Special to The Sun
WELLINGTON–“Ifyou would’ve told me a year and a half ago, I finally would’ve made it to Germany, I probably wouldn’t have believed you,”said Sydney Jones.
Jones’ plan was to leave in May 2020 to work for Church in Action in Germany as a digital storyteller and photographer. However, like many plans that year, hers were derailed.
“The first nine months of waiting were some of the most painful times of my life,”Jones said. “I’m from Wellington, and you know how it is whenever everybody knows you. And in my case, everybody knew I was supposed to go to Germany. So, when I would go to the grocery store to grab bananas, someone would ask, and it’s not their fault, when I was going to Germany. And for a year and half I had absolutely no answer.”
The travel restrictions due to COVID-19 prevented Jones from being able to take part in the opportunity awaiting her in Germany.
“To not be able to proceed with something because of restrictions that are completely out of your control is so hard,” she said. “I started to work for Church in Action in Germany remotely and started to learn German online because that’s all I could do.”
After a long wait, in July 2021, things took a turn for the better for Jones.The travel ban from the U.S. to Europe was finally lifted. She’s now lived in Darmstadt, Germany for a year and recently traveled back into Wellington to visit her family for the first time since she left.
“It’s been the best and hardest thing I’ve done, or may ever do, in my life but I love it,” Jones explained. “I love my colleagues, my city, our congregation and our mission. The dream of Church in Action is to see how heaven breaks into our lives, city and world.”
Teams accomplish this through meeting people where they are. The church doesn’t have a building. They meet in bars, coffee shops or other public spaces, where people who don’t believe are more likely to still come and take part in the community.
“We’ve been in a rebuilding season since the pandemic, but in general, we are a very flexible, dynamic and non-traditional church,” Jones said. “Along with church services, we have social projects that work with marginalized groups of our cities.For example, we have refugee ministries and brothel ministries, just to name a few, where our main objective is to build relationships with the people and love them like Jesus.”
As the Digital Storyteller, Jones’ overarching roll is to capture and tell the story of how heaven is breaking into the lives, city and world of the people she encounters along the way.
“The last Sunday, I gave a mini teaching in German over how storytelling is biblical and the importance of this practice within our community,” said Jones.“It was such a huge moment for me. Afterwards, I got so emotional because for the longest time, I didn’t even know if I’d get to Germany. And now I’ve been there for a year,and I speak German,and now I’m sitting in circle with our community, facilitating conversation and listening to everyone share. I couldn’t have dreamed of anything better, and I have the feeling it’s just the beginning.”
Jones goes back to Germany for her second term this year, where she will continue to grow and develop her role. She also will resume her master’s degree at Manchester Nazarene Theological College in the fall in Urban Missions. The program is over two weekends in which Jones will travel to Manchester, England to participate in person.
“’Frankly there isn’t anyone you couldn’t learn to love once you’ve heard their story,’ is a quote by Mary L Kownaki,” Jones added.
To receive her monthly newsletter, contact Jones at sydney.jones@reliant.org. To give towards her education with a one-time gift or sign up as a monthly team member, visit reliant.org/sydney.jones or mail a check, made out to Reliant Mission, to 11002 Lake Hart Drive, Suite 100, Orlando,FL 32832.
The 501c3 mission organization that employs Jones, Reliant Mission, partners with missional churches and gospel-centered nonprofits to mobilize support-based missionaries for the great commission.
