GEMN Renews Mission Call

Global Episcopal Mission Network renews mission call after Primates Meeting
January 19, 2016

This article is reposted from the Episcopal News Service (see the original ENS post here). The Dominican Development Group is a Partner Organization with the Global Episcopal Mission Network, and the DDG’s Executive Director, Bill Kunkle, is an elected member of the GEMN Board of Directors. For more information on GEMN, click here.

Responding to the decision concerning the Episcopal Church announced by the Anglican Primates Meeting on January 14, the Global Episcopal Mission Network (GEMN) Board renews GEMN’s call for Episcopalians to engage in global mission by sending and receiving pilgrims, missionaries, volunteers and learners between the Episcopal Church and the whole world, with emphasis on the Anglican Communion. In the midst of a situation that is painful for all concerned, especially because of potential impacts on treasured relationships throughout the communion, we choose to act in faith, hope and love.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry said at the Primates Meeting, “… the outstretched arms of Jesus on the cross are a sign of the very love of God reaching out to us all.”

Episcopalians, young and old and from all walks of life, encounter those “outstretched arms of Jesus” in new and empowering ways when we engage in international mission. Such companionship is transformational. GEMN will continue, with renewed energy, to invite and equip Episcopalians for service and learning with our sisters and brothers of the Anglican Communion.

GEMN welcomes the primates’ affirmation of evangelism, in which they said, “We commit ourselves through evangelism to proclaim the person and work of Jesus Christ, unceasingly and authentically, inviting all to embrace the beauty and joy of the Gospel.” We likewise welcome the primates’ attention to climate change, religiously motivated violence, poverty and war as highlighted in their communiqué. All these concerns are vital to God’s mission in the world.

We invite all individuals, parishes, dioceses, and mission-minded organizations to join us in advancing God’s global mission. In particular, we invite people to come, or send others, to the GEMN Global Mission Conference in Ponce, Puerto Rico, May 18-20, 2016. Details are at www.gemn.org. Our Presiding Bishop, Episcopal Migration Ministries and other leaders will address the theme of “God’s Mission With a World in Continuous Motion”. Mainlanders will join with Episcopalians from Latin America and Episcopal missionaries from around the world.