The Christian Church is a mission church because God is on a mission. We are called to go to all nations and make disciples. Dr. Chris Wright offers the following helpful definition for ‘Mission’:
Mission should be understood as our committed participation as God’s people, at God’s invitation and command, in God’s own mission within the history of God’s world for the redemption of God’s creation.
Abbey has its own Mission Statement and Strategy.
We are also part of a wider organisation known as the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. This is a body that covers the whole of Ireland (North and South). More about the denomination can be found by following the links on www.presbyterianireland.org
As a denomination we are committed to mission at home and overseas. Since no one congregation has the resources to do all of this on its own congregations contribute towards this wider work by sending money and missionaries (short term teams and long term missionaries), and offering prayer support. More details are available through the official website, but we would point out the vast range of mission: chaplaincy (hospital, prison, university, armed forces), social services (homes for the elderly, sheltered housing for people with special needs, projects for ex-offenders and for the unemployed), children and youth ministries (including dedicated youth centres), education (primary, secondary and university), church-planting, and overseas mission (education, health, development, evangelism and church planting). We work in close partnership with departments of state and with partner churches and organisations.
Between the congregation and the denomination we are also in mission with our local Presbytery. For us this is the Dublin & Munster Presbytery which comprises some 32 congregations. These congregations are clustered around the Greater Dublin area and scattered as far south as Cork and as far west as Galway. Each congregation has its own peculiarities depending on its history and location. Some are rural congregations made up of a few families who have worshipped together for generations, some are suburban congregations in newly developed regions, and some are town and city congregations with more fluid membership. In addition the Presbytery owns and is developing the Lucan Centre for training, retreats, and for youth & congregation events. The Presbytery publishes its own magazine outlining the mission and ministry of its respective congregations, just search “www.presbyterianireland.org” for “Dublin & Munster Link Magazine” for an e-version.