Day 2
The Council for Mission Highlights Importance of Solidarity with Global Church
The report of the Council for Mission was presented to General Synod this morning (Friday May 5). It was proposed by the Revd Colin Hall Thompson who outlined developments in the membership of the council.
He said that the business of the council had centred around persecuted Christians. He said Church in Chains and Open Doors had given presentations and commended the council’s mission breakfast earlier in the day at which Eddie Lyle of Open Doors had spoken and invited people to look at the Open Doors stand. He said the AMS stand had petitions to be signed.
He said that the persecuted church was not a different church, it was the one church where the strong should help the weak. To profile global mission two conferences were organised – the one in Northern Ireland was successful but the one in the South was cancelled and he wondered how it could be done better.
Seconding the report, Bishop Ferran Glenfield, drew Synod’s attention to a recent report ‘The Church of Ireland – Apologetic for Mission?’ He said the report asked four questions:
- Does the Church of Ireland have an apologetic for mission, including global mission?
- If such an apologetic exists, does the Church of Ireland demonstrate it in action?
- What factors affect the ability of the Church of Ireland to deliver on any stated priority, including mission?
- Are there key changes the Church of Ireland can make to increase its effectiveness in mission?
He said that the Council for Mission would explore these questions over the coming year and alert the Church to its findings.
In discussing the report, the Revd Adrian Dorrian, respresenting CMSI, talked about the suffering church, particularly in South Sudan where many of CMSI’s global partners have been displaced. He highlighted an event with Bishop Anthony Pogo, Faith in South Sudan – the Church’s Response to Crisis’ in Belfast on May 19.
Hilary McClay (Down) spoke about Cambodian children trafficked for sex tourists. She encouraged people to continue to pray about this issue.
Geoffrey McMaster (Glendalough) said there was a difficulty in getting involved in mission because people feel inadequate. But he encouraged people not to forget about the little things as mission is everywhere to everywhere. He said the mission agencies could also help people get started with the bigger issues.
The Revd Adam Pullen (Tuam) said he was touched by the talk of Eddie Lyle at the mission breakfast and urged members to remember that they are part of a much wider church.
As part of Motion No 9, proposed by Derek Neilsen (Glendalough), the following were elected to the Council for Mission under General Synod 2020:
The Revd Cliff Jeffers, Johanne Martin, Julie Currie, the Revd Adam Pullen, the Revd Andrew Quill and the Revd Patrick Burke.