An overview of Mission Giving at St John's.

St John's commits 10% of its budgeted offerings to mission giving. A Mission Giving Committee is in place to make recommendations as to who would most benefit from our support. It would be a mistake to think of Mission Giving purely in terms of giving money. As a Church we also support Mission in prayer, and through taking an active interest and through building personal links. A programme of speakers and events helps to keep us connected - together with a different Mission focus each month. The Mission Giving Committee helps to make all of this happen, and acts as the Churches eyes and ears on our Mission partners.

Why does St John's give away 10% of budgeted income?

At first glance, this question seems obvious. We are Christians - and as such, doesn't Jesus command us to 'love our neighbour' as ourselves? When we look at the news, or read the newspapers - we cannot avoid the extent to which our neighbours face injustice and impoverishment. One answer is to shut the paper, to turn off the TV. To be pleased that we do not live in these situations ourselves. To settle into a sense of powerless inertia - a feeling that the little that we have to offer is worse than a drop in the bucket. We may even console ourselves with the argument that corruption in other parts of the world would render our aid ineffective even if we were to give it. But, Jesus command remains. We cannot turn our backs on need, even if our offering is only small - it is part of our calling as the Church on earth to seek to bring God's hope and love to others in need.

St John's Mission Giving Committee operates under the guidance of two complementary scriptures - which inform and shape our approach to Mission support:
† Jesus calls us to share the Christian message. To 'go and make disciples of all nations'. (Matthew 28:19)
† The prophet Micah calls people of faith to 'act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God'. (Micah 6:8)

What are the guiding principles of the Mission Giving Committee?

Message: We aim to support Christian mission and evangelism, defined as the spreading of the good news of Jesus Christ, at home and overseas.

Need: We aim to help in the relief of need, famine relief, disaster relief, relief of poverty or relief from deprivation, both at home and overseas.

Justice: We aim to aid in the struggle for fairness and justice, for all sections of all societies, both at home and overseas.

God: We aim to give to projects or causes with real and identifiable Christian aims; or those which have real links with the Christian Church; or to those which we, as Christians, can fully endorse and affirm.

Each of our Mission Links are given a link-person from the MGC or wider congregation, to help us research and support them effectively. Suggestions for new Mission Links are considered each year, and existing links are reviewed, prior to a proposal for Mission Support being sent to the PCC in its May or June meeting. We use the above principles to guide us in our recommendations, along with seeking to maintain a balance between support for local based, national and international causes or projects. Please feel free to contact a member of MGC with any comments, ideas or questions regarding our Mission Giving.

Who did we support in 2010/11?

In May 2011 the MGCs budget of £7,800 for mission links was divided between 15 organisations. St John's also continues to support Refugee and Migrant Project with our Harvest Offering, and Stratford Nightshelter with part of the Christmas Offerings, and money donated during Carols in The Mall. Two organisations were dropped from our proposed giving links for 2011, Christian Blind Mission (after 5 years) and Asha Trust (after 1 year). We begin to support two organisations in 2011, Burma Refugees and Middleport Church Hall fund. The Burma refugee charity has been supported by the women's group for a number of years, by sending out items to those in need. In previous years the MGC has supported this by giving money from the emergency fund for postage, and this year it was decided to fund the charity formally through core giving. Middleport Church hall is in the parish of our previous curate Darren and it was felt this would be a suitable donation for one year to support our previous colleague.

During the year TFM spoke during a morning service in February and came for one week in July as part of the mission week. Spitalfields Crypt spoke to a group on a Wednesday evening in May, while XLP spoke to the morning congregation in November, and Garry & Maxine attended the NAPAC Christmas event.

Archbishop Janani Luwum Trust UK (AJLT) are helping support the work of a Theological training college in Uganda. St John's, over the years, has seen many members go off to train for ministries (both lay and ordained). Support for AJLT will extend this by providing financial support to those in Uganda training to work in the Church and wider society. £500. (Garry, February)

Amos Trust work to support the oppressed population of Palestine, and the Dalit communities of India through advocacy and practical support. Our support of Amos Trust results from a passionate desire to do something to help the people of Palestine, whose plight has been much publicised over the past years. £500. (Jean, May)

Burma Refugees supports refugees in Thailand fleeing Burma. More info from Women's group. £200. (Dorothy, April)

Church Urban Fund work to support local organisations dealing with the day-to-day effects of poverty where they live. We have previously benefited from Church Urban Fund. £200. (David, January)

Christian Solidarity Worldwide is an international advocacy organisation, which seeks to inform the Western Church about religious persecution and human rights abuse on account of an individuals' Christian faith. £500 (Ade, November)

Gautam & Sabrina Money (CMS) are working to develop the extensive work of the Delhi Brotherhood Society with slum-children in and around Delhi. £1,300. (Rafe, June)

Leprosy Mission works internationally, with sufferers of Leprosy, providing medical care and working to relieve poverty through a number of means including work projects and social care. We enjoyed a speaker from Leprosy Mission in February of last year. £500 (Dorothy, January)

Lifewords (Formerly Scripture Gift Mission) works internationally to provide Biblical tracts in a wide variety of languages. They also support a variety of Social workers working with vulnerable children, by providing Bags of resources to help with Counselling (this is known as the Pavement Project). £500. (Dorothy, October)

Medicines for Muheza is an International medical mission, working to run a hospital in Muheza, Tanzania. Much of its funding is used to bring much needed medication in from the UK. £500. (Rafe, February)

Middleport Church Hall funds for improving a church hall in a deprived area of Stoke-on-Trent. £500 (David, December)

The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) is the UK's only provider offering support, counselling and help to adults who need to rebuild their lives after suffering Child Abuse. £500 (Garry, March)

Spitalfields Crypt is a local charity in Shoreditch that runs a homeless hostel for single men. £500. (Garry, July)

St Josephs Hospice is a local hospice in Hackney, run by the Catholic Church - providing care for terminally ill patients. £500 (Jean, July)

Through Faith Missions is a national Evangelistic organisation, which organises missions throughout the UK. In June this year we worked with T.F.M. & Stratford Churches on the "Ultimate Dream" mission. £500. (David, September)

X.L.P. is a local organisation, branching out into Newham. Tom Booker continues as their full-time local worker, and he is looking to build better links with local church volunteers - and to involve a number of XLP gap-year students. He has been overwhelmed by enthusiastic response to his work from schools - work which is set to continue, and to grow. £500 (Rafe, August)

Other Groups We Support:

St John's also continues to support the Refugee and Migrant Project (RAMP) with our Harvest Offering, and, in addition, £859.03 was raised for the Stratford Winter Nightshelter and £160 was collected for the Poppy Appeal.

St John's also supports Operation Christmas Child and Fairtrade Fortnight with a number of members involved in events.

In addition we gave £250 for Mission Aviation Fellowship's work in the Horn of Africa Emergency, £500 for British Red Cross East Africa Food Crisis Appeal & £600 for the Christian Aid Philippines Flood Disaster Appeal.