(Source: www.sxc.hu)

One well-known UK mission agency recommends that all their married mission partners do a marriage refresher course while they are on home assignment.  This is good practice as it will help them think about the damage caused to their relationship by their time in the field, and help them strengthen their marriage to be more resilient in the future.  However the same agency makes no similar recommendation to its single mission partners for dealing with their singleness!

And, to be honest, even if they did, it wouldn’t be easy for their mission partners to find the appropriate resources.  Marriage enrichment courses abound.  Yet where do you find any resource to help singles?  It’s an issue that is not adequately addressed, despite the increasing number of singles in our churches and on the mission field.

Syzygy is very happy to be able to redress this balance.  Serving as Singles is a celebration of singleness in ministry.  This workshop will be an affirming time helping single mission workers embrace their situation in life, look to Christ to provide our needs, and discuss strategies for coping with the difficult aspects of being single. There will be time for teaching, discussion, prayer, silence and laughter. It is open to all singles involved in mission whether unmarried, divorced or widowed.  Above all, we will be pointed back to Jesus as the lover of our soul, to spend time with him, listening to what he has to say to us.

During our discussions we will:

• consider who and what defines our identity
• learn an affirming biblical theology of singleness
• think about our legitimate needs such as our needs for intimacy and significance, and how we can meet them
• develop strategies for managing the difficult issues
• identify ways to thrive

Serving as Singles has been acclaimed by single mission workers as helping them to feel more whole and accepted in Christ, focus their attention on worshipping and serving him, and learning to thrive as singles.  Syzygy has also produced a book, Single Mission, written by, for and about single mission workers.

For more information about the next Single Mission workshop, email training@syzygy.org.uk.