Track 3 – Ministry with Migrants
In our volatile and rapidly changing world, many Muslims are forced to cross borders into the Western world, often as refugees. In many instances, they seek and find friendship and openness among Christians. How are churches able to promote types of Muslim-Christian encounters that can overcome barriers of culture, religion and worldview? What kinds of missional approaches are utilized, and how is the church lifting her prophetic voice in times when migrants and refugees often are demonized? Mark, Ingull and Mai-Brit will come with input from their own backgrounds in working with Muslim migrants and refugees, while drawing from theological and sociological perspectives. The track will provide substance for "hearts, minds and hands" - for all who are interested in migrant church and cross-cultural ministry.
Mark Lewis is Sr. pastor of Strandby Methodist Church in Denmark and chairman of the Danish Methodist missions board. He holds a PhD in Intercultural Studies, is an adjunct teacher at the European Methodist E-academy and is a published author. Mark and his family moved to Denmark from the US in 1994, and since then has held several pastorates, in addition to part-time teaching and work with the mission board. He is married to Nina and has 4 grown children. As a passionate musician, he remains active as a guitarist and bassist in a variety of musical settings.
Ingull Grefslie is a District Superintendent in UMC Norway since 2017. She holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing, and has worked for 25 years as a nurse and head of department. She also holds a Master’s in Christianity and in 2009 became a UMC pastor. She has worked in various congregations welcoming immigrants and refugees. The experience of working with immigrants inspired Ingull to write a master’s thesis dealing with the topic, “Female Immigrants’ Encounter with the Methodist Church in Norway”, which will be the background for her presentation at SoCD. In her limited spare time, Ingull enjoys music and knitting.
Mai-Brit Tvilling is a dedicated church planter and for the last 10 years has pastored a new congregation in Solrød, south of Copenhagen. Over the past couple of years, the congregation has welcomed many Syrian refugees who are now actively taking part in the daily life of the congregation. Mai-Brit used to work as a forwarding agent, but in 2002 she felt the calling to become a church planter, afterward leaving the business in order to begin studies in theology and leadership. Mai-Brit is married to Steffen and has 3 grown up children and two grandchildren. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking and being together with friends and family, and she may also be seen on a mountain bike touring the Italian highlands.