SAVE OUR MISSIONARIES!

Aontas - the national association of evangelical churches in Ireland - has begun a campaign to protect the status of non-EU Christian workers in Ireland.


As many of you are aware the Government, in the middle of 2007, changed the procedures by which they allow missionaries to come into the country. Up until then people from non-EU countries had their visas stamped annually as a matter of course, subject only to Garda clearance. The change means that volunteer workers can now only stay in the country for a maximum of three years, this is having a profound affect on the Missionaries concerned and upon the churches they are working with.

To fully appreciate the affects of these changes please consider the following facts:

Churches Planted by Non-EU Missionaries 48 – 23% 34% of New Churches
Churches with significant Non-EU Missionary Involvement 57 – 27%

These figures are taken from research conducted by Aontas in early 2007 – listing evangelical churches from among Church of Ireland, Methodist, Presbyterian, Reformed Presbyterian, Baptist Association, Independent Baptist, Independent evangelicals, Brethren, and Pentecostals.

Towns with no churches:-

Number of Towns of a population of 15,000 or more with no Evangelical Witness – 17

Number of Towns of a population of 7,500 or more with no Evangelical Witness – 49

We are asking you to urgently visit or write your TDs and Senators in your area. We have prepared a briefing document which will help you prepare for the meeting. It is of vital importance that this is done in the next three weeks. New legislation is presently making it way thought the houses of the Oireachtas. The Senate is presently considering the bill, hence the reason we are asking you to visit both TDs and Senators.

Can I ask that if you have a particularly close relationship with any of the politicians, or if you know someone who does, can you please use your influence now for the good of the Kingdom.

Can we also ask that churches mobilise as many people as possible to visit with, or write to, their politicians.

Kind regards in Christ
____________________________
Paudge Mulvihill
Aontas’ Hon. Secretary