1. The General Assembly approve the Memorandum of Understanding between the Free Church of Scotland and UFM Worldwide as follows:
UFM Worldwide – Free Church Partnership MoU
BACKGROUND
UFM Worldwide
UFM Worldwide and the Free Church of Scotland both exist to see the Biblical command given to us by Christ, fulfilled: ‘go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising themin the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you’ (Matthew 28:19-20).
UFM Worldwide exists to support churches in making disciples of all nations. In other words, we are involved in cross-cultural mission, partnering with churches to enable the sending of mission partners across the world to minister God’s word where a need exists.
Global Mission
Mission is no longer from the ‘West to the Rest’, but is rather a global phenomenon, with people being sent from everywhere to everywhere. Nonetheless there remains a particular need for sending missionaries to unreached people groups. This has been part of the DNA of UFM since its foundation in 1931. UFM’s sphere of operation is global, to any and every language group or ethnicity. We have mission partners serving all over the world, wherever gospel work can be developed, encouraged or strengthened with those whom God sends for that purpose.
UFM mission partners are engaged in a wide range of ministries. Proclamation of the word and making disciples are central. We want to see new disciples through Church-planting, counselling, medical ministry, youth work, pastoring, student ministry, work with the disabled, teaching in seminaries, digital outreach, and evangelism amongst diaspora communities.
To give an idea of our breadth, here are some examples from our mission activities: a South African in church revitalisation in rural Ireland; a Brazilian in church ministry, revitalisation and theological education in Portugal; a Welshman planting a presbyterian church in France; an Irishman serving an international church in Germany; an English person serving in Bible training in Papua New Guinea; a Dutch person serving in West Africa; an Italian serving in outreach and discipleship in Brazil; a North African serving in church ministry and evangelism to French and North Africans (and others) in France; an Iranian serving in evangelism and discipleship in Wales; a South Korean serving in outreach in the Middle East; Americans serving in church planting in France. We also have a network of associates who serve in their home context, but who are supported from other contexts. Beyond this UFM encourage and enable mission-sending movements in majority world nations, where strong connections already exist or are developing. For instance, UFM partner with a denomination in Ivory Coast sending church planters to Liberia.
A Partnership
This agreement establishes a partnership between UFM and the Free Church of Scotland. It brings UFM to the attention of Free Church congregations and acknowledges that UFM is an agency in harmony with the mission aims of the Free Church. It commits to assisting the Free Church in engagement with cross-cultural mission. The memorandum of understanding makes us better placed to assist the Free Church, in cross-cultural mission engagement. It builds on the foundation of historic and current connections between UFM and the Free Church, through personnel, past and current mission staff, Scottish Committee members & UFM Council members.
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
We are committed to:
- Cross-cultural mission
- The centrality of the word and gospel
- Biblical theology
- Healthy complementarianism
- The importance of prayer
UFM and the Free Church believe that a global gospel focus is an integral part of the life and culture of a healthy gospel church. We encourage ministers and elders in the Free Church to stir interest within their congregations and/or develop greater engagement in cross-cultural mission and encourage them to consider interacting with UFM to deepen that engagement.
Avenues of Greater Interest
UFM provides the following avenues for fostering a greater interest in cross-cultural mission:
CONNECT
Opportunities to connect to and learn more about mission at home:
- A visit to your congregation by a UFM staff member or mission partner.
- A conference arranged by your church in partnership with UFM: We have a couple of formats which we already use: Local Church, Global Mission and Called to Serve.
- UFM Scottish Day Conference – held in April each year, in the Glasgow area.
- Prayer Groups: 2 prayer groups exist already (Glasgow and Inverness) but we’d be delighted to see more formed or new people join the existing groups.
- Events: UFM organise a couple more Scottish events, but we are also keen to be involved in other events. Do speak to us and share the possibilities you have in mind.
SUPPORT
Opportunities to engage with those serving on the mission field.
- Adopt a Missionary – If you are a sending church, the connection is strong and to be supported. If you do not have missionaries with a strong tie to your congregation, we can connect you with missionaries.
- Prayer: UFM support is primarily about prayer, and this is the most important support for any gospel work.
- Finance: No mission work functions without money. A small number of missionaries are self-supporting, most are supported by sending and supporting churches and individuals whom they know, and some who have been moved by God to support them. It is an immense privilege and joy to support those who serve God in mission.
GO
These are some of the mission opportunities we have can help facilitate:
- Vision Trips
- UFM can help you to identify mission partners and particular work that you are interested in visiting. The purpose of a visit is to establish a connection which can be of mutual encouragement and ultimately stimulate interest in cross-cultural mission in both contexts.
- Teams: UFM organise a number of teams each year.
- Summer: the majority of our teams are summer teams and bring a group of volunteers, from around the church in the UK to work alongside mission partners, to facilitate outreach work, to learn from the local context and to encourage the church in those localities and our mission partners. 1-2 weeks.
- Church: UFM also arrange church teams, where a team from one church visits a mission partner to work alongside them. This builds a connection between the two churches.
- Operation Centurion: these teams facilitate building related work connected to particular missionary situations, whether construction, maintenance or renovation. These teams can also be great in stimulating an interest in and passion for mission.
- Short-Term MissioniWitness: UFM’s intern scheme, where a trainee comes alongside one of our mission partners to serve and learn. Formal study may also be incorporated.
- Flexible, personalised placements: as the name suggests, these fit any size.
- IFES: Short-term student ministry in another cultural context, partnership with IFES (the international student movement of which UCCF is a member).
- Bible College Placements: short placements with mission partners for those in seminary or Bible college, who are considering mission service.
- Medical Placements and Electives: UFM have long-standing connections with mission hospitals, where there is the possibility of nurses, doctors and other health professionals completing a placement or elective.
- Long-Term Mission Service: this is service for 2 years or more, full-time in another cultural context.
- Associate Mission Service: this covers many possibilities, including being UK based and serving a diaspora community, or doing regular trips to another cultural context.
Edinburgh Theological Seminary
It may also be helpful to explore the possibility of strengthening ties with ETS Centre for Mission:
- Explore the possibility of promoting UFM Bible College Placements which are already available with UFM mission partners.
- Explore training options for appointees from Scotland and further afield.
- Explore possibilities for in-service studies, etc.
- Explore the possibility of UFM mission partners providing helpful input.
MAIN CONTACT
The current UFM Area Director based in Scotland, is Rev. Ruairidh MacLean, a Free Church minister. (He currently serves on the Kirk Session of Hope Church Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill with West Mains Church, having responsibility primarily as an elder in the East Kilbride area and involved in the work at West Mains Church. He has a seat on the Glasgow and Argyll Presbytery and is active in this capacity.)
Mr Maclean works full-time for UFM in Scotland and is available to connect with church leaders to explore how UFM can assist in developing a focus on cross-cultural mission. He regularly teaches and preaches about mission and also shares updates on the work of UFM. He organises events highlighting the work of UFM.
If you would like to chat to Mr Maclean about any of the above opportunities, or to discuss possible service for yourself or members of your congregation, you can contact him online at [email protected]. (If you wish to get in touch about potential mission service, do discuss this with your local minister/elders first.)
OUTCOMES
- MoU public document shared with all ministers/session clerks and made available on Free Church website resources page.
- Free Church Mission Board to encourage congregations to consider the opportunities for connecting with UFM outlined in MoU.
- To encourage increased congregational engagement with UFM.
- To see mission partners sent out in partnership with UFM.
- UFM Scottish Director to meet periodically with the Free Church Mission Director/Mission Board to assess the effectiveness of the MoU.
- Free Church Mission Board to report annually to the Free Church General Assembly on the FC/UFM partnership.
- Free Church to periodically invite a member of UFM leadership to visit the General Assembly as a delegate.
- Explore the possibility of developing links between the ETS Centre for Mission and UFM in relation to UFM’s Bible College Placements, theological training for mission partners or appointees, particularly any being sent from the Free Church. Explore UFM mission partners providing input into the Centre for Mission programme.
- Free Church Mission Director to be kept up to date regarding any applications from within the Free Church to UFM.
Signed:
Print name:
Date:
(On behalf of the Free Church of Scotland)
Signed:
Print name:
Date:
(On behalf of UFM Worldwide)