A letter from Tom and Judy Harvey in England
June 2010
Latest News of the Harveys
Oxford Centre for Mission Studies
Dear friends and supporting churches!
Florentine Anniversary.
Normally I don’t begin with family news, but it is appropriate this year. First Judy and I celebrated our 25th anniversary in April. Our remarkable journey together in ministry has literally circled the globe. Words cannot fully capture how Judy has blessed me and all those we have encountered with her friendship, joy and good humor, always laced by prayer, faith, hope and love. I was thankful 25 years ago when we met and married; how much more today for this companion of companions who has stood by with compassion and love in every circumstance. We celebrated by spending a long weekend in Florence. The weather was fine, the sights beautiful, the food delicious and the company beyond compare.
We were home but a week and then it was off to the United States for Paul’s graduation from Wheaton. Both a family time and about OCMS business, first we traveled to Kansas City to meet up with our son Joe and meet with supporters of OCMS. From KC, Judy flew out to California to see her Mom while Joe and I made our way to Kentucky. This allowed Tom to share with PC(USA) leadership and staff in Louisville about OCMS. Then Tom met with faculty and students at the E. Stanley Jones School of World Mission and Evangelism in Wilmore, Ky. At Wheaton College Tom met with faculty connected with OCMS and shared with others about potential partnership in mission.
Wheaton Graduation.
Nonetheless, our reason for being at Wheaton was to celebrate Paul’s graduation. The commencement address was given by John Ortberg, senior pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church. It focused on what Christianity is for, not against, and it was a moving service. Paul’s graduation was yet a further reminder of God’s providence and care of us through the years.
It was good to see Joe, who is now working in Durham, North Carolina. Paul is now in Virginia working at a camp and Emma has a busy summer planned. She is now acting with the Oxford Playhouse and was in a play that was performed in an old Oxford mansion. Each act took place in a different room.
As for OCMS, this has once again been a successful and productive year. We have been commended by the University of Wales as well as the British Accreditation Council in terms of the quality and excellence of our program. Several students successfully completed their doctorates and I had the honor of participating in the graduation ceremony at the University of Wales in Cardiff that confers the doctorates of OCMS. We organized and headed up a conference in Oxford on European Diaspora ministry. This is an area of growing significance to peoples from around the world as migrants, students and globalization affect the entire world. I now serve as the European coordinator for the European Diaspora Mission Educators Group.
Do keep us in prayer, for we’ve also been wrestling with various issues as a community. Brian Woolnough, a senior faculty member, collapsed on the floor of OCMS with a heart attack; only the quick action of our director of development resuscitated him. He is back part-time after bypass surgery. Bill Prevette, our faculty member in charge of practitioner research, developed pancreatitis in Spain last week, had to spend a week in the hospital there and may now require surgery here. Meanwhile our students face issues of life and death around the globe even while they attempt to progress in their studies.
OCMS Graduate Sahebjon with Tom at University of Wales.
I leave for Edinburgh this week for the centenary celebration of the 1910 Edinburgh mission conference. At Edinburgh 2010 I will be involved in the mission, spirituality and discipleship study groups. We have now completed a volume to be printed by OCMS’s publishing arm, Regnum, for the conference.
In terms of life and ministry in Oxford, Judy and I are leading an “after Alpha” Bible study group of relatively new Christians at our local church. We began the group in January and it has continued strong to the present. Pray as we prepare the group for transition as we move to take on a new group and they continue on with new Bible study leaders.
We do thank you for your generous support for us in all this especially in these economically difficult times. Through your support of us you are literally helping Christian leaders and ministries around the globe. Every dollar that supports our position here allows funds to be disbursed to needy students from Africa, Asia and Latin America who are making a real difference in our troubled world. Do keep us in prayer as we continue our work here.
Blessings
The Harveys
Tom, Judy, Joe, Paul and Emma
25 Hayfield Road
Oxford OX2 6TT
England
Tom’s e-mail: ttctharvey@yahoo.com
Judy’s e-mail: madiganharvey@yahoo.com
How to support the Harveys
Individuals may direct their contributions to one or both of our ECO (Extra Commitment Opportunity) accounts that support our work.
For salary and living support write the ECO number E200358 on the subject line with our name.
For program support write the ECO number E052057 on the subject line of the check and our name. All ECO checks should be sent to
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
P.O. Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700
To give online, see the “Give” box in the left-hand column of the page.
