Mission partners

“Andrew and I began our connection with St Michael’s Church separately when we moved to London for work as young professionals. We each found – and remained at – St Michael’s church, which is where we met in the late 1990s. St Michael’s became our church “home” for the years we were based in London. We are grateful for the wonderful friends, sound, biblical teaching and supportive church community we found at St Michael’s church in the busy capital city!

We enjoyed being part of the same home group and we eventually married there in 2003. At that time, Andrew was working as the lay assistant for the church – a role he enjoyed for about one and a half years. In 2004, we felt a strong call to serve God overseas and embarked on a new adventure towards the end of the year, when we moved to South Africa for Andrew to train as a pilot. This was the start of a new chapter, which led to working with Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) in East Africa and we are currently based with MAF in Uganda. Throughout the journey, St. Michael's church community have encouraged us, prayed for us and have been part of the work of MAF in East Africa through their prayerful and generous support, a blessing we are so thankful for.”

The Parkers moved to Kampala, Uganda in December 2016 and are part of the MAF Uganda team. MAF is a Christian missionary organisation which uses light aircraft to bring practical assistance and spiritual hope to people living in isolated communities. Uganda is the fourth country the Parkers have worked in with MAF since moving to Tanzania from London in 2009.

Lucy attended St Michael's from 2014-2015 while she was studying in London. Her parents attended St Michael's on and off for years while living nearby. St Michael's supported Lucy when she first went to Thailand, serving as her sending church and providing financial and prayer support. When she transitioned from IJM to The Freedom Story, St Michael's was pivotal in funding Lucy's Thai language classes, which allowed for her to be successful in her ministry. St Michael's has partnered with Lucy and The Freedom Story to prevent children from experiencing trafficking and exploitation for the last three years.

The Freedom Story aims to prevent child trafficking and exploitation through culturally relevant programs for at-risk children in Thailand. They do this through providing scholarships, mentorship, human rights education, and partnering with the children’s families to provide job training and skills as a source of sustainable income. Lucy helps to direct the organization's strategic direction, working alongside her Thai coworkers to ensure the work is as effective and efficient as possible.

After two years working for St Michael’s, Jelena returned to Montenegro to work for EUS Montenegro (IFES). Jelena is the head of the Women’s Ministry and provides pastoral and biblical support to women enrolled in university and high school. She is also part of a mentoring scheme and helps run summer camps like Camp Monty. Alongside her ministry, Jelena studies and practises biblical counselling and is a core team member of ROM (Renewing Our Minds), a forum for reconciliation and forgiveness in the Balkans.

After two years working at St Michael’s, Philip has returned to Myanmar to start a school for preachers and teachers of the Bible. He says: “My aim is to help and train preachers from all backgrounds to study the Bible for themselves and preach from it faithfully. I am very much excited to go home and serve the people there.”

Every day, millions of Christians risk their lives to follow Jesus. In more than 70 countries, Open Doors supports them by supplying Bibles, providing emergency relief and helping persecuted believers stand strong for the long-term. In the UK and Ireland, Open Doors helps the church to pray, give and speak out for those who share our faith but not our freedom.

Prayer points

Please pray for

·      this exciting new partnership for our church, for wisdom and discernment as we decide how to get involved.

·      the secret church - the millions of Christians across the world who cannot gather in a church building – because buildings are banned, who don’t have a Bible because it’s too dangerous. Whose gatherings are dangerous and illegal. And yet still they dare to meet.

·      The silenced church – where Christians are not free to express their beliefs, or to pray or worship together. This is true for Christians in many countries, but nowhere more so than in Afghanistan.

·      For a great relationship with Mark L, our key contact there

Download digital prayer cards – to help you pray for places in Sub-Saharan Africa, or visit their website to find out more: https://www.opendoorsuk.org

…exists to share the gospel alongside local churches in London, equipping everyday Christians in lovingly bringing a message of hope in Christ to those least likely to hear it. Their mission is to see everyone in London personally invited to follow Jesus Christ.

“The Gate opened its doors for clients in November 2006, after an initial steering group from a small group of local churches which included Tricia Marnham from St Michael's came together with a heart to provide vital support to those facing distress in situations of an unintended pregnancy or following an abortion or miscarriage. St Michael's have been supportive of The Gate since then – congregation members and leaders have served as trustees, management group members and volunteers over the years. The mission partner support regarding publicity, prayer and financial support has proved to be invaluable.”

The Gate is a support service for anybody in the community, whatever their circumstances, who is experiencing an unintended pregnancy. Clients are offered time and space to examine all their options and make informed decisions about the future of their pregnancy. The charity also offers opportunities and programmes to talk through difficult emotions and struggles following baby loss or abortion so that clients can face the future with renewed hope.

…are the patron of St Michael’s. As an Anglican evangelical mission agency, CPAS’s vision since its foundation in 1836 has been to enable local churches across the UK and Republic of Ireland to help every person hear and discover the good news of Jesus Christ.

…is a Christian charity formed in January 2015 in partnership with Scripture Union, with the aim of creating positive futures for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds living in Pimlico. Their two full-time youth workers run a range of different activities including sports, mentoring and after-school clubs. Click here to find out more about their youth work.

“For 16 years and counting St Michael's has held a fond place in our hearts. In 2009, it was where we got married! And soon after that you took a risk on giving an inexperienced Dan the opportunity to be your Youth Worker as well as being generous enough to pay for the beginnings of his theological studies. Generous - if we had to sum up St Mike’s in one word it would be that!

Our family, and our ministry, owe a huge amount to St Mike’s from those early days to now when, as Mission Partners, the Cooks now include Micah (10), Ezra (7) and Zachary (4), as well as Sarah and Dan. We're delighted that God has now called us to Manchester, to plant Grace Church Brooklands and help lead the Antioch Network - a movement of small church plants in needy parts of our city. We love to see people come to know Jesus and we're so grateful that your generous prayer and financial support over the years help make it happen. Thank you!”

Tamar provides essential support and advocacy by reaching out to many who are suffering through sexual exploitation and modern slavery in the Borough of Westminster, where the illicit trading of women as a commodity for the use and pleasure of others is all too often ignored. 

Tamar offers hope through

Physical and practical support through:

·      Medical appointments

·      English lessons (one-to-one)

·      Assistance with paperwork (e.g. National Insurance applications)

·      Provide the link to a network of local commissioned services (from health to recovery and support services)

·      Help where possible with alternative work/resettlement

And Emotional and Spiritual support through:

·      Regular workplace visits

·      One-to-one individual support

·      Home baked cakes

·      Prayer for individual needs

Prayer points

Please pray for

·      this exciting new partnership for our church, for wisdom and discernment as we decide how to get involved

·      Westminster as a community and sex-workers in the area

·      customers who use these sex services

·      freedom and justice for those who have been trafficked or coerced

·      conviction for trafficking gangs & networks

·      Tamar’s relationships with individuals

·      the Tamar team’s spiritual, emotional and physical well-being

Visit their website to find out more: www.tamarwestminster.org