Advent greetings!
Its a time of reflection and, put simply, it’s been a good year for OCMS. Here are some of the things we are thankful for:
- Six new staff, all of whom are contributing strongly to the mission of OCMS. Sara (faculty),
Esther (academic admin), Christian (librarian), Sonja (communications and fund-raising),
Matt (Chief Operating Officer), David (volunteer co-chaplain). Their presence has brought
new skills, perspectives, spiritual gifts and friendships. Our staff away day last month
reflected the energy and joy of a team united in vision and purpose. - Fortieth anniversary celebrations that brought together 140 staff, trustees, alumni, donors
and friends. You can read more of this elsewhere in the newsletter but suffice it to say that
the event exceeded our expectations with its cascade of reasons for thankfulness and
renewed sense of privilege in being a small part of God’s transforming mission. - Productive programmes: The PhD programme has seen its most abundant output ever, with
13 scholars gaining their award and another 8 passing their viva with minor corrections. 22
scholars are currently participating in the Guided Research Programme and a further 23
senior leaders are nearing the completion of the third cohort of the Integrated Mission
Leadership programme. Regnum Books continues to flourish, while the journal of
Transformation is rated consistently among the top academic mission research journals. This
year whole-text downloads will exceed 60,000. - The OCMS Alumni Association was launched at the 40 th anniversary celebrations and the
recently formed steering committee is actively developing its plans. During the year it’s been
a joy to connect with alumni at different events, including the recent Global Pentecostal
Summit in Singapore, in which OCMS was the academic partner with the extraordinary City
Harvest Church. - At the beginning of the year we faced a significant budget deficit. The year closed with a
small surplus, a reflection of the generosity of God’s people and one-off savings.
We take none of this for granted. Our thankfulness is set against the backdrop of a global
context of suffering, war and displacement. We exist to support the Church globally as it bears
faithful witness to the invitation of the Father to abundant life in Christ through the filling of the
Spirit. Celebrating our transition from a budget deficit to a surplus, we acknowledge the need for
sustainable finance. Join us in stewardship and prayer for God’s Kingdom on earth. Your
continued support in all its forms is invaluable and greatly appreciated.
Together in Him,
Paul Bendor-Samuel
Executive Director
