Our Mission Partners
We take seriously Jesus’ commission to his followers to take the gospel into all the world and to make disciples of Jesus.
Mission Partners
We have a long history of sending and supporting Mission Partners in different parts of the world. We are currently supporting several Mission Partners in different parts of the world.
Ceri Keates, with Phil and their children
Agapé UK in Newcastle
After many years working with students in Newcastle, Phil and Ceri transferred to work with Agapé UK’s FamilyLife team. FamilyLife works with local churches to strengthen relationships and reach families with the gospel through a variety of events and resources.
In September 2023, Phil started training for ordination in the Church of England, and has an offer for a curacy for the second half of 2025. After a recent period of ill health, Ceri is now beginning a return to work, and from October 2024 she will move into Agapé’s Wellbeing team.
Pray for them as they adjust to these big changes as a family, for a Jesus-centred family life, and for the development of both Agapé’s FamilyLife ministry and the Wellbeing team.
John and Ruth McNeill
Agapé UK and Europe
John and Ruth have been mission partners of our church for many years, working first with students in Birmingham and then in Namibia, and more recently in Denmark. Now based here with strategic roles within Agapé:
Ruth is a Leadership Consultant – teaching, mentoring and coaching in her areas of expertise: Leadership Development, Human Resources and Cross-Cultural Training. She serves in the UK and with their Mission, Campus Crusade for Christ International (Cru) across the globe.
John is the Jesus Film Project (JFP) Regional Leader for Europe and Russia. He gets to dream and scheme with multiple partners to help make Jesus known across this vast area (17 time zones). For over 40 years, the Jesus Film Project has been combining media and tech to reach people groups who have less access to the gospel because of geography, culture and language. Through innovation in technology and the creation of Christ centred media, especially the new animated JESUS movie that is being made, there are even more ways to do this.
Mark and Rebekah
Serving in East Asia
Mark and Rebekah have been members of our church for many years. For some time, the Lord has placed on their hearts the call to serve him in East Asia.
Having completed training in cross-cultural mission at Oak Hill Theological College in London, they were accepted by a mission agency and moved to East Asia in late 2023. There they are studying the local language and getting to know local people.
Pray for them as they adjust to life in East Asia, that the Lord will grant them love and perseverance in language learning, good fellowship with other believers there, and opportunities for sharing the gospel with those they meet.
Mike and Linnet and family
After many years serving in the Middle East and North Africa, Mike and Linnet are now based in Birmingham. Their aim is to meet and befriend Muslims in the our city and take every opportunity to share the gospel with them. Pray for them to meet those who are receptive.
Praise God for openings for some suitable paid work; pray that this will give further opportunities to engage with those from other faiths; and pray for family life with their three boys, one at university and two at school locally.
Andrew and Lyn Griffin
Jesus Film Project & Agapé FamilyLife, Sheffield
Lyn and Andrew are involved in two very significant projects for Agapé.
Lyn is working with the new JESUS film, an animated feature film due for release in December 2025. This is designed as an evangelistic tool but also as a film for a media-sophisticated audience. It will be available in over 2,000 languages. Lyn’s role is to work with ministries and churches across Europe, innovating ways to maximise the impact for the gospel of this amazing film.
Andrew’s main focus is running Toucan Together, an online resource for committed couples to strengthen and grow their relationship and to encounter the gospel in practical and relatable ways.
Lyn and Andrew first experienced the potential of reaching people online while working in student ministry in Italy, and their years working in Europe has made them passionate about making such resources available across the world.
Please pray for them as they juggle these different roles, with much travelling, care for their young daughter, and getting established in the church in Sheffield.
Mike and Rachel Hill
Friends International, Birmingham
Friends International works through local churches like ours to welcome and befriend international students, many of whom come from countries closed to traditional mission.
Mike and Rachel Hill are the Friends International team leaders for Birmingham. Their role involves supporting the many volunteers involved in international cafés (like our own Globe Café at St Wulstan’s), Bible studies, groups for wives of international students, and the hospitality scheme.
They live in our parish and use their home for ministry to internationals.
Pray for them as they further develop this work, and that through it many international students will come to know the Lord Jesus during their time here.
Jomo Nderitu
Youth Ministry Team, Marsabit Diocese, Northern Kenya – Crosslinks
Jomo leads the youth ministry in the Anglican diocese of Marsabit in Kenya. He is married to Ann, who supports him in this work, and they have two children.
In this vast and remote region of northern Kenya most people are nomadic, there is tribal rivalry, Islam is spreading, and several years of drought mean food is short. There are few churches and very limited resources, but the church is growing and new churches are being planted. There is a vibrant youth ministry, with training and Bible camps to equip young people to stand firm in their faith in Christ and be involved in evangelistic missions across the diocese.
Pray that through this ministry, young people will be equipped to live boldly for Christ in a difficult environment.
Other World Mission Links
Together with other churches in Birmingham, we have growing links with the Anglican Church in Bolivia, and particularly with Cristo Luz del Mundo church in Santa Cruz. Pray for the development of this mutually supportive relationship of our churches.
In addition, through individuals in our church, there are a number of links with ministries in Indonesia, China and Romania. We also encourage students and others to go on short-term mission trips, such as those organised by OMF’s Serve Asia programme.