Mission Focus for February 2014 - CMS
The Church Mission Society (CMS) was founded in the City of London in April 1779 by members of the Clapham Sect, a group of evangelical Christians which included William Wilberforce. It was committed to three great enterprises: the abolition of the slave trade, social reform in the UK and spreading the Word of God throughout the world. These aims are as relevant today as they were then. Today CMS has around 2,500 members in the UK, demonstrating its concern for local as well as global mission. Globally, CMS mission partners serve alongside local Christians in other cultures, wherever in the world that may take them, including many of the poorest and most needy communities.
All Saints and St Matthew’s have supported CMS financially and through prayer for many years. The overall work of the organisation is supported by a donation from the All Saints’ mission fund and by donations from individual parishioner through the mission boxes distributed and collected by Georgina Greer. St Matthew’s provides specific financial and prayer support to CMS mission partners David and Heather Sharland and Rachel Ullmer. David and Heather have worked with the rural poor, vulnerable and marginalised in East Africa for more than 25 years. David is an agricultural development specialist and Heather works in health care and training. Between them they have a passion for farming and balance in the environment, improving the health of women (especially mothers), a better chance of survival for babies, and a deepening of faith in everyday life. Currently based in Uganda, David and Heather have a deep love for the people of South Sudan and make occasional ministry visits there. David and Heather are well-known in our churches and visit whenever they are in the UK.
Rachel works in Pakistan, primarily in education but she has also been involved in disaster relief. She speaks the local language, is well-versed in local customs and has a great love for the country and its people. She worked for several years for the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (USPG, now known as Us) but is now operating under the auspices of CMS. Rachel is a frequent visitor to St Matthew’s when she is in the UK.
If you would like to know more about CMS visit their web site www.cms-uk.org or see the information in church. If you would like a CMS collection box contact Georgina Greer.
Pam Rolls, 13/01/2014