There are seven people who have been licensed as Lay Visitors to support the rector in keeping in touch with people in our Parish who are sick, hospitalised or house-bound, and also to visit and support people who are bereaved or those who are hurting or depressed.
The following edited excerpt from our last Parish report shows the range and variety of our mission concerns:
This past year has seen the growth and development of the Mission group both in numbers and spiritually. We have also incorporated Christian Solidarity Worldwide support group within our numbers. We receive regular updates on Deepa and Anishan our sponsored children supported through CSW in Nepal. We continue to meet bi monthly on the 3rd Tuesday of the month to pray for world wide issues, persecuted Christians, mission partners, and also for mission and outreach work undertaken by members of St Edmund's and to pray for disasters and events that have unfolded both at home and abroad.
Our mission partner Sian Hawkins is now working for A Rocha in Southall, London. Alison Steadman visited Uganda with Tearfund and was able to share her experience with the congregation. Carl and Sally Venn are involved with projects within Uganda and Ethiopia. Bill Cave was in Bangladesh and Judy Cave also has links with Rukungiri Uganda and especially the primary school there. Elaine Robson and the work of Himlit has progressed. Elaine was able to visit New Zealand despite ill health and is currently studying at Bristol University. We continue to pray for her health.
We were also blessed with a visit by Judith Looser CMS mission partner in Pakistan she was able to share with us the wonderful things that God has brought to the Kunri Krafts group through Judith and her ladies and has now developed.
2005 saw the UK taking leadership of the G8 summit and the Make Poverty History Campaign and as part of the week events of the march to Edinburgh and the conference in Gleneagles St Edmunds joined in with churches around the UK in showing our support for fair trade and Make Poverty History campaign with a "white band" of sheets in the middle of the church.
The highlight of the year must be our Pakistan bring and share evening in November with Rennie and Meloney Gold sharing their experiences of Pakistan it's culture and it's people. This was sadly following on from the Pakistan earthquake. Rennie and Meloney brought home to us the difficulties facing the people in the region affected in Northern Pakistan. It is through their continued links with fellow mission partners we are building links with Kunhar Christian Hospital Nr Balakot and the work of Dr Haroon and Miriam LalDin. I have been able to email Dr LalDin and recent photographs from the area have illustrated the effects of the earthquake on the hospital and destruction of many buildings around it. Rebuilding work and aid distribution is now being hampered by the weather and the harsh terrain. Dr LalDin has requested help with rebuilding the hospital and the school opposite and it is to this end we are linking up with the High School in raising money to enable us to send aid as appropriate.