Mission Support

St John's has an active programme of Mission Support with a monthly focus on individual Mission partners through specific prayer and a detailed presentation on that Mission Support partner at the rear of the Church. The following gives outline details of St John's current Mission Support partners outside our Mission work locally and in the Bradford Diocese. 

Matugga August 2010 news

Matugga March 2010 news



Agricultural Project

We support James Dannenberg a member of our congregation who is scholar of many languages. James works with the Wycliffe organisation translating the Bible into a number of Turkic minority languages such as Gagauz (spoken in Moldova), Uygur (spoken in Kazakhstan), Nogai and Balkar (spoken by Turkic people in South West Russia).      

We have strong personal links with the Revival Christian Life Centre in Matugga, Uganda .  Since 2000 we have been privileged to help Pastor Ivan Lugolobi develop an orphanage for 110 orphans, a primary school for 450 children, a secondary school for 200 children (February 2006), a clinic (May 2007) and a Vocational Skills Centre is under development (to open in February 2009).  Pastor Ivan visits us each year and an increasing number of supporters are now going out to Matugga to support Ivan’s ministry and to be a blessing to all at the Revival Centre.  The Centre has become the common mission partner of the Churches Together in Ilkley.  We run an orphan sponsorship scheme and many people make gifts of time and money to support this work.  In August 2008 we sent a 40 foot container full of all sorts of useful school equipment including desks, chairs, tables, filing cabinets, laboratory equipment, 12 sewing machines, carpentry benches and 3,500 text books. This was finally delivered safely into Matugga in late February 2009. To find out more see the newsletter links at the top of this page or visit the website: www.revivalcentrematugga.org.uk There have been a number of visits since (see newsletters for more detauils) and Pastor Ivan recently visited Ben Rhydding and Ilkley from June 10th to June 28th 2010.

We also maintain links with Laura Westley and Mike Bundy who work for Mission Aviation Fellowship based in Kampala, Uganda.  From their base in Kampala they fly to all parts of East Africa .  They take medical staff, missionaries, aid workers and others to remote, dangerous and otherwise inaccessible areas.  They provide a lifeline of support for some communities and are true witnesses to the love of Jesus.

We have links with the Andrew and Lesley Pettinger who work for Trans Word Radio (TWR) based in Altrincham, Cheshire.  TWR beam Christian radio programmes around the world. This transmits the Gospel message to millions of people across the globe, in particularly reaching people in places where there is no established church or where Christians are persecuted.

Do see our Church noticeboard at the rear of the Church for more details with a monthly focus on each of our Mission Partners. If you would like to become more involved in this important work please let us know via the Church Office.

Through Bradford Diocese links with the northern diocese of Sudan, we are trying to support Bishop Andudu who returned from exile after the civil war to the remote diocese of Kadugli.  We have made a commitment to fund a teacher at the recently established Hope Primary School.  We were privileged to receive a visit from Bishop Andudu in July 2006 and more recently when he attended the Lambeth Conference July 2008.  The Christian church is playing a key role in bringing communities and families together after years of conflict and killing.  

We have a longstanding relationship with Derek and Trish Dodd who work with Youth With A Mission formerly in Amsterdam and latterly in Ireland. Derek and Trish have a ministry in healing broken relationships and marriage counselling.  They have used their skills to lead some of our church family weekends away.

Over the last 15 years we have maintained links with the Church of Christ the Saviour in La Paz, Bolivia through the South American Mission Society.  British couple Peter and Sally Bartlett who until recently ran the church in La Paz visited us on their trips to the so we have enjoyed first hand contact with their work in La Paz .  Peter has recently been installed as the Bishop of Paraguay.  We have continued our link with the Church in La Paz through the new church leaders Ronnie Irene and wife Nicky.

Brian Gregory, our previous vicar, is the UK co-ordinator of support for the Friendship Foundation based in Arad, Romania .  The work of the Foundation is organised by Puiu and Dorina Tarcea who have a heart for those rejected by their society including mentally and physically handicapped children, orphans, gypsies and criminals.  Members of St John’s usually join Brian on his trips to Arad each year and Puiu visits St John’s when he gets the chance to come to the UK.  The state authorities have recognised the good work of the Foundation and many projects are being run on a joint basis. They have made great strides in getting businesses to invest in social projects and to get some of the employees of supportive businesses to work with them on a voluntary basis. See also the website: www.proprietenia.ro