Missionary

We are delighted to be involved in a number of home and overseas projects and, from time to time, have had the privilege of supporting our own church members who have been accepted by mission groups for short term projects. our continuing projects include:

• the Wycliffe Bible Translators
• the Parish of the Ssese Islands
• Tim Vickers working to encourage graduates in Europe and former communist countries
• A Rocha, Christians in conservation
• Habitat for Humanity
• UCCF
• Catalyst
• Open Doors

We aim to give about 10% of our income to these projects.

Wycliffe Bible Translators

Simon and Lynn Caudwell promoted Bible Translation in Ethiopia for 13 years,  initially as Translation Advisors on the Basketo translation project (New Testament completed in 2009, now awaiting publication) and then as Branch Director and Personnel Coordinator. After finishing their most recent leadership assignments at the Wycliffe Africa Area level, they are now back in the UK on study leave, taking an MA course (from October 2010) in Inter-cultural Leadership at Redcliffe College. Simon and Lynn have two adult children, Emily and Robert.

Further information can be obtained through the website www.wycliffe.org.uk

The Parish of the Ssese Islands

There are eighty-four Ssese Islands, located in the Western part of Lake Victoria in Uganda. The Rev’d Edward Gombe is the Anglican Vicar with responsibilities for them all. Burford Church provides funds to help assist him with his work in these islands, including maintaining the boat he travels in.

On alternate years, students from the Ssese Islands visit Burford School, hold a concert in the church and also take part in the Sunday morning service. Students from Burford visit the Islands in the intervening year.

IFES

Tim works for IFES - the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. IFES is the international sister organisation of UCCF which runs Christian Unions in Universities across the UK. IFES has, for the last 60 years, pioneered evangelism by students to students within university and college campuses across 150 countries. Tim works in a region spanning 45 of those countries; from Iceland right through Europe and over to the far side of Siberia. A region of 14 time zones and 870 million people, this can be viewed, by and large, as the forgotten mission-field. In many countries, the church is in apparent retreat. The issues facing young Christians as they seek to make Jesus known and live according to the values of the Gospel, are complex and harsh.

Tim's particular role is to develop work across these 45 countries with young graduates and those students who are moving into the working world, recognising them as vital to the future of Christian witness in their countries and as the front-line of Christian interaction with non-believers in societies which have turned their back on the church.

His work is about envisioning, equipping and training people to become a generation of Christians with a comprehensive and relevant Christian worldview, people who can be part of a culture but not of it, people with a constant awareness of the mission-field into which Jesus has placed them.

Tim and his wife Jo live in Shipton-under-Wychwood, with their three children, Annie,Toby and Tessa and their dog Fudge.

Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity is a Christian international housing charity founded in 1976. They have helped over 1.75 million people living in poverty housing in 92 countries to have a safe decent place to live.

For more information visit their website www.habitatforhumanity.org.uk

A ROCHA - Christians in Conservation

A Rocha is an international conservation organisation working to show God's love for all creation. The name "A Rocha" is Portuguese and means "The Rock". International Team members are based in Portugal, France, Belgium, the UK and Canada with national organisations in sixteen countries.

A Rocha is identified by five core commitments and to a practical outworking of each:

• Christian
• Conservation
• Community
• Cross-Cultural Cooperation

For more information visit www.arocha.org

UCCF

UCCF is a family of students, staff, and supporters. Christian Unions are mission teams operating in universities and colleges, supported by the local church, and resourced by UCCF staff. This family exists to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in the student world.

For more information visit their website www.uccf.org.uk

Catalyst

Catalyst’s mission is creating opportunities and casting hope in tough places, because love is a verb.

For more information visit their website www.catalysttrust.org

Open Doors

Millions of Christians are at risk of persecution around the world. Open Doors is active in around 45 countries, supplying Bibles, leadership training, Scripture-based literacy programmes and support for Christians suffering for their faith. They want to continue to encourage the church here to play its part; that means not only responding to the needs of the persecuted church, but also learning from their experience of what it means to follow Jesus.

For more information visit www.opendoorsuk.org