MMS(Ireland) World Church Service Material 2015
* This year’s material is very significant. It focuses partly upon the Methodist
Church in Myanmar. For the first time in the history of the Methodist Church in
Ireland, MCI is committing to a longer and more strategic relationship with a
partner church in order to build the capacity of both partners. It is envisaged
that this partnership will last several years and both national churches will
emerge from it in a better place in terms of their understanding of God’s church
and mission. Therefore this service can be a valuable introduction for Irish
congregations to MCUM and what we hope the next few years may bring.
Material includes:
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Service and sermon material with Powerpoint
Children’s story with Powerpoint – contact office for actual rice from Boaz field (visual aid)
Video interview with new mission partner family, the Leonis in Rwanda – email office for
Dropbox link or ask for DVD to be sent
ALSO – give out the MMS(I) Annual Reviews which contain mission partner prayercards
(and offering envelopes to be returned the following week).
DO NOT DO THIS THE WEEK BEFORE
* No worship music suggestions are included as each church has its own style that is comfortable for
the congregation.
Don’t have appropriate technology?
You can refer to the Annual Report where appropriate e.g. Leoni family
For the children’s talk print out the two sheets showing the ‘Boaz Field’ and ‘Life at Home’.
Queries – contact the office at mms@irishmethodist.org or +44 28 90452572
PPT SLIDE 1 – Main slide with text
Theme: ‘Learning from our partners in mission’
It once seemed that it was the British and Irish church that preached to the rest of the world.
Missionaries travelled the globe preaching the good news. Now those churches that were planted are
often the ones that are growing as our Western churches sometimes struggle. And yet, no matter our
size, the call from Christ is still to tell others about Him throughout the world.
PPT SLIDE 2 – Call to worship
Call to worship:
Leader: Give thanks to the Lord, call on God’s name.
People: Make God’s deeds known in the world around.
Leader: Sing to the Lord, sing praise to God.
People: Tell of the wonderful things God has done.
Leader: Glory in God’s holy name;
People: Let those who seek the Lord rejoice! Amen.
PPT SLIDE 3 – Main slide with text
Introduction:
Today’s service takes the opportunity to celebrate the work of our Methodist Missionary Society
through its various ministries. Every member of the Methodist Church in Ireland is automatically a
member of the Methodist Missionary Society. Our financial giving and prayers support the sharing of
Christ’s gospel and church growth throughout the world. However, today is also a time to listen to our
partner churches and learn from their experiences and how they do mission. Today we will learn
about and learn from our partner church, the Methodist Church of Upper Myanmar. We will also hear
from our newist mission partner, the Leonis, who have just started their service in Rwanda.
NB – pronounced ‘Mee – an – mar’
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Children’s slot:
This is based around the work of the Methodist Church of Upper Myanmar and how they care for
those who struggle within their community. The teaching point is to share what we have with those
who are in need as illustrated by the example of Boaz leaving grain for Ruth in his field.
PPT SLIDE 4 – Map of Myanmar
This morning we’re talking about mission work around the world. Mission is when we tell others about
God and when we help them if they have problems. One of the churches we’re going to talk about is
the Methodist Church of Upper Myanmar. Myanmar used to be called Burma but it changed its name
a few years ago. Myanmar is near India. People in Myanmar may look different to many of you but
they are really just the same.
PPT SLIDE 5 – Methodist Church of Upper Myanmar
Myanmar does not have many churches or Christians. 51 million people live in the country but only
25,000 of them are Methodists. That’s not very many. Most of the people are Buddhists who do not
worship God. This is one of the Methodist churches.
How is it different to ours?
PPT SLIDE 6 – Life at home
Homes in rural areas are very different looking to ours in Ireland.
What are they made of?
Most of them are on stilts. Why do your think that is? (it is so there is another room underneath for
animals, storage etc. Not because of risk of flooding)
Cooking is done on an open fire in the home.
Children are always busy helping – carrying firewood, cleaning the home, looking after animals,
working in the fields …
PPT SLIDE 7 – Boaz Paddy Field
We might think that Methodists in Myanmar are very poor and many of them are.
But that doesn’t stop them helping people around them.
In Letpanchaung the church owns a special field. This paddy field is for growing rice.
In the Bible there is the story of Boaz who helped Ruth, a poor woman, who was struggling to feed
herself and her mother-in-law. He was a rich farmer and he told his workers to leave grain lying in the
field when they were harvesting the crop so that Ruth could pick it up to make food at home.
The Methodist Church in Letpanchaung call this special field the Boaz field.
Everything they grow, they give to the poor in their community.
Although many of the Methodist Christians are poor in Myanmar, they don’t let that stop them helping
others.
No matter how much we have, God asks us, as Christians, to share with those who have less.
So remember what Methodists in Myanmar are doing and ask what can you share with others who
have less.
Pray for the Christians in Myanmar:
Thank God for their example. Ask that we might be generous to others.
* MMS(I) has actual rice grains from the Boaz field. Contact us to get a small packet as a visual aid.
PPT SLIDE 8 – Main slide with text
PPT SLIDE 9 – Reading
Reading:
Matthew 9, v35-38 and 10, v32-42
PPT SLIDE 10 – Main slide
Sermon:
This tells the story of the Methodist Church of Upper Myanmar with illustrations of mission and growth
and reference to the reading in Matthew 9 and 10.
Today we celebrate the work of our Methodist Missionary Society (Ireland) that helps Irish Methodists
connect with 70 million other Methodists around the world to do mission together. Our missionary
society is over 200 years old. Today it does mission alongside brothers and sisters in other cultures
through the sending of mission partners and mission grants and through its Container Ministry (which
this year celebrates 25 years). But MMS also enables us to learn from these growing churches
through four Global Vision conferences throughout Ireland, the JMA (Junior Mission for All) children’s
programme, teams travelling to sister churches to take part in outreach and service and through
educational and service materials.
Many of our partner churches have not forgotten their calling to mission despite very difficult
circumstances.
MMS(I) is helping the Methodist Church in Ireland to develop a deeper relationship with the Methodist
Church of Upper Myanmar (previously Burma). The plan is for a three-year relationship in which there
is two-way learning and sharing so that the capacity of both churches is increased. Today we hear
about the life and mission of the Methodist Church in Upper Myanmar.
PPT SLIDE 11 – history and size of church
The Methodist Church of Upper Myanmar (formerly Upper Burma) was established in 1887 by the
British Methodist Missionary Society. The base was Mandalay and Methodism spread from the plains
into the mountains. The church became autonomous in 1964 when the government expelled all
foreign missionaries. Today there are 8 Districts (as in the Methodist Church in Ireland) with some of
these being quite isolated from the rest of the Connexion. With 57 circuits, 174 congregations and
28,000 members, it is of similar size to MCI, although it has only 72 ordained ministers. Much of the
work and leadership is carried out by lay pastors of which there are 89 and 572 local preachers.
The Methodist President is Rev Dr Zaw Win Aung (pronounce ‘zaw ween ung’) and before hearing
the call to ministry was a ticket collector on the national trains. He leads with wisdom, good humour
and a genuine desire to see his church grow and for others to be brought to Christ. Importantly he is
not partisan amongst the many tribal groups and has been elected for sic years running as President
even though he is not a member of the dominant Chin tribe.
PPT SLIDE 12 – recent national history
It is impossible to understand the church there without recognizing the nation’s recent history. From
1962 there has been a mixture of military or socialist government. The last military government ruled
from 1988 until 2010. During this time the church was quite isolated and constrained by the
government. However, democratic elections took place in 2011. To the outside world it may seem
that freedom has come and all is now well. But the Methodist President shared that “although there is
supposed freedom of press and expression, it is still limited. Despite there now being freedom of
religion in theory, in fact little has changed. And the process to be registered as a civil organization is
very long.”
All this means that churches are not allowed to build or expand and outreach work is difficult.
Buddhists however, can do as they wish. 95% of the 51 million population is Buddhist, with more
remote peoples being animists. So Christians are very much in the minority.
Foreign visitors, for the first time can now travel beyond few major towns. When MMS(I)’s
development officer Tim Dunwoody travelled to remote Methodist communities in the mountains this
year, he was the first foreign visitor to them in over 50 years.
So the church is still restricted and struggles with being self-financing. Hopefully a partnership with
the Methodist Church in Ireland will help it build its capacity.
But a partnership must be two-way. What can MCUM share with us?
They have four very obvious characteristics from which we in Ireland can learn.
PPT SLIDE 13 – Methodist identity
Firstly, Methodist Christians in Myanmar have a very strong sense of their Methodism and their
connection to each other.
This is the District office at Letpanchaung during their Synod meeting last year. Despiute difficulties of
transport and communication in the rural areas, individual congregations (or societies) seem to value
their identity and sense of belonging as part of the bigger Methodist family i.e. those in other
societies, circuits and Districts.
Have we lost some of that Methodist family identity? Are we too focused upon our own activities and
plans to connect with other Methodists in our own circuit, District or Connexion.
God’s church is a global one.
We can not only learn from brothers and sisters in our wider Irish Connexion but also support them in
their struggles and in their mission.
PPT SLIDE 14 – sacrificial faith
Secondly, Methodist Christians have been willing to sacrifice much for their faith.
This is Rev. Kee Ling. His father was an animist priest. In 1970 a missionary called Rev. Vulchuka
came to Kee Ling’s area. The Roman Catholic and Baptist churches were in the local town already
but they had not got out to the rural area where Kee Ling lived. Kee Ling became the first Methodist
convert in 1970 along with his friend Ling Thang. They were school friends. Kee Ling’s family were
not happy but, in his words, “there was nothing they could do”.
Kee Ling went on to train as a lay pastor in Tahan town in 1975 came back to his home area to found
the first Methodist church in Mindat (‘Meen-dat’). After another 9 years he trained as a minister.
Kee Ling lost his family and had to marry outside the tribe.
This echoes the words that we read from Matthew 10
”I have come to turn a man against his father. A man’s enemies will be the members of his own
family. Anyone who loves his father more than me is not worthy of me and anyone who does not take
up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”
Sometimes we may believe that so much of scripture is figurative. We forget that for many, the words
are a reality. For many, the sacrificial hardship of following Christ is real.
PPT SLIDE 15 – a mission emphasis
Thirdly, mission is integral to being a Christian in Myanmar.
Matt 9, v 37-39
“Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the
harvest, therefore , to send out workers into his harvest field.”.”
Although the church has been and still is restricted by the government, it has always striven to do
mission.
Refreshingly, members of MCUM still refer to the ‘mission field’. Because of its negative colonial
connotations we tend not to use that phrase anymore. But they recognize that there are many within
the Buddhist and animist communities who do not know Christ. For them, the ‘mission field’ could be
a few miles down the road.
Letpanchaung District only became a District in 1995 after mission work in the area by Methodist
from Tahan town. For the next few years they did outreach in the mountains with Methodists from
Tahan and from that a new Methodist District was born called Mindat (‘Meen-dat’). Letpanchaung
then moved on to a new mission filed, Mindon (‘Meen-don’) in the year 2000. Now they have two new
mission fields.
One area is Yazagyo which is a Buddhist village. In 2014 a missionary was sent the 13 miles from
Letpanchaung and a nursery was built (though not opened yet due to opposition from local
authorities). A well was dug, the first in the village and also a water storage tank. Amazingly,
Christmas was also celebrated with a small number of villagers and after it some of the village
leaders sat and watched a Christian sermon.
Just like our church, MCUM has a children’s programme called JMA, although it stands for Junior
Mission Association. Each Sunday the children go round the church members’ homes and collect
money. This is used to support the missionaries sent from the District.
There is certainly a challenge to us all here. Where is our mission field?
PPT SLIDE 16 – serving the community a (hospital)
Lastly, MCUM loves people without strings attached.
As we shared with the children, the Boaz field is an example of helping people because they need
help.
Wesley Methodist Hospital is another example of this practical love. Myanmar is one of the poorest
countries in the world with limited and expensive healthcare.
Matt. 10, v 42 reminds us of our obligation to help those in physical need (as well as spiritual):
“And if anyone gives a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell
you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”
The clinic was established in 1987. It was the vision of Dr Than Bil Luai or Dr. Bil as he allows Irish
Methodists to call him. It has now grown physically and in what it offers with a staff of 140 and with
200 beds.
PPT SLIDE 17 – serving the community b (hospital)
The hospital offers subsidized care for those who cannot afford the costs. It offers outpatient care,
medical and surgical services, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, laboratory service, imaging
service, a mobile clinic, health education and training. It has seen incidence of TB and Malaria drop
and safe live births increase. Dr. Bil is a tireless and inspirational Christian leader and administrator
as well as working daily as a doctor in the hospital. He and the hospital should be celebrated and
prayed for.
PPT SLIDE 18 – the future
The Methodist Church of Upper Myanmar is so inspirational and yet has so much more potential as
well. It also struggles to maintain itself financially. The Methodist Church in Ireland will be partnering
with this church for the next few years. This will indeed involve grants. Grants for mission work and
grants to set up sustainable income-generating projects to finance church work. On behalf of MCI,
the Methodist Missionary Society asks Irish Methodists to get involved.
Please pray and pleas give generously to the MMS(I) appeal.
However, we hope that there will also be opportunities to connect more directly with Methodists in
Myanmar through email and video, reciprocated prayers on a District level and visits to Myanmar
from Ireland and to Ireland from Myanmar. Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities.
PPT SLIDE 19 – main slide with text
PPT SLIDE 20 – Mission partners: Leoni Family and other mission partners
New mission partner family
One of the ways in which we do mission with partner churches is through the sharing of personnel i.e.
mission partners. Although we do not have any mission partners in Myanmar, we do have a new
family just starting in Rwanda. They are the Leoni family from Clonakilty Methodist Church in Cork.
Play the video interview with the family.
This can be downloaded from ‘Dropbox’ or requested as a DVD from the office.
If you are unable to play the video then you can refer to the prayer cards inside each annual report.
PPT SLIDE 21 – main slide with text
Intercessory prayers for work of MMS(I):
i.e. Container Ministry, mission partners, JMA, Global Vision events, short-term teams, partner
churches (especially the Methodist Church of Upper Myanmar)
Useful resources:
 This service material in relation to MCUM
 Prayer Focus 2014/15
 Monthly Prayer points for mission partners (should be available from end of January)
 MMS(I) Review/Report 2015
 Latest World Church Bulletin (this is regularly sent out from the office)