Date: October 7 – November 16, 2019
Time: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Theme: Agents of Change –
Mission through a more able Church
In collaboration with Trinity Methodist Theological College, CWM member churches and ecumenical partners, A New Face (ANF) 2019 will gather and learn from the experience and insight of ministers with disabilities.
ANF is a full-time residential immersion program that spans up to six weeks and is designed to give participants a cross-cultural experience of mission. The program is structured to be contextual and experiential and is available for up to 6 participants. ANF 2019 is focused on the work and witness of ministers with disabilities. The programme will bring together a number of ministers serving in mission and ministry who live with disabilites. The primary focus of the programme will continue to be an exploration of mission and ministry. But, we will add to this a focus on the mission and justice issues facing people with disabilities, and exposure will be given to how this is addressed by church and community projects in the Auckland context. This will enable participants, their member churches and CWM to advocate better the vision and practice of how to be a More Able Church. (The More Able Church fund was set up in 2016 and four member churches are developing advocacy work as a result). ANF 2019 will further deepen this new area of work.
In additional to learning through the theological college, participants explore mission as transformation in their various placement settings. The College will give participants orientation to mission in the contexts of Aotearoa-New Zealand, Maori people and the culture of the Pacific. These include New Zealand and Island churches and community projects. Through the church and community projects participants will be exposed to issues like mission in the contexts of changing cultures, urban poverty, migration, homelessness, race and gender justice, sex work, climate change and the arts, as well as share insights into ministry and mission in congregational life.
Anticipated outcomes:
Participants will
• explore contextual visions and practices of mission and ministry
• reflect on issues around disability, church and mission
• express their own vision and practice in a new light through theological reflection in the programme
• be exposed to the context and theology of CWM which they can advocate in their home context
For more information about this programme, please contact CWM’s Mission Development Team at MissionDevelopment@cwmission.org