THE GOSPEL IS BEARING FRUIT AND GROWING THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE WORLD - JUST AS IT HAS BEEN DOING AMONG YOU SINCE THE DAY YOU HEARD IT AND TRULY UNDERSTOOD GOD’S GRACE. COLOSSIANS 1:6
Burford Church is mindful of our Lord's Great Commission - to "...go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you...". (Matt 28:19-20).
Accordingly, it is both our obligation and our privilege at St John’s to support missionary activity both at home in UK and further afield. Support embraces both prayer support and financial support for our missionaries and for the organisations with which they serve. With respect to prayer support specifically, we have collated some background information in the text that follows to help us all to pray more effectively for those whom we support. For latest prayer requests, click here.
We invite you to involve yourself in praying for our missionaries and to commit to get to know them better - and we hope that the following information will help you to do so.
Tim and Jo Vickers
Local Partner: Tim Vickers
Graduate Impact is a ministry of IFES, the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. IFES exists to see students worldwide built into communities of disciples, transformed by the gospel impacting the university, the church and society for the glory of God.
Graduate Impact, founded by church family member, Tim Vickers, has a specific focus on these young Christian adults as they transition from student life into working life. When Tim began this ministry in 2003, John Stott described it as "the most strategic work in the church in Europe", because the ministry aims to: a) mitigate the drastic fall-away from faith that occurs all across the West with people in their mid-20s; and b) inspire this next generation to think, live and speak for Jesus at the heart of society, through their professional careers.
Graduate Impact has developed two main training programmes: Bible and Culture, which is a residential summer school in Berlin (now running in partnership with Regent College, Vancouver); and Cross-Current a mentoring resource that nurtures Christlike character as a foundation to all-life-witness in the workplace. You can learn more about these programmes at http://www.graduateimpact.org
From 2003-2020 the work focussed on the 52 countries of Europe and Eurasia (former Soviet countries). Since 2020, IFES have made the role global, so now Tim is trying to support the growth of this ministry to young professionals in Latin America, North America, Africa, East Asia, Europe and Eurasia.
Last updated: 11 March 2024
partner: caitlin ormiston
TSCF is the Tertiary Students Christian Fellowship. It is part of IFES, and its vision is to help thousands of students become servant leaders of character through the transforming gospel of Christ. Following personal conversion and guided by biblical wisdom, they aim to help students integrate faith, study, work and life, and bring cultural renewal to New Zealand’s tertiary institutions.
Caitlin Ormiston served as Burford Church’s Warwick Hall manager before moving into her role with TSCF in New Zealand. She is based in Wellington where she is the Chief Operating Officer, responsible for the growth and sustainability of TSCF’s ministry by bedding in systems and structures. Her role carries overall responsibility for the development, integration and implementation of TSCF’s support services. This involves managing the administrative staff and developing plans for improved resources and assistance to staff and students across New Zealand. Find out more about the work of Caitlin and TSCF by clicking here.
Last updated: 11 March 2024
1 in 7 Christians globally are persecuted for following Jesus. That’s 365 million Christians who are denied access to jobs and education, are arrested, attacked, and even killed for following Jesus.
Open Doors doesn’t work to end persecution. Instead, Open Doors exists to strengthen the church in the midst of persecution – believing no Christian should suffer alone and believing that no place and no person is unreachable.
Open Doors is an international ministry serving persecuted Christians and churches worldwide. Open Doors supplies Bibles, leadership training, literacy programmes, livelihood support and advocacy services. We also mobilise the church in the UK and Ireland to serve Christians living under religious persecution and learn vital faith lessons from their persecuted family. (May 2024)
Last updated:10 May 2024
The Friends Of Quetta Hospital (“FOQ”)
The Friends Of Quetta Hospital (FOQ) is a UK charity that has been registered with the Charity Commission since 1994. Trustees receive no remuneration, payments or benefits from the charity. FOQ is a bona fide "not for profit" organisation - and separate from the hospital - which is the sole beneficiary of the FOQ charity. (Source: Charity Overview - the Charity Commission).
FOQ supports "...the Christian Hospital Quetta, Pakistan, and its outreach clinics in relieving sickness and to advance the education of those working in the hospital. We distribute funds to subsidize the treatment of patients who are too poor to pay and to help the hospital to meet capital expenditure for the improvement of facilities and purchase of essential medical equipment." (Source: Charity Commission web-site.) Such is the reputation of the hospital that difficult/complicated obstetric cases are sometimes referred there from other hospitals. The hospital has had a Nursing College for many decades for male nurses and has recently opened an additional College for women.
Tristram Holland (one of the third generation in the Holland family to be involved in the hospital) is the Church's contact at FOQ and frequently sends messages of thanks and gratitude to St John's and to Church members.
Last updated: 09 March 2024
A Rocha is a global family of conservation organisations working together to live out God’s calling to care for creation and equip others to do likewise.
We respond to the global crisis of biodiversity loss by carrying out community-based conservation projects, through:
·Ecological monitoring and research in areas of high value for wildlife;
·Practical measures for conserving and restoring habitats and their fauna and flora;
·Participation in nature conservation, through environmental education and community outreach;
·Providing a forum for understanding the relevance of the Christian faith to environmental issues.
Our name means ‘The Rock’ in Portuguese, as our first initiative was a field study centre in Portugal, established over 40 years ago. Since then, A Rocha has grown into a family of organizations present in more than 20 countries around the world. Projects are frequently cross-cultural in character, and share a community emphasis, with a focus on science and research, practical conservation and environmental education, through residential field study centres, site-based projects and wider advocacy.
Last updated: 19 June 2024
The Besom in Witney
“If I give all I possess to the poor, but have not love, I gain nothing”
1 Corinthians 13:3
WHO ARE WE?
The Besom in Witney is one of over 40 separate Besom groups across the country. Since it was set up in 1987, Besom has been helping people to make a difference by providing a bridge between those who want to give money, time, skills or things and those who are in need. We ensure that what is given is used effectively and the service we provide is free.
As a Christian organisation, we believe in the power of prayer.
Besom in Witney helps people in our churches to take the first (and often the hardest) steps across the bridge towards those in need.
Every service which Besom in Witney offers is as down-to-earth as it can be: people are enabled to give in a way which is rewarding and enables them to get involved as much as they wish.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
● Besom in Witney helps people make a difference
● It provides a bridge between those who want to give time, things or money, and those who are in need
● It ensures that what is given is used effectively
● The service it provides is free
HOW TO FIND OUT MORE
● You can find out more about our work on our website - www.witneybesom.org
● If you have a specific query, then just email us at: contact@witneybesom.org
Last updated: 12 April 2024
Sat-7 is part of an international Christian media ministry, that brings life changing joy to the people of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) through powerful, faith-filled television and digital media programmes. Their vision is to see a growing Church in the MENA, confident in Christian faith and witness, serving the community and contributing to the good of society and culture.
BRINGING JOY: Through powerful, faith-filled television programmes and digital media, we are bringing joy to millions of lives across the Middle East.
SHOWING LOVE: Across four channels, reaching millions of viewers in 25 countries, broadcasting 365 days-a-year, we are showing God’s love to the Middle East and North Africa.
STRENGTHENING FAITH: Our programmes are designed to do two things – encourage and strengthen often-isolated Christians in their faith and provide a fresh perspective of faith for those asking questions about Jesus.
Find our more at www.sat7uk.org
Last updated: 25 April 2024
Local REP: DIANA PETERS
The local CAP (Christians Against Poverty) centre is based in Witney and is called the Windrush Valley debt centre to reflect the area in which it works.
It currently has 2 debt coaches, 2 lifeskills workers and a number of volunteer befrienders, and is supported by 6 local churches.
Nationally, there are nearly 300 debt centres with over 800 supporting churches and around 2,500 people were able to go debt-free last year through the help of CAP.
How does CAP work?
A client phones CAP Head Office (in Bradford) and gives their details and is then put in touch with their local debt centre. The debt coaches take the client through the process of becoming debt free, with 3 appointments in which their financial situation is put together and sent up to Head Office where the debt advisors find the best suitable option to go debt free.
Clients also have the opportunity to join a lifeskills group where practical advice and tips are given to stay debt-free and make wise decisions with their finances.
Challenges we face (things to pray for):
Cases of mental health issues are more and more common among our clients, meaning they cannot often think rationally or make clear decisions about their finances.
The high cost of living means that increasing numbers of people are falling into debt, causing ever more work for the CAP workers.
Please pray for strength, wisdom and patience and we look to help these people become debt-free and remain debt-free.
For more information, please contact: alastairhobbs@capuk.org
(We also produce a monthly newsletter if anyone would like to receive it.)
For up-to-date information and prayer requests, click here.
Last updated: 03 April 2024
500K International
“...The 500k empowers local people to reach the unreached by sharing God's love and bringing about community transformation. We do this through supporting local leaders and the faith communities that they establish and grow. Find out more by reaching out to comms@the500k.org, or through our website at the500k.org…”.
Burford Church Mission Strategy
2021 Vision
A congregation that is actively engaged in mission, both at home and abroad.
A church that gives a generous proportion of its income away
Key Principles
Our key principles for mission support are that it is:
- Focused – while operating at the local, national and global level
- Committed – reflected in the whole congregation’s engagement in mission and the church’s resourcing of it
- Strategic – new and existing opportunities for mission are properly considered and planned
- Generous – the church is committed to giving a high proportion of its income away
Objectives
- To encourage the church to continue movement from one that ‘supports’ mission, to one that is ‘engaged’ in mission
- To raise general awareness and understanding of mission amongst the congregation
- To work in partnership and continue active engagement with each of our mission partners
- To make mission a part of everyday life
- To send out more missionaries from our own church
- To equip every member of the congregation to identify and embark on their own mission
Mission Partners
Mission partners are supported in one of three ways:
- Central - Personal - Direct
Each partner has a local contact or ‘champion’ who maintains regular contact with the church.
Financial support is provided for a given period of time, from 1-5 years. Renewal of pledges at the end of each period is dependent upon:
- Good ongoing communication between the partner & church
- Appropriate financial accountability by the partner
- Alignment of the partner’s aims and vision with that of the church
- Assessment of need for ongoing financial support
Full policy available on request.
Church members contemplating short or longer term mission placements
can apply for financial / prayer support via
an application form from