Rita Rimkiene, a missionary and her family from Lithuania, joined ECM to work alongside churches in Gloucester (being based out of Brunswick Baptist Church). Below she tells us how her involvement in the community sustained many contacts and relationships during the last twelve months.

"Even Christians have struggled to know how to live through the pandemic while still recognising a call to serve the Lord, build communities, equip the church and multiply.

"We have been holding on to one another in the World Cafe (a relational ministry connecting migrants and locals) by keeping our connection fresh, deep and nurtured via social media. That might be posting an encouraging verse, dancing, running and walking, having fun and even making a fool of yourself while supporting a good cause.

"Our call is to equip people with the peace and hope of Jesus Christ. Therefore during this time, we have called people to allow themselves to see the world through the eyes of others. While they helped others, they connected with the community, multiplied compassion and equipped themselves with resilience — thus growing stronger to live through the pandemic themselves."

This article is in our new issue of the ECM Magazine which contains many more similar accounts.

If you would like to know more about Rita and her ministry, please follow this link.