Mission
At St. Mary’s we seek to share the love of God with others through our support of mission organisations and our giving, both globally and locally. Our Church’s income is tithed to support organisations which reflect the interests of members of the congregation. These organisations are:
Tear Fund, Scripture Union, Interserve, CMS. We also sponsor an ordinand in training in Tanganyika.
Our congregation takes an active role and strongly supports the Teams4U gift-filled shoe box collection for Eastern Europe at Christmas.
We give annually through our collection to the Poppy Appeal and encourage people to give to the Children’s Society.
Our key mission networks and contacts are outlined below:
Tear Fund
St. Mary’s supports TEAR Fund a Christian charity with over 50 years of experience in international development, believing that poverty is not God’s plan and an end to extreme poverty is possible.
Tear Fund works directly with local partners and churches in underserved communities in more than 50 countries to tackle complex poverty in three main ways:
Humanitarian response
as part of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC). Responding quickly to disasters and conflicts, supporting those in greatest need throughout the recovery process.Community development
Partnering with local churches and organisations, mobilising resources and empowering communities to lift themselves out of poverty.Advocacy and influencing
Helping individuals and churches speak out on issues of poverty and injustice, and challenging unjust policies and practices at a local, national and global level.
For further information see www.tearfund.org
Scripture Union
The Christian charity Scripture Union invites children and young people to explore the difference Jesus can make to the challenges and adventures of life.
They have supported St.Mary’s Church over many years with excellent resources and by inviting us to amazing Summer camps featuring great activities. The Scripture Union camp nearest to Woodchester is Lagger Camp at Cam, near Dursley for primary school age children.
As a church we think it is important to support Scripture Union as they actively find ways to reach the 95% of under 18’s not in church. The task is huge but so too is the opportunity. Why not look online and see all the amazing work they do.
For further information see content.scriptureunion.org.uk
Interserve
Via the Interserve mission agency Interserve our Church has supported MARTIN and CATHERINE HICKEY since 2002as they have worked in Nepal, India and the Middle East.
Back in the UK since 2021, Martin has now been seconded by Interserve to work as Communications Manager with SEAN (Study by Extension for All Nations, pronounced 'Say-Ann’). Each year well over 200,000 people undertake SEAN's Bible courses in more than 100 countries and 70 languages in Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe etc. SEAN courses are specially designed for use by ordinary people, without any prerequisite for higher education or advanced theology.
SEAN's vision is 'local churches worldwide empowering all their members for whole-life discipleship, mission and ministry in their context'. SEAN's mission is 'to provide accessible Biblical training materials, to partner with others to make them available globally, and to equip others to use the materials effectively in each context'.
Catherine has been working with the Church Urban Fund, which helps churches and other groups to meet the needs around them and create strong and loving communities.
If you would like to receive Martin and Catherine's prayer newsletters and/or contribute to Martin's financial support via Interserve, please email martinandcatherine2@gmail.com or speak to Elizabeth MacDougall macdougallelizabeth@hotmail.com (PCC Secretary at St. Mary’s).
For more information on Interserve and SEAN please visit their websites:
CMS (Church Mission Society)
St. Mary’s has supported PAUL and SARAH TESTER since 2009.
They responded to a call from God to work in youth and children’s ministry in Lima, Peru with the South American Mission Society (SAMS). Their role developed to one of encouraging discipleship and training local Church leaders.
SAMS then merged with the Church Mission Society (CMS) and Paul eventually became a manager for CMS overseeing all of CMS’s mission work in Latin America. CMS works with indigenous peoples and pioneers mission work in areas where few people follow Jesus.
Paul also manages about 15 mission partner families in the region and a similar number of mission associates and some short-term workers too. In 2023 the family moved back to the UK from where Paul continues his role, but still visits South America as required.
Sarah is now teaching and their three daughters are enjoying life in the UK. If you are interested in supporting the work in South America or receiving Paul and Sarah’s newsletter please email Paul at paulandsarahinlima@hotmail.com or speak to Elizabeth MacDougall macdougallelizabeth@hotmail.com (PCC Secretary at St. Mary’s).
To read more, follow these links:
Ordinand Sponsorship in Tanganyika
The Diocese of Gloucester is linked with the Anglican Diocese of Western Tanganyika, a large and mainly rural diocese.
This link takes several forms, one of these being the sponsorship by our churches and individuals of the training of ordinands, so that Christian ministry can be sustainably developed and the Christian gospel brought to the population.
As part of its contribution to Christian mission, St Mary’s provides half-yearly grants for the training of an ordinand named Emanuel Ntelula, seen here at Lake Tanganyika theological college, holding the envelope containing a card of greeting we sent him. Emanuel is 43, married with a family, comes from a place called Kalago, and is living in Kigoma.
He has hitherto undertaken the role of “Pastor”, which in many parts of Africa signifies someone engaged in Christian ministry who has not been through formal training. He will be completing his three-year course in 2025 and we look forward to Emanuel being “fledged” as an ordained minister, and for St Mary’s in turn to support the training of another ordinand.
Link with Näsby Fellingsbro parishes in Sweden
Together with our sister parishes in Rodborough and Brimscombe, St. Mary’s has a long-running friendship with a parish in the village of Frövi, in Sweden – part of the Näsby Fellingsbro parishes.
Over the years we have enjoyed group and individual visits to each other’s parishes. We have been blessed by being able to meet and enjoy hospitality with Christians from a somewhat different culture and background from our own.
As well as hosting each other we support each other as much as we can - sharing in each other’s celebrations and praying for each other’s needs.
A group from St. Mary’s visited Frövi in autumn 2023, and a Swedish group is likely to visit us later in 2025.
For more information on the churches in Sweden please see the following link: www.svenskakyrkan.se/nasbyfellingsbro.