission Society] was played different but complementary a society not formed for itself, STORY roles in mission. but formed for the sake of others, and formed indeed for The Church Mission the sake of the Lord, to love Society Community and to serve his world.” In the turbulent late 18th century, Philip Mounstephen, a group of Christians known as the executive leader “The missionary societies, like the Eclectic Society began meeting together to answer the question: Over the years the CMS community religious orders, are a witness to “How can we effectively share has grown. Ruanda Mission, later Jesus today?” It was at one of these known as Mid-Africa Ministry (and the fact that in the exchanges of gatherings, on 12 April 1799, which had always been associated the Spirit there is no substitute for that the Society for Missions to with CMS), was completely Africa and the East was born. In incorporated within CMS in 2002. a service that is deeply personal.” 1812 the name was changed to With it, it brought the particular Church Missionary Society, before flavour and spiritual passion of the Max Warren, eventually taking the name we have East African Revival. In 2010 South The Missionary Task of the Church,1944 today. In the early years, this new American Mission Society (SAMS) society was supported by a group became a part of CMS, giving us a of Christians referred to as the truly global scope. The enduring Clapham Sect. These passionate legacy and commitment of SAMS COMMUNITY HANDBOOK 2017 5 CHURCHMISSIONSOCIETY.ORG | THE CALL IN ACTION 6 missionaries has been a great gift to us. Mission remains our calling whether it is As a community, it is God’s mission people and that is infectious. I have That commitment is exemplified by the with people in far off lands or among our that is our passion. Our common learned so much about mission, sacrifice of Captain Allen Gardiner, who closest neighbours. commitment is: about God, about the world, about starved to death on a beach in Tierra del myself. I have been inspired by so to participate in mission Fuego, in an attempt to bring the gospel many people I have met and in to the indigenous people of the region. It to learn from mission many ways I have found a home was his death that provided the impetus WHO ARE WE? OUR base.” to pray for mission for the founding of SAMS. COMMUNITY VISION Jonny Baker, In 2008 our history and nature as AND IDENTITY This may be made possible in many director of mission education a mission community was officially ways: in local groups, through forums recognised by the wider church when we What do we want to see? with particular emphases, through “Being part of CMS feels more became an Acknowledged Community of social media and publications, through like being part of a community or Our vision is to see all God’s people the Church of England. advocacy and campaigns. Some of these even a family. We love being part engaged in God’s mission, bringing will be organised centrally via CMS staff, challenge, change, hope and freedom to of something rooted, redemptive, Joining the community but overall the community is centrally eye opening, world changing, the world. resourced rather than centrally led. Each All community members make the community building, boundary As we join in God’s mission, through member is encouraged to work out a following affirmation: pushing, risk taking, faith Jesus, and in the power of the Spirit we particular expression of their mission informing.” calling, singly or with others, wherever “I’m a member of the CMS mission see that: Anna and Chris Hembury, community because I believe God is still God may have called them to be. mission partners in Hull working in our world and I want to be the love of Christ renews Like all communities we need leadership, part of this. I want my life to be about people and places to keep us true to our calling and our mission and I know that mission isn’t Our core values pioneering leaders forge new vision. And it is important that our someone else’s job – it’s mine. I want paths of transformation leadership is committed to listening to Pioneering: we try new things, to live for Jesus daily and I realise I need the whole community. Our executive ask questions, cross boundaries fuel for this journey. As a member of people on the margins flourish leader, who in turn is held accountable the CMS mission community I desire to Evangelistic: we share Jesus in the healing of creation begins by the Church Mission Society trustees help my local Christian community keep word and action mission a priority. I also wish to join other (who are community members) holds As members of the community we work Relational: we get alongside CMS members in regularly renewing my that leadership. The community also has and pray together to see this vision people, becoming a genuine part mind and spirit and my commitment to an episcopal visitor who is appointed by fulfilled. of the communities where we mission.” the trustees with the agreement of our What does this vision patron, the Archbishop of Canterbury.