About Us
Presbyterian Church in Ireland
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) serves the whole island of Ireland, North and South, and has a total membership of some 260,000 people in over 550 congregations. Within Northern Ireland, PCI is the largest protestant denomination. The Presbyterian form of Christian faith is best described as 'Reformed' with a strong emphasis on the Sovereignty of God, the Kingship of Christ and the authority of the Bible.
Mission Overseas
The Board of Mission Overseas (BMO) - more informally described throughout this website as Presbyterian Mission Overseas - administers and promotes the overseas mission work of PCI. With mission regarded as an integral part of the Church's life, BMO draws together representatives from Presbyteries, Presbyterian Women and Youth in order to inform and involve as many people as possible in this important work.
In BMO, we seek to maintain and develop appropriate relationships with PCI’s partners in mission around the world. We also oversee the selection of all PCI’s mission personnel; confirming their call; providing appropriate training and preparation; and allocating them to their places and spheres of work.
Financial estimates are prepared annually for submission to PCI's United Appeal Board with all funds received by us being administered in the interests of the work of mission outside Ireland. In addition, the funding of our work is supplemented by generous ‘extra mile’ giving by congregations, organisations and individuals. We also receives significant grants from Irish Aid for approved overseas development projects.
We provide information and organise events which help keep members of PCI informed about mission opportunities and needs overseas, and how they can both support, and be directly involved in, God’s mission to the world. Members of our staff are on hand to handle questions about service overseas and to meet with individuals or groups to give help and guidance. Training and advice is also available for those planning to engage in short-term mission projects overseas.
Through bodies such as the Mission Agencies Partnership (MAP) – a local association of church-based and independent mission agencies – Global Connections and Global Mission Network, we seek to maintain a network of contacts with those involved in world mission and to keep up to date with developing trends in mission participation around the globe.
Our Vision, Purpose and Values
In BMO, our vision is to serve a mission-hearted church. It is one thing to be mission-minded, but we also need to be enlivened in our hearts with a passion for mission, that we might effectively fulfil our purpose which is to proclaim Christ and His universal reign. We believe that mission is not just one of the Church’s activities, but is fundamental to its very existence and should therefore be at the heart of all its activities.
We aim to pursue our purpose by upholding values that have become important ‘distinctives’ for our Church in mission overseas down through the years.
In this regard, we are eager to be:
- God-Centred - Desiring to glorify the Father, to fix our gaze upon His Son, Jesus Christ, and to be led by the Holy Spirit in all we are and do.
- People-Focused - Because God more often than not, reaches people through people, and ultimately direct personal missional encounter is crucial.
- Church-Based - With a commitment to the building up, in the first instance, of church to church partnerships for mutual encouragement, challenge, witness and ministry.
- Forward-Thinking - Trusting for discernment to recognise and creatively respond to new God-given opportunities, and developing new spheres and methods of service.
Partnering in Mission
In line with our core values of being ‘church-based’ and ‘people-focused’, we work in partnership with churches, mission agencies and institutions worldwide, proclaiming the Gospel in word and action, both directly (through personnel) and indirectly (mainly through financial grants).
In practice, this means working alongside our mission partners in a variety of ways, including in evangelism, church planting, theological and Bible training (particularly for leaders), medical and health work, education, community development and social witness.
BMO currently supports 45 adults working in 14 countries and has around 30 mission partners in more than 25 countries on four continents.
In addition, and outside BMO's remit, there are approximately 140 members of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland from 70 different congregations in 18 presbyteries serving with around 30 independent mission agencies in over 55 countries worldwide.
Selection, Training and Service Overseas
BMO regularly receives requests from overseas partner churches and mission organisations for PCI personnel to assist them in a variety of ways. On some occasions, BMO will take the initiative, particularly when it has enquiries from those who have a clear call from God to serve in His mission in an overseas context and are seeking to find a suitable placement. Before responding to any request, time is taken to prayerfully and carefully consider all aspects of the potential service opportunity overseas, including measuring it against BMO’s Purpose, Values and Priorities, as well as considering its impact on the Board’s limited resources. Of course, BMO is not able to fulfil every request it receives.
All candidates for mission service overseas are required to undergo a period of training and preparation. The nature and duration of training varies and depends on the person(s), the location and nature of their work, and their anticipated length of service.
There are three categories of service:
Up to one year overseas
One to two years overseas
Two or more years overseas
Those under Ignite, are provided with support to cover travel and appropriate expenses incurred while serving overseas. Those serving under the Involve and Integrate categories are provided with an allowance related to the cost of living in their country of service, along with a home allowance to help make provision for their future when their period of overseas service comes to an end. Pastoral care and prayer support is provided for all.
BMO organises all-age mission teams that normally go overseas in the summer months for around two weeks at a time. While most teams typically engage in outreach ministry through children’s or youth work, English language camps or practical work, some go primarily to learn about the life and witness of a partner church and to encourage its members.
Advisory Service to Congregations and Members
BMO exists to serve PCI and its members. One way in which BMO’s work has been developing in recent years is the provision not just of speakers and information about mission overseas but also in offering advice and encouragement to local congregational leaders, as they seek to inspire and involve their members in God’s mission worldwide. Members of staff are on hand to receive enquiries or answer questions about service overseas; or to meet with individuals or mission committees to give help and guidance. BMO also provides training and practical advice to Presbytery and congregational teams, as well as individual members of PCI, who are planning to engage in short-term mission projects overseas.
Prayer Support
Through the annual Prayer Handbook and weekly Overseas Prayerline, individuals and congregations are encouraged to keep up to date with the latest news from our mission partners and mission personnel overseas and to support them through regular, focused and well-informed prayer.
Overseas Prayerline is available direct via email (sign up here); from our web site (view current bulletin); in printed form from Church House Reception; or in shortened form, as a recorded message – Tel: (028) 9041 7308. If calling from the Republic of Ireland, use the prefix (048) instead of (028).
In addition, each of our mission personnel has a Prayer Bookmark. They also produce Prayer Letters from time to time.
Financial Support
Each year, BMO receives financial support through the church-wide United Appeal (£1m or €1.28m in 2008); while valued contributions are received through ‘centrally organised’ projects run by Presbyterian Women, PCI's Board of Youth & Children’s Ministry and the Boys’ Brigade Junior Section.
BMO is grateful for the many churches, groups and individuals who, through ‘extra-mile giving’, help fund the work of the Board, its missionaries and a wide variety of mission projects overseas. BMO also receives significant grants from Irish Aid (an agency of the Irish government) for a number of approved overseas development projects where it has missionary personnel involved.
Through the World Development Appeal, around £600,000 (calculate equivalent Euro value) is raised annually with 95% of these funds being split equally between Christian Aid and Tearfund and going to sustainable development projects in various parts of the world. The balance is allocated to BMO’s overseas mission partners for use as emergency aid or to assist development needs.
