Preparing for a visit from your mission worker
The really exciting part of Link Up is for your church to have contact with an overseas worker and a visit from your Link Up worker who would be able to enthuse your churches about mission.
Plan a specific programme for your mission worker
BMS aims to send a letter providing possible dates of the Home Assignment visit five to six months before your mission worker returns on home assignment. The letter asks the group to suggest first and second choice dates for their visit and gives information on the mission workers. For those whose Link Up is in Belgium, France or Italy, the first letter will give a suggested date for the visit (as these personnel will only be in the UK for a very limited period of time).
- You may need to be flexible, patient and co-operative when planning with other churches in the group.
- Although only one visit is usually possible, it can be for up to four consecutive days, and any day in the week may be included.
- It is important to note the details about your Link Up worker and the date by which you should reply to the request for dates.
- Liaise with all the churches in the group and agree dates. Each group is responsible for the detailed organisation of their visit.
- Contact the Link Up Administrator once a date has been agreed by the Link Up group. Once dates have all been received, BMS will send a second letter, a provisional confirmation of the Home Assignment programmes and lists visits booked
The visit will be greatly enhanced by the Link Up group planning as a team. It is important that the mission worker only has to make arrangements with one person, who is officially known as the Link Up group Contact but clearly more than one person should be involved in planning the programme.
In situations where the Contact is not on e-mail and the worker is, the Link Up group Contact may wish to enlist the help of a friend on e-mail to make necessary arrangements. On the whole it is recommended to try and make as many arrangements as early on as possible, to keep copies of any e-mails sent as sometimes they go astray.
BMS will send a third letter to all groups. This letter is sent when medical clearance is given or when the mission worker arrives in the UK. This is the final confirmation of the visit and includes the UK address and telephone number of your worker.
Plan a specific programme for your mission worker
Different mission workers have different gifts and circumstances. Plan your programme with this in mind.
The Link Up Administrator will send you a profile with the mission workers’ preferences for their different skill sets. Some are very capable at leading a whole service, others have expressed a preference not to. However most of them will be able to do at least one of the following: be interviewed, lead a children’s talk, run a youth event, teach songs, speak in a coffee morning, lead a women’s event, present a PowerPoint, share their story in a small group or prayer meeting. Please include your minister or worship leader in any planning for their inclusion in a Sunday service.
- A curry evening, barn dance, barbecue, picnics, coffee morning
- An open youth event with music from young people within the church
- A talk for older people after a lunch club
- A children’s holiday club event
- Breakfast meeting of all the churches in the Link Up group
- Inviting other Link Up groups and churches in the area to an open meeting
- Visits to schools, Christian Unions or even the local university
- Contacting ethnic minority groups relating to the Link Up worker’s country
Mission workers expect to be fully active with one or two meetings each day of the visit. While special meetings are good, churches do not have to make every meeting a ‘special’ event. The usual weekly meeting are all opportunities for churches to get to know their mission worker and for the worker to share with people the experience and needs of another part of the world.
BMS would really appreciate it if the churches in the Link Up group are able to cover the travelling expenses of the visit from their mission worker. The costs will vary but all personnel are expected to travel by the most economical means. If you are unsure about how much to give please ask your mission worker what it has cost them to travel to your group. Any monies or cheques given needs to be made payable to BMS World Mission, and please be assured that the mission worker will be reimbursed in full.
The Link Up group is responsible for hospitality. While meals may be in different places, mission workers should have one place as their base for the visit.
The Link Up group Contact should try to:
• Ensure each church is involved in some way.
• Check everyone knows what they are responsible for eg publicity, hospitality, talking to music/worship groups, transport etc.
• Share ideas for the visit with your mission worker as soon as possible.
A few months before they arrive, it would be helpful to discuss with the mission workers the programme along with their:
• Arrival and departure dates
• Welcome / departing refreshments
• Dietary requirements
• Transport arrangements
• Child needs
• Relaxation and preparation time
• Audiovisual needs
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