Executive Team
Our work in Mission Overseas is varied, far-reaching in its scope and often very demanding. Meeting this challenge requires commitment, attention to detail, a lot of hard work and a willingness, at times, to be available 24/7.
Currently, we have four fulltime executives who are responsible for implementing the strategies and policies laid down by the Board of Mission Overseas (BMO).
Working closely as a team, they manage and oversee our ongoing, day-to-day work, which includes:
- Sharing with and supporting overseas partners and the people we have working alongside them.
- Keeping members of our Church informed about our work, providing appropriate training where required, and helping them to become actively engaged in the work of mission overseas.
- Maintaining links with other churches and mission bodies; learning from them, while also keeping up to date with the ever-changing needs and challenges in mission across the world.
Members of our Executive Staff Team and their responsibilities are:
Rev Uel Marrs, BSc BD
Overseas Secretary
Through the Board of Mission Overseas (BMO), Uel is responsible to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) for ensuring that BMO's strategies and objectives are implemented in a timely and effective manner. Working closely with the Board's Convener, he is responsible for the day-to-day management and oversight of all of BMO's involvements and interests in mission overseas.
He has particular responsibility for regularly reviewing PCI's purpose, vision, values and strategy in mission outside Ireland; and in ensuring that these are effectively communicated with members in the wider church at home, and with our partners around the world.
Day-to-day, he is closely involved with, and oversees, the recruitment, training and orientation of our mission personnel; ensuring that they are consulted, supported and visited, and provided with effective and appropriate pastoral care, whether they are serving overseas or are back home for a period.
Uel manages the development and maintenance of mission-focused relationships with partner churches, indigenous and united mission agencies and institutions, including mission bodies in Great Britain and Ireland; relates to relief and development agencies, and projects; arranges attendance at partner’s consultations; visits mission personnel in their areas of service; and oversees the provision of hospitality for overseas guests and delegations.
Another key responsibility is the provision of services, activities and resources to help PCI in its mobilisation for mission outside Ireland, using four strategies: Informing, Envisioning, Equipping, and Engaging. Important elements include liaising with congregations, presbyteries, other PCI mission boards and organisations engaging in mission overseas, and the media; as well as the organising of conferences and deputations.
An important part of Uel's work is the management of the Board's finances. This includes the preparation of budgets; the submission of funding requests to the United Appeal Board and other external bodies; authorisation and control of spending; and oversight, maintenance and servicing of the Board's assets, including a number of mission properties.
Finally, Uel plays a key roll in the work of the Board and its Committees, as well as in leading the Board's fulltime staff team, whose work he oversees and manages. As needs arise, he also liaises with other Boards, Committees and key people within PCI, both in Church House and the wider community.
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Mr Nigel Eves, BBS
Mission Overseas Development Officer/Asia Secretary
Nigel's primary responsibility is to manage the implementation of our strategy and agreed objectives for encouraging, developing and shaping the global mission interest and involvement of members of PCI of all ages. This includes ongoing research; developing suitable information systems, materials and resources; and organising and running various ‘mission involvement’ events and activities.
He also helps in the planning, organising, running and delivery of a number of the training programmes that the Board facilitates each year.
His specific duties include oversight of the production of the weekly Overseas Prayerline bulletin; responsiblity for the development and management of deputation programmes, including consultation, planning, promotion and delivery; managing and developing the Board's web site, displays and promotional materials; provision (or sourcing) of the Board's needs in photography, presentations and graphic design; managing and coordinating the overall planning, publicity, selection, preparation, sending and debriefing of the Board's short-term overseas mission teams.
Most years, Nigel will make a number of visits overseas to meet and spend time with our personnel. This provides the opportunity to get a better understanding of their work; to meet those they are working with; to see where they are living; and to offer encouragement and pastoral support, where appropriate. Information and insights gained on such visits, enable Nigel to communicate with 'understanding' and 'conviction' through written materials, or when speaking at key mission involvement events or in one of our congregations.
Nigel also shares in relationship building and consultations with partner churches, united missions and institutions overseas. As Asia Secretary, he has a particular, though not exclusive, focus in Asia, regularly travelling overseas to meet with particular partners or to attend round-table consultations.
As Secretary to the Mission Involvement Committee (MIC), Nigel works closely with the Convener of MIC and has responsibility for agendas, minutes and the implementation of strategic decisions as directed by the committee. He is a member of the Finance and Steering Committees; as well as being on the committees for Leadership Development, Outreach Ministries and World Development.
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Miss Helen Johnston, BSc MCIPD
Personnel Officer (Overseas)
Helen's primary responsibility is to manage the selection of our mission personnel and, prior to their departure overseas, help prepare them for the situation they are going into and the service they are to undertake. Once under our care, she seeks to ensure they are helped in their personal development, as well as being appropriately supported (including pastorally), whether they are overseas or at home.
In any one year, Helen normally undertakes a number of overseas journeys to see and spend time with any individuals or families we have serving in the particular country she's visiting, and to meet and consult with our partners there. Prior to our sending anyone into a new situation, or to work with a new partner in a country we are already linked with, Helen will normally either go herself or organise for someone else go on our behalf to prepare the way for whoever we are planning to send there.
Helen seeks to keep up to date with current practise and new developments in missiological thinking, particular as they affect the deployment and support of personnel serving in mission overseas. In this regard, she is responsible for formulating best practice guidelines and appropriate policies for mission personnel.
She also represents our Board in networking with other agencies and in participating in inter-agency activities and initiatives; serves as coordinator of the Personnel Stream of the Mission Agencies Partnership (MAP); and is a member of the International Human Resources Core Group with Global Connections.
By providing practical training and advice, she helps support congregations, presbyteries and other PCI boards in all aspects of the preparation for sending; support while overseas; and 're-entry' of mission personnel on their return home.
As Secretary to the Personnel and Property Committees, Helen has responsibility for agendas, minutes and the implementation of strategic decisions as directed by these committees. She is also a member of the Finance, Steering and Mission Involvement committees; and is a BMO representative on PCI's Board of Youth & Children's Ministry.
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Mrs Pamela McCullagh, BSc MSc
Mission Overseas Training Officer
Pamela's primary responsibility is to develop and implement training for members of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) with a focus on mission overseas; to help ‘enthuse' and 'equip’ our members for a deeper involvement in God’s mission worldwide.
Since joining the BMO staff team in January 2011, she has been seeking to understand what is currently happening in 'mission overseas involvement' across PCI, and to find out in what areas (or in what ways) our members would like to be better equipped or need training, so that their involvement in, and support for, worldwide mission can be suitably focused, enthusiastic and effective.
A key element of her work involves undertaking research to gain a clear understanding of the nature and extent of our members’ current mission overseas involvement and future aspirations. This involves consultations with individuals in congregations, teams, congregational leaders (ministers, deaconesses and youth workers, etc), presbytery / congregational mission and youth agents. Results from her research are already enabling Pam to work towards developing a clearer strategy for training individuals and congregations across the wider church. In all this, Pamela’s role is one of facilitating what is already happening, helping our congregations and their members to build upon what they are already doing.
In addition to the training and resources already provided by BMO, Pamela is working towards developing and delivering further appropriate training materials, resources and programmes that encourage members of PCI to be ‘more envisioned’ and ‘better equipped’ for a deeper and ongoing involvement and engagement in mission overseas. She also assists in the planning, co-ordination and delivery of training days for short-term teams or individuals as well as team leaders and sending congregations.
As Secretary to the Leadership Development Committee (LDC), Pamela works closely with the Convener of LDC and has responsibility for agendas, minutes and the implementation of strategic decisions as directed by the committee. She is a member of the Steering (SC) and Mission Involvement (MIC) Committees, as well as being on a number of working groups related to both LDC and MIC.
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