As always the GBM Annual Day 2025 (25/10) was a very enjoyable, thought provoking and informative day.
Fiona, Calix, Andrew and I attended the Annual General Meeting in the morning, during which Daryl Jones reflected on his 12 years as Mission Director. During the next 12 months Daryl will be retiring, but will stay on to provide a thorough handover to his successor.
During the day different current day missionaries gave presentations either at one hour sessions or in the main afternoon meeting:
Theo Donner (Colombia), Alison Ezdenci (Serbia), Daniel Caballero (Peru), Paul Guttridge (Kazakhstan), Andrej Kempczzynski (Poland), Nathan Javed (Bradford), and the Radio team (Africa), some ran their sessions twice.
In addition Julia Jones ran a session about the Ladies’ Auxiliary Zenana in the Tamil region of India, which was followed by a session led by Hanson Manova a current day Pastor in Tamil Nadu.
For those who were not attending as delegates there were three sessions that took place at the same time as the AGM.
One of the sessions that Fiona and I attended was about the Envision Programme. At the session Paul Brunning (Head of Communications) asked:
“Do you ever think I could be a missionary? or, I don’t know if I could be a missionary or, at least perhaps not yet. If so the Envision Programme could be for you.”
The envision programmes are short term mission opportunities, there are three types:
- Apprenticeships – two years in length tailor made for the individual
- Placements 1 – 9 months long also tailor made
- Teams – 1- 4 weeks long these are advertised for a specific location and time which individuals can apply to participate
These programmes are for people of all ages, for example a recent Teams programme was made up a group of people of all ages who went to support the outreach work at James Hammonds’ church in Bordeaux. 
On this occasion five young people gave a refreshing and enthusiastic report back on the Envision Programme to South Africa this Summer. During the four week programme they had worked at a township childrens’ centre, an orphanage, with homeless people and participated in a holiday club for 300 children.
Each of the young people spoke of how they felt God’s closeness and help during the trip and, as one said “You can never be completely ready for a trip like this but God works through us in our weakness”.
The focus of the first of the two main sessions was the Lord’s work in the Tamal region of India. Past, Present and Future work.
During the final session there was a presentation to Theo and Sonja Donner for their 40 plus years of service in Columbia, as they have reached the age of 70 they will now be associate missionaries; however Theo will continue to teach at the Biblical Seminary of Columbia and writing. Sonja thanked everyone for the bubble of prayer that has kept them safe.
If you would like to find out more about their work in Columbia speak to Calix who attended their talk earlier in the day.
The day ended with a message from Ray Evans (not Davis, Andrew!) from Bedford. Ray spoke on Acts 16 v 6-10 when Paul had the vision begging them to come over to Macedonia– Pray, Go and Speak. Whether we are called to be missionaries or not we can all pray that the Lord will give us the opportunities to speak and share the Gospel. He ended by reminding us that Jesus ends the Great Commission (Matthew 21 v18-20) with “I am surely with you to the very end of the age”
This was Fiona’s first time at the GBM Day “It was a wonderful day, a lot to do but not enough time to do everything. I don’t see why more people aren’t attending this very important and interesting day” ….. perhaps next year?
Rachel
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