Mission Support
St Luke's has a long history of interest in home and overseas mission and of sending and supporting individuals and families both in the UK and abroad. Some of those working overseas have now returned to the UK. Currently we maintain strong links with the organisations listed below. (Click on the title to link to the web site of that organisation.)
CPAS - the Church Pastoral-Aid Society
CPAS' mission statement is: “To inspire and enable Anglican churches to reach everyone in their communities with the good news of Jesus Christ.” It nominates clergy for appointment as vicars to around 400 parishes in England, including St Luke's Bricket Wood; it provides training, resources and Christian holidays for children's and young people's church groups; and promotes church growth, encouraging and training church adult members to carry out evangelism.
New Hope (formerly Watford New Hope Trust) is a Christian charity whose mission is to help the homeless and vulnerable in our community by providing shelter, food and opportunities to rebuild damaged lives.
Step (St Albans and Harpenden Christian Education Project) aims to share the Christian faith in secondary schools in a lively, relevant and consistent way, through lessons, assemblies, supporting Christian Unions, running social action projects, delivering courses, and mentoring. Chris Birch-Evans (a former youthworker at St Luke’s) initiated the Project and is its Director.
The project has been set up to offer advice, support, encouragement, networking, resources and training in all areas of youth and children’s work across the whole St Albans area. Mike Palin (a former youthworker at St Luke’s) initiated the Project and is its Director.
Unlock exists to help urban churches of any denomination to respond to challenges in communicating effectively with local people. It is especially concerned to help people in ‘traditional tabloid’/‘text-shy’ cultures engage with the Bible and explore their faith, and provides training and resources for individuals and churches. Barbara Funnell, a member of St Luke’s, is a Trustee of Unlock.
Tearfund is an evangelical Christian relief and development charity, working through churches and partner organisations, with communities in need around the world. Jennie Collins, a member of the St Luke’s congregation, was formerly International Director of Tearfund, and subsequently Executive Director of the United Mission to Nepal and Acting Director of SERVE Afghanistan.