November 23, 2008

Dear Friends and Supporting Churches

The Harveys have recently moved to London to work at the Overseas Center for Mission Studies.

It has been a memorable year of transitions: from Singapore to England, from teaching one subject to overseeing a research center, from the known to the unknown.  By no means an easy move, it has been a welcome reminder of God’s care and provision in challenging circumstances. Certainly we’ve turned a corner. If the summer was the tyranny of the urgent requiring divine intervention, now with home and a new ministry firming up, we’ve begun to lean more heavily upon habitual grace. In all this, we thank you for your prayers and support that have sustained us and revealed the grace, goodness, and providence of God.

OCMS weekly seminar with students from Palestine, Nigeria, India, Malaysia, Uganda, Kenya, Bulgaria, and Romania.

In December, Tom’s tenure and training as associate dean comes to and end, and in January he takes up the full position of academic dean. Steadily the dean’s responsibilities have moved onto his desk. That pace quickened in June after Overseas Center for Mission Studies (OCMS) launched its doctoral program in professional practice with City University of London. Some students having already completed their OCMS induction into the program had been registered with City University, others were preparing their research proposals for registration, and a large cohort were scheduled for induction in November 2008 and March 2009. Then with no warning or explanation, City University cancelled the agreement and the program. Suddenly, OCMS had 40 students in limbo. Our program with City University was quite unique, which made moving students into our traditional Ph.D. track with the University of Wales complex with plenty of potential pitfalls. Tom’s on-the-job training entailed re-fitting the program to the Wales format, explaining the changes to our students and then reconfiguring our staff accordingly.

In the midst of this, our faculty member Julie Ma, wife of our executive director, Wonsuk Ma, fell seriously ill and was hospitalized and in intensive care for weeks. Through this time, the prayers of the students, faculty, and our Christian friends and supporters were steady and fervent. It was a day of relief and rejoicing when Julie returned to OCMS, though once she regains her strength she will need to have further surgery.

Stained glass at OCMS.

Our latest challenge arrived with the impact of the global financial crisis. OCMS has no alumni to fall back on in difficult times. Our students come out of the poorest nations of the earth and return to work amongst the poorest of the poor. This means we are dependent on the generosity of Christians around the globe. Yet many who support OCMS are facing trying financial burdens themselves. Certainly, next year will be a test of all of us financially and spiritually, yet we take heart that historically the church has met financial adversity with gracious generosity.

While wrestling with the above, we were visited by the British Accreditation Council at the same time we received our latest cohort of doctoral candidates from the Philippines, Romania, Palestine, and Korea. Though we were a bit nervous, the examiners commended our program for its academic rigor, stellar graduation rate, and the effective return of our graduates to their home countries where they are needed most. Meanwhile, the new doctoral cohort completed the induction program with flying colors and are on their way to finishing their research proposals.

Though it has been a hectic transition, in hindsight the various challenges have been a strange blessing; being handed the helm in a hurricane makes everything else appear calm.

Emma apeared in this photograph from the Oxford Mail.

Judy is active in the life of the church here in Oxford. She joined our church’s Alpha program and is active in two Bible studies. Emma served notably at the model United Nations held here in Oxford. We are looking forward to Joe and Paul joining us for Christmas.

As we mentioned in our last newsletter, the PC(USA) has established an Extra Opportunity Account to cover travel and expenses for Tom so he can do his job effectively. In January Tom is scheduled to go to Singapore to meet with business, academic, and church leaders about joint mission projects as well as to promote OCMS. Then in March he goes to Seoul where OCMS will lead the Edinburgh 2010 mission seminar on “mission spirituality.”

Note: Two ECOs are associated with our ministry—one for our ongoing salary and living support and another for the program support mentioned above. See below for information on how to give.

We want to wish you all a blessed Christmas.  Know that you are in our thoughts and prayers.

Blessings

Tom, Judy, Joe, Paul and Emma

The 2008 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 97

How to support the Harveys

Individuals may direct their contributions to one or both of our ECO accounts.

For salary and living support write our name and the ECO number (E200357) on the subject line of the check. Or click the "give" button below to contribute online.

To support Tom's travel expenses, write his name and the correct ECO number (E052057) on the subject line and send a check to

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Individual Remittance Processing
PO Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700

Or click the "give" button below to contribute online.

Churches and presbyteries should give to our Directed Mission Support account, D506421. Put our names and account number on the check and send it to your normal receiving site or:

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Church Remittance Processing
P.O. Box 643678
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3678