At St Lawrence we are committed to working in partnership with Christian organisations and churches across the world to participate in God’s mission to all nations.  Our World Church Committee seeks to promote awareness and understanding of God’s call to mission, as well as to build links with a range of individuals, projects and organisations in other parts of the world.  If you would like to receive news updates from any of our World Church Links please contact the chair of our World Church Committee via the Parish Office (email info@slawrencelechlade.org.uk, tel 07876 172613).

As a church we provide both prayer and financial support to ministries in Chile, Africa, the Middle East, Nepal, Pakistan and the Diocese of Dornakal in Southern India (the link Diocese for the Diocese of Gloucester), through mission agencies CMS, iServe Africa, SAT-7 and Scripture Union.  Visits by some of our mission partners to our church, as well as visits by members of our congregation to our mission partners, have both challenged and encouraged us.  We particularly partner with:

Gabriel and Rebeca Parra in Chile

Gabriel is an ordained minister and Rebeca a Licensed Lay Reader (after training with Daniel and Ellelein Kirk). Gabriel is leading a new church plant in Playa Ancha, Valparaiso, which opened in in November 2021. They are especially working with young professional Christians.
Gabriel was a CMS Local Partner, with his wife Rebeca and children Eloísa and Simon, but now that his ministry is established he is no longer (from 2025) supported through CMS. St Lawrence Church is supporting his ministry directly after their visit to UK in May 2024.

 

Ram Prasad and Keshari in Rochdale (UK)
Ram and his wife Keshari, in early 2021, started a new ministry in Rochdale (UK) working among asylum seekers and refugees.
Their UK visa has been renewed until December 2026 .  They returned to Nepal for a short break in Feb 2024.  Although Ram and Keshari are not one of our formal World Church links, we continue to support them in prayer in this new ministry.  We welcomed them on their visit to Lechlade in October 2025.

National Mission Commission of Nepal

Ram Prasad Shrestha was the founder of the National Mission Commission of Nepal, involved in training and equipping Christian young people and community leaders to teach and serve their community; also providing education and scholarships to the marginalised people groups in Nepal.
Our financial and prayer support continues to the NMCN in Kathmandu, under the new
director, Mrs Indira Thapa.
Click here Nepal NMCN for more information.

 Scripture Union Pakistan

Rev Shiraz Shahzad is the National Director of Scripture Union Pakistan which works with children and young people, and publishes Bible reading notes.

Click HERE for more information on the SU website.

Diocese of Dornakal Southern India:
In June 2021 a new Bishop of Dornakal was consecrated, the Right Rev. Padma Rao Kodirekka.  For many years St Lawrence Church has supported the Shriver Memorial High School for the Deaf, but this closed in 2025, so we are now supporting the building of a new English Medium school in Kothagudem. Dornakal Diocese has a clear vision to serve the economically disadvantaged families in Kothagudem, where access to quality education remains a significant challenge, so priority will be given to children from these backgrounds.

Have a look at some pictures taken on a Diocesan visit to Dornakal here.

iServe Africa:
Harrison Mungai, with his wife, Rhoda and their three sons, is working with iServe Africa, based in Nairobi, Kenya – an indigenous mission organisation with a vision of gospel transformation throughout Africa.
Through a Graduate Apprenticeship Programme they give young graduates opportunities in Christian ministry, and training towards future Christian leadership.
Click here to visit their website for more information.

 

 

SAT-7:
Based locally in Chippenham, SAT-7 has a vision to see a growing Church in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA); created by Middle Eastern Christians in partnership with Christians from around the world with more than 100 Middle Eastern Christians serving this ministry.
SAT-7 aims to be a voice of comfort and strength in the MENA regions through its Christian teaching and worship satellite broadcasts on several channels, especially to the persecuted church of the regions.
Click here for a link to their website for more information.