A letter from Gary Payton in the United States (regional liaison for Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Armenia and Poland)
October 18, 2010
“Community of Mission Practice” — a single example.
There’s a new phrase in our Presbyterian mission vocabulary. In 2010 many of us have been introduced to the idea of a “community of mission practice.” One way to visualize the community is to think back to our school days and the study of Venn diagrams — those overlapping circles with a common space between all the circles.
The common space is a “community of mission practice.”
A community of mission practice is “the common space between three or more groups including U.S. Presbyterians, global partners and World Mission.” Our leadership in Louisville has proposed that we work in this community “creating and nurturing spaces of prayer, reflection, discernment and discipleship which transcend national borders and allow global partners, U.S. Presbyterians and Presbyterian World Mission to come together as partners in God’s mission.”
While the phrase “a community of mission practice” may not roll off the tongue with ease, I think the missiology and the practical necessity of working as part of such a community in our globalized world is right on!
From October 7 to 10, I participated along with dozens of others in just such a community. This year Wellshire Presbyterian Church in Denver, Colorado, hosted the sixth annual Russia Mission Network gathering. And, with the Holy Spirit blowing through us, I submit that we were a community in the common space of the Venn diagram.
Consider our composition:
- About 40 U.S. Presbyterians representing a host of congregations with mission engagement in Russia (congregational “twinning,” support to the Narnia Center in Moscow, short-term mission trips for evangelism and outreach, etc.)
- Representatives from the Russian ministries of Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship and the Outreach Foundation of the Presbyterian Church
- Five participating Russians (three pastors, one spouse and one children’s ministry leader)
- Eight current or former Presbyterian mission workers with service in partnership in Russia
Composition is important, but so much more is required of us to identify ourselves faithfully as a “community.”
A “community of mission practice”:
- “Shares an identity derived from a common passion.” Americans and Russians were assembled around the passion of coming alongside congregations renewing themselves in the wake of 70 years of militant atheism in the communist era.
- “Develops a body of shared knowledge and practice in mission.” Once again we devoted hours to discussion of “best practices” of mission engagement in Russia.; As we have done before, Presbyterian congregational experts lifted up excellent ideas for short-term mission engagement — before, during and after travel. But what made this gathering especially noteworthy was the panel of our Russian partners addressing challenges of hosting American partners. In a true spirit of reflection and sharing, it was critical to hear the concerns about some of our American behaviors. The candor in our conversations marked our desire for discipleship together.
- “Moves effectively into a globalized world addressing issues around our common passion.” A highlight was the presentation and reflection on challenges to Christian marriage and family in Russia today. But while our expert marriage and family therapist shared the results of her interviews with Russia pastors, it was absolutely clear that the challenges were not just Russian, but were American — indeed, global — issues of deep concern. The color of one’s passport had nothing to do with the fundamental marriage and family issues we face as members of the body of Christ in the world today.
Our Russian guests share a hymn at the network meeting: Ms. Larisa, Pastor Mikhail, Pastor Sergey, Pastor Vladimir and his wife, Lyuba, accompanied by PFF’s Donald Marsden.
On Sunday morning I sat next to Pastor Sergey Belov of the Golgotha Baptist Church in Moscow as we both listened to the sermon. Pastor John Bell reflected on “Hate and Healing” and our too common experience of each “hating” the other amidst the depths of the American-Soviet standoff that was the Cold War. When Sergey took the pulpit to offer words of greeting and hope, a circle was made complete. Then as we stood to receive the benediction all our voices joined together in “In Christ there is no East or West.”
For me this “community of mission practice” is a bold new way of considering our participation in God’s mission in the world. I have much to learn, much to pray about, and much to listen to, but my journey has begun.
Gary
The 2010 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, pp. 195, 196, 204, 355, 192
