Our International Mission

St. Martin's is a church with a strong international focus arising from:

our situation in the heart of a multicultural city
our history of social engagement
our diverse congregations and visitors

This international focus is reflected in our life together and is visible in the diverse Eucharistic community which gathers here week by week, drawing together people from many parts of the world and representing many theological points of views.

In living through the tensions and joys such diversity brings, and in sharing togther at the same table, we believe we are part of God's mission, who in Christ draws all people to himself.

International Committee

St Martin's International Committee has been active for over 25 years in developing and implementing St Martin's international focus on behalf of our church community. Our Charter informs our outlook and actions:

We are responsible to the Parochial Church Council (PCC) for promoting, in the life of the church, awareness and action in the light of the following convictions:

• that the world Church is a fellowship of equal partners in which the resources, insights, skills and experiences which God has given are to be shared;
• that to serve in the spirit of Jesus demands commitment to strengthen the poor and oppressed against injustice, and the recognition that this task must be pursued in partnership of mutual sharing and accountability with them and all who stand by them;
• that the contributions we make as a church to relief and development projects should be relevant to the long term process of social transformation and not solely be concerned with the relief of immediate needs;
• that our membership of one human family requires a concern both for a greater understanding between Christians of different persuasions and a willingness to learn from and to work with those of other faiths;
• that the unique situation of St Martin-in-the-Fields as a church known throughout the world requires that we address our international obligations and opportunities with great seriousness and urgency.

Michael Hammer is the Chair of the International Committee and Revd Richard Carter is the Clergy link.

Our International Work

Our international work reflects the international nature of our congregations, including many whose work takes theme overseas or has an international development focus. Many of our long-standing commitments arise from personal contact and experience, as well as our location.

Our international mission includes:

• Established links (Hong Kong, South Africa, Jamaica, Northern Malawi, etc) including with other parts of the Anglican Communion
• Financial support for small projects (both through the International Committee and the Friends of St. Martin's)
• Support for mission organisations e.g CMS and USPG
• Awareness raising and support for social action and social justice issues

(e.g historically involvement with the Anti-Apartheid movement and more recently the MakePovertyHistory Campaign)

• Links with local high commissions and organisations (e.g. South Africa, Jamaica, Royal Commonwealth Society)
• BBC World Service Broadcasts

We are currently reflecting on our international mission and believe we have a great responsibility to use our resources, established relationships and international profile for the wider good.

We believe we need to:

• be more explicit about our international work and mission
• communicate creatively and effectively
• use this website as a dynamic and interactive means of communication
• use the creativity and diversity of our people as a key resource
• find new ways of expressing our international engagement and commitment to those who visit our buildings and to those who join with us in worship

St Martin-in-the-Fields International Committee's Consultation 2007

The International Committee has produced a document which summarises the results of the consultation on our international work conducted in 2007 within the congregation, our partners overseas, and amongst key external contacts who take an interest and are associated with our work.  We would like to thank all of you who participated and contributed to this consultation.

The document , which supports the Mission Action Plan 2007-2010, was formally received and discussed by the PCC in March 2008 An electronic version of the document is available here. Hardcopies, can be requested from the Chair of the International Committee, Michael Hammer by email (michael.hammer@btinternet.com) or phone (020 7735 2881). The document will serve as a guide for our work on international issue in the years to come and the International Committee will work with the PCC to develop concrete activities on its basis. We look forward to any comments or queries you may have. Please contact Michael Hammer or our clergy link Revd. Richard Carter at St. Martin-in-the-Fields: richard.carter@smitf.org

The links and relationships section tells you more about our current work

In The Bigger Picture, you can find articles and reflections on current issues and discussion of our future plans.