Canadian Churches' Forum for Global Ministries
Canadian Churches' Forum for Global Ministries provides many wonderful programs and resources through which Canadian churches reflect and work together on global mission issues, and are challenged to prophetic global witness through education, training and dialogue. Go to http://www.ccforum.ca/index.htm to learn more about their programs for people involved in cross-cultural global mission and ministry. The Episcopal Church Mission Personnel Office highly recommends the information and services offered by CCFGM.
Additional resources available from the Canadian Churches' Forum for Global Ministries include:
New Edition of Sojourning: A Leader's Guide for Short Term Mission Travel Published by the Canadian Churches' Forum for Global Ministries for groups planning short term mission experiences overseas. This useful resource seeks to facilitate the process of discernement, planning, travel, and continued involvement with mission hosts abroad and the issues important to them and to congregations in Canada. It prompts questions, offers suggestions, and provides guidelines for pursuing a mission exposure experience that will enhance knowledge and understanding of our Christian faith as it is lived in different parts of the world. Produced unbound so users can add materials relevant to their setting. Published in 2002. Revised in 2006. $15.00 http://www.ccforum.ca/resources.htm
Julie Lupien, From Mission to Mission, Remaining Faithful: How Do I Keep My Experience Alive?
Remaining Faithful is a reflection booklet to be used by anyone who has been impacted by cross-cultural experiences through short-term international mission service or travel. It is designed as a reference to be used individually or with a group, as a yearlong process of reflection, or according to the needs of the individual or group.
Included in Remaining Faithful are practical suggestions on what to do when you return from your experience; help in understanding your reactions and feelings about your experience; and scripture and reflection questions. In addition, monthly reflections for up to one year after your experience introduce a theme each the month such as: Where is God in all this? The Gifts of the Journey, Wealth and Poverty, Who Am I Now? Questions to Consider, and Prayer. Finally, Remaining Faithful offers reflection techniques, healing rituals and suggestions for keeping the experience alive. $10.50 http://www.ccforum.ca/resources.htm
Mission Personnel Training is available from the Canadian Churches' Forum for Global Ministries. For a listing of courses, go to http://www.ccforum.ca/programs.htm.
Diocese of Massachusetts:
Dr. Ted Gaiser of the Diocese of Massachusetts has created an extensive training program for short-term mission trip volunteers. Visit http://www.missiongoal.org/content/leading-trip for an extensive list of resources consisting of a collection of documents and sample materials to help churches in developing and planning for a mission service trip. In some cases, documents are downloadable and editable, for convenience (e.g. there are customizable permission forms for trips that will include minors). In other cases, materials are examples provided as guides for group leaders to develop their own material.