Mission Partners
‘Knowing Jesus, and making Him known’ is our church motto. In line with this we give financial and prayer support to the six international missionary societies on this page.
The European Mission Fellowship actively works in partnership with God’s people, his church, to spread the good news of Jesus Christ throughout Europe by supporting a growing network of missionaries, pastors, leaders and workers and by providing a core Bible-centred training programme. Holmgate Church has a connection with Matthew Hill and his family. Matthew is working in Spain with Editorial Peregrino, a Christian publishing firm producing Christian books for Spanish readers. They also produce books in other languages for use overseas
Richard Margetts is working with Wycliffe Bible Translators in West Africa, encouraging the use of the Scriptures that are being translated into local languages. This includes promoting engagement with print and audio Scriptures, using solar-powered audio players, facilitating the production of radio programmes, giving training for church leaders and making new translations available on mobile phones.
Caring For Life is a registered Christian charity with the aim of sharing the love of Jesus with homeless or vulnerable people by providing accommodation, ongoing support, love and friendship, and when necessary, providing that care ‘for life’! Such care enables people to develop dignity and self-respect. Our motto is simple, “Sharing the Love of Jesus”. The work is centred on a working farm – Crag House Farm near Leeds – and it is a place where there are a number different occupations that can be carried out by the people that CFL helps. There is also a café open to the public. Caring For Life has a wonderful team of dedicated and caring staff who work together to help to create happier memories for many people who have had a deeply unhappy start in life. The team are supported by an amazing group of willing and utterly indispensable volunteers.
OM currently has more than 3,000 people working in more than 110 countries around the world, seeking to “demonstrate and proclaim the love of God.” In every situation OM teams attempt to adapt to the local culture and situation, endeavouring to find the best ways to share the Gospel using literature, the creative arts, friendship, Bible studies, video and cassette tapes, correspondence courses, relief and development work as well as other methods. Holmgate Church supports OM’s Ship ministry. Currently, OM Ships operates one ship, the MV Logos Hope, serving destinations around the world. The Ships Ministry began in 1970 as part of the global Christian training and outreach movement, OM International. Since then OM’s ships have visited over 500 different ports in 151 countries and territories and welcomed over 44 million visitors on board. The ship visits each port for several weeks each and open the gangways to hundreds and sometimes thousands of visitors each day. On average, over one million visitors have been welcomed on board every year! The floating book fair offers over 5,000 titles, providing many visitors their first-ever opportunity to purchase quality educational and Christian literature. An international crew and staff of volunteers live and work on the ships. Teams from the ship go into surrounding areas to supply aid and community care. In each port, the ship’s crew joins local churches to bring hope and show love to people whatever their circumstance, culture or background.
The Bible is a book all about God’s relationship with us. It offers us an opportunity to meet with Him and get the direction we need to live life to the full. The Bible has provided hope and inspiration for generations and continues to be a worldwide best seller, with sales outstripping any other book ever published.
The Bible is actually a collection of 66 different books and letters, written over a period of some 1,500 years up to about 100 years after Christ’s death and resurrection. It is divided into the Old Testament (the first 39 books) and the New Testament (the last 27 books). The word ‘testament’ means covenant or agreement, so the Bible shows how God’s old agreement, based on the ‘covenant of law,’ is superseded by a new ‘covenant of grace’ – as shown in The New Testament.
The North Derbyshire Branch of Gideons was founded in 1973, just around the time that Holmgate Church was being formed, and we have supported their work particularly in this local area. For forty years the church has provided the funds for the Gideon testaments given to pupils at the local Comprehensive School.
The Barnabas Fund is an international, interdenominational Christian aid agency based in Southwest England that supports Christians who face discrimination or persecution as a consequence of their faith. It was established in 1993 and channels aid to projects run by national Christians in more than 50 countries. It also campaigns in particular for the abolition of the Islamic apostasy law. It has particular concerns for Christians facing discrimination and persecution in their own countries.