Global mission is no longer the domain of professional missionaries, but has become the work of everyone in the church. We prayerfully work to build relationships across difference whether in local or international contexts. We raise funds to support our international partners, and sell fair trade coffee, chocolate, and olive oil in our churches to be in solidarity with and provide a living wage to laborers in those industries.
Whether you’re selling coffee at church, praying for displaced people throughout the world, trying to maintain a relationship with a church in Haiti or elsewhere abroad, wondering how you might help people in places like the Ukraine, or just curious about global mission, you’re invited to contact Director of Faith Formation Emily Keniston, who is Maine’s Global Mission Advocate (GMA).
GMAs were created by a General Convention Resolution and are appointed by bishops, 1 or 2 per diocese. We are charged with increasing understanding of our Christian call to love and care for our neighbors across the globe, and to integrate the mission paradigm of “doing with, not doing for.”
Emily is the current chair of The Episcopal Church’s Standing Commission on World Mission and will serve until General Convention in 2030. She helped to plan the first Global Mission Advocates (GMA) Conference at Camp Allen in April which you can read more about here on the Global Episcopal Mission Network (GEMN) website.
Emily is happy to answer any questions or talk to you about your ideas about world mission!
Ready to learn more about global mission in the Episcopal Church? Here are some great places to start:
Becoming a World Where Love is the Way– Guiding Principles for World Mission document and study: Published by the Standing Commission on World Mission, this overview shares the vision of a free and printable 4-week Bible study that encourages participants to engage healthy paradigms of mission.
The History of Global Mission: A simple, free, printable resource from the Office of Global Partnerships that guides thinking about what mission is and the impact it has on followers of Christ worldwide.
Bearing Witness by American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem is a free five-session, video based curriculum with facilitator guide that leads groups through a deeper understanding of the diocese’s current, historic and faith-based contexts.
Explore the Office of Global Partnerships’ monthly call on various topics related to world mission. They are on the first Wednesday of each month, Eastern Standard Time.
Episcopal Relief & Development has formation resources, including an excellent ministry planning calendar, Abundant Life Garden Project VBS, 1000 Days of Love initiative and more.
Episcopal Youth in Mission Manual: Planning a pilgrimage or mission trip with youth? This is an excellent (free and printable) guide to shape your theological and practical thinking about the endeavor. It includes checklists, sample permission forms and timeline for planning.