Missions at St Columbs

Missions links | Paul & Melody| Mission Newsletters |

The Missions Team exists to raise awareness and interest among the congregation members at St Columbs in a range of local and overseas ministries and projects. We see our role as primarily relationship building between the St Columbs congregation and our link missionaries who perform a range of tasks from evangelism to education, to practical humanitarian aid. Our financial disbursement arrangements are listed below. The St Columbs Missions Team is made up of: Lyn Jackson, Priscilla Robinson, David Knox, Tony Greenwood & Andrew Jones (Chair).We would love to welcome new team members.

Key support criteria:

1. That the people/ projects we are supporting are known to us. Our aim is to deepen the relationship we have with current link missionaries.

2. We support mission initiatives that are driven by a gospel mandate – whether they are educational, evangelistic or development projects.

3. We seek to balance our commitment to local, Australian and overseas ventures.

a) International Ministry – Richbek & Lyn, Paul, Melody & Abigail

b) Theological Education in Australia – Ridley College (Melbourne) & Wontulp Bi-Buya College (Cairns)

c) International Development work – Eldoret – Kenya

d) Local student ministry – Swinburne Campus ministry – Nat Clarke (AFES).

4. 50% of disbursements funds are set aside for Local/ Australian mission and the other 50% goes to International programs.

See the table below for disbursement recipients and percentages.

During the past year the Missions Team has hosted two Sunday morning services which have been well received. We are partnering with the Sunday worship teams to increase awareness of our mission partners ministries and needs. Below is a list of initiatives taken in the past 12 months:

· Over the two Mission Sundays the mission team presented services designed to raise awareness of key mission issues and to pray for our mission partners.

· A quarterly missions newsletter has been a fantastic means of keeping the St Columbs family aware of developments in the lives and ministries of our mission partners. A special thanks to Lyn Jackson who has done the lion's share in producing the newsletter.

· A Missions display board with regular newsletters for those who are keen to remain abreast of what our mission partners are up to now lives at the back of the main church sanctuary.

· We began to support Wontulp Bi-Buya College, a Bible College for Indigenous leaders, in Cairns. Graeme and Maree Vines retired from their work at Nungalinya College in Darwin in 2006. We are supporting the College with a particular focus on supporting the Principal to achieve his Bachelor of Theology.

· Last Christmas a TEAR shop provided St Columbs members with the opportunity to purchase very practical gifts for those who are truly needy at Christmas time, numerous goats were purchased. A similar initiative will be taken this Christmas so perhaps you can begin thinking about what practical solutions you are going to support this year. A catalogue will be available soon.

· The mission team continues to meet and discuss the levels of support we are offering to local ministries such as AFES across the road at Swinburne University. We feel there are some great opportunities for synergy between the church and the above ministries.

Please consider how you can become more personally involved in getting to know and support our missionaries by personally offering them your friendship, prayers and support. Please contact any of the Missions Team members to find out more about what we are doing and if you would like to join us you will be made most welcome.

Yours on behalf of the Missions Team,

Andrew Jones