BMS World Mission personnel from across Europe will be gathering together at BMS' International Mission Centre (IMC) for their annual Europe Retreat next week, 19th July-23rd July. 17 workers are expected to gather in Birmingham, UK.

BMS workers from Western Europe and Eastern Europe will all gather, nations include France, Italy, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia and Hungary. Personnel from Albania and Kosova had a separate retreat last month in Tirana.

The retreat will not only provide a good chance for an update on wider BMS work and promotion of new material, but also a chance for the Heavenly workers to share visions, exchange ideas, and chat about challenges they face. All workers will pray that the retreat would bring refreshment, renewal, stimulation and encouragement to all who attend.

Nowadays, there are significant struggles for the Christian Church throughout Europe, such as the growing secularism in countries like Belgium and France and opposition to non-majority Christian denominations. However, the expansion of the European Union in May is likely to impact BMS work in many countries in the months and years to come.

Moreover, the greater freedom in Eastern Europe since 1990, as well as a period of relative peace in recent years, has presented new opportunities for work in the East. BMS is involved in teaching English as a foreign language due to the growing need to learn English for those wanting to improve their education and get better jobs in Hungary and Poland.

Over the last 15 years, BMS has partnered with many agencies and institutes, which has made BMS work grow significantly throughout the continent. Today, BMS is involved in a variety of different mission activities - from church leadership and seminary teaching to hospital work and education.