The highest context for all of CMS is to engage in evangelistic mission with three aims of:
- Resourcing leaders
- Making disciples
- Transforming communities
CMS is currently in the process of setting its next medium term strategy for 2011–2015 working alongside the newly established CMS Africa to develop a
common strategy for work in Africa. We regard the Episcopal Church of Sudan as our primary strategic partner in Sudan and hope all together to be able to develop our work.
Background of Sudan
“Sudan is the largest country in Africa – it is about the same size as Europe. The Episcopal Church of Sudan has relatively recently been
divided into 24 dioceses, many of which are geographically small and clustered in the south. The northern two thirds of the country used to be the single diocese of Khartoum before it
was divided. The northern part is largely an Arabic, Muslim area and, particularly around Khartoum and the other cities, the Christians are mainly Southern Sudanese who have been
displaced by many years of war”. Taken from the ECS website
http://www.sudan.anglican.orgCurrent situation in Sudan
After many years of war, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) gave the Sudanese nation an opportunity for an “attractive unity” in
2005. This year, the Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir, was elected in the country's first multi-party election for more than 20 years.
Sudan is currently facing a critical
phase in its history as the date for the referendum in January 2011 comes ever closer. There are three public statements that you may wish to read as you pray for Sudan.
1.
Joint Statement of Sudanese Churches on the state of Sudan in October 2009 which is available on the Provincial Website of the Episcopal Church of Sudan
http://www.sudan.anglican.org/0910CPAappeal.php .
2. A more recent statement
made by the northern bishops of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan: On the current situation in Sudan – July 2010. This can also be found on the Diocese of Khartoum’s website
http://www.khartoum.anglican.org/index.php?PageID=statement3. A third statement made by the Archbishop to the CAPA organised All AfricaBishops conference in Entebbe , August 2010.
http://www.sudan.anglican.org/100829statement.php
Current CMS work in Sudan
1. Currently CMS has two mission partners working in Sudan
We have a mission partner working in Maridi Diocese doing
discipleship training with church leaders
Another mission partner is involved in children’s ministry with ACROSS in Yei Diocese
Three other mission partners
are based outside Sudan, but do work partly in Sudan in community development and community health and a consultant equipping the local church in construction.
2.
Through the generous support of our supporters and major donors CMS in collaboration with CMS Africa has been able to support various initiatives in the Sudanese Church:
the making of disciples and the transforming of communities
- through supporting Scripture Union worker in Juba in 2009 to 2011 for Scripture
Union Youth ministry (£15,000)
- making disciples through support to Maridi Diocese for Discipleship training with a grant of £4,500,
- support to community health and
agriculture work in S Sudan, particularly Lui Diocese (£10,000).
resourcing leaders – through theological training.
In the last four years CMS in
collaboration with CMS Africa have committed to invest in the future leadership of the Episcopal Church of Sudan by supporting the following students for training:
- Carlile College – Special Sudanese Programme for 18 students from five dioceses of Rumbek, Lainya, Maridi, Malakal and Mundri: £158,000 and a commitment for the
next three years of £63,000.
- St Andrew’s Kabare, Kenya – one student from Bor Diocese: £6,500.
- Alexandria School of Theology in Egypt – six students from various
dioceses in Northern Sudan: £27,000 and a commitment of £30,000 over the next two years.
- Grants to resource leaders at Shokai Bible School (£4,000) and Bishop Alison
Theological College in Arua (£9,500).
3. CMS through the Global Mission Fund has supported other projects/grants in 2008/9. Three grants facilitated the building of
:
- Cush Theological College, Tangal, Nuba Mts: £34,000
- Rom health care centre: £76,350
- ECS Agok Primary School construction:
£41,670
Future work in Sudan:
Over the last two years there have been significant internal changes affecting how we work in Sudan: the creation of CMS
Africa, which has its particular mission strategy in the whole of Africa and beyond; the new, smaller team in CMS relating to ministry in Africa; and over the past two years some of
CMS’s mission partners based in Sudan have returned to the UK for different reasons, which has led to a decrease in the current number of mission partners. However, there is a
continued desire to deepen our relationships within the Episcopal Church of Sudan, which is important for Dennis Tongoi as CMS Africa’s executive director and Stephen Burgess as
CMS Africa manager. CMS has been actively seeking to identify new mission personnel to serve in Sudan in response to requests from the church. Opportunities exist for a finance
manager/accountant, community development workers/teachers and head teachers. Look at our mission service opportunities online for more information. So if you believe God is
calling you to work in Sudan please
visit our mission service webpageWe are in the process of formulating a more
detailed strategy for our future work in Africa, including Sudan and building relationships with key partners. This will be informed by consultation and collaboration with CMS Africa and
ECS and others involved in Sudan from Britain. It is hoped that CMS and CMS Africa can meet with some of the ECS church leadership at the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa
conference in Uganda in August 2010.
Prayer
Please be in prayer for the future peace and wellbeing for all in both the North and South of Sudan.
Any questions?
If you have any queries about our work in Sudan please contact Stephen Burgess. Email:
stephen.burgess@cms-uk.orgDirect line:
+44 (0)1865 787427