Diocesan Overseas Mission Council
The DOMC provides a link between parishes of the Nelson Diocese and overseas mission activity, particularly through Anglican Missions, and promotes awareness, support and involvement in Christian mission in many places.
Members are drawn from each region in the diocese along with local representatives from CMS, youth and the Association of Anglican Women (Overseas and Outreach).
DOMC promotes mission awareness through encouraging short term cross-cultural mission teams from the diocese, hosting visiting speakers in parishes, and providing mission information and resources to leaders in parishes. These activities relate to the Diocesan Strategic Plan.
With the emphasis being placed on short-term mission opportunities as a valuable part of parish life, discipleship development and ministry preparedness, a leaflet was developed in 2011 to help guide parishes forming mission teams. It is important that we draw on the experience of others as we seek to serve God in our activities.
Encouragement to mission motivators and leaders within parishes at regional gatherings, will be built on in 2012. It is hoped that training in understanding cross-cultural mission will be provided in each region through Bishopdale Theological College.
Faithful and informed prayer is a significant part of mission involvement. When we are supporting mission overseas, having current information and a personal connection to the people involved is hugely significant. Meeting mission partners while they are on deputation in parishes is important. The DOMC are continuing the strategy of allocating mission partners to a single region for the fortnight they are in our diocese. This allows greater involvement in parish life in that area, with opportunities to build relationships beyond simply hearing the speaker give one public address before they move on.
The origins of the DOMC are the provision of a link between individual parishes and the Anglican Missions Board, which coordinates support for overseas mission through relating to the mission-sending organisations within our Church and our partner churches overseas. Financial support from parishes is a key, measurable aspect of overseas mission support.
Last year’s synod adopted a target of $135,000 for the AMB. Parishes have been challenged to meet the increase, particularly in response to the increased number of personnel who have gone from this diocese with CMS (which receives significant support through AMB).
These funds have helped support a wide range of people and projects that endeavour to build the kingdom of God in diverse places. Thank you to all who contributed. However, we regret the shortfall in the budgeted amount, as the AMB uses the target adopted by this synod in forming their budget plans in November, and allocating support in response to many worthy requests. If we do not meet our target, Anglican Missions is not enabled to meet their commitments.
It is evident to us all, that needs are not reducing. The cost of living is going up for us, but also for the mission partners we support. The cost of food in many regions of the world continues to rise, putting pressure on the poor in areas where self-sufficiency for the local church is a distant dream.
With joy we can celebrate that this diocese is making valuable contributions in response to needs in many places, including sharing our most valuable resource: people. With Murray and Féy Cotter, Phil and Becky Sussex, and Marion McChesney, among others joining the team from this diocese already serving overseas, we have a lot to celebrate, and an opportunity to more fully identify with the joys and struggles of our brothers and sisters in Christ across the world.
Companion Diocese links with Singapore and Egypt continue. Reports below are about two SOMA teams from Singapore, who visited our diocese in July 2011 following the Common Life Missions Conference (see CLMC on
www.angmissions.org.nz
). The Nelson Diocesan synod has offered to form a Companion Diocese link with the Diocese of Malaita in the Solomon Islands and is waiting for a response from their diocesan synod.
SOMA TEAMS
Sometimes “mission” is pictured as from our country to developing nations, but we can be on the receiving end of mission from Christians from other nations, too.
Following the Common Life Conference Missions Conference in Wellington in July 2011, we were delighted to have the Rev Tim Chow and his wife Joyce come to the Nelson and Waimea district as part of the SOMA (Sharing of Ministries Abroad) team from Singapore.
On Sunday, they shared at the Victory Community Church and had a lovely time of Ministry there. In the evening over a shared meal folk from Holy Trinity Richmond had the opportunity to hear their stories. Tim had a relaxed and worthwhile time of discussion with the Verdict group of Retired Clergy. They appreciated his passion and informal style.
On the Tuesday evening they both spoke to Church Leaders, emphasising that the central key to healthy ministry and healthy church is the health and growth of the leaders.
Wednesday was time for a great number of women to hear Joyce on the topic “Create in me a Listening Heart”. Joyce inspired us to come back to an intimacy with Jesus- ‘the Lover of our soul’ in a busy world today. Several commented on how refreshing the evening was.
The Revd Tim and Joyce were such a delightful couple and all who heard them appreciated their openness, honesty and their love of the Lord. They also had time to explore a little of the beauty of the Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough sounds area including the quite heavy fall of snow before returning to Wellington.
SOMA ON THE WEST COAST
“They prayed for my sore back, and two weeks later it is still pain free.”
“I really felt the presence of the Lord as they prayed for me. It was amazing.”
“They knew things about my past that were impossible for them to know, and when they prayed over those areas I felt so much better.”
“After their prayers I found a new joy in ministry. A lot of the previous heaviness just disappeared.”
“They mentioned the need for forgiveness. I thought I had dealt with that. However, it has become very apparent that I haven’t. I will follow this up within the parish later.”
These were some of the comments made after the West Coast had been blessed by the visit of a small SOMA team from Singapore. The Rev Titus and Esther Soo and Betty and Tok Khew Tan all have gifts of physical, emotional and spiritual healing. They are part of a ministry called Ellel Ministries, a world-wide organisation, which, incidentally, is in the process of establishing a branch in Christchurch.
The team arrived in Greymouth on the TransAlpine train from Christchurch. They led services and ran healing sessions. Besides prayer for healing, the team spent a couple of hours with a local ministry team to cleanse a building after some sad occurrences. They also blessed a house and encouraged the clergy through some in-depth discussions and prayer.
Then off to Reefton for a couple of days where their amazing teaching and ministry was very well received. The team’s visit gave further insights into the divine healing and deliverance teaching and practice Archdeacon Robin Kingston is doing in the parish. We appreciated the in-depth prayer the team offered, the thoroughness of their approach, and their willingness to work hard. Among other things people received prayer for anger, lack of self worth, rejection, the cutting off of bondages, the cutting off of generational sins, bondage caused by tattoos, and so much more.
On the lighter side was a visit to a dairy farm, and our guests taking photos - of cows (don’t see many Kiwis doing this!), brussel sprouts, and their host stoking the fire. We learned such a lot and were incredibly blessed by God. The team’s gentleness combined with firm sincerity was most impressive.
Next stop Westport. Steve says “These were four wonderful men and women of God whom it was our privilege to host. The only downside of their visit was that they had to leave! We would have loved to have had them with us for a week! On the Saturday of their arrival, we hosted a community lunch for the Westport Ministers Association and lay leaders of the town. After lunch, Esther Soo shared with us the main principles of the Ellel Prayer Ministry in which they are involved. Prayer ministry followed. In the afternoon, they were taken for a visit to Denniston which they thoroughly enjoyed. A missions community tea was hosted that night at St. John’s after which the Rev. Titus Soo spoke about the mission of his Church in Singapore and the work of the Diocese of Singapore. The team then led a very powerful prayer session in which one of our members with cancer received a massive Spiritual breakthrough. The next day, the Rev. Soo preached at St. John’s and his wife preached at St. Peter’s, Granity. Parish members enjoyed their preaching and were blessed by their powerful yet humble prayer ministry. Their visit has laid the foundation for growth in our parish in the area of inner healing and deliverance.”
We have never been disappointed when we are visited by a SOMA team and this one was no exception. Unquestionably many people were blessed through their visit, and there have been no negatives! Consider hosting a SOMA team in the future or be part of one yourself!
MARLBOROUGH VISITORS
During the July school holidays a Mission Conference at Waikanae brought together Anglicans from around NZ and around the world. Speakers included Archbishop Ben Kwashi from Jos in Nigeria, Bishop Albert Vun from Sabah, Malaysia, and other inspiring speakers from many regions of the world, with accounts of persecution, challenges and phenomenal church growth. Afterwards SOMA (Sharing Our Ministries Abroad) teams spread around the regions, and other guests visited parishes.
Marlborough hosted Father George Elo, from the Anglican Church of Melanesia, which includes the Solomons, Vanuatu and New Caledonia. Fr George works in the Mission to Seafarers based in Honiara. Previously he spent 18 years in the Melanesian Brotherhood, which is a group of Anglican men who serve God, set apart for a season of their lives and then after a time move on, with the possibility of continuing their Christian life with involvement in secular work and marriage.
Fr George was welcomed at a meal with about 80 RSE workers in the Nativity Centre. It felt like a ‘loaves and fishes” situation as ample food was provided for an unexpected number of guests. Some of the workers had prepared songs to lead worship, and several groups joined in. Fr George spoke, encouraging the workers to live up to the trust placed in them by their families and home community.
Fr George also preached at the morning services at Nativity before his journey back to Honiara.
A few weeks later, after attending the annual synod in Nelson, Bishop Sam Sahu and his wife, Rosemary, visited Nativity. We are awaiting final agreement from the Diocese of Malaita to build a ‘Companion Diocese’ link with our diocese. This includes the parish of Fourau, which teams from Nativity have visited over the past eight years. It is helpful to have stronger links with the leadership of the church in that region as we work in partnership to respond to needs in that area.