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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Explore the challenges of the multicultural church, how we can overcome them and discover hope too.

The future of both the church and mission is undeniably multicultural – shaped by migration, global Christianity, and shifting cultural realities. Yet for many leaders, this future feels more complicated than hopeful. Why is that?

In this webinar, Harvey Kwiyani, CMS Pioneer Mission Training African Christianity Programme Lead and lecturer, explores the deeper challenges beneath the surface of “diversity,” including questions of power, belonging, leadership, and theology.

Drawing on his wider work on cultural diversity and decolonising mission, he will offer a fresh vision for understanding cultural difference not as a problem to solve, but as a gift to receive – alongside practical insights for leading churches into a more shared, participatory life in God’s mission.

Dr Harvey Kwiyani

Harvey is African Christianity Programme Lead and Acts 11 Centre Lead.

He is a Malawian missiologist and theologian who has lived, worked and studied in Europe and North America for the past 20 years.

He has researched African Christianity and African theology for his PhD, and taught African theology at Liverpool Hope University.

Harvey is also founder and executive director of Missio Africanus, a mission organisation established in 2014 as a learning community focused on releasing the missional potential of African and other minority ethnic Christians living in the UK.

Take part

Free to attend. Please reserve your place to get the Zoom details.

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The post Webinar: The Future is Multicultural – So What’s the Problem? appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

An invitation to a mountain retreat

by Johnny Sertin

2 April 2026

For over 20 years now, a small community I am part of has been learning how to live with a different kind of rhythm. Not one dictated by urgency, productivity, or the constant churn of modern life – but one shaped by the seasons.

Year by year, we have found a cadence to personal and family life by paying attention to what already exists: the quiet wisdom of the natural world, the turning of the seasons, the rites they invite us into, and the organic liturgies that emerge when we slow down enough to notice. These rhythms don’t need to be invented; they are already there, waiting to be received, inhabited, and lived.

Out of this way of life, something else has grown.

Alongside my friend Paul Rose, I have been hosting mountain retreats in the beautiful surroundings of the Lake District. In the years since COVID, these spaces have taken on an even deeper significance. There is, it seems, a growing need for people to step out of the noise and ask more attentive, more discerning questions of their lives:

• Where am I?
• How am I?
• Who am I being called to be?

These are not questions to be rushed.

They are questions that require space – space to walk, to breathe, to listen.

Our retreats draw on the Ignatian tradition of spiritual formation, where attention, awareness, and discernment sit at the heart of the journey. Over a couple of days, we take a small, circular pilgrimage through the fells – guided by Paul, a qualified mountaineer, and accompanied by me. The mountains have a way of becoming more than just a backdrop; they become a teacher.

Nature offers insights we often cannot access elsewhere – truths that only surface when we are fully present to our surroundings.

And, of course, the mountains do not bend to our plans. The weather will do what it will. There are moments of challenge, even struggle – and moments of breathtaking beauty and uplift. Both matter. Both shape us. Both have something to say about who we are and who we are becoming.

Equally important to the walking is the welcome.

Hospitality sits at the heart of what we offer. We are always beautifully looked after by the Home Community Cafe in Earlsfield, led by Meg Fry and her wonderful team, who nourish us with food prepared with care and generosity.

This year, we’ll be gathering in slightly more comfortable surroundings than the mountain huts we’ve used in the past. We’ll be based at the Rydal Hall bunkhouse – a cluster of cottages designed for groups like ours to come together. It offers a simple but rich rhythm: walking in the day, and in the evening, gathering around wood fires with good food, conversation, and rest.

If you are new to retreating, you would be most welcome. If you are someone who already loves the outdoors and recognises it as a place of encounter and reflection, we would love to have you join us again. Everyone is welcome!

You’ll need a reasonable level of fitness to take part in the walking, but you certainly don’t need to be a seasoned mountaineer – just open, willing, and curious.

If something in you is stirring as you read this, we’d encourage you to pay attention to that.

For more information and to register, please take a look at the flyer and follow the Eventbrite link.

Places are limited!

Take part

Cost: £150 per person
A subsidised rate is available if needed – please do ask. We do not want anyone to miss out.

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Not stopping at prison ministry, coaching, mentorship and international speaking, Shirley Powell has added studying with CMS for an undergraduate certificate with a focus on African Christianity.

HH: It’s been a privilege to meet you Shirley, and thank you for agreeing to be interviewed today. You’ve done so much! Yet, you remain a humble and godly woman. Firstly, could you tell me what drew you to CMS Pioneer Mission Training?

SP: A friend told me about CMS, and I started researching the courses available. I had previously completed some Christian studies, but I chose the Undergraduate Certificate in African Christianity to gain a deeper understanding of African history, culture, and Christianity, including the theological aspects. This is particularly relevant to the communities I serve through my projects. The modules on Mission and Evangelism, Introduction to Black Theology, and Global Pentecostalism are especially useful, as they will equip me to apply what I learn directly into practice in my pioneering work, including international mission projects in Uganda and prison ministry in the UK.

Can you tell us more about your work as a pastor and apostle?

I served as a pastor for 17 years and now serve as an Apostle at True Vine International Ministries (formerly True Vine Church). My current focus is pioneering ministry, which includes prison outreach, international mission work in Uganda, and supporting orphanage care projects.

I also mentor teachers and leaders in Uganda to support sustainable community development.

For example, one individual I’ve mentored for the past five years joined our church online during lockdown. Together, we developed a five-year plan to explore his goals and dreams. He’s an agricultural teacher and has since built the STEAM the Light ecosystem in Uganda, which launched on Ugandan TV in December. His project raises public awareness about using natural resources, recycling and sharing sustainable practices within the community, including:

• Nature-based farming
• Authentic education
• Entrepreneurship and cottage industries
• Ecosystem restoration and conservation. The STEAM the Light website is available for anyone interested in learning more or supporting the project.

I’m very proud of all his achievements.

Another leader I’ve supported is Ibrahim, who runs JIREH Children’s Ministry, caring for 30 children in an orphanage. Our ministry provides donations to cover medical care, school supplies, and food. Recently, we assisted with transportation costs for food donations sent by William’s organisation, connecting both leaders to strengthen community support.

Can you tell us more about your broader work and mentoring?

I also work as a health and lifestyle coach, though I’ve paused much of this work, initially due to health issues in the past but more recently to focus on my studies and prison ministry. Through Joseph Prison Ministry, we offer meet-and-greet services for prisoners on release, alongside mentoring and practical support. One ex-offender reached out after discovering us on social media and joined our team as a volunteer. He has shared his personal story and testimony in a recent podcast to encourage other prisoners transitioning out of prison. I was also interviewed on UCB2 radio last year, sharing my story and why I started the ministry project – links are available for anyone who wants to learn more.

Across all these initiatives, my focus is on leadership, teaching, and practical support. I aim to help individuals recognise their God-given gifts, providing tools and encouragement to make positive changes and apply what they learn to their own lives. I’m very proud of these achievements.

Can you share more about your speaking work?

I am an international speaker, often invited to both secular and Christian settings to share on topics including health, self-care, and mental well-being, drawing on biblical insight to guide others in caring for their physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.

I also speak to young people considering starting their own businesses and becoming entrepreneurs. In 2020, during lockdown, I was invited as a guest on BBC Radio Suffolk to share my experience of starting a business later in life and provide practical advice for navigating transitions and adapting to change. I have also been invited by a radio presenter to speak on their show as a health expert.

More recently, I have paused some of this work to focus on my studies, family, and prison ministry.

In addition to speaking, my ministry responsibilities include:

• Visionary and pioneering: leading mission and ministry projects, including prison ministry and outreach initiatives to bring transformation and advance the kingdom of God.
• Life coaching and mentorship: supporting individuals in personal goals, career planning, and strategic thinking (e.g. helping a mentee plan NGO objectives for one, five and 10 years).
• Intercessory work: praying for leaders, the community, and strategic influence to bring positive change.
• Authority and leadership roles: collaborating with local churches across Ipswich and Suffolk to support pioneering ministry work and community engagement, ensuring alignment with God’s purpose.

Phew, Shirley, that sounds like a lot! How do you make yourself physically, emotionally, and spiritually available for all this?

I take regular time to be still in God’s presence, allowing him to guide me. In those moments, I rest, recharge, and reflect, listening to his direction for each season of life. I follow his pattern to how I work. This helps me stay balanced and focused despite a busy schedule.

How have you found CMS Pioneer Mission Training course so far?

I’m really enjoying it. Visiting CMS headquarters last year and meeting you, Helen, some of the lecturers, and fellow students was a highlight. I love the African Christianity modules because they enable me to explore cultures through theological perspectives. The course allows me to apply the teaching directly to my context and reflect on my journey, connecting where I started with where I am now.

How can we pray for you?

I’ve faced a few health challenges and would appreciate prayers for strength and good health so I can complete the course successfully. I would also be grateful for prayers for my family, especially my mother, who has been unwell recently.

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A year ago, Jonny Baker asked me if I would contribute to a “little” idea he’d had: to write some reflections and liturgies on Jesus’ encounters from the fringes…

That “little” idea turned into more reflections and liturgies, then 20, and before we knew it (it turns out there are lots of edges to explore within the Gospels) it became 40 chapters. Throw in another 40 spiritual practices and we found ourselves with a chunky book, over 200 pages, with some beautiful artwork thrown in. The book you now know as Fringe Dweller was born.

How did this happen?

I remember thinking at the Fringe Dweller book launch (which I’ll talk about later), “How did this happen?” I had only recently finished studying at CMS, which I found both life-giving (the lectures and conversations) and particularly challenging (the essays).

I recall my tutor running up to me on the day we received our first marked essays and asking, “Why didn’t you tell us you were dyslexic?” She then proceeded to go through my essay (which, by the way, was okay), chuckling as she noted the glaring giveaways that my brain was wired slightly differently. If I’m honest, it didn’t get easier, but the regular feedback given to my work was that my ideas were interesting, creative even, and that my voice in it all was strong.

As I settled into study, I knew I’d found a home of sorts at CMS – an incubator for creative thinking, to listen, communicate ideas, and cultivate the voices and hunches I’d had about faith and life that perhaps weren’t always safe to verbalise in other spaces. I say this because, without those spaces of freedom to speak out, to agree and disagree with friends, my participation in Fringe Dweller would certainly be absent. It’s likely Jonny would have gone ahead anyway, but my voice would not be there. Homes are important, and the best ones are where it is safe to share your voice.

Riding the wave

Fast forward a few years, and I find myself in a beautiful Anglican church in Ealing for the book launch of Fringe Dweller. I still don’t know how we got here but I’m riding the wave. Jonny and I wanted to make the book launch more than a celebration of our work and certainly more than us talking about it; we wanted to create an experience for people, regardless of what tradition or place they’d come from.

If you haven’t seen any of the Fringe Dweller artwork designed by Jon Birch yet, they really bring the book to life. Jonny and I decided we’d get them blown up into large prints and hang them from the balcony of the church to create an exhibition.

As it did with the book, it brought an already beautiful space to life. It was wonderful to see people arrive into the church, and as soon as they saw the prints, I saw smiles, gasps, and in one case, people were visibly moved by what they were seeing and experiencing.

In one of the chapters, we query why so often street preachers go in with a hard sell, often bypassing most of Jesus’ life and starting with what happens at the end. Some, but not all, of the illustrations are of Jesus. Some are of him walking with people, one is of him laughing with friends as he pours drinks (my mum’s favourite), and one is of Jesus in deep grief. It was interesting to watch where people were drawn. We need to know that Jesus laughs, walks with us, and knows grief, and people were free to spend time with the artwork.

Jonny and I were interviewed about the book, its origin story, and how we made decisions on choosing the stories. Truthfully, there was little to no strategy in choosing the passages other than where Jesus was being with or advocating for people who had been sidelined for whatever reason.

Creative responses

One of our real hopes for the book is that by putting the stories and reflections in people’s hands, we’d get some interesting and creative responses back. We figured between us both we could pull enough favours from creative friends and family to make the evening a little less Dave and Jonny-focused, and we were overwhelmed with people agreeing to take part.

We kicked off the artists’ reflections with an original liturgy from Tina Hodgett called ‘Lock Picker of Closed Doors’, which we used in the book. It was a wonderfully traditional yet fresh way to start our artists’ reflections. Liturgy was not something I was brought up with in my tradition, but there was something stirring to hear young and old read the words “We come to you, seeking the gifts we need from the No One of Nazareth”.

Other highlights included songwriter Chris Read’s reflection of the chapter ‘Eating with Scum’, taken from Matthew 9 – you could have heard a pin drop as he concluded his composition with the same name.

We also had a reflection from Iva Decheva, a South-East London artist who, using incredible colours of blue, silver and green, weaved and embroidered the rippling waters of healing at the pool of Bethesda (John 5) as she imagined the view to be from the sick man.

Iain Cotton (who creates tiles for CMS graduates) took us somewhere deeper still, as he explained his craft and approach to creating his tiles while reflecting on Jesus, the Fringe Dweller.

The artists’ reflections finished with Jonny’s son, Harry, who had written a stunning reverse poem that had many of us feeling all sorts of emotions. His reverse poem ‘Flip the Script’, which riffed off a chapter from the book with the same name, had us all in the palm of his hand.

Strange times

The challenge in the chapter is to flip the scripts or stories we all have and hear, whether they be internal, in our communities, churches, or elsewhere. Harry’s poem was like breathing fresh air, as he challenged narratives that have unfortunately found themselves saddled up to the story of Jesus, the Fringe Dweller. “We have to flip the script,” the repeated refrain from Harry, and in every artist presentation, it felt that was exactly what took place. Our hope is that it would encourage and give permission for others to do the same. It was a wonderful ending to a beautiful evening.

Both Jonny and I noted that the book has come out at an interesting time. It is a strange time to be human, and certainly a strange time to share our faith with other Christians that seem to be living life reading from a completely different script to us. We hope that Fringe Dweller will offer a helpful narrative, particularly to those leading and dwelling in the fringes. We are grateful to all the artists for being generous with their art; it made the evening quite special and, to be honest, reaffirmed our hope for the book: that if we can offer these stories to and with people, wonderful and diverse reflections will come back to us.

If you haven’t got hold of your copies of Fringe Dweller yet, you can get it from getsidetracked.co. We’d love to hear your own reflections and thoughts on the book, as well as those you are connecting with on your context.

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In 2019 the first CMS Pioneer Mission Training students embarked on a doctorate in theology (DTh) at the University of Roehampton. In February this year, the first of those students, Paul Bradbury, successfully defended his thesis in his examination and was awarded his doctorate.

Dr James Butler, leader of CMS Pioneer Mission Training, talks to Paul about his experience of doing the doctorate,  what he studied and what’s next.

James: Why did you want to study for a DTh?

Paul: I started a DTh because I wanted to explore an issue that arose through my ministry as a pioneer. So much resource from the central Church of England was going into particular models of mission and particular forms of church that many pioneers were struggling to find the space or resource to carry out their ministry.

J: So, what did you discover?

P: In my thesis I argue that the nature of the church can’t be reduced down to particular models or forms. Instead, the very nature of the church is a becoming: it is always being formed and reformed through its engagement with the world.

I discovered that pioneers often resist predetermined models. Instead, pioneers build community through conversation with people in their context. Their focus is on prayer and the leading of the Holy Spirit who they regard as present and active in the midst of the community that is forming. As I listened to the stories of how these new communities were forming, I heard how the pioneers involved were often surprised by what happened, finding that their assumptions about forms a church could take were disrupted.

I also learned from two dioceses about how they were trying to encourage pioneer ministry alongside more traditional parish ministry. I’ve argued that the tension experienced in this process might be seen as a creative tension as we develop toward a mixed ecology of church.

J: Sounds interesting, how can we find out more?

P: I hope to develop the thesis into a book soon. In the meantime, if anyone wants to have a conversation about what I’ve been learning they’re welcome to get in touch. [You can contact Paul via CMS here]. I’m also working with CMS to create a space for the kind of listening and discernment that is needed to support and enable a becoming church. We are looking to develop a resource of theological accompaniment, research and reflection to support pioneers and others.

J: And how has it been studying a DTh with CMS at the University of Roehampton?

P: The DTh has been a great experience. It’s honestly been the hardest but best thing I’ve ever done. There was never a point where I wanted to give up, though there were numerous times when I was pushed to think harder and more deeply than I thought I was capable of! It has answered the question I set out with, in ways I hope will be helpful to others. It’s also raised a whole host of other questions for the future!

J: It’s been a pleasure working with you on this Paul, and we’re so delighted that you have achieved your doctorate. All the best with sharing your findings more widely.

The DTh programme is designed for those who are actively involved in mission, ministry and pioneering and want to explore the things they are discovering in more detail. The first two years are taught part time, helping you to focus your ideas into a research project, before you then carry out your research over the following three to four years.  Do get in touch if, like Paul, there is something you’d like to explore.

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Pam Daniel is an assistant director of ordinands in Oxford Diocese and in the first year of her studies with CMS Pioneer Mission Training for an MA with a focus on African Christianity.

HH: Pam, what led you to study with us?

PD: I have always been interested in missions locally, geographically, and internationally. Having worked in ministry in different contexts, I began to appreciate doing mission in a variety of settings. I believe this enhances our understanding about the complexities and diversification of social stratification, cultural identity, race and ethnicity, ageism and gender.

I have done missions in Uganda working with church leaders and churches, South Africa, Benin, the Caribbean.

My life has been enriched by the vastness and the omnipotent power of God and prayer in the lives of people, and their hunger for the gospel of Christ in these nations.

I came across the course by sheer coincidence. I came across the advert and when I saw that it was specifically focused on African theology, I became excited and interested in finding out more about the contributions that my ancestors have made to Christianity. This developed within me a sense of urgency and enthusiasm to explore the MA course with a focus on African Christianity. I have studied theology previously but have never been able to explore in depth the significant wisdom, knowledge and contributions that my forefathers and mothers have made to Christianity, but at the same time have been denied visibility and recognition. As Christians, we all have a responsibility to share the gospel and to unearth the truth.

You have a particular interest in African Christianity and other African religions, can you tell us more?

I have studied theology and learned about different religions. I find it beneficial and enriching to work ecumenically and by doing so, we can learn so much from each other, develop respect for each other’s faith and thus develop good relationships based upon trust and love. As a Christian, I should be proud and courageous to tell the world about my faith. In the same way, my colleagues from other religions should be given the opportunity to share their faith.

One of the things that we don’t do well, is to listen attentively to people. We are far too busy, and can become very judgmental and condemning when someone does not meet our expectations, or share the same values or ideas.

I believe that one of the ways of building community and relationships is to listen to others, and give those who are marginalised the opportunity to be heard. Jesus is a good example of someone who listened attentively to those who were outcasts, marginalised and ostracised in society. If we follow his model when relating to people, we cannot go wrong.

My interest in African Christianity started several years ago – 20-plus years. I was involved in Black History Month projects and activities, and the Black theology forum at the Queen’s Foundation in Birmingham. More latterly my interest has deepened in proclaiming the gospel in Spirit and in truth.

Many Christians believe that Christianity is ‘a White man’s religion’, and missionaries from around the world took Christianity to Africa and the Caribbean to edify the people and to bring civilisation to the nations. However, this is so misleading and untrue. Although I hold a PhD in Divinity, I am just beginning to learn that Africa is at the root of Christianity. It’s as though the blindfolds have been removed from my eyes. Personally, I think the truth has to be uncovered, and through the process of transparency our lives would be transformed and our faith would be rooted and grounded in Christ. I believe this course has the propensity of enabling and empowering learners and decolonising their minds. In my view the decolonisation of our minds is profoundly powerful, but it is a gradual process. We have a long way to go, but it is important that we start now than later.

We’re only in the first term, but how are things going so far?

I wish I had started this course several years ago. It is not only inspiring, challenging, informative, but it enables you to develop a greater enthusiasm to learn new things, to be more appreciative of the knowledge, wisdom and resources that God has richly blessed us with.

I have learned a vast amount about African theology through the reading of Thomas Oden’s book, How Africa Transformed Christianity [also widely known as How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind]. I learned that Africa has profoundly transformed Christianity through the vital contributions of African forefathers and mothers historically through the development of doctrines and spiritual practices.

It is interesting to learn that key figures and arguably the most significant individuals in early Christian theology were North African: Athanasius, Origen and Clement, Augustine of Hippo, Tertullian…to name a few. This is such an amazing discovery for all students to learn about.

The course is demanding and requires a great deal of commitment, continuity and perseverance. I like the idea of supervision and one-to-one contact with personal tutors, as well as having an assigned chaplain to the course. It offers good pastoral care and practice.

I also like the opportunity to worship together and to fellowship on Zoom and off when appropriate.

It is also great to see the diversity of students from a variety of backgrounds and nations represented. I would like to see an increased representation from the Caribbean islands and there is a growing need for missionary work in the islands.

I’m glad things are going well for you so far. I understand you are retired; can you tell us about your work before retirement?

I see myself as semi-retired. Presently I work as an Assistant Director of Ordinands in the Diocese of Oxford. It’s a very rewarding area of ministry to journey and support ordinands throughout their vocation to ordained ministry. It is a huge privilege to see God working so magnificently in the lives of his chosen vessels, and their willingness to serve him wholeheartedly.

I also officiate as a priest at services in the diocese.

People say that I have a servant heart and a gift for prayer and intercession.

I guess that is true and I believe that I inherited those gifts from my late mother who served the Lord tirelessly. She was a staunch Anglican and a fiery intercessor. She loved the Lord and had a gift of sharing her Christian faith with the homeless. It is true to say that I have internalised some of her relational tactics when reaching out to the marginalised members of society.

You said in your application that you were interested in outreach to the marginalised, eg, homeless, women, and the elderly. Can you tell us more about this?

Prior to ordination in the Church of England, I worked in prison management and the education sector: teaching, lecturing and social work. My vocation to ordained ministry became more transparent during my work with prisoners and young offenders. I was a Christian and thought that I was carrying the light of Christ into a dark place (which I was), but I actually felt that they were showing me some qualities about the character of Christ. I also felt that God was using this opportunity to mould and build me for full-time ministry, which I did not know about at the time. 

In terms of full-time ministry, I was a minister in areas which were considered to be socially deprived areas.

In the parishes where I served, I came across many broken people who had lost all hope in life.

As I listened to their stories, I developed such a heart of compassion for them. A great part of my ministry was listening to, praying for them and sharing a meal/coffee with them. I began to seek the Lord about what I could do to help to meet the needs of these homeless people, women, lonely and elderly people, etc.

When the Lord spoke to me and instructed me to start a luncheon club for homeless people, I was extremely reluctant and diffident. He gave me the Scripture reading ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding’ (Proverbs 3:5).

On the authority in his word, I started a luncheon club for the homeless, followed by a women’s ministry and a coffee, tea and singing group for the elderly. I felt that on the outset of my ministry, I had a vocation to the poor, hungry and marginalised members of my parish. The ministries flourished and it filled me with joy to see God’s will, not mine, be done in the lives of his people. Today, I still have a heart for the poor and broken hearted. It’s a great reminder that Christ died for all of us irrespective of our status, culture or social class background. His love is freely given and freely received.

I have ministered in the UK where I trained for ordained ministry. More recently I have also ministered in the Caribbean. I have to confess that wherever I go in the world, I see that God’s mercies are new every morning and great is his faithfulness. 

How can we pray for you?

• I would like prayer for me to continue to serve the Lord until he says ‘well done my good and faithful servant’.
• Pray for my family and loved ones that they too will serve the Lord; he will meet them at their point of need.
• Pray for guidance by his Holy Spirit in the work that we do at CMS.
• Pray for grace and resilience for all the students and staff at CMS and their loved ones.
• Pray that the Lord will meet us all at our point of need this year and we will be filled with his joy and peace.

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If you’ve been thinking of booking your place on the Faith in Public course then don’t wait any longer. Spaces are filling up.

The agenda has been announced and more speakers with it. Including Jane Perry from Church Action on Poverty and The Very Rev Rogers Govender of Manchester Cathedral.

The course will take place over three online sessions and one weekend residential in Manchester.

The residential will include a visit to Manchester Cathedral and a Justice walk around Manchester’s civic centre, in which you will explore sites of significance in Manchester’s radical history and their connection to faith. It will include a panel of Christians in public service, with a chance to ask them your questions. And of course, given the political climate today, there will be a focus being a witness in today’s fragmented political environment. As well as being deeply theological the course will also be highly practical.

Here’s the full agenda:

You can read more about the course and book your place here.

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Are we letting buildings, structures and practices distract from conversation, the lifeblood of community?

A few years ago, I was involved in a series of round table discussions, focused on the church and its mission. The room was full of people invited from the wide range of traditions within the Church of England. Our task was to explore what a missional ecclesiology for the future of the church might be.

The day involved facilitated discussion on three themes: mission, kingdom and church. And what was interesting was that, while discussion on mission and kingdom revealed a high degree of common ground, the discussion on church saw a few sparks flying!

Out of that day the idea was developed to publish a book that reflected the spectrum of perspectives and missional practice represented by that conversation. Being the People of God (SCM 2025) continues the conversation and, we hope, widens it by giving people a chance to hear how, in a variety of contexts, the church is responding in mission to our changing cultural context.

Clare Watkins, a Catholic lay theologian and a professor at Durham University, has said that the church might understand itself as “a community of discerning conversation, open to the necessary incomplete and flawed contributions of all who seek what is most true”. But do we see the church and its ongoing life as “a discerning conversation”? I am not sure we do. Most often our attention is drawn to more concrete things like buildings, or to the organisational structures of the church. Or it is drawn so easily to the practices of the church, what we are doing (or not doing), and how we can do it better (or do it at all!).

Yet conversation is the stuff of healthy communities and healthy organisations. Without conversation, through which ideas, information, innovations and ideals flow, are reflected on, adapted and reinforced, organisations ossify into rigid institutions or machines. Good, open conversation is the life of any community. Conversation is also a key locus of discernment, making space and time for that slow work of reflection and evaluation as communities navigate their life and purpose through changing circumstances.

It is in the spirit of that need for discerning conversation that Being the People of God was put together. We recognised that the struggle to find sufficient common ground when talking about the church was not a problem to be fixed. Instead, it simply highlighted the nature of the church. That the church is not a fixed star somehow detached from the world, but an ongoing communal conversation on what it means to live together as disciples of Jesus in the world as it is.

Furthermore, the world as it is undergoing a period of change perhaps unlike any other in human history. We are engaging in this conversation in wildly turbulent days. The strapline for the book therefore reads “Missional ecclesiology in uncertain times”.

I invite you to join in this conversation at the next CMS conversations day on Tuesday 17 March. The day will explore many of the themes of the book. And we will be helped to do this through the contributions of some of those who wrote chapters for it. As you might expect there will be plenty of space for you to engage in conversation! We look forward to seeing you. Book your place now

About Paul Bradbury

Paul is an ordained pioneer minister in the Church of England, based in Poole, Dorset. He is a freelance practical theologian, writer and researcher, and a tutor and lecturer in missional ecclesiology.

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The post What’s the point of church? appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

Helen Harwood interviews recent MA graduate Ruwani Gunawardene, who believes worship holds a key to reconciliation

HH: Ruwani, you have just finished a three-year MA, what originally led you to study at CMS?

RG: After studying for my ordination, I had a desire to go deeper into theology. During the time I was completing my discernment and training, I happened to meet Jonny Baker at a virtual event. I was privileged to have a one-to-one conversation with him about something that I have been aware of right through my life – the clash of faith and culture. After listening to me, Jonny mentioned the Pioneering MA. I didn’t think I would be able to study at Masters level but with encouragement from friends I was grateful to gain a position on the course. 

Can you tell us about your situation when you first came to us and how it is now?

As mentioned, I had just been ordained and started a curacy in the Diocese of London. I am a self-supporting minister and work for the diocese during the week. Studying, doing a curacy and working Monday to Friday meant I had a very busy three years. I always wanted to relate theological study to church life, and the curacy gave me plenty of opportunity to reflect and make connections with theory and praxis.

After three years in one parish, I am now in a different tradition and continue with my work in the diocese. I cherish the different traditions that the Anglican church holds together which is one of the most attractive things about this denomination. 

Can you tell us about your cohort, and what the course has given you that helped you?

My cohort was the best! We had a few of us leave after the first and second year and some of us continued to the end. But even the friends who left stayed in touch with us on our WhatsApp group and encouraged and cheered us on whilst we were writing essays and our dissertations. The group chat allowed us to ask questions we did not want to trouble our tutors with and was a great way to keep morale up during pressured times of writing.

The course has given me so much for understanding my context in life and ministry. The reading lists were amazing, and to be connected to a historic organisation such as CMS which has connections to my birth country was very special. 

I know you have said you looked at your context in a way that honours God, and I wonder if you can say more about that.

Well, having been raised in the Anglican Communion in Sri Lanka during my formational years and now living in the UK for most of my adult life brings about various cultural conflicts that unless you have encountered this mixture, one will find difficult to understand.

I like to ask the question why we do what we do? And sometimes my Sri Lankan upbringing and cultural practices do not give me the answers which I feel to be God honouring, let alone the freedom to ask the question! Equally, some Western Christian ways of seeing things raised questions in my mind. So, I try to ask the question in what way can I honour God when faced with conflicting situations?

For example, going through a divorce and asking the question how can I honour God in this mess? Honouring the years of marriage there were at the time of parting and doing it as well as I could in a way that we honour the family situation and not fight tooth and nail, was seen as foolish by some. For me this allowed space for my kids to grow up in a less contentious environment.

I know you have had reconciliation training, and your dissertation looked at worship as reconciliation. Can you say more about that, please?

My formational years were spent worshipping with Western hymnody. As a young person growing up in the City and worshipping in the original Anglican Cathedral in Colombo as a second-generation kid of post-colonial parents, this was normal. After arriving in the church in the UK and experiencing cultural differences, a myriad of questions arose in me about cultural expressions and faith. I strongly believe in reconciliation that is offered to us through the Eucharist as a gathered people of God. I feel the negative aspects of colonialism can never be repaid by material means. The imago deo of the persons affected can only be reconciled through the act of worship that touches the souls of all involved and the willingness of the Western church to be uncomfortable with new worship traditions and styles which adds value to another culture.

I am particularly interested in the region of South Asia where there is rich Indian classical heritage of the arts. I explored the use of Satsang style worship as a means of reconciliation in the Western church. People in that part of the world have sung English hymnody for centuries now, so why not give some space for the beauty of the Asian classical genre to come to the fore in the Western world and honour that culture. Embracing another cultural expression is missional reconciliation. We worship the Lord of the Nations and right now it does not feel that way.

We can despair when we look at the world around us which is increasingly polarised due to race, caste, creed etc. If we believe that we worship God the Creator of the universe, we have the gift of worship which can be the antithesis to shift culture around us.

Can you tell us about the Transforming Shame network, and how this works, please?

I was curious when I was introduced to this group during the pandemic and have remained closely attached to the core team since. The team consists of published authors on shame. Over the years I have come to understand that I have suffered acute shaming in my life which is partly cultural.

One significant issue has been being left out of family weddings because I am considered a disgrace being divorced. You might say this is archaic in the 21st century, but the communal shaming I have faced has been very damaging to me and my family unit to say the least. I want to shine a light on this dark side of culture.

The Transforming Shame network gives a safe space for anyone to address issues of shaming they have experienced and learn from each other. It is not a place for counselling or therapy but a space for knowing you are not on your own.

When diaspora cultures which are ‘shame and honour’ cultures gather in a mono-cultural setting, such traits tend to continue and become more pronounced. Once again, I go back to the heart of worship, that if we can be accepted with our cultural goodness among the wider Christian family, harm can be mitigated on both sides. I speak with personal experience of seeing the goodness of a multicultural church family in this country standing by me and my children as I raised them on my own. They covered my shame. You can read a blog on shame here.

Finally, how can we pray for you? 

Please pray that I will be able to see Asian Christian worship flourish in the West in my lifetime.

Thank you Ruwani for sharing with us in such a deep and personal way.

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Worship on Talland Beach was a great way to start the last day of the final module of the CMS Certificate in Pioneer Mission for the students of the South West Pioneering Hub.

Worship was brilliantly led by CMS graduate Liz Dudley of Exeter diocese who leads creation walks for spiritual seekers in Exeter city.

The final module, Mission Entrepreneurship, was led by Trevor James, a pioneer and mission entrepreneur from Paignton, Devon, who models resourcefulness and resilience in creating ways of funding mission through an online antique business and furniture restoration. He is a passionate advocate for the idea of church as Seven Sacred Spaces, a monastic concept explored in a recent book by George Lings of the same title.

Former students take the lead

It was encouraging for all of us when our three guest speakers on the module weekend all turned out to be former students on the course with learning to share.

The course takes place over a year and in that time lots happens. One couple had a baby – our first Southwest Hub baby born between modules! He was a welcome visitor to Sclerder Abbey, the venue for the module near Looe in East Cornwall. With his parents, of course.

A small number of people left the course during the year for different reasons, but most found it worthwhile or even life-transforming. Apart from the insight and ideas they gain into contextual mission and starting new Christian communities, they usually say how much it has helped them find and express more of their true self.  One student, Denise Robinson, said of the course:

“I discovered just how much I loved exploration by creative means. I never knew what was going to come out when I started the demonstrations of learning for each module. I’d like to continue this exploration.

“My experience of the final weekend together on this wonderful pioneer course was absolutely brilliant.”

Looking to the future

The students are looking forward now to the award ceremony in March when they’ll be awarded their certificates and some will be commissioned or recognised as Local Lay Pioneers who can live out their calling in the local parish, benefice or deanery.

The Hub leaders are turning their attention to the next cohort of the Certificate in May 2026. We are always adapting to the external environment as the times demand and the next intake of students will mainly be drawn from the dioceses of Truro, Exeter and Bristol. We’re delighted to welcome Bristol on board!

We’re now recruiting and praying for people who have the potential to flourish and want to become more fully who they are made to be as they head out to join in with what God will reveal to them in their local communities. 

If you know of anyone in Devon, Cornwall, Bristol, South Gloucestershire or north Wiltshire who you think would benefit from the course please direct them here for more information: churchmissionsociety.org/south-west

Alternatively (or as well) please do get in touch with tina.hodgett@churchmissionsociety.org for a conversation with no pressure to commit to anything!

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From Piccadilly station to Manchester Cathedral: a note on the ways of being public with faith.

When I go to Manchester, I tend to get a train that stops at Piccadilly station. To get to Manchester Cathedral you have to walk about a mile down one long stretch of shops, cafes, restaurants and stalls. It’s a hive of activity, with buskers often spaced meters apart from one another. Interestingly, I often see a number of examples of ‘public faith’. There are usually one or two street preachers with various placards, a speaker and a microphone. Usually, their message centres on the need to be saved quickly, because you don’t know what will happen when you die, and when that is going to happen…it could be today! I have also walked past numerous Jehovah’s witnesses and Mormons. There’s also been a marquee with leaders from the local mosque giving leaflets about the Qur’an and the Islamic faith.

This is one way of being public with faith. While those who operate with this kind of public faith do so with noble intentions – indeed I have experience on both ends of the microphone – the end result, in my view, is a bland view of the world that stops us seeing God’s presence in the lives of others, and in the world. We reduce Christianity to ideas, beliefs and messages, rather than seeing Christianity as a way of being that bears witness to the God who is present in both the church and the world. However, there are alternative forms of public faith that have different aims and enable us to see God in the lives of our neighbours.

I spent a number of years for my PhD studying the public theology of Manchester Cathedral. Briefly, public theology is theological reflection on public life, both offered in the church and in society. It explores how Christians can engage the world and in society. The significant emphasis of public theologians is found in Jeremiah 29:7:

But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

For Jeremiah, the exiles’ task was not to make Babylon Jewish, to try and convert their captors. Rather, their task was to love their neighbours as themselves, to seek to do good in the place they found themselves, however disturbed and conflicted they felt about this task. And at Manchester Cathedral, the goal is the same.

Why cathedrals?

If you are anything like how I was before I started my PhD, you’ll think that cathedrals are little more than great tourist attractions, which ought to be awed for their stonework, grand ceilings, incredible organs, and their general ability to make one feel as though they have stepped into another time. I would not have thought that cathedrals could be exciting spaces of mission and witness. But isn’t it interesting how cathedrals seem to operate as points of gathering for important cultural, city and national events? As Simon Oliver says:

When bombs explode on our streets, a member of the Royal Family dies, a nation remembers its war dead, or a national charity wants to celebrate the anniversary of its founding, we default to a more substantial and enduring ‘middle’, the cathedral, which, because of its Christian proclamation, provides an expression of unity and hope that exceeds the chaotic pluralities of modern society. It is a genuine via media, lying comprehensively in the middle of public and private, sacred and secular, heaven and earth.

What I find interesting about cathedrals generally, is that they seem to transcend boundaries that might be assumed to be in place. They are both civic spaces, and social spaces. They can be used for secular events but are always sacred spaces. There may be a market hall put up in the Nave, while the Eucharist takes place in the Quire. And as such, they are unique spaces, that all people can feel welcomed within to participate.

Manchester Cathedral aims to be a space which fosters cohesion, unity and justice within the diversity of its city. Through various networks, forms of social action, hosting debates and forums, celebrations of all kinds, engaging with people of all faiths and non, seeking inclusion for those marginalised and excluded, the cathedral aims to be a beacon of hope and life in its city. It strives to be a cathedral to people of all faiths and none.

Take part

During the session I am leading on the Faith in Public: Political Theology for Mission residential, I will be exploring the theological and biblical foundations for political engagement. We will visit Manchester Cathedral and it will be a key case study to explore some of these themes more deeply.

Book your place now

Dominic Budhi-Thornton is a public theologian who explores the connection between faith and practice, particularly in relation to marginalised communities and issues of justice. He is the author of the book Public Theology in the Post-Secular Age: Lessons Learned from Manchester Cathedral (Pickwick: 2025). 

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