Addresses & Articles by Executive Director

One Ray of Hope

From Newsletter: Winter 2001

As my family gathered around the Thanksgiving table this year, I couldn’t help but recall how many past dinners I shared with the volunteers and members of a former CLM project that I directed, The Joined Hands Refugee Centre, in Rome, Italy. On each of those occasions, those assembled gave thanks for the blessing of partnership with the CLM family. We shared a
common meal together – albeit livened up with Asian spices and Ethiopian coffee – and we shared a common goal with CLM: to demonstrate in a concrete manner that people of faith working together can indeed change the world.

This common commitment is clearly enunciated in our Philosophy of Mission. The ongoing conflicts and fear that grip our world underscore the challenges before us. CLM’s commitment to facilitation, personalization, reciprocity and
globalization remains a vibrant, counter-cultural witness to those who would turn their back on the world and the challenges of the twenty-first century.

As Sammy Mayer recently reminded me: “the magnitude of tears shed around the globe these past months cannot be contained in the human heart. That burden can only be carried by a God of love.”

With the holiday season upon us and the promise of the New Year to come, the CLM family faces an unique opportunity to reach back into our past to
chart a new course to the future. This is certainly no time for us to retrench or to fall back into some top-down model of mission. Rather, we are called to take risks and affirm faith-filled partnerships, the world over.

The past few months have been a time of intense consultation, discernment and prayer. Many of you have joined with the Board of Directors and staff to
help us in this assessment.

You have responded to questions:
What makes us unique? What regions of the world merit greater representation among our projects? What types of programs should we encourage and support? What makes us relevant in this Internet age? How do we “grow” this organization to meet the challenges of a world markedly different from that of 1974 without losing touch with all that makes us unique?

You have affirmed the vital nature of our work in a world forever
altered by the events of September 11th. Your willingness
to lend a hand, offer an opinion and provide the material supportthat allows us to undertake countless programs around the world is an incredible source of encouragement.

Throughout this period, one word – one very simple word – has rung through loud and clear... PARTNERSHIP.

Partnership has been the bedrock of this organization since its founding.

Partnership is the model that most ably reflects our commitment to the promotion of justice and the promise of hope.

Partnership was evident when, at the recent meeting of our Board of Directors, one of our most momentous decisions in years was made. Effective January 1, 2002, we will operate under the new but familiar name: International Partners in Mission.

The new International Partners in Mission logo and the new Connections masthead reflects the Board’s unabiding commitment to partnership.

As Partners in Mission with each of you, we continue to affirm our special place in theworld as an organization that seeks out individuals and communities left on the margins of our global society.

As you will read in this issue, the Board also adopted revised project guidelines that more explicitly reflect our commitment to work in partnership with people and communities around the world.

I trust that each of you will be as excited as we are to learn more about our new partners and revised program areas. Clearly, we could not continue to expand our support for creative
community- and faith-based programs
without your generosity. Of course, all these changes are not without risk. But, the risks for us were of
relevancy and recommitment to all that
we believe.

In this holiday season, let us join our prayer with that of Sammy Mayer: “that International Partners in Mission be one beacon of light, one ray of hope, a word of new found joy for every place and everyone who longs for new life.” May the blessings of the Christmas and the New Year be with you and all those whom you hold dear.

Joseph Cistone