Mission Director's Report to the AGM 2026

What a year of change it has been! Jenny most certainly rocked the boat when she broke the news, back at the end of summer, that she would no longer be at the helm of CMSI. But even in the stormy waters of the change-over she guided us, and prepared us to move forward, as the strong team, that she had built us into, over the past decade. Her life amongst us as a staff team, and members of CMSI, has been one of integrity, and courage. She has modelled for us how to grapple with the whole picture of scripture and the wider experiences of the world in which we now live. She has shaped each member of the CMSI team, nurturing each person’s gifts, and she has profoundly shaped the life of CMS Ireland into a place where mutual flourishing across the global church is inherent in each decision that we make. Therefore it is with a slight sense of ‘imposter syndrome’, but a deep sense of privilege and regard that I receive the baton from her, and now bring the CMSI Mission Directors Report to you this year.

May I begin by thanking the Board of Trustees for entrusting to me, the leadership of this organization, which is so rightly held in high esteem within the Church of Ireland and amongst the CMS network. I covet your prayers for wisdom and courage, to continue in the long heritage of faithfulness which we inherit.

I trust you have been encouraged by the story of the year gone by. It was marked by partnership; new parishes came on board with our Global Partners including the Diocese of Derry and Raphoe. Thank you Bishop Given and Roger for sharing the testimony of what God is doing in through his people in Kondoa, Tanzania. I am excited to report that in the year gone by two parishes have become linked, not only with Ezo Diocese but with a cross-boarder meeting! The Bishop of Ezo’s flying visit to UK made it possible for folks from Ballynahinch Parish and the parishes of Conway and Gartan to meet each other along with their South Sudanese partner. The all-Island part of CMSI’s narrative is just as important, to our story, as our Global Partners. The success of partnerships like this depend on the willingness of Bishops, Rectors, parishioners in Ireland and within our Global Partners to volunteer their time and dream the vision. We are so grateful for all of you who do this, and for those who support the general mission fund that enables the development of these important relationships.

I hope you were also excited to hear the engagement which CMSI has had over the past year in supporting people in mission, from short-termers to local mission partners. I believe we have a bounty of meaningful ways for God’s people to flourish in the call to live missionally. Our Local Mission Partners engage with their local communities with the benefit of shared language and culture. One of our LMP’s, Seme Peter, described the impact of local mission by local people perfectly after taking a group of young believers to hold a youth conference in neighbouring DRC: “We cannot bring them gifts, the only thing we can bring them is their age-mates. When they see young people like them, living in faith, and hear them talking to them about God, then they believe and say ‘I can also follow God’”

Already this year I had the opportunity to visit Andrew and Joanne Quill in Ibba, South Sudan. Their gifting in resourcing the local church was a joy to watch. They have established systems to translate and produce, not only the primary project materials which they use in their ministry of Community Health Empowerment and Trauma Care, but in a wide variety of other resources including an equivalent of the Alpha Course. We are thankful to the parishes and individuals who stand with us in people sending in all it’s guises within CMSI. In the brief overview of partnership highlights which you just heard from Roger and me, I hope you saw the light shining in churches working together to embody the Kingdom which Jesus brought near. People experience literal healing through health care established by churches. Olo Diocese in South Sudan now has it’s first midwife because Carnmoney Parish caught the vision and supported Flower during three years of training, she recently delivered her sister’s baby!

Children and adults receive vital knowledge and skills for living because churches know that this brings life in all it’s fullness. In Kenya, the wonderfully upgraded Tujisaide Primary School will now be followed by a secondary school, a request of the children. In Yei in South Sudan young returning refugees are now earning enough to send their siblings to school because of the skills training they received at Yei Vocational Training College. The church grows because of the seemingly uninspiring task to raise funds for bicycles, rickshaws and Diocesan vehicles. When I left Olo on a Saturday evening in January Bishop Tandema and his wife Mama Nora were preparing to walk 9 miles to a confirmation the following day. These things are not just pleasant additions to our partners, they are vital for the flourishing of faith and hope in the communities they serve. We are grateful to so many who give sacrificially so that we meet the priority requests of our global family. This year we have collaborated with Bishops Appeal and Misean Cara on several grants for partner projects, and seek to continue this going forward.

Going forward we keep watch on global geo-politics and economics. We maintain an acute awareness of the fragility of human life and the cold reality of the misuse of power on a local and global scale. Conflicts seem to grow each year. Last year Jenny referenced conflicts in South Sudan, DR Congo and the risk to Egypt within growing tensions in the Middle East. We did not imagine then, what we are watching unfold right now with war in Sudan, bombings in parts of South Sudan, the M23 terrorist group in control of parts of DRC and the very present war in the Middle East. Our meeting places within partnerships make us accountable for keeping these events at the heart of our prayers and decision making. Bishop Hassan, our Local Mission Partner in Sudan visited us and shared his experiences of having only cattle food to eat, and hiding fearfully whilst listening to drones overhead the displaced peoples camp, in which he lives and ministers. On a zoom meeting recently, Madame Madelaine, wife of Archbishop Samy in Egypt, pleaded with us to pray that her country will not be dragged into war. There is acute discomfort in being close to those who suffer most, yet “… if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it” 1 Cor 12 v 2. It is in providing space for the global church to tell of it’s suffering that we serve the whole church. For if we can by-pass the suffering how can we say we are members of the same body? For this reason, partnership; defined as deep relationship, shared suffering, with equitable power dynamics, will remain central to the missional approach of CMSI. 

Disturbing responses to new comers to Ireland continue to make our news across the island. Exclusion, discrimination, violence and polarised media representations make the values which CMSI seeks to impart through individual and parish partnerships more important than ever. It increases the challenges, but also the opportunity for deep learning when we visit parishes and Mother’s Unions, youth groups and Sunday Schools. Our connection with All Nations Ministries is of great value in this arena and we receive so many blessings from the participation of members of All Nations at Ignite and other CMSI events throughout the year. In the coming year we hope to collaborate in cross cultural training and in the Interfaith Learning Pilgrimage to Cairo planned for October. As we go forward intentionally collaborating on the welcome of newcomers, and missional education throughout Ireland we also hope to explore new ways to optimise the use of our written resources like the children’s resource and the Sanctuary Sunday liturgy.

It is equally incumbent on us keep watch on the changes within our own faith space. This has been a year of change of leadership within the Anglican Communion as well as at CMSI. It is the great privilege of CMSI to be in missional focused partnerships outside the structures, but within the family of Anglicanism. We believe that our model of mutual flourishing within relationships of respectful listening and sharing, is a strand which can hold and stretch within the changing landscape. Therefore we will continue walking alongside the communion , fostering respectful relationships across the global church in the places where we are invited to make connections.

After a thorough hand over from Jenny, I am spending a significant amount of time recently in the deep end of charity legislation, financial reports and decision making. Along with Jenny our Board of Trustees has ensured another year of compliance and good practice in CMSI. We have been extremely grateful for the wisdom of those who serve on both ARAC and PAC and for the guidance of Chairman of the Board David Reynolds. I have already experienced a great deal of support from the Board and going forward we will ensure our obligations are met and best practices observed. In this incoming year we will be looking ahead to the end of the current strategic plan. In 2027 plans will be put in place for an end of term evaluation.

I finish by emphasising my thanks to the Board of Trustees, and those who serve on the sub-committees. I am particularly grateful for a staff team who I already know and love; for their commitment to hard work and dedication to the missional values of CMSI. I want to thank them especially for the support they have given me as I have taken the long walk from my Partnership Co-ordinator desk into, what will always be known as, Jenny’s office! And my deepest gratitude to you, our members: we exist for you, with you and because of you. Thank you to all of you for coming today, and for your prayers as we face the challenges and opportunities ahead.