From the September-December 2011 Issue
EDITORIAL
Martin Leech
Martin LeechThe September issue of Vision for Europe
marks my first as editor of the magazine.
This is the latest in a series of changes
at EMF explained by the fact that Daniel
Webber has formally retired as Director
of the Mission. He was fully involved in the
preparation of this issue, I am pleased to say. I would like to take this opportunity to state our deep
thankfulness to God for the ministry
of Mr Webber, and for the invaluable
support he has known from his wife
Zurilia, during his 21 years as Mission
Director. This has been a significant and
fruitful ministry, for which God is to be
praised.
It seemed appropriate to many that something should be done to publicly acknowledge the conclusion of Mr Webber’s work as Director and so a special meeting was organised in Welwyn on July 9th. Although contributions from speakers, representing the missionaries, students of the School of Biblical Studies and the Executive Committee, inevitably paid tribute to the impact of Mr Webber’s ministry, we hope the meeting properly directed the glory to God. A large number of missionaries and staff past and present, family, friends and supporters were present, generating a real sense of the fellowship in mission that is so much a part of EMF’s ethos. This memorable occasion was suitably concluded with the preaching of God’s word. Audio and video recordings are available anddetails can be obtained from the Office in Welwyn. I am sure readers of the Vision will want to join me in wishing the Webbers well in this new stage of life.
EMF now has a new Director and, with the arrival of Jörg Müller, we warmly welcome a new Assistant Director and Principal of the School of Biblical Studies. The Executive Committee has some new faces. In recent months I have been asked a number of times about what changes there might now be; to which my answer has been that it is certain some things will change, how could it be otherwise when personnel change? But, if I may use the term, it will only be ‘evolution’ not ‘revolution’. Changes can be unsettling but, as you will see from the articles following, the work of EMF’s missionaries continues unabated and the commitment of the Mission to their ministry is unaltered.
Changing times are also times for taking stock of what will not change. The Mission’s priorities of supporting Gospel ministry, evangelism and church-planting with a view to establishing self-supporting, self-governing and self-propagating churches in Europe are unchanged. The commitments to providing quality teaching in the School of Biblical Studies and to providing appropriate support to literature work remain firmly in place. Mr Webber wrote in his final editorial (May-August 2011), ‘We are in good hands’. Indeed we are: the eternal God is our refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; the Lord does not change. Join with us in praying to the Lord God to seek his mercy as we turn a page and start this next chapter in EMF’s story.
With warm Christian greetings,
Martin Leech