with the CMS community online www.cms-uk.org

SHARINGJESUSCHANGING

LIVESWINTER 2013

Community voices inspiring each other in mission

Young night-clubber gets gift of life for Christmas

Saturday 22 December was a busy night in Wellington, Telford. It was the start of a long weekend, which saw Sanktuary open for two nights in a row and our volunteers out on the streets until 4am.

On the Friday there were over 1,000 people in the main nightclub and the team gave out dozens of space blankets to keep people warm.

Saturday night started smoothly, but then several fights broke out and our volunteers were turning in every direction offering help. We gave out 20 pairs of flip flops to girls desperate to take their high heeled shoes off after dancing; it was clear how valuable the flip flops are as there was a lot of broken glass in the gravel of the car park that we found difficult to sweep up.

Shortly before 4am, a young man came running across the car park asking if anyone had some water as there was

“a girl having a fit”. Two of our volunteers immediately ran to find her on the ground, gasping for breath and shaking violently. It seems she may have been mugged and was in shock. The team ascertained that she was asthmatic and while one of our volunteers was phoning for an ambulance, the other managed to locate an inhaler and give it to her. However, she’d stopped breathing. Our first aider then gave her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation; thankfully she started breathing again. The ambulance crew arrived a few minutes later and the young lady was taken to hospital.

Running Sanktuary can be hard work, what with making sure we have enough volunteers, fundraising and dealing with violence and aggression. It was appropriate that our volunteers helped save the life of a young woman in the run up to Christmas. Christmas is when we think about the joy

of new life while at the same time knowing this new life is one that will make a love-filled sacrifice. What happened on 22 December brought home to us the reality that we run Sanktuary out of love for the young people in our community. Just as God acted out of love for us.

This Christmas we were reminded that ordinary people can make a big difference. Because the Sanktuary team was there, one young lady was able to wake up on Christmas morning with her family.

For more about Sanktuary: www.sanktuary.org.uk

By Mark Berry, CMS community mission facilitator, who also organises Sanktuary, a safe space for late-night partygoers in Telford

In conversation: Mark Berry (left)

Signs of life: pointing nightclubbers in need in the right direction

“only connect”

The commissioning of Philip as CMS executive leader, St Aldates Church, Oxford

The writer EM Forster was no friend to Christianity, but I find the words he used to introduce his novel Howards End very much on my mind in my early days at CMS. Those words are very simple: “only connect”. Connect, of course, is the title of this newsletter and I hope that one of the functions it serves is to help you feel connected to all that CMS is and all that we are doing together.

Since arriving in late October I have been truly impressed both by the range of ministries CMS represents, and by the dedication and passion of those delivering them, both staff and volunteers.

But at the same time I think there is more to do to coordinate those ministries, and indeed to connect us together. How, in particular, can we function as true community while being at the same time

dispersed around the country and further afield, too? I’m sure we can be, and there will be lessons for us to learn from the past, because, in truth, CMS has always had the character of community.

The other day I went into the CMS archives and was shown the silver teapot that was used by members of the Eclectic Society. It was as they met and discussed around that teapot that the idea of founding CMS was born. It was people connected together in community with a commitment to mission who led to the founding of this great organisation to which we belong. A task which I need to set myself is to work out how we can best strengthen those connections between us so that we have a sense once again of meeting around the teapot!

But key to that sense of connectivity is another more fundamental connection. “I am the vine; you are the branches,” says Jesus. “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” How badly we need to remember those last words! If we are not connected to the living Jesus Christ then we will be fruitless and useless. That is not just true of us individually, but as a

community – indeed we need to remem-ber that the “you” Jesus uses is plural. He is talking to all of his disciples, together.

If we are to be a truly fruitful community, fruitful in mission, bearing abundant fruit to the glory of God, then we must pay attention to this most fundamental connection: our communal connection with Jesus.

And let’s remember this. There is a fundamental connection between our connectedness to Christ and our connectedness to one another: like spokes on a wheel, the closer we draw to the centre the closer we draw to one another. As Charles Wesley puts it in his beautiful hymn, ‘Help us to help each other Lord:’

Drawn by the magnet of your loveWe find our hearts made new.Nearer each other let us move,and nearer still to you.

May that be our experience in this New Year.

“in truth, CMS has always had the character of community”

By Philip Mounstephen, CMS executive leader

For the last few years our CMS group in Bembridge has been supporting Mark Berry and the Safespace community (see page 1). Living in an older community, it has been good to be involved with a pio-neering mission. Mark has visited us twice with his family and holidayed here in this lovely place.

Safespace meet every Thursday night to “break bread” and share a meal. Follow-ing Mark’s first visit to us our vicar, Andrew, suggested we could do the same, in soli-darity. We decided cooking a meal for so many every week was not feasible. How-ever what has emerged has been truly lovely. One member of the group cooks a very large loaf. Wine, water, cheese and olives are supplied. Candlelight and a few tiny pots of flowers are provided by another member. We decorate plain tables. There are no plates or cutlery, just a serviette and

a wine glass. Those who come regularly

started to bring a small amount of finger

food. It has become quite a feast with very

little washing-up!

At first, we used liturgy Safespace had

written or put on their blog, but now we

combine that with some we write our-

selves. We read scripture, pray, break bread

and enjoy each other’s company. For group

meetings we have 12 – 15 regular mem-

bers but we have about 25 gathered at our

“breaking of bread” evenings as the table

is open to all and we have visitors each

time. Jesus joins us at our table and we

are blessed.

As well as the blessings we individually

receive, the evenings have been a way of

breaking down barriers between different

Christian groups in our village, something

we believe is dear to our Lord’s heart.

Thinking, reading, pioneeringBy new CMS member Andy JeffersonMy first contact with CMS was as an Oxford Centre for Youth Ministry student; CYM is now based at the CMS building. We have had a number of people from CMS deliver lectures to us, which were

always very engaging and they helped shape my thinking toward mission.

I was brought up in an evangelical church and was fortunate enough to be part of a great youth group, which helped

form my friendships and faith. Doing my youth ministry degree stirred up chal-lenges about some traditional models of church and I am seeking to think mission-ally in the UK context.

I have been impressed with CMS ever since we started having our lectures in the building. I am particularly excited about the emphasis on pioneering work in the UK. So it was natural for me to decide to become a CMS member.

I am about to move to Reading to live with a fellow CYM graduate. As we progressed through the course together we both got excited about new monasti-cism and are planning to experiment with community mission in an economically deprived part of Reading. I’m not really sure what the end result will be, but I’m excited about it.

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Breaking bread and so much moreBy CMS member Jackie Erhard

Fincancial updateBy Adrian White, CMS finance directorAs you read this, I’m sure you are aware that we continue to work in difficult economic conditions that have been affecting many charities – CMS being no exception. We won’t have the exact picture until 31 January, the end of our accounting year, but it looks as though our donation income is down approximately 7 per cent from last year. Most of this reduction is from churches, who are struggling with their own downturn in income and increasing costs. Despite this, God is faithful. The response to our year-end appeal was very good and we have been blessed with some significant legacy income over what was anticipated. The timing of these gifts in wills for CMS has been just right and we thank God for that. This has allowed us to maintain our mission when otherwise difficult choices would need to be made. As we begin the new year, please pray particularly for churches and their mission committees, that mission would not be the easy target for cutting when budgets are stretched. Please also pray for all in CMS and trustees as they seek to plan for the future amidst an uncertain financial environment. Pray that God would continue to provide. Thank you so much for your prayerful support.

Andy in South Africa

Before the Encounter trip to Peru a friend told me it would be ‘life-changing’ and, without being dramatic, I think it was! The team set off in August for a month, which was mainly spent in Lima, simply to lend a hand and to learn something of the Anglican Church’s work, the country and its people.

Some of us had overseas experience and some none, but we found our feet quickly, and it was a joy to meet friendly local people as well as those working to share the gospel and encourage the under-served. Our first week’s tasks in-cluded helping prepare and run a holiday Bible club at St John the Evangelist church and going on a day trip to the zoo.

It was a shock to see the poverty around the St Paul mission in a shanty-

town above the city, where volunteers from different churches run youth and children’s work. Here people struggle to make a basic living and have large and of-ten difficult family situations. It was good to see how the kids at St Paul engaged in listening and learning.

A highlight was spending time at the Shalom Centre, set up to provide spe-cialist therapy for mentally and physically disabled children and teenagers. CMS mission partner Pat Blanchard and a lo-cal woman called Luisa run the therapy schedule and a drop-in centre where parents chat and join the children in craft work. We helped make candles, puppets, patchwork and painted crosses. It was great to visit the centre, to make connec-tions with the children and to see how

the short prayers, songs and encouraging words are an integral part of the ministry.

We visited some of the congregation of the Nazarene mission church, and it was a privilege to spend an afternoon with the arpilleras sewing group. These women make beautiful textile appliqué scenes. They work meticulously and cre-atively in community and friendship.

We were encouraged to participate wherever we went, made new friends and were challenged by the commitment of the Christians leaders we met. I’m sure the whole team felt that our faith was strengthened and would recommend En-counter to anyone, of any age group and any ability.

Life-changing encounter in LimaBy Mary Rollin, who led a CMS short-term visit to Peru in Summer 2012

Holiday club

Mary Rollin

Outing to the zoo

Sprawling shanty town, Lima

The Encounter Peru teamMachu Picchu

9 March Cross-cultural Team Leaders

Training Day Are you leading a short-

term mission team this year? Let

experienced CMS staff guide you

through cross-cultural preparation, team

dynamics, practicalities and more! £35

per person, including food for the day

and resources. Some discounts available.

Contact: helen.brook@cms-uk.org or

01865 787493

CMS community member promise 2: “To encourage the transformation of individuals, communities and societies by sharing Jesus and encouraging others to become his disciples.”Christmas has come and gone but Jesus

our Emmanuel is still with us. No context is too small or big for us to be encouragers of transformation; whether we are working in a city bank or a care home, teaching in a pre-school or university, serving in a family or in government, lives are changed wherever we share Jesus.

We are living at a time that presents fresh challenges for how we live as Christians. People seem increasingly

disconnected from the Church. Belief in progress towards a better, more prosperous world has been undermined by war, poverty and environmental degradation. With increasing globalisation, we are more conscious than ever of how our actions, individually and collectively, can impact the lives of others and the planet.

Yet, will anything we do really make any difference? Our discipleship requires a prophetic engagement with the world and culture. We are called to imagine life as Jesus did – believing that another world is possible – God’s kingdom on earth. And we are called to live this out practically, to be agents of transformation in our daily lives in ways that will impact our own local community, place of work or study, our families and friendships.

There are so many encouraging stories from CMS community members, friends and partners in the UK and around the world who are doing this. People who are joining in with what God is doing to bring hope and transformation to our beautiful and broken world. Let us be encouraged at the start of this New Year by the hope we have in Christ Jesus; to live out our faith each day in the knowledge that God is reconciling the world to himself, that he is making all things new.

A look at the second CMS promiseBy Pippa Soundy and Debbie James

I gave up my job last summer a secure teaching post that I loved, in a cli-mate where friends of mine were losing their jobs. But still, I had to go. For a while I’d had an inner sense that a change would be good. “What will you do?” people asked, to my reply: “I’ve absolutely no idea, but I think it will unfold.”

It began unfolding at Greenbelt 2011, in a conversation with Jonny Baker about the CMS Pioneer Mission Leadership Training course. I had been exploring several options,

but when Jonny asked me, “What would you pioneer?” it came to me clearly: I would link parents in prison with teachers of their children. There is no formal process in the UK for sup-porting children affected by imprisonment, and yet each year an estimated 200,000 children in England and Wales, and 27,000 in Scotland, experience the stigma associated with a parent being incarcerated. In effect, they begin their own sentence. Having worked with three children whose mother is serving a long term sentence, I knew things could and should be different.

Jonny suggested ReSource as a way of connecting with others who are pioneering. A series of four weekends in different parts of the country, ReSource is for people who sense God inviting them into something new, but who might not know exactly what that is or how they will get there. I remember my second ReSource weekend in Kingston, at a point when I was feeling quite low and wondering if I had done the right thing,

being amazed as about nine people shared their stories: “I used to be a policeman; then I gave up my job and am now helping dads engage with their kids.” “I was a social worker but now I’m working with young people on an estate.” As each one spoke, I felt them saying, “We have been this way before. You will be ok.”

ReSource gave me the confidence to keep on exploring as well as a reassurance that the Trinity walks ahead of me, beside me and within me on this extraordinary journey. Earlier this year, a fellowship enabled me to spend eight weeks in Australia and the United States visiting a wide range of projects that seek to help schools support families affected by imprisonment. I’m now looking at securing funding to develop recommendations stemming from my research.

Despite challenges, there’s a deep awareness of God’s invitation to follow and a realisa-tion that it’s not about what I do, but rather who I am called to be. I am reminded of Frederick Buechner, who said that where our deepest passion meets the world’s deepest need, there we will find our vocation. www.resourcemission.com

Unfolding dreams

By CMS member Sarah Roberts

Debbie (left): Discipleship team leader and Pippa: CMS curate

“I knew things could and should be different.”

By Bishop Henry Scriven, CMS mission director for Latin America A vicar was once asked what a wealthy parishioner had left when he died. “Everything,” the vicar replied. Will you leave a small part of your everything for mission?

Like many of you, mission is in my blood. From a young age, I felt it was right to commit my life to sharing the gospel with all. It is only through knowing Jesus that our brothers and sisters around the world can become who they truly are – in relationship with God.

Since our founding more than 200 years ago, by God’s multicoloured grace (1 Peter) hundreds of thousands of people have come to know new life in Christ through CMS people in mission. But we dream of doing more. The CMS family seeks to daily live out Jesus’ call to make disciples of all nations. A gift in your will would definitely help.

A gift in a will is a re-investment of the resources God gives us. We understand that this is a decision you will want to discuss with your loved ones and that you will want to make them a priority – yet we hope you will decide to further invest in God’s kingdom.

Writing or changing your will can be straightforward and inexpensive. If you would like more information, please contact Hannah Caroe on 01865 787521 or at giftsinwills@cms-uk.org

A will to share Jesus

National events 201311 May CMS Africa day conference St James’ Shirley Parish Church, Southampton. Bring packed lunch from noon onwards. Formal meeting from 1pm-4pm. Mission partners and visitors from Mid-Africa are speaking. For further details contact Charlotte and Mick Smith, 27 Kellett Road, Southampton, SO15 7PS. Tel: 02380 777810 Email: charlotte.plieth@doctors.net.uk

10-12 May Adelante Latin America conference, High Leigh Conference Centre, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire. Main speaker: Cristobal Ceron. Bible readings: Ronald Irene. Contact: jo.hazelton@cms-uk.org or 01865 787418 or write c/o CMS Adelante conference to the CMS address. www.cms-uk.org/adelante

22-24 November CMS Africa conference Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire. For details and bookings contact Nick and Val Fane, 1 Woodshears Drive, Malvern, Worcs. WR14 3EA Tel. 01684 566601. Email: ac2013@fanes.co.uk

CMS sponsored challenges 2013

14 April Brighton marathon. Run the race for Jesus!

Welcome and farewell: People in Mission

CMS is pleased to announce some newly accepted mission partners. David and Liza Cooke have gone to Eldoret, Kenya, to undertake grassroots training and discipleship with a focus on biblical teaching and reconciliation of broken communities. In January Helen Burningham went to South Sudan, where she is using her Bible teaching, youth work and dance skills to help bring communities together. Adel and Clare Shokralla, with daughter Emma, went to Egypt in the New Year where Adel will lead a small, growing church in Cairo.Some new people have embarked on short term mission: Esther Mutahinduka (DR Congo); Angela Cooper (Uganda); Alex Halliday (Nepal); Maarten van den Toren (Argentina and Chile)Alex Morgan (Brazil) and Sam Lee (Brazil).Newly announced mission associates are Jeanne and Paul Stevenson (Nepal); Mike and Sue Hughes (Uganda) and

to events: www.cms-uk.org/events

to CMS people

27 April-9 May Trek Machu Picchu and meet mission partners Pat Blanchard and Paul and Sarah Tester (Peru)

11 May Second annual CMS South Downs walk Contact: Events and legacies coordinator Hannah Caroe. Tel: 01865 787521 or email hannah.caroe@cms-uk.org for more information

Regional events1-3 March East Central and South CMS conference High Leigh Conference Centre, Hoddesdon, Herts. Subject: Mission at the Margins. Main speaker: Stephen Burgess. Other speakers: Kate and Tim Lee. For details and booking forms contact Mrs Jane Fulford, 15 Brandon Avenue, Woodley, Reading, RG5 4PU Tel: 0118 969 5039. Mobile: 07764947495 Email: jane.fulford@btinternet.com

19-21 April CMS North Spring conference Bawtry Hall near Doncaster. Speaker: Rev Philip Mounstephen. For details and booking forms contact: c/o Mr Alan Nickless, 352 Carter Knowle Road, Sheffield, S11 9GD

27 April Northern Regional Meeting (Mission Partner Fellowship) 10am-4pm at St

Aidan’s Acomb, York. Please bring your own packed lunch. Drinks are provided. For further details contact Evelyn Wroe, Tel. 01904 780852 Email: evelyn.wroe@btinternet.com

14-15 June CMS Wales conference Langasty Diocesan Retreat Centre, near Brecon. For booking forms and further details contact Mrs Miranda Bowen Tel. 01792 391591 Email: bowbelles@btinternet.com

East Central Summer Day Conference will no longer be taking place. If you require more information please contact: David Nobbs, Dellfield, The Street, Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, WD4 9BJ. Tel: 01923 269480 Email: davidmarynobbs@waitrose.com

2 October 2013 The Central South Regional Meeting (Mission Partner Fellowship) 11am-4pm at All Saints’ Church Hall, Greenbanks Close, Milford-on-Sea, Lymington, SO41 0SQ. Bring lunch. Drinks provided. RSVP to Dr E Edmunds by 2 September 2013 Tel: 01425 610797 Email: edmunds37@uwclub.net

October Cumbria and North Lancashire CMS Member’s Group day conference St Thomas’ Church, Strickland Gate,

NEXT CONNECT: SPRING 2013

Send your stories to: naomi.steinberg@cms-uk.org

Anjali and Neil Kanagaratnam (Thailand).Meanwhile, we said goodbye to the following mission partners: Alison Fletcher (Uganda); Liz Hosegood (Zambia); Dipti and James Pender with Sophia (Bangladesh); Linn Tedman (Paraguay); Andy and Susie Hart with Grace and Rosie (Tanzania), with Susie remaining as a CMS mission associate. David and Sarah Hall with Rebecca, Reuben and Matthew (Bangladesh) have also ended their time as mission partners and have become mission associates, still in Bangladesh. We thank all of the above for their commitment and passion for their varied ministries over the years.

Welcome and farewell: Oxford, UK staff

We bid farewell to the following staff members: director of

Kendal, LA9 4QG. For further details of date and time please contact Miss Jenny Ottewell Tel: 01539 727 010. Email: jennyottewell@breathe.com

Autumn Connect Live events 2013 (formerly Members’ Day) for Southern and Northern members, supporters and friends. All details will appear in CMS publications in 2013

Local group meetings

16 March Worcester Diocesan CMS Group – Coffee morning50 Church Road, Malvern Link, WR14 1NG, Time: 10am-12pm, Contact: Alison Sheehan-Hunt, Tel: 01684 569321

18 March York & District CMS Association – Prayer lunchSpurriergate Centre, York, Time: 11am-12pm followed by optional lunch, Contact Eileen Wishart Tel: 01904 633705, Email: eileen.wishart@tiscali.co.uk

22 March Harrogate CMS Group – Supper and speaker (tbc) Christ Church, Harrogate. Time: 7.30pm. Contact: Tony Ninham Tel: 01423 873617, Email: patninham@tiscali.co.uk11 April Mid-Northants CMS Group Fish and chips supper and speaker St James,

community mission Chris Neal; global mission fund manager Sas Conradie; income team leader Malcolm Anderson; income and data processor Ferrol Brown; Loun Ling Tan, personal assistant to executive director for Asia CMS and church networker Mike Burke. After many years helping to lead and shape CMS work in Asia and setting up AsiaCMS, we also said a final goodbye to Phil Simpson and John Hayward. They will all be missed.Kan-San Tan has also left CMS UK staff – and is heading up AsiaCMS as its executive leader in Kuala Lumpur. Loun Ling will continue to work as personal assistant to Kan-San and Simon Na, regional coordinator for Southeast Asia, who also left CMS UK staff in December and will continue carrying out his role via the AsiaCMS office.Marie-Laure Verdier has been appointed regional personnel officer for Asia. She succeeds

Olivia Jackson who has become transcultural manager for Asia. Liza Mae France became income and data assistant, while Adina Lewis became income and legacies assistant. Meanwhile, Cathy Ross joined as the Pioneer Mission Leadership Training Course Master of Arts coordinator. We also welcomed Hannah Lloyd as income and data processor and Jon Langley joined in January as major gifts administrator.

DEATHS

SeptemberReginald Taylor, India 1965–1970 OctoberEleanor Brown, India 1954–1980Rachel May Rose Cox, Malaysia 1983-1988NovemberRev Geoffrey Brookes, Cyprus and Bahrain 1978–1988 Kathleen Lee, China and Malaysia 1945–1969 Robert Andrew Netherwood,

Thrapston. Time: 7pm. Contact Margaret Walker Tel: 01933 223614, Email: pearlgate21@gmail.com

7 May Worcester Diocesan CMS Group – AGM with speaker from Tolladine Mission HouseSt Stephen’s Church Hall, Worcester, WR3 7JF. Contact Peter Burch Tel: 01386 853837 Email: pj_pjburch@hotmail.com

More events:28 February CMS Pioneer Leadership Training course open day See pioneer.cms-uk.org for more info

ReSource UK mission immersion weekends: www.resourcemission.com

9 March Cross-cultural Team Leaders Training Day Are you leading a short-term mission team this year? Let experienced CMS staff guide you through cross-cultural preparation, team dynamics, practicalities and more! £35 per person, including food and resources. Discounts available. Contact: helen.brook@cms-uk.org or 01865 787493

Encounter 1–4 week trips 2013 (Romania, Kenya,France, Holy Land): www.cms-uk.org/encounter

More CMS sponsored challenges at: www.cms-uk.org/challenges

Tanzania 1974–1984 Colin Ramsay, Kenya 1956–1967 John Maitland, Uganda 1963–1976

CMS Lent resources:www.cms-uk.org/lent

lentlentlent

Church Mission Society, Watlington Road, Oxford, OX4 6BZ t: 01865 787400

CMS is a mission community acknowledged by the Church of England A company limited by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales, charity number 1131655, company number 6985330, registered office: CMS, Watlington Road, Oxford OX4 6BZ

Ways to connect to the CMS communityLink with mission partners: Julie Hinckley: julie.hinckley@cms-uk.org or 01865 787524Giving: give@cms-uk.org or 01865 787468

Encounter trips: Linda Sammons: linda.sammons@cms-uk.org or 01865 787482

Local groups and associations: Barbara Oakley: barbara.oakley@cms-uk.org or 01865 787487

Community events, forums, networks, communities of practice: Pippa Soundy: pippa.soundy@cms-uk.org 01865 787491 or Mark Berry: mark.berry@cms-uk.org

Changes to personal details or mailings: Kate Hall: kate.hall@cms-uk.org or 01865 787467

It’s the first step on the road to priest-hood in the Anglican Church. Next comes a training post called a curacy. What’s un-usual in Mark’s case is that he will serve this in Rio, not a British parish.

In fact, with his wife Jess, he is off to the City of God (Cidade de Deus), made famous in the 1997 Paulo Lins novel and subsequent film.

But where that told the story of or-ganised crime and violence, Mark will be working alongside someone telling a dif-ferent story – one of potential and hope. The Rev Nicholas Wheeler, a British priest missioner, is the first full-time priest of the

Parish of Christ the King in the City of God. The church plays a central role in the life of the now-infamous favela.

Mark is also set to work with the Rev

Ben Phillips, a CMS mission associate and the English chaplain of Christ Church Rio, and will assist at the Anglican cathedral in Rio.

The two priests will supervise Mark dur-ing his curacy, an example of great partner-ship across the Anglican Communion.

Mark and Jess have both loved South America for many years, since their gap years in Peru. In the UK, Jess has been working for Happy Child, a Brazilian NGO for children at risk. She has also supported the development of the Alpha Course in Latin America.

In 2012 Mark finished training at St Mel-litus’ College. He also completed an MA

in Biblical Studies at King’s College. Long term, it is envisaged he will support theo-logical education in South America. Mark recently participated in the mission entre-

preneurship module on the CMS Pioneer course and another participant offered to pay for him to have surf lessons so that he could connect with surfers and street kids when he goes to Brazil.

Jess hopes to continue working with Brazil’s poorest and most marginalised children.

The unusual ordination was performed by the Rt Rev Christopher Cocksworth, Bish-op of Coventry and the CMS community’s Episcopal Visitor. The Bishop of Rio, the Rt Rev Filadelfo Oliveira was also present.

It may not have been the fanciest ven-ue, but the choice of CMS Oxford as a lo-cation was down to timing and practicality, as well as for emotional reasons, said the Rt Rev Henry Scriven, CMS mission direc-tor for Latin America.

“The Bishop of Oxford kindly gave per-mission for the ordination to take place here so that Mark’s friends and family could easily attend.

“Mark is also part of the CMS mission community and we are sending him to serve in Rio. Having Bishop Christopher ordain Mark is a lovely way for us to make that more tangible.

“It’s also wonderful to see the level of cooperation between churches and agen-cies who share our desire for the world to know Jesus.”

Mission partners take unique path to City of God A special ordination took place in January – not at a cathedral, but at the CMS base in Oxford. In a humble conference room, Mark Simpson, a new mission partner, was ordained as a deacon in the Diocese of Rio de Janeiro.

Jess and Mark Simpson