Proclaiming Christ and His Universal Reign – partnering in mission around the world

The Board of Mission Overseas (BMO) administers the overseas mission work of PCI. With mission regarded as an integral part of the Church’s life, the BMO draws together representatives from Presbyteries, the Presbyterian Women’s Association (PWA) and Youth in order to inform and involve as many people as possible in this important work.

… as witnesses to Christ, through both evangelism and social witness, challenging the values of the world in which we live with the values of God’s kingdom, and winning men and women to faith and discipleship.

The BMO seeks to maintain and develop appropriate relationships with PCI’s partners in mission around the world. It also oversees the selection of all PCI’s missionaries; confirming their call; providing appropriate training and preparation; and allocating them to their places and spheres of work.

Financial estimates are prepared annually for submission to the United Appeal Board with all funds received by the BMO being administered in the interests of the work of mission outside Ireland. In addition, the funding of this work is supplemented by generous ‘extra mile’ giving by congregations, organisations and individuals. The BMO also receives significant grants from Irish Aid for approved overseas development projects.

The BMO provides information and organises events which help to keep members of PCI informed about the mission opportunities and needs overseas, and how they can both support, and be directly involved in, God’s mission to the world. Members of staff are on hand to handle questions about service overseas and to meet with individuals or groups to give help and guidance. Training and advice is also available for those planning to engage in short-term mission projects overseas.

Through bodies such as the Mission Agencies Partnership (MAP) – a local association of church-based and independent mission agencies – Global Connections (formerly the Evangelical Missionary Alliance) and Global Mission Network (formerly the Churches’ Commission on Mission), the BMO seeks to maintain a network of contacts with those involved in world mission and to keep up to date with developing trends in mission participation around the globe.

BMO’s Vision, Purpose and Values

The BMO’s vision for the future is to serve a mission-hearted church. It is one thing to be mission-minded, but we also need to be enlivened in our hearts with a passion for mission, that we might fulfil effectively our purpose which is to proclaim Christ and His universal reign. In the BMO we believe that mission is not just one of the Church’s activities, but is at the heart of all its activities; indeed mission is fundamental to its very existence.

We aim to pursue our purpose in the future by upholding values that have become important distinctives for our Church in mission overseas down through the years.

In this regard, we are eager to be:

	God-Centred Desiring to glorify the Father, to fix our gaze upon His Son, Jesus Christ, and to be led by the Holy Spirit in all we are and do
	People-Focused Because God more often than not, reaches people through people, and ultimately direct personal missional encounter is crucial
	Church-Based With a commitment to the building up, in the first instance, of church to church partnerships for mutual encouragement, challenge, witness and ministry
	Forward-Thinking Trusting for discernment to recognise and creatively respond to new God-given opportunities, and developing new spheres and methods of service

Partnering in Mission

… “I thank God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ.”
Philippians 1:3-6

Area Co-ordinators represent the local face of Latin Link in Britain and Ireland. Elma’s  job is to raise the profile of Latin Link, tell people about the needs in Latin America and the opportunities for Christian service.

Latin Link is an international charity with a calling and focus on Latin America. We aim to be a channel whereby people can develop their God-given potential in the service of others, working alongside churches and partner organisations.

Members of Latin Link serve God in Latin America and in Europe, working with local Christians at their invitation. We have staff in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Peru, and in Europe in Britain and Ireland, Spain and Switzerland.

our heart is to care for the whole person

our mission is to teach and equip

our task is to open opportunities

AWM is an evangelical, international and interdenominational mission family that is enabling the peoples of the Arab world to become part of the Body of Christ, proclaiming Him as Lord.

AWM personnel share their faith with Muslims in North Africa, the Middle East, the Arabian Peninsula and major cities in Europe and North America. Most work as missionaries, seeking to share the gospel through contact and friendship with Muslims.

AWM currently has more than 400 workers of over 30 different nationalities and from across the spectrum of evangelical backgrounds.

Linda Marshall has been working with CUs in the Midlands since 2002, first as a Staffworker but more recently as the regional team leader. She first caught the student work bug as a fresher at Nottingham University. Settling into her new room, she was greeted by a flyer from the Christian Union.  She was so encouraged to know that she wasn’t the only Christian in England and soon got involved.  There she learnt about the importance of sharing and growing in the gospel.

Being a team leader means that she spends a lot of time supervising staff and relay, coordinating the work in the midlands and thinking about how to help equip students there to live and speak for Jesus. She also chairs the annual Forum conference for CU leaders. Linda is married to Phil (who she met through UCCF!) and enjoys a rather eclectic mix of things from baking to women’s rugby! Before UCCF, Linda really enjoyed being a primary school teacher and still enjoys to use multi coloured pens at any opportunity.

Linda continues to squeeze in some weekly student contact with students from Warwick and Leicester Christian Unions, as well as speaking regularly at a variety of CUs across the Midlands . She helps them plan their CU programme, helps them develop as leaders and helps them think about how to reach their university campuses better for Christ.

Linda has written a book called PURE – which is a six week interactive course looking at what God has to say about sex and relationships.

Linda developed the PURE course to help young Christians think clearly and biblically about what it means to live as redeemed people under the lordship of Christ. When the course was first introduced to the students of Nottingham University Christian Union back in 2003, over one hundred of them made an effort to drag themselves out of bed to take part every Monday morning at 7:30am!Since then hundreds of CUs across the UK have taken part in the PURE course. Many young people have benefited massively from the practical wisdom and biblical content that the course material provides, and have commented positively.

Read more about the book HERE or buy it from the Christian Life section of our bookshop HERE

You can send Linda and e-mail by clicking HERE ]]> http://www.connorpresbyterianchurch.com/2009/08/10/linda-marshall-uccf/feed/ 0