Highlights from the September Board of Directors Meeting

Transcription

1 O N W A R D The Newsletter of the Moravian Mission Society, Southern Province October 2017 Volume XXXVII Issue 8 Musings from the Mission Society Highlights from the September Board of Directors Meeting Opening devotions were led by Scott Brent who shared some personal missionary journeys taken by members of his family. Brandon Sullivan gave the mission update on this summer's four weeks of mission camp at Laurel Ridge. As one of the two staff members who worked specifically with mission camp, he explained that 153 youth and advisers had participated, each group being matched (according to their abilities) to applications for help that the camp had received. Donna Hurt added a brief explanation of the evening program part of each week, this year based on Romans 12: Committee Reports Erin Key reviewed requests for grant money from people going on mission trips. Since the last board meeting, seven groups or individuals had received financial assistance, bringing the year's balance down to $2350. So far in 2017, the Mission Society has supported 57 international travelers, 17 people offering disaster relief in eastern NC, and 41 Laurel Ridge mission campers. With the annual Mission Lovefeast scheduled for November 5 th, committee chair Matthew Allen reported this year's location to be Olivet Moravian, with the provincial band playing at 2:30 and the service beginning at 3:00. Special speakers that day will be Jessy Burcaw and Jamie Dease, sharing about their recent trip to Nepal. Donna Hurt explained that she has contacted all the board-supported missionaries, asking for new family pictures and updates on their ministry to be included in the booklet given out at the lovefeast. She also plans to send a bulletin announcement about this event to all the SP churches. Jenna Nodine's report on the June Mission Awareness Dinner included the following information: There were 126 people in attendance to enjoy the delicious meal at Fairview Moravian. The offering that was taken for Peru totaled $1244. Jenna expressed thanks to Jane Wynne who wrote a wonderful article about that event for the July Onward and to Ashley Emery who ed a special invitation to all those who had An update on the situation in Honduras with the Alas de Socorro (Wings of Mercy) Ministry was shared by Donna Hurt, as she has been informed by Rick Nelson who is serving at the medical clinic in Ahuas. The pilot who has been flying the plane can no longer do that. A new pilot who lives in the area has been found but he needs training. Former pilot George Goff has offered to do this as soon as some repairs are made on the plane. Joe Jarvis offered a current report on the Moravian Churches in Cuba following the recent damaging hurricanes. The meeting was closed with a meaningful paragraph written by Henry Blackerby and entitled Mission work is... Donna Hurt, President Articles Hurricane Victims p. 2 Ray of Hope p. 3 Thiessens p. 4 Cuba p. 5 MDR p. 6 Pray p. 7 Clean-Up Buckets p. 8

2 MACEDONIA HOSTS HURRICANE EVACUAEES In the path of Hurricane Irma, residents and families from the Community homes and hearts, inc. Center for Wellness, Inc. in Cape Coral FL traveled to Clemmons, NC to ride out the storm at the Motel 8. The trip on Friday, September 15 took 16 hours to evacuate to a safe place in NC. Members of Macedonia Moravian in Advance, NC met the group during dinner at Cracker Barrel in Clemmons on Saturday, September 16. An invitation was extended to the group to join us at our Sunday evening potluck. The group heartily agreed to come, and they were encouraged by receiving support from our members. Macedonia members graciously prepared extra food and donated gift cards to help with their expenses away from home. The clients used the McDonald s card for lunches through the week. They stopped at Wendy s after a tour of Reynolda House which waived admission for evacuees. There was also money left for going to a movie and bowling. Our congregation had the opportunity to hear stories of their lives disrupted by Hurricane Irma. The group returned to their home in Cape Coral on Friday, September 15. Paula Paquette, President, sent an update on their situation. All of their homes were intact and not flooded. There were trees down, power poles bent down, and debri here and there. The water had receded on the flooded roads. Areas just 30 minutes east of us, like Lehigh Acres, were devastated. It s terrible. Many people are without power and running out of their meds and other essentials. Everyone is hot and tired. Help is there and food and water are being handed out. Meeting these folks and being a source of encouragement was a very heartwarming experience for the members of Macedonia. We are also thankful the group arrived home safely and found that their homes had not been severely damaged. Sheila Beaman 2

3 NEWS FROM RAY OF HOPE, KENYA Shalom! We are writing to update you on what is happening with all our family at Ray of Hope Orphanage in Kenya. Our God is great.! By next month we will get a certificate that our school is recognized by the Kenyan government;. We are enjoying fresh tomatoes from our garden and preserving the extra ones in the refrigerator. This has helped cut down on buying tomatoes. All the kids have returned to school and they are doing well. We appreciate the electricity for the kids, and now they can extend their study time into the night. The Preschool is doing great. The kids seem happy and energized by participating in school activities. The teachers are doing a wonderful job empowering the little angles with knowledge. Their memory verse for the term is Ephesians 6: 1 2: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise. Every night devotions are drawing our kids closer and closer to God in spite of the tough backgrounds some come, but prayer is the weapon for all. We sincerely acknowledge your support every month. May the Lord meet your needs every single day. (Daniel 4:12) Prayer request: Pray for Mwanaisha s health, God s 3 protection, and a certificate for our school. Michael, Ceci, Hannah, and Lydia Love 3

4 THIESSENS EXPERIENCE EARTHQUAKE IN MEXICO Anne and I were just finishing a late breakfast downtown to "celebrate" her last day of being a "proper" teacher when the latest earthquake hit. We got out of the building, and then commiserated with the many others (hundreds!) that also rushed out. Not even two weeks after the big one off the coast. Not sure yet about damages from today's, but the Sep 7th one was bad in some parts of our state. We were woken from a deep sleep in the middle of the shaking, with all kinds of crashing noise as things came smashing down on the floor. Some of our furniture fell over, others moved away from the wall, and many items fell down. Thankfully nothing of great worth, and not even damage to the two-story building we live in (we are on the bottom floor - so lots to fall in on us). We were trying to get out of the house but only made it to one of the intermediate doorways when we had to huddle together as everything roiled around us. This was by far the biggest "temblor" that we have been through. One of the couples in our church group is from the worst-hit town, Juchitan. They're part of a group of young professionals and students who are reaching out with aid in that area, and we've been directing help that way. It is so hard in these situations to know who is who, and which cases require the most help. Unfortunately, too many people (both people at the top and the bottom) take advantage of these situations and try to take when they don't really need. Anne's sister lives just outside of Houston, but was spared any real damage from Harvey. Anne's parents live in central Florida, and other than being without power for a handful of days, they too were not terribly affected by Irma. Then last Thursday, I drove down to the coast of Guerrero to see friends from when we lived there, and went right into Max. I spent a wet afternoon and night, but that was all. And just now a second large earthquake. Good thing we're not animists who fear the wrath of the gods, otherwise we'd be wondering if we've prayed enough lately, or done some other thing to tick God off. Back to the reason for our celebration today. Anne is finally closing a very important chapter of her "professional" life. We moved to Oaxaca City in 2004 so that the kids could go to a US type school, and so that Anne could help out with teaching English literature. She had been needing this kind of regularity in her life, and teaching at OCS has provided not only that but many friends with both staff and students. She has grown in her own grasp of how God speaks through many mediums, and has honed her abilities to analyze and to write even as she encouraged that among the students. But when we returned from the "cancer year" she sensed a change coming. We returned to an empty nest, and to an increased need for life-long learning among the Mexican missionaries we work with. As she stepped into that she realized that the pull of two foci was too much. At the same time, Ruth, a past student, returned to help out teaching at OCS, and was filling in more and more. This all led Anne to begin to plan for a formal end to her involvement at the school, and today's class was the final one. She will help out on the Tuesdays that we are around here, but they won't be more than one or two a month from now on, it looks like. She is also working on a Masters of Intercultural Studies from William Carey in Pasedena, CA. With all the rest, she has lots to do. As post-animists we thank you for your prayers. Robert and Anne. This summer we asked a Fayetteville, TX women s circle to make a special quilt communicating God s love from her circle to the Indian community in Oaxaca. The quilt has bluebonnets and horses and cowboys and a big map of TXo n it. Robert presented the quilt to the people of Lachixio. He mentioned that in these days of political tension between the US and Mexico over border issues, some Christians in TX wanted Mexicans to know that they recognize them as fellow creatures of God. 4

5 CUBA FUNDRAISER 2017 Fall Benefit Dinner Saturday, November 11, PM to 10 PM Winston-Salem Masonic Center 4537 Country Club Road Winston-Salem, NC Authentic Cuban Dinner Auctions Drawings Entertainment Tickets $75 pp Tables & Sponsorships Available All Net Proceeds Benefit ARMF Call (336) or joe@armfcuba.org Evon Crooks, Sam Gray, Joe Jarvis, Bruce Ledwith with Cuban Moravians (Armando Rusindo far right) 5 Farm Project

6 MDR HURRICANE RESPONSE BWM has been receiving generous donations for Moravian Disaster Response (MDR) and has begun the process of disbursing funds to TX (Port Arthur and other TX Brethren churches) and the Eastern West Indies Province (St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. Joh, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Tortola, and Antigua). Plans are in place for deploying MDR trailers and teams to TX and possibly FL, as needed. We continue to receive updates from Cuba, FL, TX, and the EWI and will pass on information as it is received. Brother Cortroy Jarvis (Chair of the EWI Province and chair of the Worldwide Moravian Unity) says that the situation in St. John is especially bad: the sanctuary and manse of Emmaus Moravian Church there have been destroyed and the roof of the Bethany Moravian Church was blown off. Antigua is doing pretty well but very involved with relief efforts in Barbuda. Air travel to Tortola and St. Thomas has not been restored as yet and communication is difficult. The Cuba Mission Province Synod will be held September 26 thru 28, despite significant damage and destruction throughout the island. BWM staff, Sam Gray, and members of the Armando Rusindo Mission Foundation will attend, and they will return with more detailed information concerning the most effective ways in which we can help. Thank you for your prayers and your ongoing support for these important relief and rebuilding efforts. Donations to help support MDR as it partners in the recovery can be made online at Please use the online giving form, and in the comment section, designate the donation for Moravian Disaster Response. Donations within the US can also be sent directly to the Board of World Mission at the address below. In the memo line, please write Moravian Disaster Response. Board of World Mission PO Box 1245 Bethlehem, PA If you are interested in getting information on joining teams to help in the recovery and rebuilding efforts for this, or other disaster, please go to moravianmission.org/news and click the Volunteer Button. Justin Rabbach, Director 6

7 PRAY EVERY DAY OCTOBER Sunday. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. Pray for Dusty & Christin Harrison and the students they are serving through Greek InterVarsity Campus Ministry at Clemson University. 2. I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you. Pray for Brian & Heather Marx (Bmarx@maf.org ) serving with MAF in Indonesia. 3. Let us thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind. Pray for Steve & Ann Marx as they work with MAF in Nampa, Idaho. 4. We have heard with our ears what deeds you performed in the days of old. Pray for Safiatu and Mohamed Braima in the Mission area of Sierra Leone. 5. It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty? Pray for Antioch Project, Jill Kolodziej, Director. 6. Let me hear your steadfast love in the morning, for in you I put my trust. Pray for BWM Meeting in Bethlehem, PA. 7. God will dwell with them; they will be his people, and God himself will be with them. Pray for Alas de Socorro in Honduras that they would find a pilot. 8. Sunday. The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. Pray for the Moravian Volunteer Resources and Moravian Disaster Response and those affected by the recent hurricane and floods. 9. For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. Pray for organizations such as Samaritan s Purse, Soar, Marc, Artic Barnabas and the Billy Graham Assoc. which serve so many hurting people in the name and love of Jesus. 10. We must obey God rather than any human authority. Pray for the Woo Family. 11. Indeed he is not far from each one of us. Pray for Ed Dehnert and Barb Weide, Alaska Bible Seminary, Bethel, AK. 12. Surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm. Pray for Drs. Bill and Peggy Hoffman with HIV/AIDS ministry in Tanzania. 13. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Pray for Charlie & Vickie Brent and Family serving with Bridges International in campus ministry in TX, especially among Asian students. 14. Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise. Pray for Michael, Cecilia, Blessing, and Love Lydia Tesh serving in the Ray of Hope orphanage in Kenya. 15. Sunday. Oh Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you, I will praise your name. Pray for the peace of Israel and the Jewish people. 16. God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Pray for Kevin & Charity Manous, New Philadelphia, serving in the Middle East and for all others who serve Christ in that area of the world. 17. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Pray for the Likewise Aids Ministry. 18. The Lord knows those who are he is, and let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness. Pray for the Mission Areas of Sierra Leone and Peru and the Mission Province of Cuba. 19. How great are your works, oh Lord! Pray for Adopt A Village Program in Tanzania. 20. Outdo one another in showing honor. Pray for the Likewise Aids Ministry. 21. Oh Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you. Pray for Western Tanzania's mission outreach. 22. Sunday. Now begin the work, and the Lord be with you. Pray for Vani Pradhan and the Nepali Moravian Outreach 23. Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established. Pray for Annie B. Mission with Star Mountain in Palestine. 24. Be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating. Pray for ongoing outreach to rebuild homes in North Carolina through Moravian Disaster Response. 25. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. Pray for 15 Mission Areas and 5 Mission Provinces of the Moravian Unity. 26. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Pray for the Marshall Mission Outreach of the Alaska Moravian church. 27. Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord! Pray for the construction of a radio tower that will allow the Word of God to be broadcast into Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea. 28. The good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations. Pray for the Moravian churches and missions in Peru. 29. Sunday. You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. Pray for the Armando Rusindo Mission Foundation aiding the Cuban Moravian church. 30. I shall do more good to you than ever before. Pray for volunteers who run soup kitchens and feed the hungry. 31. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. Pray for Allen and Deedee Iobst in Spain. helengulledge1090@gmail.com 7

8 FRIES MEMORIAL COLLECTS CLEAN-UP BUCKETS Fries Moravian Church is collecting Clean-Up Buckets to be delivered to Church World Service for delivery to Texas. The needed items are placed in a five-gallon bucket with resealable lid (used ones should be cleaned and not used if held chemicals of any kind). The list of items to include can be found on the Church World Service website at The buckets need to be delivered to Fries Memorial Church, 251 N. Hawthorne Rd. NW, Winston-Salem, NC by October 8, You may contact Rev. Jeff Coppage at , Heather Stevenson at , or the Mission Office at You may check with Heather to see if there are free 5-gallon buckets still available for filling. Photo Church World Service ONWARD 500 S. Church St. Winston-Salem, NC ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED