Malcolm and I first became interested in the Church Missionary society (CMS) in 1991 when Graeme and Jane Peters became the link missionaries for St Marks church in Niddrie. In 1997 I Marje attended the CMS conference Summer under the Son. I enjoyed it so much that I persuaded Malcolm to attend the year after and we have made it an annual event not to be missed Meeting the Victorian missionaries in person gives much more specific points for prayer. Bible studies are very inspirational and fellowship around the table and conversation at other times is stimulating, songs are sung with passion and joy. Over the years we have made many new friends. International and Australian speakers give information about other faiths and challenge us to reach out to others with the gospel in our own situations.
The conference is a family affair with a terrific childrens programme and also youth and young adults programmes at aseperate resort in Cowes. There is also free time for going to the beach, the penguins, Churchill island and activities around theadventure resort like the swimming pools, giant swing or flying fox. We also go once a month to Blackburn CMS office to help with the mailout, and know the staff well, they are always in need of other volunteers. Corks and stamps that we collect from the church are sold to raise funds. Our link missionaries have both been to speak this year. They are Brad and Michelle Jackson and their 3 children who work in Japan. Also Inpa and Vana
Eliezor who work in Cambodia, their 2 children are at uni in Sydney. We have information cards about them and also about our resposibilities as a link church both when they are in the field and when they are on home assignment.
CMS principles are
A few people in the church have collection boxes in which to put spare coins, these are collected quarterly, if anyone else would like to take a box please see us. If you are on email Barry Murray sends out the missionaries prayer letters. they write frequently to let us know what is going on in their situations and also they like to receive letters from us. Copies of their letters are also displayed on the white board adjacent to the kitchen hatch.
yours Malcolm and Marj Beard