Our week of book launch parties in Exeter, Sherford (Plymouth) and Bristol exceeded my expectations.

by Rev Tina Hodgett

I imagined it would be a time of selling – the book, ourselves, Pioneering Parishes. But as people left each party, we realised God had been – as usual – in the ‘in-between’ spaces: profound conversations, new connections, ideas for future possibilities. People left inspired, encouraged and hopeful and reminded of God’s faithfulness, not just £12 lighter in the purse/pocket and 128g heavier in the handbag/manbag (yes, I did weigh the book!).

‘Into All the Parish: Pioneering Practices for Every Local Church’ was described by Jonny Baker at the party in Sherford as ‘distilled wisdom’ – like a fine whisky, he said. We rejoiced that the book is short and therefore both readable and affordable – so people often bought one for their vicar, friend or colleague. It was a time to celebrate all the people who had in larger ways or smaller taught us, ‘seen’ us, supported us, advocated for us, challenged us, made space for us, and allowed both Pioneering Parishes and its book form to come into being.

As we were interviewed Greg and I both found the Holy Spirit directing us back to the early whisperings of the call to be part of a movement to enable more parish churches to embody a missional posture and practice and offer practical spiritual care to all souls in a parish. As Greg talked about recognising the origins of the book content and purpose in his experiences in his early years as a priest, my thoughts were drawn back to my studies in educational change management in the 2000s when I sensed God calling me towards ordination. From this I am reminded again that God’s timescales are longer, slower, wiser and more incremental than ours!

As our current funding stream comes to an end we are pivoting to a different way of working. You can find all our tools and resources on our website here. We can still be contacted via www.pioneeringparishes.org and on Instagram and Facebook. We may still contact you occasionally but less regularly via newsletter. You can always unsubscribe if this is unwelcome. Greg and I are available for work as self-employed consultants; you can approach us via a range of routes. If you want to hear more from us you can subscribe to our Substack accounts: https://gregbakker.substack.com and https://tinahodgett.substack.com/ (or www.tinahodgett.net). If you’d like to stay in touch with the Church Mission Society you can subscribe to their pioneer newsletter here or their regular mission updates here.

We bless you with joy, adventure and hope as you discern and join in with God’s mission locally. From the Pioneering Parishes team: Gail, Greg, Jayne and Tina.

Find all our tools and resources here.

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In Palhoça semi-open prison in Florianópolis, prisoners who follow Jesus or who are exploring faith can now meet together on Saturday mornings.

“It’s clear the Lord is opening doors, and it’s yet another affirmation that we are on the right path,” shares Andy Walsh, a CMS mission partner doing prison ministry in the city.

Following requests by Andy and his team, the governor of Palhoça prison gave the green light for regular church services in March 2026.

Palhoça’s church plant heralds a new phase of prison ministry in Brazil.

Over the past couple of years, Andy and a small team connected with the local Baptist church have been working among people in prison in and around Florianópolis, running a 12-week discipleship course in several prisons and supporting prisoners to explore faith in Jesus. Hundreds of men have chosen to follow Jesus, but more follow-up and pastoral care are needed, and in most cases, prisoners aren’t allowed to meet together for church services, despite this right being outlined in Brazilian law.

Andy and his team hope the church in Palhoça will become a model that can be replicated in other prisons.

Next, they are hoping for progress with decision-makers at San Pedro de Alcântara Penitentiary, a maximum-security prison housing over 1,500 men.

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A new book which has been called “a ‘must-read’ for all who want to see their local churches thrive” has just been published.

It has been written by our very own Rev Tina Hodgett and Rev Greg Bakker, founders of Pioneering Parishes, which provides tools, practices and postures to help churches go into all the parish. The training helps churches cultivate an environment in which new things can thrive in an appropriate way for their context and community, helping engage with people who are unconnected.

In August 2023 Church House Publishing asked Tina and Greg to write a practical book for church leaders on culture change. They prepared a proposal for the editorial board and were delighted with the affirmation that what they proposed was a “hopeful, conciliatory and constructive contribution to contemporary church life and the church’s mission”. After three years of work, Into All the Parish: Pioneering Practices for Every Local Church is available now.

Into all the Parish moves away from attempts at rejuvenation of the parish church based on replicable strategies or programmes into a ‘way of being’. Reviews of the book are pouring in and many are commenting on the ‘practical companionship offered’ for congregations wishing to make this change.

One review says:

“For leaders, dreamers, and blue-sky thinkers, this book offers plenty of imagination and possibility. It challenges churches to pay attention to where God is already active in their parish. For anyone longing to see faith become more connected, hopeful, and rooted in everyday community life, Into All the Parish offers a way to do church differently.”

Rev Marie Meredith, vicar to the churches of Great Wyrley: St Andrew’s and St Mark’s

Another says:

“Long gone are the days when ‘pioneering’ was seen as being in opposition to ‘traditional’ parish ministry. Here is a clear demonstration of how cultivating a pioneering disposition enables parish church congregations to explore afresh their identity and vocation for the present time.”

Rev Canon Jane Maycock, Canon Missioner, Durham Cathedral

CMS’s Jonny Baker, director of mission in Britain, says of the book:

“If I was new in a ministry post or on the PCC in a parish church, I would be thanking God for this book! It is short, sharply focused, and extremely practical. It will really help you lead a church through a process of culture change giving the best chance possible of taking the whole church with you on the journey. The five dynamics explored arise from distilled wisdom learned from putting this into practice in a parish setting over many years and you can tell.”

Lots of lay people and clergy working across the country are already benefiting from the book, as this review shows:

“Into All the Parish is the best kind of “self-help” book – opening space for gathered communities to discern together the movement of the Holy Spirit in their midst. Led by discerning questions, each chapter prompts readers to consider an area of parish life where small shifts might lead to significant relational and spiritual flourishing. No act is deemed too small to be significant and no hope too large to be attainable. Highly recommended for churches desiring to reach the whole parish but uncertain how or where to start.”

Stacey Van Dyk, Children & Families Ministry Leader

The book has also reached the attention of bishops with Mike Harrison, the bishop of Exeter, saying:

“A wise, accessible and practical guide to helping Christian communities discern how God’s Spirit is at work inside and outside the Church. Tools are provided helping congregations to ensure principles eclipse preferences, abundance mind-sets hold sway over scarcity narratives, and different ways of doing and being church are held together synergistically. All this wrapped up in a missional understanding of being caught up in God’s sacrificial loving movement towards the world – personified in Jesus and inviting our participatory involvement. Recommended!”

And Jonathan Frost, bishop of Portsmouth, giving heartfelt approval:

“I am delighted to read this contribution to the vital task of parochial ministry. God’s church needs pioneering ministry in every context. Wherever Tina Hodgett and Greg Bakker share their rich experience, new life happens, and the hope of God’s kingdom becomes breaks out. I commend this work with all my heart”

This summer, Tina and Greg will be hosting launch events across the South West and online and they would love to welcome you to hear more about the book. There will also be contributions from a number of churches who have benefited from Pioneering Parishes training. Book your place now.

Buy Into All the Parish: Pioneering practices for every local church now.

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Harvey Kwiyani named in Top 10 list for outstanding books in mission studies

At CMS many of our staff regularly add books to our library bookshelves – by writing and publishing them. In fact colleagues have published more than 26 books!

One of these books has recently been recognised for a prestigious honour.

In August 2025, Dr Harvey Kwiyani – CMS Pioneer Mission Training African Christianity Programme Lead and Acts 11 Centre Lead – published Decolonizing Mission. Through the book, Harvey traces the history of Christian mission alongside the history of empire, showing the influence that one had on the other. Imagining what mission without imperialism would look like, he sheds light on the connection between colonialism and mission and invites readers to realign missional methods with God’s.

The book has had an international impact and been widely celebrated. Most recently, Decolonizing Mission has been named among the 10 Outstanding Books in Mission Studies, World Christianity, and Intercultural Theology for 2025 by the International Bulletin of Mission Research.

Speaking of receiving this esteemed acknowledgement of the book, Harvey said:

“There are moments in academic life that feel deeply personal, yet clearly point beyond oneself; moments that hint at a wider shift taking place within a discipline. I receive this recognition with genuine gratitude. But more than that, I receive it with a quiet sense of recognition that this is not simply about my work, nor even about one book. It feels, rather, like a sign that a conversation many of us have been carrying for some time – often from the margins, often against the grain – is now being heard more widely.”

Harvey is currently raising funds to publish Decolonizing Mission in Africa, with the aim of making it accessible to pastors, church leaders, teachers, students, and mission practitioners across the continent. If you would like to support this project, you can do so here.

Decolonizing Mission is available from SCM Press and other online book retailers.

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Hello everyone and welcome to Hope from the Edges. I’m Andy Roberts, CEO for CMS.

In the next few minutes, we’ll bring you inspiring updates from three different edges of our world, stories of resilience, transformation and hope that your gifts and prayers are making directly possible.

First, we go to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where local church leaders are stepping onto the front lines of a critical health crisis. Then we cross the ocean to Brazil. For a mission story that happens to be very close to my heart. And finally, we’ll return to the UK to celebrate a remarkable story of community resilience and a grand reopening in Carlisle.

We begin today with a sobering situation unfolding in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The country is currently facing its 17th Ebola outbreak in 50 years, with over 1,000 suspected cases. And more than 200 tragic deaths already officially reported. The epicentre is in Ituri province, but confirmed cases have reached the major city of Goma and crossed borders into Uganda.

If you’ve kept up with CMS mission efforts in DRC, you’ll know this crisis is compounding severe humanitarian and political instability. Over 10 million people are currently living under the control of M23 rebel authorities. An ongoing conflict has forced the closure of local airports, severely restricting the flow of vital medical supplies and response teams. In these incredibly vulnerable, volatile spaces, the Church is proving to be a primary safety net and lifeline.

CMS mission partner Martin Gordon, the Bishop of Goma, reports that local churches are uniquely positioned to respond because they remain among the very few institutions truly trusted by the community. This local trust is a matter of life and death. Widespread public mistrust of health authorities has unfortunately fueled scepticism about the virus’s existence, even leading to two treatment centres being set on fire.

Drawing on their hard-worn experience, the Diocese of Goma is mobilising rapidly. They’ve already circulated vital pastoral guidance on tracking symptoms, introducing strict hygiene and sanitation standards. And managing medical referrals safely. Plans are also underway to equip local schools and churches with temperature screening equipment, launch awareness conferences for clergy and teachers, and partner with local journalists to actively combat misinformation. Because this involves a rare strain of Ebola, for which there’s currently no approved vaccine or cure, containment through community education is our most critical line of defence.

Bishop Martin is calling for urgent prayer for protection over health workers and wisdom for church leaders. To learn more and to stand with them, please visit our website.

Now let’s travel to Brazil for a story close to my heart about how the posture of mission is changing and the beautiful fruit of local leadership.

Many years ago my wife Rose, who is from Brazil, and I felt a call on our hearts to help protect vulnerable girls from exploitation. We founded Revive International. Now, when I had first arrived in Brazil as an 18-year-old gap year volunteer, a young local woman named Elise became my translator. She also joined our dining room table prayer meetings and eventually became Revive’s very first paid employee.

When the time came for Rose and I to move to the UK after 15 years, we faced a choice. Rather than bringing in another foreign leader. We chose to step back and entrust Revive entirely into the hands of Elise and the local Brazilian team. We wanted to intentionally dismantle the mindset that subtly implies that leadership must come from the outside. And when we told them, they burst into tears. Under Elise’s leadership, Revive has thrived. The team have listened to where the Holy Spirit has been moving, bravely transitioning the work away from large residential institutions or safe houses, toward pioneering a growing fostering service. It is a living testament to Psalm 68, which reminds us that God sets the lonely in families.

The same shift towards collaborative, locally rooted mission is beautifully reflected in story of CMS mission partners Stu and Rosie Bayford. During the seven years serving alongside Revive, they partnered with a local church to pioneer a community market in an underserved neighbourhood. Rejecting a dependency-heavy handout model, they built a system where local families could buy food at deeply reduced rates, preserving agency and dignity. The market grew into a thriving community hub, a space for shared prayer, parenting workshops and other seminars. Through these relationships, three local sisters came to faith and were recently baptised.

And just like Rose and I did years ago, as Stu and Rosie now return to the UK, they have handed full ownership of this market over to a dedicated team from the local church.

This is mission at its best, where all parties are listened to, working in genuine partnership, building up each other’s gifts, and stepping away so local leaders can flourish.

Finally, let’s return to the UK to see this exact same pattern of local empowerment and resilience at work. In Cumbria, the Carlisle Community Shed, a project involving CMS mission partner Gary Ion, has been a vital lifeline, connecting with people on the margins who are navigating loneliness or mental health challenges. Through practical, hands-on workshops, the shed provided a safe space for people to find community and purpose. And to explore faith in Jesus too.

However, in October 2025, the project hit a major financial roadblock and was forced to close its doors. The tools were packed away, the contents were moved into a storage unit, and the doors were locked. But the story didn’t end there. What followed was an incredible outpouring from the local community, refusing to let the space of hope disappear.

A powerful local outcry sparked a special fundraising campaign. Thanks to that local determination and prayer, the Shed recently celebrated a grand reopening. Gary shares that the new location is even better than before, featuring a spacious workshop, a dedicated social area with sofas and an indoor game space.

Thank you so much for joining me for these updates from the Edges. And for the prayerful and financial support that makes these breakthroughs possible.

Please consider sharing this video with your church, small group, or anyone who needs a reminder of how God is moving in our world today. Until next time, we are so deeply grateful for your partnership as together we follow Jesus.

With Jesus
With each other
To the edges

ENDS

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The Bishop of Goma, Martin Gordon, has joined Church leaders in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in calling for urgent international support and prayer as the country faces its 17th Ebola outbreak in 50 years.

Speaking from Goma, Bishop Martin, a Church Mission Society (CMS) mission partner, warned that the outbreak, officially declared by the Congolese government on 15 May, has already resulted in over 1,000 suspected cases and more than 200 deaths. The outbreak’s epicentre is in Ituri Province in the north of the country, with confirmed cases now reported in Uganda and in Goma itself, the largest city in eastern Congo.

Churches across DRC are now playing a critical role in the response. Through extensive networks of schools, clinics, and local congregations, churches remain among the few institutions trusted by communities. Bishop Martin explained, “The church is on the frontline. We are at the heart of every village and community, and we are one of the few institutions still trusted to tell the truth.”

Drawing on experience from the devastating 2018–2020 Ebola outbreak, church leaders are already mobilising. The diocese of Goma has circulated pastoral guidance outlining Ebola symptoms and encouraging best practices for hygiene, physical contact and medical referrals. Plans are also underway to equip churches and schools with temperature screening equipment.

Adding to the challenge is widespread public mistrust of health authorities and treatment centres. Many communities remain sceptical about the existence of Ebola, while restrictions surrounding burials have intensified tensions. “During the last outbreak, there were nearly 500 attacks against health facilities and 25 frontline medical staff were killed,” Bishop Martin recalled. He continued, “Already, two Ebola treatment centres have been set on fire.”

A major awareness and mobilisation conference for clergy, evangelists, teachers, and church staff in Goma was scheduled, and there are plans to expand training efforts across the wider diocese in the coming months. Church leaders are also renewing partnerships with journalists and community leaders to combat misinformation and promote life-saving public health messaging.

Bishop Martin emphasised that financial support will be essential to sustain these efforts. “We need support to strengthen awareness raising, equip frontline churches and schools, and help communities respond effectively,” he said. “But above all, we ask people to pray – for rapid mobilisation of resources, protection for health workers, effective treatment development and for churches to continue to be voices of hope.”

The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no approved treatment or cure. Researchers at the University of Oxford said a vaccine it was developing could enter clinical trials within two to three months. The crisis is unfolding amid severe humanitarian and political instability. Recent cuts to USAID have weakened health monitoring systems, while approximately 10 million people are living under the control of M23 rebel authorities in eastern DRC. Ongoing tensions between the Congolese government and M23 forces have also kept Goma and Bukavu airports closed, severely restricting access for medical supplies and personnel.

Andy Roberts, CEO of CMS, said; “Bishop Martin and other church leaders like him have shown extraordinary courage. When a health crisis of this magnitude strikes an area already experiencing socio-political vulnerability, the Church is often the primary safety net. They are not fleeing the danger; they are moving toward it with love, practical help and hope. We urgently ask the global community to lift them up in prayer, for protection over church workers, wisdom in stopping the spread, and for the necessary medical resources to reach the region swiftly.”

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The next cohort of CMS Certificate students in the South West Pioneer Hub has got underway, including a group from Bristol Diocese who shared this report from the first weekend.

Over the last weekend of April, 34 students, eight facilitators and a course chaplain from the dioceses of Bristol, Exeter and Truro gathered at Sclerder Abbey in Cornwall for the first residential weekend and launch of the Church Mission Society (CMS) contextual pioneer mission course.

This first weekend was also the first of six modules that make up the course. The module was focused on ‘What is Pioneer Mission?’ and was facilitated by Jonny Baker, Britain Hub mission director for CMS, and Lindsay Smith, an ordained pioneer minister based in Portishead. The learning was a creative mixture of teaching, self-reflection, conversation, and physical movement, using the outdoor spaces at the abbey. The outside space was particularly helpful when Lindsay shared the Pioneer Spectrum with the students.

The weekend contained plenty of opportunities to reflect, visit the Green Abbey onsite, go for a walk or a nap, or speak with the course chaplain. The three days, perhaps due to their location, had the feel of a combination of a retreat and a learning space and gave time for people from across the South West to make connections, share stories, and learn from and with each other.

Lee Barnes, Bristol’s diocesan adviser for Curacy & Fresh Expressions of Church, said:

“It was exciting to see the Bristol cohort of students engaging in this new partnership with CMS. The beautiful sunny weather was an added bonus to what was already a weekend with a great atmosphere, energy and engaged conversations.”

On the Sunday morning, the group headed to a local beach and gathered there for a time of reflective worship and wandering.

One of the students said:

“I am excited to see where all these people will take their learning and what will emerge as a result. It’s really good to be part of that adventure!”

Another shared:

“It feels like I have been stretched and inspired, also, I have found my tribe.”

If you would like to know more about the course or if you would like to register your interest in a course next year,

• in Bristol Diocese, email Lee.Barnes@bristoldiocese.org
• in Exeter Diocese, email Jeremy.Putnam@exeter.anglican.org
• in Truro Diocese, email Lindsey.Morgan-Lundie@trurodiocese.org.uk

Republished with kind permission of the Diocese of Bristol

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Hello everyone and welcome to Hope from the Edges. I’m Andy Roberts, CEO for CMS.

In the next few minutes, we’ll bring you inspiring news from three edges in our world. Stories that you are making possible through your gifts and prayers.

First, we will go to South East Asia for the story of an inspiring woman who is reaching her village with the love of Jesus.

From there we’ll go to Paraguay. And celebrate one mission partner’s remarkable 44 years of service and a linguistic legacy that will live on for generations to come.

Finally, we’ll go to Tanzania and zoom in on places where it’s tough to be a Christian, and we’ll meet our newest mission partners who are preparing to serve there.

First, meet Grace, whose name we’ve changed for security reasons.

Grace grew up in a remote village in a jungle area of South East Asia. When she was seven years old, Grace’s grandfather told her about Jesus. At age 14, Grace left school to help her family farm rice. A few years later, she signed on with a housekeeping agency and went to Malaysia to work for a family there. Though the housekeeping agency tried to take Grace’s Bible away from her, the family she worked for fought for her to keep it.

Over the next few years, she grew in her faith, through praying and reading her precious Bible. After several years of working in Malaysia, Grace felt the Lord telling her to return to her country for something new.

Back in her village, she worked odd jobs for the next two years, and looked for God’s purpose in bringing her back home. Grace got involved in her local church, and she realised how deeply the people in her district needed Jesus. She began praying that God would use her.

In 2025, church leaders offered her training to help her become more effective in her ministry. This is how Grace met Patrick, whose name we’ve also changed for security reasons. Patrick is an Asia-CMS partner who works with a local institute, training local mission workers and rural church leaders in discipleship, evangelism, and church planting.

Following her training, Grace returned to her village. Today, Grace is a pastor and is training 25 leaders in her church for mission and ministry. She also travels to other villages to share the good news of Jesus and work with local children and young people.

God is using CMS partners in Asia to transform vast numbers of lives across the region.

Now let’s go to the Chaco region of Paraguay where mission partner Tim Curtis is now retiring after an amazing 44 years in mission among Indigenous peoples.

Tim has spent 44 years helping translate the Bible into the Énxet languages and supporting the Indigenous Énxet people to interact with God’s Word. Tim first went to Paraguay in the early 1980s, teaching at Indigenous and Government schools.

He soon became involved in Bible translation, supporting a team of three indigenous translators to revise the Southern Énxet New Testament and translate the Old Testament from scratch. After many years’ hard work, the full Southern Énxet Bible was launched in 2016. In Tim’s words, “from start to finish it was surprising, even miraculous, how different people from different organisations, churches and institutions came together for the translation.”

In the years that followed, Tim and others worked to help people engage with the word through producing an audio version of the Southern Énxet Bible and dubbing the Jesus film into the language.

A related language group, the Northern Enlhet, also needed help translating the Bible into their language. In 2018, Tim joined their Bible translation team part-time as a consultant and continues support them from the UK even now. Northern Enlhet speakers hope to celebrate the completion of the Bible in their language in the late 2020s.

We’re so thankful for Tim’s hard work and the invaluable linguistic legacy that will live on among Indigenous peoples in Paraguay, empowering them for generations to come.

Now it’s my great pleasure and privilege to introduce to you our newly selected mission partners, Dave and Tricia Rollett, preparing to swap their life in the East Midlands for East Africa.

We believe God is calling Dave and Tricia’s family to Tanzania to support Christians who are in a minority to grow in their faith and work together to be a loving witness to their neighbours of other faiths.

They are hoping to move to Zanzibar this August so that they can get stuck into discipleship, partnership building and more as quickly as possible. We have faith that God will provide the money for them to move in this short time frame.

Could God be calling you to support the mission work they’ll be involved in? Dave and Tricia are featured partners in CMS’s Global Edge Church programme. This means if you sign up to support them, you’ll also be supporting other mission partners and local partners who are quipping and encouraging where followers of Jesus are in a minority. Go to churchmissionsociety.org/rollett to find out more.

And be sure to check the Trek for Tanzania sponsored challenge Dave will be doing, walking the length of Zanzibar to raise support.

Lastly, May is our recruitment month. Could God be calling you to go to the edges with CMS globally or locally? Go to churchmissionsociety.org/serve to discover more about how you could go to the edges with CMS.

Well, thank you all for joining me for these stories from the edges and for your prayerful support which makes them possible.

Please share this video with your church, small group or anyone you think could use some fuel for their faith.

Until next time, we are so grateful for your gifts and prayers as together we go:

With Jesus
With each other
To the edges

ENDS

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In a significant answer to prayer, a project in Cumbria that connects with people on the margins through practical hands-on workshops re-opened at the end of February 2026.

In October 2025, Carlisle’s Community Shed was forced to close for financial reasons. The team, including mission partner Garry Ion, moved the contents of the Shed into a storage unit.

Following an outcry in the local community and a special fundraising effort, the Shed has reopened its doors. Once again, people living with loneliness and mental health challenges, including people recently released from prisons, can find invaluable support.

Garry shares that the new shed is even better than the old one: “We have a spacious workshop and social area with sofas and an indoor games area.

“The original shed started in a garage during the COVID lockdown by myself and Pioneer Chaplain, Rev Chris Harwood. This time, the local community’s involvement, commitment and determination have driven its reopening.

“The new Community Shed is in a very underprivileged area of Carlisle, and it’s truly heartwarming to see the generosity and time given by the community to support its future. We have so much to be grateful for as we begin this new chapter together.”

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Have you ever felt a “holy discomfort”? That nagging sense that God is calling you to serve, but perhaps not in a way that fits into a traditional Sunday morning box?

Recently, I stood in the Bishop of Exeter’s Palace to celebrate with a group of people who felt exactly that. I love that pioneer training with CMS doesn’t just happen in Oxford or in one single place. It’s happening – and growing – across the UK.

The latest CMS Pioneer Graduation gathered students from across the South West, including Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.

The palace was filled with creativity, warmth and joy. There were interactive worship displays, beautiful sung worship led by a harpist, moving student testimonies, lots of delicious food and, of course, as befits a celebration, much cake.

A celebration of community 

This was more than simply a celebration of completing a course or receiving a certificate. Again and again, students spoke about finding a home. They spoke about finally discovering a language for what they had sensed God calling them to for years. They found a way of looking at mission – a missiology – that made sense of the places they were serving, and training that helped them do what they do with greater confidence, wisdom and courage.

That is one of the great gifts of pioneer training. It names and nurtures what God is already stirring. It helps people understand that mission does not only happen in familiar church settings, but also out at the edges – in the overlooked places, among those who may never walk into a church building, in communities where fresh expressions of Christian witness and discipleship are needed.

Some of the creative demonstrations of work by graduating students

Jesus calls us to the edges with him 

I had the privilege of sharing a few words during the celebration, and I found myself returning to a theme that has been growing in me for some time: Jesus as the Great Disturber.

That might sound like an odd thing to say at a graduation, but I think it fits. Jesus has always had a habit of lovingly disturbing people into new possibilities. That disturbance is not there to crush us, but to awaken us. It is often how mission begins.

Because pioneering is not first about having all the answers, having a perfect plan, or building something impressive. Pioneering begins with a willingness to follow Jesus into places that are unfamiliar, overlooked, risky, and sometimes uncomfortable. And that is right at the heart of CMS.

You may not always feel ready. You may not always feel confident. Some days you may feel small, uncertain, or underqualified. But the good news is this: God has always loved working through ordinary people who say yes.

And as I said to the graduating students: “Your ‘yes’ matters. So, as you graduate, don’t just think, ‘I’ve finished something.’ Think, ‘I’m being sent.’”

Rt Rev Mike Harrison, Bishop of Exeter, and I handed out certificates to around 24 students, each one representing a story of faithfulness, courage and calling.

As ever, the certificates only told part of the story.

The real story is what comes next: the communities that will be served, the conversations that will be had, the experiments that will be tried, the friendships that will be formed, the prayers that will be whispered, the people who will encounter Jesus in new ways because these pioneers said yes to his call.

Are you being called to something new? Find out about training with CMS

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People from Dinka Twic and Dinka Ngok tribes, which have been in conflict since 2017, now worship together in a church plant in Turalei, Warrap State, CMS-Africa reports.

Many had thought such a thing would never be possible. But now, the people groups are working together to build bridges across a longstanding divide.

Children from the two tribes now play together and adults are building community. In their own words, “God has done this.”

The conflict is related to a dispute over a piece of land which is being claimed by both communities. This led to the outbreak of violence. A particularly bad instance of this in 2022 led to the displacement of thousands of people and massive destruction of properties as well as the loss of several innocent lives.

Women take the lead for peace

CMS partners have been facilitating an ongoing peace process and in June 2025, women from these groups came together for a special event: the Twic and Ngok Joint Women Peace Dialogue Meeting.

The event brought together religious leaders, United Nations Mission in South Sudan, government officials, community representatives and more, and was facilitated by local partner Regina Lueth, who teaches theology at St John’s Theological College in Wau.

Women from both people groups committed to be ambassadors of peace in their homes and communities, to encourage forgiveness and respectful dialogue and to lead peacemaking efforts.

They made an impressive list of formal commitments to work for peace:

1. Act as peace ambassadors in our homes and communities by messages by sharing peace messages with husbands, sons, daughters, and neighbours.
2. Denounce hate speech and incitement, especially through cultural mediums such as music and storytelling.
3. Lead peace dissemination efforts through radio stations, churches, schools, health facilities, and local gatherings.
4. Engage in women-led exchange visits and trust-building dialogue between the Ngok and Twic communities.
5. Encourage forgiveness and respectful dialogue at the family and community levels. Engage youth to discourage violent practices such as cattle raiding and retaliation.
6. Counter misinformation and disinformation through verified messaging and strengthen the local peace network.

Pray together

Pray for the women in these communities to actively look for big and small opportunities to build bridges between the two groups, and encourage each other to keep working towards peace. Pray for their desire and drive for peace to spread to those around them.

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Video transcript

Hello and welcome to Hope from the Edges. I’m Andy Roberts, CEO of CMS.

In the next few minutes, we’ll bring you inspiring news from three edges in our world – stories that you are making possible through your gifts and prayers.

First, we’ll go to Honduras and hear about a young woman who went from street life to full life. From there we’ll go to South Sudan where a former cattle rustler was steered towards a better path. Finally, we’ll turn the spotlight on a mission partner who has spent two decades in challenging work that has taken her across the globe.

But before we begin, I want to take some time to acknowledge an anniversary none of us would have wanted to commemorate.

By the time you receive this video, we will have crossed the four-year mark since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and I want to take a moment to ask for your prayers for our mission partner Alison Giblett, who has remained in Ukraine this whole time, faithfully sharing the light of Jesus – despite missile attacks, freezing winters and growing despair.

This is most definitely mission at the edges. Let’s go to God together and keep praying for peace to prevail.

And now, let’s hop over to Honduras for a story of hope nine years in the making.

The country of Honduras faces huge challenges including rampant gang warfare, poverty and corruption.

Many children in Honduras suffer from abuse or neglect and are drawn to life on the streets, which can be both cruel and dangerous.

In 2017, a young girl named Johanni was one of these at-risk children.

She recalls, “When I was eight years old, I spent most of my time out in the street. My parents didn’t send me to school. No one was looking out for me except myself.”

Johanni spent much of her time hanging out with other kids at a local park. She could see no real future for herself.

One day, she met some adults who were different – kind and interested. They listened to her struggles and told her Jesus loved her.

Over time, these people, CMS mission partners Lindsey and Steve Poulson, helped Johanni and 14 other children register for school. This was the beginning of a new life chapter for Johanni as well as the start of what would become a life-changing project for many children.

This group of 15 children were the beginning of Proyecto Alas, a programme that supports at-risk children to continue in education and make good choices for the future. A key part of this programme is that each child is assigned a mentor.

Johanni says, “My mentor listens to me, encourages me and helps me make positive decisions.”

Now 16 years old, Johanni is an aspiring nail artist. She says, “Most girls my age don’t make it to high school so I’m really proud of my achievement and growth.”

The Poulsons are grateful to have walked alongside Johanni these nine years and to have seen her and others reach their God-given potential.

We now journey to South Sudan.

In South Sudan livestock is highly prized. So, cattle raiding is big business.

In recent years, raids have become more intense, more violent and take place on a much larger scale. It’s a crime with a huge cost.

Makol was a cattle raider from Warrap State, South Sudan. He knew that stealing cattle was wrong and that people were getting hurt, but he was making too much money to stop. He also knew if he was caught, he could be executed.

One day Makol was caught in the act, arrested and put in a police car. He knew his fate was sealed.

What Makol didn’t know was this: that night a peace rally was scheduled to take place, led by Archbishop Moses Deng. Drawing on training he’d received from our colleagues in CMS-Africa, the Archbishop spoke to the community on the theme of love and forgiveness.

The governor of Warrap State, General Aleu Ayieny, attended this rally. Having heard about Makol’s crimes, he had planned for him to be publicly executed at the end of the peace rally.

Evening came and Makol found himself sitting in the back of the governor’s car, waiting for his punishment, while General Ayieny listened to Archbishop Moses’ message nearby.

When he had finished, the governor stood up and addressed him:

“Your Grace Moses, I have a living dead young man in the back of my car. I have brought him here to kill him in front of these crowds and multitudes by firing squad. We have spoken a lot against this practice of cattle raiding and today we could have been making an example out of this man…but because you have spoken of forgiveness and reconciliation command I have forgiven him.”

The governor went back to his car and instructed Makol to follow him. Makol followed slowly, walking to his death.

But standing there in front of his community, hanging his head, he heard the words, “You are forgiven.”

Makol was overwhelmed at this mercy and grace. It wasn’t long before he received Jesus and was baptised.

Four years later, his cattle raiding days are behind him. He and his family belong to a local church and Makol provides for his family by working as a prison warden.

Join us in giving thanks for this life that was changed and continue to pray for all CMS people in mission involved in making disciples in areas facing violent conflict.

Last but absolutely not least we want to congratulate a CMS mission partner who is marking 20 years since she first began responding to a huge call God placed on her life.

In 2005, while lamenting the suffering of millions of girls and women impacted by the practice of female genital mutilation (or FGM),

Ann-Marie Wilson asked God: “Who will help girls like this?” 

To her amazement, the answer came back as an audible voice: “You will.”

Two decades later, Ann-Marie is still answering that call. Through her international organisation, 28 Too Many, which merged with Orchid Project in 2022, she has gathered the stories of thousands of FGM survivors and built a global movement dedicated to ending FGM worldwide.

Ann-Marie and the Orchid Project team haven’t just changed individual lives; they’ve shifted global policy and fostered grassroots change across continents.

You can discover the remarkable story of Ann-Marie’s 20 years in this vital work by going to the Stories section of the CMS website.

Ann-Marie’s journey is a powerful testament to how a single person can spark profound global change.

And it all began with a simple, radical act of daring to ask, Who will help?

Thank you for joining me for these stories from the edges and for your prayerful support, which makes them possible.

Please share this video with your church, small group or anyone you think could use some fuel for their faith.

Until next time, we are so grateful for your gifts and prayers as together we go:

With Jesus
With each other
To the edges

ENDS

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The post Hope from the edges March 2026 appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).