Answering the Why? Questions

Transcription

1 NMI, Church of the Nazarene 6401 The Paseo, Kansas City, MO CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED AROUND THE CIRCUIT Vision and Passion for Missions Vision: God-given faith-ability to see something with clarity even before it becomes reality and to seize that opportunity with holy integrity. A Resource Exchange for NMI Leaders WHAT S INSIDE? Council Input 2 Mission Priority One 4-5 Thanksgiving Offering 6-7 Nazarene Compassionate Ministries /40 Window/Persecuted Church 10 Prayer & Fasting 11 Plugged-In to Kids 12 Wired-Up for Youth 13 Current Info 14 Worship Folder Reproducibles 15 Around the Circuit Back Cover Answering the Why? Questions By Melinda Wolf Miller October November December 2006 Remember Moses. Explorers were sent to check out the land. Ten saw powerful people and fortified cities through eyes of fear, saying, We seemed like grasshoppers. Two others saw with eyes of faith, pronouncing, Let s go and possess this good land. God will guide us. We can do it. Do you have a grasshopper mentality or eyes of faith? Gaze at God. Pray through His Word. Merely glance at your problems. Remember Elisha. Enemy horses and chariots surrounded God s people. Elisha told his servant, Don t be afraid. Those with us are more than those with them. Elisha prayed that the servant s eyes would be opened ; the servant saw hills full of horses and chariots of fire. Majority authority. Vision. Remember Habbakkuk. God told him to write the revelation plainly so that whoever reads it may run with it. Though it linger, wait. Vision. Wait patiently. See clearly. Seize with integrity. Write it down for Gen-Next. Remember Isaiah. When he saw the Lord seated on a throne, Isaiah recognized his own need. God took away Isaiah s sin, then asked, Whom shall I send? Who will go for us? Isaiah responded, Here am I. Send me (Isaiah 6:8). As soon as you see it, seize it. Other people were ever hearing, but never understanding. They were ever seeing, but never perceiving. Remember Jesus. He repeated this Isaiah issue about the crowds in Matthew 13. Then, he turned to his disciples and said, But blessed are your eyes because they see. Would Jesus observe the same difference in the way you see and seize today? Remember Peter. Quoting God s promise to Joel, Peter said, In the last days, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Are our young seeing clearly, passionate for God s Spirit to be poured out? Are our old dreaming about the future of God s kingdom or about the good ol days? Pray with me. Pray creatively with our young. Pray strategically with our old. Pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened (Ephesians 1:18). Open the eyes of our hearts, Lord. Renew our vision and passion for missions. Daniel D. Ketchum, Ph.D. General NMI Director I ve asked a lot of why? questions during my years of missions work. Why do we emphasize missions in the Church of the Nazarene? Why do we send missionaries? Why do we pray? Why do we give to World Evangelism Fund? Obviously, the most compelling answer to the why? questions is this our mission is biblical. We are responding to the Great Commission call to take the gospel of Christ to all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). Beyond God s command, perhaps the most convincing answer to the why? questions is the approximately 2 billion people who do not know Jesus Christ in our global village of 6.5 billion (Center for the Study of Global Christianity). Those 2 billion souls answer the why? questions. I m thankful to be a part of a church whose mission is to share the cross of Jesus 16 OND 2006 MISSION CONNECTION 1 OND 2006 MISSION CONNECTION Continued on page 3

2 ...continued from cover story COUNCIL INPUT Nazarene Compassionate Ministries Crisis Care Kits to the Rescue News that a tsunami had swept over parts of Asia spread quickly over the air waves. Nazarenes responded as they always do in a major disaster. Donations poured into the Nazarene Compassionate Ministries Office and banana boxes, each filled with six Crisis Care Kits (CCKs), began arriving at the designated center for relief shipments. Hurricanes pounded the Caribbean Region and slammed into the Gulf Coast of the United States. Nazarene children, teens, and Sunday School classes filled more CCKs to help the survivors. Nazarenes sent 62,000 CCKs in 2005, each one designed to let hurting people know someone cares. Crisis Care Kits are a great project for Caravan groups, Vacation Bible School, teen ministry groups, and adults in churches, Bible studies, and retirement homes. The following are some tips gleaned from Liz Murtland, director of Hands of Hope.* Use instructions for the current year. The inventory and instructions are updated annually; the month and year of the update are always placed in the lower-right corner of the document. Prevent leaking shampoo. The bottle should have a screw top; or if it is a flip-top, tape the top closed to avoid leaking. Be sure the towels are hand towels, not wash cloths. Obtain stuffed animals of the proper size. The stuffed toy must be Beanie Baby-sized, no large teddy bears will be accepted. Follow the inventory exactly. Do not add an extra item or two out of the goodness of your heart. The list calls for a fingernail clipper; do not send a full manicure set. It causes problems in customs when extra items are added, and all CCKs should be the same to speed processing. Follow the wrapping instructions. Please do not tape over the box handles. Send $12 per banana box to Global Treasury Services (GTS) for storage and shipping of the boxes to disaster areas. The General NMI Office receives a list from GTS, and it is this list that allows them to know how many CCKs were sent and from what churches/districts. These tips will help your boxes pass inspection and prevent the distribution centers from losing precious time finding volunteers to repack the rejected boxes. Thanks for caring. * Hands of Hope, a center in Idaho, began receiving CCKs from the western United States during the Katrina Crisis and has continued this ministry. The following states are encouraged to send their CCKs to Hands of Hope California, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Idaho, New Mexico, and Arizona. Karen Benlien Southwest U.S.A. Region General NMI Council Representative October November December 2006 DANIEL D. KETCHUM General NMI Director GAIL L. SAWRIE Editor MELINDA WOLF MILLER Assistant Editor Cover Art: Darlene Filley Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV) Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Permission to quote from the following copyrighted versions is acknowledged with appreciation: New King James Version (NKJV). Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. All rights reserved. King James Version (KJV) Mission Connection is a quarterly publication of Nazarene Missions International to equip NMI leaders through interaction and resource exchange. Editorial office is at NMI Church of the Nazarene 6401 The Paseo Kansas City, MO <nmi@nazarene.org> Member Evangelical Press Association. Mission Connection is not copyrighted; please feel free to copy any portion of this periodical. MISSION STATEMENT To mobilize the church in mission through prayer, education, giving, and Christ. Nazarenes are committed to to praying, giving, and going. God has blessed us, expanding our ministry to 151 world areas, with approximately 800 missionaries and volunteers. God chooses to work through the Church of the Nazarene, through you and people like you in 14,000 Nazarene churches, who worship the Lord in 148 languages and 75 dialects. Why give to the World Evangelism Fund (WEF)? It makes the Church of the Nazarene s global ministry possible. But why are churches encouraged to overpay the WEF goal? It s hard enough to meet the goal, we think, why should we try to overpay it? The General NMI Office received a letter from missionary Karen Van Gilder (Poland) that effectively answers the question. I just wanted to say thank you from the Poland District. We received funds from the World Evangelism Fund overpayment. I wanted to share with you what we were able to do with the money. We used the funds to purchase two apartments in Poznan, Poland one functions as a ministry center and missionary housing. The other provides an office and housing for missions volunteers. We also purchased an apartment/parsonage in Gdansk for pastors Dawid and Simon Berdowski, who are beginning a church plant there... Thank you so much for helping make this possible for us. It has provided a good base for ministry in Poland. Karen Van Gilder, Missionary to Poland Note: The photos on the front cover are of one of the buildings purchased, and one of the activities held in the Poznan building. God is doing great things through the Church of the Nazarene. Hearts and lives are transformed by the saving grace of Christ Jesus. To maintain this momentum, to continually fulfill God s mission for the church, we must work together. By participating in faith promise and the Easter and Thanksgiving offerings, people give to the World Evangelism Fund, allowing the Church of the Nazarene to fulfill its mission of sharing the hope of Jesus Christ with the world. By ourselves, we could never support all Nazarene missionaries and facilitate ministry in 151 world areas. Most of us could not even support one missionary family. However, when we give to WEF and other missions offerings, with God s help, we can do more together than any of us could do on our own. So, why give to the World Evangelism Fund? We give to have a role in what God is doing around the world! Each of us should embrace the following prayer: Take my life, Lord. It s Yours. Take my time and money. Use my gifts and weaknesses for Your purpose. In whatever tiny way I can, I want to be on God s team! Melinda Wolf Miller is the former associate editor in the NMI Office and assistant editor of Mission Connection. She is now on staff at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho. The gospel is only good news if it gets there in time. Carl F. H. Henry Theologian, journalist, and evangelical leader 2 OND 2006 MISSION CONNECTION interactive experiences. OND 2006 MISSION CONNECTION 3

3 Building God s Kingdom The following information was sent to the Rancho Cucamonga Highland Avenue Community Church of the Nazarene to encourage all-church participation in missions. While the teams are centered around children and youth, note that everyone is included in the How? section for the event. If your church focuses on families, this is a great way to keep families emphasized while not ignoring those who may not have children. The church planned this event for the summer; however, you could adapt it for a year, including all the Mission Priority One requirements. What a great way to reach your church s goals! Building God s Kingdom 100% Involvement in Missions Goal? Sign Up at the Missions Table. For info: church address or local NMI president s address church name The goal this summer at church name is to get everyone involved in learning about, praying for, giving to, and doing missions. How? We are dividing the church into teams loosely based on children s ages. If you don t have a child, join any team. Have a 5-year-old and a 10-yea- old? Sign up your whole family on the same team. Hammers (Construction Supervisor (Name) Ages 0 First Grade and Friends Nails (Construction Supervisor (Name) Second Fourth Grades and Friends Drills (Construction Supervisor (Name) Junior High and Friends Nuts (Construction Supervisor (Name) Senior High and Friends How Do I Get Points? You and your team can earn 1 mission point for each of the following: Check out books, CDs, and videos from the missions table Attend a Missions Movie Night Participate in the Canned Food Scavenger Hunt (date, time, and location). (Kids and Adults) Participate in (local, zone, and district mission events these were listed as ways to get points). Participate in other service projects as they arise Winner? We ll all be winners, but the team with the most mission points by (ending date) will get a reward at the Building God s Kingdom Party (date). Anyone with 4 mission points or more will receive a small prize. Marie Perez Upland, California Editor s Note: To achieve Mission Priority One status, you can add prayer opportunities, the use of global awareness resources (curricula for adults, youth, and/or children), attending services with missions speakers, and helping pay World Evangelism Fund. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news! Romans 10:14-15, NIV Help Us Build Missions in Our Church! We Need The Cement of Prayer to Hold Missions Together The Building Blocks of Global Awareness we must know to build The Nails of Giving without your generous participation, nothing would get built The Construction Workers of Children and Youth to build for the future, plus the experience of adults to equip them Note: These ideas may be adapted as flyers, bulletin boards, or displays. The lower one would be effective with a frame made of 1x4 pieces of lumber. Help Beautiful Feet to Go! Pray, Learn, Give, and Encourage Children and Youth to Participate in Missions. Ellen Decker Dover, Pennsylvania 4 OND 2006 MISSION CONNECTION OND 2006 MISSION CONNECTION 5

4 P R O M O I D E A S THANKSGIVING OFFERING THANKSGIVING OFFERING Keep the FUN in World Evangelism Fund! When presenting the World Evangelism Fund (WEF) to your church, keep the information exciting, inspiring, and fun. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7, NIV Give a synopsis of the cover story, the story at the bottom of page 7, or another missions story that puts a face (or faces) to your church s giving. State briefly what the World Evangelism Fund helps provide. (For this information, see the World Evangelism Fund Supports brochure [available from Nazarene Publishing House] or the WEF Supports document at the bottom of the WEF page on the NMI Web site < Keep your announcement upbeat and creative, establishing an atmosphere of anticipation for the next installment of World Evangelism FUN. Ellen Decker Dover, Pennsylvania Thanksgiving Display Set up a cornucopia with a variety of fruits and vegetables in a prominent place in your church. Also insert index cards with quotations or scriptures about gratitude and thankfulness (similar to those at the end of this article) on them. Near the display, place a sign reminding people to give to the World Evangelism Fund. When the Sunday for the Thanksgiving Offering arrives, encourage your congregation to select a Thanksgiving quotation and place their offering envelope where the card was located. Miraculous Growth in Ethiopia and Sudan I ve just returned from the Ethiopia South Central District, where I personally witnessed the greatest movement of God that I have seen in my lifetime. I would visit one church and would find that it was less that one year old. Then I would go to another church and find that this church had been planted by the church that I had just visited. Then I would go to another church and find that this one had been planted by the second church. The first church had become a grandmother in less than a year. Bible studies are being planted everywhere. Our zone and area leaders teach and strengthen those Bible studies. Many people respond to the evangelistic appeal of the JESUS film and join Bible studies, which disciple new believers, who then become a church. Last year this district planted 100 churches. This year they have planted 100 churches in only 6 months, and this does not count over 50 Bible studies in the process of becoming churches! When one asks the leaders how many churches they will plant in the If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, thank you, that would suffice. (Meister Eckhart) Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. (William Arthur Ward) Gratitude changes the pangs of memory into a tranquil joy. (Dietrich Bonhoeffer) Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse. (Henry Van Dyke) Gail L. Sawrie Editor next 12 months, they say with complete confidence, 1,000 new churches. In Sudan we are having thousands accept Jesus as Saviour. We expect a minimum of 400 new churches in Sudan this year. The Nazarenes in the Horn of Africa believe that they will plant thousands of churches. Our leaders are teaching holiness to these new churches. Our pastors and congregations are being persecuted, but they are being faithful to God s call to preach this message. The great miracle of Pentecost was 3,000 new believers in one day, but we have had 20,000 in one day praying for their sins to be forgiven! Our mission is to facilitate church planting movements in every people group in the Horn of Africa. This does not happen without great opposition from the enemy. If God is for us, who can be against us. Please pray for us. Howie Shute, Strategy Coordinator, Horn of Africa Field Originally published in Out of Africa 6 OND 2006 MISSION CONNECTION OND 2006 MISSION CONNECTION 7

5 P R O M O I D E A S NAZARENE COMPASSIONATE MINISTRIES Crisis Care Kits and School Pal-Paks Just Keep Rolling In One Compassionate Idea After Another Readers have sent in several suggestions for how their church/district encourage participation in Crisis Care Kits (CCKs) and School Pal-Paks (SPPs). What Worked for Us When we made our CCKs in January, we distributed Ziploc bags with a list of what was needed inside the bag. People were encouraged to take 5 bags if they were able and bring them back full. We received 113 bags filled, because we did it at the time when people were concerned about the tsunami. Of this number, 19 bags came from my coworkers, and one of my coworkers had her scout group fill CCKs as a service project. Because we had such a large number of CCKs, we made an appointment with the warehouse in Pennsylvania and took them there (rather than shipping them) with the help of 14 adults and teens. While there, we toured the distribution center and helped them fill 96 boxes of clothing to be shipped out. Diane Bidwell Allentown, Pennsylvania, First To Keep the Cost Down I wanted to share a brilliant idea we had on our district to help keep the cost down. Living in Alaska, it is rather costly to ship CCKs to the Lower 48. (It cost us almost as much to ship a box as it does to fill the box.) A pastor was voicing his concern about this. I suggested he send his dollars to my daughter, a student at NNU. She could do the shopping for the church, pack it up, and deliver it herself. They sent her the money. She had a ball! She shopped till she dropped. She hit all the sales, got the banana box, packed it, made up the packing list, strapped the box up, and delivered it in person to the Nampa, Idaho, shipping location. The task made my daughter feel connected with both missions and her friends at the church. The church also gave her $10 for her efforts! I m already looking for students for next year who would be willing to keep up this tradition. I ve shared this with several other churches. They liked the idea and are also thinking of putting my daughter to work. Kathy Wigginton Alaska District NMI President Pocket-sized Shopping List I developed shopping lists for CCKs and SPPs to be carried in a purse or wallet (see below). By printing on card stock, front and back, you have both lists on one card. After printing, cut into index card-size pieces. Note: We have found that we need to go through every kit/pak brought in to make sure it is correct. Martha Bean Indianapolis District Vice President CRISIS CARE KITS Shampoo (12 to 18 oz.) 2 Bars of Soap (Bath size or larger) Toothpaste (4.0 to 6.4 oz.) 3 Toothbrushes Box of Band-Aids (30/more) Fingernail Clipper Sturdy Hair Comb 2 Hand Towels 4 Pocket-sized Pkgs. Kleenex 1 Beanie Baby-sized Stuffed Toy SCHOOL PAL PAKS 2 Mead/Composition Notebooks (no larger than 9 3 4" x 7 1 2") 1 Pkg. #2 Pencils (10-12 count) 1 Pkg. Black Pens (10-12 count) 2 Pink Erasers (2-3" long) 2 6" Rulers (with metric) 1 Pkg. Colored Pencils (12-15 count) 1 Pair Blunt-nosed Scissors 1 Hand-held Pencil Sharpener The Power of One, a NMI missions book, is about compassionate ministries. Using the One theme, promote Nazarene Compassionate Ministries in your church. Many ONE Promotion Themes CompassiONE Take ONE minute ONE by ONE Can ONE person really make a difference? There is only ONE side in the fight against poverty: the side of compassion ONE Can Make a Difference Find stories of individuals who have made a difference in someone s life through compassion in your church, in your city, in your country, or in the world. (The missions book would be helpful on the last one.) When ONE Vote Made a Difference The power of a single vote can be substantial. Consider, for example, that by only one vote per precinct: Averill Harriman was elected governor of New York in 1954; George McGovern was elected to the United States Senate from South Dakota in 1960; John Warner was elected to the United States Senate from Virginia in Here are other examples of the power of a vote: Woodrow Wilson won California by less than one vote per precinct, giving him the electoral votes necessary to become president in Harry Truman carried California and Ohio by one vote per precinct in 1948, giving him the winning margin. A Texas Democratic party convention chose Lyndon Johnson in a contested Senate election by just one vote in 1948, launching his political career. In 1960, John F. Kennedy won the presidency by an average of only one-half vote per precinct. In 1984, Ronald Reagan lost Minnesota, his rival s home state, by less than one vote per precinct. Just One Challenge Nazarene Compassionate Ministries made history in 2005 by providing for more than 6,000 children through their Child Sponsorship program. However, there are still many children in need. For this reason, NMI and NCM are co-sponsoring the 2006 Just One Challenge. The Challenge is simply for every local NMI president to find at least one new sponsor from their church in the next few months. Will you partner with us by encouraging your local presidents to accept the Challenge? The need is great; the time is short. Let s take on this Challenge together. A Just One flyer and bulletin (as well as other promotional resources) are available on the NCM Web site < Multiplication by ONE In The Power of One, there is a chapter entitled One x One = Ten on multiplication/god s math/loaves and fishes. Rewrite the biblical story of the loaves and fishes using the modern stories in the chapter, or use a math or school idea for explaining compassionate ministries to children. Ellen Decker Dover, Pennsylvania 8 OND 2006 MISSION CONNECTION OND 2006 MISSION CONNECTION 9

6 10/40 WINDOW PRAYER & FASTING Seeing Through the 10/40 Window Make an eye-catching display to educate your church about the 10/40 Window. 1. Get a wooden window frame with the glass still in it. It should be sturdy. 2. Cut a piece of cardboard the size of the frame. This will attach to the back of the frame. 3. Place the words on the graphic at the right on the cardboard; the words should be colorful. You could also print a world map with the 10/40 Window shown on it (see the NMI Web site, 10/40 Window page), and glue it to the cardboard as well. 4. Make a mixture of dirt and water, and lay the window flat on a table or on the floor so the back faces up. Spray or paint the mud mixture onto the back side of the glass until the glass is difficult to see through, and allow to dry. 5. Using a cloth, clean the dried mud mixture off the glass so the words peek through the dirty window. Gail L. Sawrie Editor Help them see clearly! Please pray for the people of the 10/40 Window! Refers to the area of the world between latitudes 10 and 40 degrees north of the equator covering North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Many of the world s least-reached people live in this area. M&M S for Missions Prayer Event Use this simple idea to promote prayer with people of all ages. Host an all-church prayer event. Invite adults, youth, and children. Contact your district NMI president and request the Personnel Address List (PAL) Index, which lists the missionaries and the countries where they serve. (The PAL Index does not include missionary contact information.) Provide a copy of the PAL Index to each person who participates in the M&M S for Missions prayer event. As people arrive, distribute packages of M&M S, along with a PAL Index. The M&M S serve as a prayer prompt. Each color of M&M represents one of the six world mission regions where the Church of the Nazarene has ministry. Red Africa Region Blue Asia-Pacific Region Green Caribbean Region Yellow Eurasia Region Orange Mexico, Central America Region Brown South America Region Encourage participants to use the M&M S and PAL Index as a prayer guide, praying for the missionaries by name for a designated period of time. Play soft music during prayer time. When the designated prayer time ends, serve refreshments. (M&M S recipes are available at < Participants will enjoy a time of fellowship while eating the M&M Sthemed treats. International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church November 12, 2006 Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. Hebrews 13:3, NIV Melinda Wolf Miller Assistant Editor How to Pray for Missions Pray for Nazarene missionaries their lives, their families, their safety. Pray for the world areas where the Church of the Nazarene has a presence regional directors, field strategy coordinators, district superintendents, pastors, and laity. Pray for leaders as they face challenges that they would guide with wisdom, firmness, and God s love. Pray for the persecuted that they will stay strong. Pray for the Church of the Nazarene to grow there are many places that have not heard of God s plan of salvation. New Prayer and Fasting Brochure A new Prayer and Fasting brochure has been designed as an educational resource for your church. Order number for the brochure is X-6, and the cost is 15 cents each (sold in packages of 25). To order contact: Nazarene Publishing House Toll-free phone: Web site: Prayer requests on Gail L. Sawrie Editor 10 OND 2006 MISSION CONNECTION OND 2006 MISSION CONNECTION 11

7 P L U G G E D - I N T O W I R E D - U P F O R REMEMBER THE CHILDREN IN AFRICA In Africa, many children lose their parents to a disease called AIDS. Connect the dots to discover who helps family members and friends care for these children, and fill in the blanks below, using the pictures as hints. Missions Mondays Nazarene Compasionate Ministries helps care givers by providing garden, garden,, and. You can support NCM with your and. As a teenager, I was fortunate to participate in several missions trips with my youth group. Those experiences expanded my world view and nurtured my spiritual journey. However, a few weeks after the trips, lessons learned were easily forgotten as I returned to my routine. Missions is not something we do; missions is who we are. God never intended for global evangelism to be compartmentalized, and He offers us an opportunity to respond to His call to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). This activity should help youth incorporate God s mission to the world into their everyday lifestyle. Select one Monday each month to focus on involvement. Participating in a monthly missions project (or twice a month) helps students stay focused on missions all year long, not just for one week during the summer when they go on a trip. January February March April May June July August September October November December Collect new hats and mittens for children. Give them to a local elementary school for children in need. Deliver Valentine s gifts to the homebound and/or ill church members (keep in mind that not everyone can have candy). Ask the district office to recommend a local church that could use help with basic maintenance (painting, landscaping, etc.). Take your teens there on a Monday after school. Partner with a local domestic violence shelter to host an Easter egg hunt for children staying there. Host a fundraiser so a child (or teen) in need can go to church camp. Assist with Vacation Bible School. Invite students and their families to host a car wash, donating the proceeds to the World Evangelism Fund. Assemble School Pal-Paks and/or Crisis Care Kits. (See NMI Web site for instructions.) Rake leaves for the elderly in your church and/or community. Host a harvest party for community children. Provide free child care for single parents, to give them a needed break. Go Christmas caroling at local nursing homes. We Love to Serve You! Donna Manning and Allison Southerland Children s Ministries Solution on page 14. Melinda Wolf Miller Assistant Editor 12 OND 2006 MISSION CONNECTION OND 2006 MISSION CONNECTION 13

8 CURRENT INFO LOTS OF GOOD-BYES AROUND NMI! After 19 years of ministry at Nazarene Headquarters, Wes Eby retired April 1. Wes and his wife, Roberta, moved to Lake Alfred, Florida, during the summer. Wes is on a part-time retainer to assist in mentoring a person to continue his ministry. For 8 years, Wes served as mission education coordinator in the General NMI Office. He invested deeply in NMI most of his life, serving as Kansas City District NMI president, and in other capacities on the district and local levels. Wes has written numerous mission education lessons, four NMI missions books, and English as a Second Language (ESL) curricula. Wes moved to Kansas City in 1987, serving as an editor and writer of ESL products in Publications International (now World Mission Literature) for 9 years. He taught part-time at Nazarene Theological Seminary, teaching the basics of linguistics and ESL. Prior to his work in the NMI Office, Wes served as the managing editor of the Herald of Holiness (now Holiness Today) for 2 years. Wes has touched the lives of thousands over the years. He has taken the NMI mission education program to a new level. His passion for missions runs deep, and tears flow when he prays for Nazarene missionaries and leaders around the world. All of us in the NMI Office will miss Wes deeply. *** On Friday, April 7, Shirley Bortner Kuhn completed her last day of ministry in the Nazarene Missions International Office. Shirley and her husband, Bob, moved to Dothan, Alabama, where they are enjoying retirement and spending time with their families. For nearly 5 years, Shirley served as NMI accountant and statistician. Shirley brought a wonderful sense of humor to NMI. She will be greatly missed! *** Seeds Tools Chickens Solution From page 12 Goats Prayers Offerings or Money After nearly 8 years of service as the senior administrative assistant and office manager in NMI, Karen Jones said good-bye on June 2, packed her bags, and moved to Idaho! Karen came to the NMI Office the first time in 1988, while attending Nazarene Theological Seminary. She was appointed as a missionary to the Eurasia Region, where she served for 8 years. Karen returned to NMI in In 2005, Karen completed a doctorate of management in organizational leadership from the University of Phoenix. Karen moved to Nampa, Idaho, where she joined the School of Business faculty of Northwest Nazarene University (NNU). Karen teaches in the areas of management, leadership, and organizational behavior at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Accompanying graduate students on cross-cultural experiences will allow Karen the opportunity to continue her love for missions. Karen will mentor and inspire NNU students with her commitment to excellence and enthusiasm for life and will influence them by modeling integrity and efficiency. We will miss you, Karen! MUCHAS GRACIAS, ANA MARIA! Thanks to Ana Maria Crocker de Diaz, program coordinator and General NMI Council representative from the Mexico, Central America Region, the Alabaster Project summary is available in Spanish. It is on the NMI Web site under Alabaster. REACH THE WORLD Reach the World, a choral anthem that highlights our mission to the world for Christ, would be excellent for faith promise events, deputation services, and other missions services. The accompaniment DVD includes stunning video to be shown with the anthem. The Reach the World choral anthem, ChoralTrax cassette, ChoralTrax CD, orchestration, and accompaniment DVD can be ordered from Nazarene Publishing House (toll-free phone: ). The 10/40 Window International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church November 12, 2006 The area of the world between latitudes 10 and 40 degrees north of the equator, covering North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Many of the world s leastreached people live in this area. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. Hebrews 13:3, NIV Prayer requests on Gail L. Sawrie Editor Gail L. Sawrie Editor 14 OND 2006 MISSION CONNECTION OND 2006 MISSION CONNECTION 15