Embedded Files
Issue 52
Dear friends and family,
Dear friends and family,
The weather has warmed up, it must be summer! Although, after the heat in California the other week, Matt is definitely happy for our milder maritime climate! Yes, last week Matt returned from his first overseas trip in 2.5yrs. While we all now know that a lot can be achieved online these days, it was such a joy for the Community Engagement team to get together for the first time since our last CoP event in June 2019!
The Community Engagement team is currently made up of five nationalities: US, New Zealand, Netherlands, Canada & UK!
The Community Engagement team is the part of LEAD Asia-Pacific for which Matt has been responsible for many years now. It basically does what the name says - help teams consider how best to engage with communities, both in terms of their style/approach and in terms of their content/activities. Our desire is that SIL and Wycliffe teams can work with minority communities in ways that enable the communities to grow and strengthen their own sense of identity and agency, around topics and issues that are important to them. It was fantastic for the team to have time together to deepen our friendships, as well as to think strategically about what our primary focuses should be over the coming few months.
One area in which we’re really excited to support communities is that of the environment or, for those motivated by faith, creation care. This is caring for the natural world around us, reducing our impact on it and looking to undo some of the harm already caused. Research shows that the poorest people in the world are consistently most seriously impacted by changes to our climate, and it is our experience that for all the communities with which we work these are some of their most pressing issues. It was good, therefore, for us to be able to celebrate some exciting recent milestones in this area while we were together. For example:
A few months ago our team hosted an online call on carbon offsetting. Did you know that SIL has recently committed to offset carbon that is created from our staff flights?
Partly as a result of work that our team has done over the years encouraging and promoting this area of work, an organisation-wide creation care taskforce is now up and running and helping SIL work out how we can engage well with the environment.
In the last year we’ve had the privilege of welcoming a new member to our team - Peter Jan - who is working in partnership with A Rocha Netherlands to grow our environmental consultant capacity! This was obviously his first time in person with the team so it was great to get to know one another better.
Enjoying being reunited and exploring one of our favourite local woodlands!
As we look ahead at the summer, there are some fun things to look forward to (like seeing family in Estonia and Pembrokeshire), as well as a lot of work to be done! For example, later this week Matt will be down at Moorlands College for their annual staff summit, discussing plans for teaching next academic year. Liz is working on getting resources ready and building team for children's ministry groups in the new school year, as well as helping our children prepare for their changes - like Levi’s last year at primary school!
As ever we love to hear your news, so please do write and let us know how you’re doing. And if you’re passing Gloucester on a summer journey do get in touch - we’d love for you to stop in. We can provide a meal/cup of tea/chat as time allows!
Sending lots of love, Matt, Liz, Levi and Anya
Not long after we sent our last update, this encouraging news was shared by Moorlands College. Always good to know our students appreciate what we're trying to do!
We are only able to continue to work with Wycliffe because of regular gifts from people like you!
If you are not yet a regular financial partner with us, might you consider joining our team? Our current partners give amounts between £10 and £150 each month. We thank God for every one, and are grateful for the supportive relationships that the money represents.
If you are already one of our long-term financial partners, thank you! Is there someone you could link us with who might be interested in joining our team?
Give thanks with us for
Give thanks with us for
+ a successful US trip for Matt. For the relationships strengthened during the time and helpful discussions and plans made!
+ safety for the family while Matt was away, and for great friends and family who supported in various ways.
+ an enjoyable and productive academic year for the children at school and Liz in her children’s ministry support role.
+ the gift of family holidays!
Join us in prayer
Join us in prayer
+ for the wider LEAD Asia-Pacific team as they continue to make progress on the new strategic plan under Matt’s temporary leadership, and for Manna as he transitions back into the team following his 6 months out.
+ for all those continuing to be impacted by the war in Ukraine,
+ for us as a family to get a good balance of rest, fun and work over the next few months, particularly as church activities change over the summer holidays.
Levi's Latest
Levi's Latest
Hey! How do you like my Young Voices t-shirt? I had a fantastic time at the Young Voices concert with thousands of children (and parents!) in a huge auditorium singing their hearts out. I’m going to keep wearing my t-shirt now while it fits and I might even go again next year! Also, we recently went to London on the train with Nana and Grandad and saw The Lion King! I loved the train almost as much as the show but I have to admit, the animal costumes were amazing! Back at home I am doing Rounders and Athletics club after school. I’m loving sports and recently enjoyed competing in the hurdles race and bean bag throw at Sports Day. I still love gardening too and have quite a selection of plants in our area down near the shed. At half term we went to Devon to stay with Bibi and I loved swimming in the sea…though it was very cold!! After that we went on to stay at Big Church Festival with some friends from church. There was so much to do at the festival - watching bands on the main stages, being interviewed at the UCB stage and free activities for kids such as mountain biking. I did enjoy camping but would prefer to go when it doesn’t rain as we got rather wet!! In September I am going to be in Year 6. I can hardly believe it! See you soon!
Anya's Answers
Anya's Answers
Hi everyone, it’s Anya again - yay! Here's me with a butterfly 'face' paint at Big Church Festival! I love summer! My favourite thing to do in the hot weather is hang out in the paddling pool with my inflatable flamingo! I can spend all day in my swimming costume then! I’ve recently started doing Gymnastics club and I love practising my forward rolls and teddy rolls on the trampoline. I’ve not quite got the hang of cartwheels yet but I’m working on them. One thing I have mastered recently is cycling! I’ve made so much progress with balancing, starting and stopping since we last wrote. I can’t wait till we can go on family bike rides! We just had Sport’s Day and I did hockey dribbling and bean bag throwing - it was fun! We are also putting on a Bee Musical in Year Two so we are practising lots of songs for that. I’m looking forward to the summer holidays, especially seeing Auntie Bekah and visiting Finland for the first time! There’ll be big changes when we go back to school as I will be moving up to the Junior building and will have a new teacher and some new classmates. I hope I have Levi’s old Year 3 teacher - fingers crossed…!
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse