12 March 2019

USPG announces details
of this year’s conference

The High Leigh Conference Centre at Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire is the venue for the USPG annual conference in June 2019 (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2019)

Patrick Comerford

The Anglican mission agency USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel) has just announced details of this year’s conference, which takes place on 24-26 June 2019 at the High Leigh Conference Centre near Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire.

The 2019 annual conference is an opportunity to come and engage in speakers’ sessions, workshops and times of fellowship and worship. USPG supporters can join USPG for the whole or part of the three-day residential conference, with a variety of options for attendance.

I am a trustee of USPG and throughout Lent this year, I am using the USPG Prayer Diary for my early morning prayers online. USPG is the Anglican mission agency that partners churches and communities worldwide in God’s mission to enliven faith, strengthen relationships, unlock potential, and champion justice. It was founded in 1701.

The conference theme for 2019 is ‘The Prophetic Voice of the Church’ and this is linked to the USPG Bible study course of the same name.

The guest speakers at this year’s conference include:

The Very Revd Dr Gloria Lita D Mapangdol, President and Dean of Saint Andrew’s Theological Seminary in the Philippines, who will lead the Bible studies.

The Right Revd Dr Probal Kanto Dutta, Bishop of Calcutta and Deputy Moderator of the Church of North India Synod.

The Right Revd Dr Victor Atta-Baffoe, Bishop of Cape Coast, Church of the Province of West Africa.

The Right Rev Ossie Swartz, Bishop of Kimberley and Kuruman, Anglican Church of South Africa.

The Right Rev Calvert Leopold Friday, Bishop of the Windward Islands, Church of the Province of the West Indies.

Catherine Fungai Ngangira, Ordinand at Durham University, from Zimbabwe.

The day conference on Tuesday will also include inspiring Bible studies, interactive workshops, and an informal reception.

So, it looks like there is much to look forward to.

Further information is available from the conference organiser, Kathy McLeish, and bookings can be made through THIS LINK.

Meanwhile, later this week, USPG is also holding a conference in Liverpool Cathedral on Saturday [16 March 2019] on the theme of ‘Remembering History – Rethinking Mission.’

The conference is asking questions such as ‘How might 21st century mission be redefined as we remember our past?’ ‘What can churches offer to missiological thinking in a contemporary post-colonial and post-transatlantic-slave-trade world?’

This is an opportunity to rethink mission with speakers from the Caribbean, West Africa, Britain and the US, including: the Revd Dr Michael Clarke, Principal of Codrington College, Barbados; the Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons; the Revd Dr Daniel Justice Eshun, Dean of Chapel, Whitelands College, University of Roehampton, London; and the Revd Winnie Varghese, Director of Justice and Reconciliation, Trinity Church Wall Street, New York.

Rethinking Mission is an initiative of USPG that aims to stimulate new thinking about the theology of mission, enlightened by perspectives of Christians from around the world. The online journal is available at www.rethinkingmission.org

At the USPG Conference in High Leigh last summer (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2018)

Praying through Lent with
USPG (7): 12 March 2019

‘Jesus falls the second time’ … Station VII in Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton, Co Limerick (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2019)

Patrick Comerford

During Lent this year, I am using the USPG Prayer Diary, Pray with the World Church, for my morning prayers and reflections.

USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel) is the Anglican mission agency that partners churches and communities worldwide in God’s mission to enliven faith, strengthen relationships, unlock potential, and champion justice. It was founded in 1701.

This week (10-16 March), the USPG Prayer Diary is focussing on India.

On Sunday morning [10 March 2019], the diary included an article based on a report on the Institute of Pastoral Management (IPM), run by the Church of South India.

Tuesday 12 March 2019:

Pray for trainers at the Institute of IPM, that their practical knowledge and teaching expertise will enable them to pass on a wide range of admin and financial skills.

The Collect:

Almighty God,
whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness,
and was tempted as we are, yet without sin:
Give us grace to discipline ourselves
in obedience to your Spirit;
and, as you know our weakness,
so may we know your power to save;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Lenten Collect:

Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent:
Create and make in us new and contrite hearts
that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Continued tomorrow

Yesterday’s Reflection