Missionary Messenger Vo lum e 7 / Fa ll 2 018
PHILIPPINES CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
LOAVES & FISHES OFFERING
By Lynn Thomas
Night to Noon CO-WORKERS IN CHRIST On my trips to the Philippines to check on our missionaries and the mission work, I have the opportunity to visit several children’s programs supported by the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Like small rays of light finding their way into a darkened room, this is what I have seen:
• Children sitting outside on wood benches next to a woven thatch hut focused on their Bible teacher telling them a Bible story. • Children patiently waiting in line for lunch with a plastic bowl and spoon while over an open fire a large blackened cooking pot pumps out steam from the bubbling stew. • Children, barefoot or in flip-flops, standing and clapping as a young adult guitarist leads them in Christian songs. • A small shack made of bamboo, the floor and walls made of woven bamboo fibers, with benches along the walls for the children to sit on, a dry place to meet when it rains, a place to learn new things. This year, the Loaves & Fishes Offering will support the Child Development Program in the Philippines. This program is administered by the Council of CP Churches in the Philippines. Our missionaries, Daniel and Kay Jang, provide strong administrative leadership for this program. There are various Child Development Programs in the CP churches/missions located in Iloilo. The program is a Saturday event in which children receive a hot meal, hear a Bible study, attend classes on hygiene or some other relevant subject, sing, and play games. The Loaves & Fishes Offering will be used to provide meals and supplies for the children attending this program. These children come from challenging circumstances. The program was developed by our missionaries years ago to help children from homes of modest resources. A nice hot lunch and an afternoon of fun activities for the children is like the dawn that sends rays of light to break the darkness. This was the hope of the Prophet Isaiah…that the darkness of hunger and oppression will turn to noon-day and they will be satisfied (Isaiah 58:10). Please give generously this year to the Loaves & Fishes Offering which will go to the Child Development Program in the Philippines. Help us create more rays of light in the darkness. MM
Contents 4 Perspectives 5 Bible Study 7 Philippine Child Development Program 10 Amaga Cumberland Presbyterian Church 12 CPWM Convention 16 Because Of This Article 18 Native American Sunday
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PERSPECTIVES by Milton L. Ortiz
BECOMING LIKE THE NOON-DAY! Eugene Peterson in his translation of Isaiah 58, calls the last six verses, “A Full Life in the Emptiest of Places.” Verses nine to twelve are translated this way: “If you get rid of unfair practices, quit blaming victims, quit gossiping about other people’s sins, if you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out, your lives will begin to glow in the darkness, your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight. I will always show you where to go. I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—firm muscles, strong bones. You’ll be like a well-watered garden, a gurgling spring that never runs dry. You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past. You’ll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again.” The God we believe in is a God of promises. In these verses he promises how life would be like the noon-day if we individually and collectively follow his lead in making justice and are humble before him. He calls us to stand on behalf of the hungry and he calls us to stand on behalf of the oppressed.
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MISSIONARY MESSENGER {
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MISSIONS MINISTRY TEAM OF THE CUMBERL AND PRESBY TERIAN CHURCH
ART DIRECTOR Sowgand Sheikholeslami
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Milton Ortiz ext:234
PUBLICATIONS MANAGER Mathew Gore ext:221
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jinger Ellis ext:230
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his is the reason this issue of the Missionary Messenger focuses on the Loaves & Fishes Offering. This year’s offering will help the Philippine Child Development Program. You will find a call to help, a biography of a child, and her testimony as beneficiary of the program. “Global and domestic migrants are now living in my neighborhood, what am I supposed to do with them?” is an article that calls to reflect on the great commission and our responsibility with them. A litany for Native American Sunday will help your congregation to keep the Choctaw brothers and sisters in prayer and to consider ministering with them. Also the “Beware of this Article: your church may grow” will help you with some keys for implementing change for natural growth in your congregation. There are other articles about a new organized church in Colombia, a Bible study from Jessica Wilkerson, “Send me and provide a place for me to minister”, information about missionary changes and the new School of Missions in 2019, and highlights of the CPWM Convention and their Bethel University Scholarship. MM 4 MISSIONARY MESSE NGE R
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CONTRIBUTORS Pam Phillips-Burk ext:203 Johan Daza ext:202 T.J. Malinoski ext:232 Milton Ortiz ext:234 Lynn Thomas ext:261
8207 Traditional Place Cor dova, T N 38016-7414 phone 901.276.4572 fa x 901.276.4578 m essenger @cu m berland.org VISIT US ON THE WEB
ht tp://cpcmc.o rg/m m To read the previous issues of The Missionary Messenger visit us at
http://cpcmc.org/mm/mm-archives MEMBER • Associated Church Press
Bible Study/Devotion
By Jessica Wilkerson
SEND ME & Provide a Place for Me to Minister
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ike most call stories, mine is a complicated tapestry. I started my college career convinced I was going into ministry. I did an internship at a church, I joined a college Christian group, became part of the leadership team, and went on summer-long mission trips across the United States. However, at the end of my senior year at Bethel University, I felt burned out on church and did not see myself in the ministry any longer. Most of this stemmed from fear of raising financial support (I wanted to work for the Christian college organization Campus Crusade for Christ), feelings of inadequacy, and being impatient with God. Not really knowing what to do next, I moved to Nashville and earned my Master of Science degree in social work. After several years of not understanding my call or direction in life, I reunited with a college sweetheart. Patrick and I married in 2013. Shortly after we married, Patrick was scheduled to go on a young adult mission trip to Colombia to help lead the Conectados conference. I was able to join the mission team and go on this trip. This experience was a pivotal moment for our family. It was here I fell in love with Colombia, the people, and the churches of Medellín. After returning home, Patrick and I were both very excited about our trip and I learned for the first time of Patrick’s deep desire to do missions, specifically in Colombia. Patrick went annually to El Coro near Cali, Colombia, with a work crew. As soon as he heard my excitement about missions, he really got excited. For many months, we were not sure if this calling was from God or if it was just a romanticized dream of ours. However, it continued to draw our attention like a dripping faucet. In the fall of 2014, we had our first child, Bella Grace. About one week after she was born, Patrick received a call from Lynn Thomas, Director of Global Missions. Lynn wanted to meet with us to discuss our interest in missions. That meeting, and the ones that followed, helped us affirm our calling as a family to go to the mission field. What a wild and exciting time it has been in this process of becoming missionaries! In October 2016, we went on our preview trip to Colombia to meet with pastors and to research housing. I was feeling a little discouraged because I was still struggling with my personal calling to the mission field. I knew what Patrick would be doing; he even had a job description. I’m not an ordained minister; I’m a social worker. What was God’s plan for me? It was then we visited a mission point in a small city in the mountains, about an hour outside of the big city of Medellín. We were meeting with the pastor and church leaders to discuss their needs and to get an idea of how we could be helpful. The problems and needs the pastor listed were all social or mental health needs. My ears perked up and I felt passion. Almost everything the pastor had mentioned I had direct clinical experience with in my career. I shared this with the pastor, and he told Patrick, “Sorry pastor, we don’t need you! We need Jessica!” Of course, we all laughed, but I felt reassurance and relief because my calling continues to be re-affirmed. I’m slowly learning to be patient, and to know that God reveals His plans and His callings in His perfect time. MM
REFLECTIONS Read Exodus 3:10, 4:1-17. When Moses heard God’s call, he did not believe he had the resources or the gifts needed to bring the Israelites out of Egypt. When Jessica heard God’s call to go to Colombia, she was not sure she had the qualifications because she was a social worker, not a minister. How did God convince Moses that God would provide all that Moses needed to lead his people? How did God convince Jessica that she already had the gifts needed because God had been preparing her for this call? When has God called you to do something and you felt you were not the one for the task? Tell how looking in the rear-view mirror of your life, you realized God had prepared you and continued to meet your needs.
CALL TO ACTION It is usually difficult for many of us to list our own gifts and talents. We see them in others but tend to see our own shortcomings better than our gifts. In twos, share with a partner a spiritual gift you see in each other. Then the two of you may discuss ways you both have, and can, share your gifts in your church and community. After a few minutes, each person may call out a gift her partner saw in her. Remember that if God calls you, God will provide, and you will be blessed.
PRAYER God of love and light, guide us on our path through life. We thank you for Jessica and her family who have answered your call to love and serve the people of Colombia. Continue to surround her with patience and wisdom. Keep her family safe and meet all their needs. Help us to recognize that you are omnipotent and omnipresent, that you call us to be your hands and feet, and you give us the tools we need to fulfill your call. Help us to be willing to say, “Here am I, send me.” Amen. FA L L 2 018 M I S S I O N A R Y M E S S E N G E R 5
A POSITIVE DILEMMA Global And Domestic Migrants Are Now Living In My Neighborhood; What Am I Supposed To Do With Them? By Johan Daza
If you are familiar with our denominational staff, you can easily discover staff members originally from different states around the United States or other countries around the world. There are staff members originally from Arkansas, Alabama, California, Florida, Illinois, Tennessee, Texas and other states. Some are originally from different countries like Brazil, Colombia, England, Iran, and South Korea. The blessing of this is somehow we all feel part of the same community. People around the world, including Americans, are constantly moving from one place to another to live. Statistics show there are 258 million migrants around the world1. In the United States, there are around 42 million foreign-born people today2. And, according to the 2000 census, over 22 million people were domestic migrants who changed their state of residence between 1995 and 2000. Something common among global and domestic migrants is that they have good stories ready to share with others about “what was the motivation or reason to move to live somewhere else” and “how and why they ended living where they are.” Each story includes cultural, family, or communal aspects of who they are showing their home state or country´s roots and backgrounds and expressing part of their spiritual and faith journeys. So, as Christians, what are we supposed to do with all these migrants living where we live? What if we take time to have a contextualized reading of Matthew 28:19 (the Great Commission) 6 MISSIONARY MESSE NGE R
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in order to engage the world of peoples that live in our backyard today. What if “therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” now means to go to our local schools, grocery stores, restaurants, malls, neighborhoods, parks, and other places in our community to find out many people from all around the world are transitioning, trying to fit, and to adjust in a community that is new for them but well known to us. What if “Go,” as a responsibility, is the same but as an action is an opportunity to innovate. What if we find positive ways to ask our migrant neighbors to share with us their story of why they had to move and why they moved here? By not asking, prejudice and stereotypes about global and domestic migration might continue spreading in our communities. But, by asking, we will be able to learn in part about their reality, hopes, and struggles. If evangelism means sharing with others the Good News of Jesus Christ so they can surrender their lives to God, we are called to become a blessing for the nations in our own backyard. So, I think we are supposed to “Go” just to ask them to share their story with us. Then we will have the opportunity to share our story and the story of the Good News of Jesus Christ in us. We are supposed to become a family, a community, and a spiritual emotional home for the many peoples from different US states and countries around the world who are right now living in the same city or town where we live. MM
Philippines 7
Child Development Program
By David Jang
We (Continued from page 7)
started the Child Development Program (CDP) to help needy children with their physical, social, and spiritual growth. The CDP is geared toward needy children who live in the slums of Iloilo City where the Iloilo Cumberland Presbyterian Church is located. We noticed that many children in slums were not well taken care of by their parents and it affected their study and emotions. The slums usually have problems with proper sanitation and drinking water, so children are exposed to respiratory diseases, parasites, and diarrhea. We thought about ways of reaching out to them and started the CDP in 2012. We teach the CDP children the Bible in order to lead them to Jesus Christ. We also teach them moral values, manners, and the right attitudes one needs in life to grow to be a well-rounded person. We often hear from the parents about their children’s behavioral changes and their children’s positive attitudes toward their studies after they join the CDP. For physical growth, we educate them on basic hygiene and sanitation to make them aware of the importance of personal hygiene. Most of the CDP children have become careful with their personal hygiene through our lessons. Undernourishment is also a problem that most children in slums face. We provide around 2,000 needy children with lunch each week to help eliminate their hunger. Mariel used to attend the CDP and now helps the CDP as an assistant. It was a great pleasure for us to see her change and grow in Christ. She wrote her story about how the CDP affected her life.
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LIFE TESTIMONY
By Mariel Tamano
My name is Mariel Tamano and I am twelve years old. I live in Barangay Rizal, Pala-Pala, Iloilo City. Our place is considered a squatters area in Iloilo. I have a younger brother and sister and an older brother and sister. We live in the same house but my older sister is now far from us because she has her own family and they are residing in Pangasinan, which is very far from us. Now I am an eighth grade student and studying hard for my family. When I started attending the Child Development Program (CDP), I was only seven years old. When I was ten years old I became a leadership student in CDP. Many changes happened in my life when I started attending CDP. I have become more generous. Before going to CDP I did not share my food or share much of anything. What was mine was mine. I also learned to help in our household chores, unlike before when I came home from school I just slept and would throw my stuff anywhere. In our school, before joining CDP, I really wanted to join the Girl Scouts but I was not able to join because we didn’t have money to buy the uniform. Then when I joined CDP, blessings came to us and I was able to join. Before CDP my parents always fought but now that they have seen me faithfully attending church they do not fight anymore. My mother’s work before I joined CDP and the church was washing the clothes of our neighbors by hand. But now God has given my family a new business which really helped us. When I grow up, I really want to be a pastor someday and to do the ministry of the Lord. Almost all my prayers have been answered. And I have learned that when you pray, be patient for God to answer your prayers because God has heard your prayer and He is just waiting for the right time when He will answer it. Even though I was in CDP and leadership, I was not yet serious about Jesus. But through the Sunday worship service in our church I felt God’s presence and suddenly tears fell and during that time I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. Even though I accepted Him as my Lord and Savior, I can still experience struggles and problems in my life and especially in my family. But I always say to myself that God will not give this problem to me if I cannot handle and overcome it. I know that God has a wonderful purpose beyond the problem I am facing right now and I know that God will never leave me and He will be with me in facing this problem. I know that He will give me strength and I can overcome this through the help of God. MM
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AMAGÁ
Cumberland Presbyterian Church
By Patrick Wilkerson
I first fell in love with our newest Cumberland Presbyterian Church about five years ago when my wife and I attended the young adult event, Connectados, in Medellín, Colombia. Our group spent a day in Amagá doing outreach and evangelism in what was then a mission point of our church in Caldas. This community of believers started over fifteen years ago and has been patient and faithful. God has blessed them with the opportunity to obtain land with a house on it and to make additions and changes to make it a more suitable place to worship, fellowship, and continue ministering to the community. They have faithfully done most of the work on the church as a faith community. 10 M I S S I O N A R Y M E S S E N G E R
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Amagá is a beautiful pueblo, or town, in the mountains south of Medellín, Colombia. It is a small coal mining community, not unlike many we are familiar with in the United States. It is a small close-knit community that deals with hardships of the mines, lack of water, grieving and healing from past violent conflicts, and poverty. When I think about our new church in Amagá, I think about the scripture from John 13:34-35 where it says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” This comes right after Jesus washes the feet of his disciples showing and teaching them about what it means to minister in service. Our church in Amagá is full of people who want to serve in the Kingdom of God. I am always astonished on how a group of people, whom the world would look at and say they have next to nothing, continues to search for ways to reach out and serve the community. They continue to find ways to give their few resources to people who have even less. They continue to love unconditionally through programs that feed children, minister to all ages, and even minister to young boys and girls through a soccer program and train them to mature and be healthy both physically and spiritually. On July 21, 2018 the congregation came together with representatives from the Emaús Presbytery to officially be recognized and organized as a Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The atmosphere was ecstatic with excitement as the church officially received 55 new members and a session of 5 elders. You could feel and see the excitement and feelings of accomplishment in the room as these people where blessed by doing one thing…loving one another! The Amagá CPC is excited to announce that because of the support they have received, they will be able to continue on to the second phase of their building project so they can continue their faithful work. Thank you for the financial and spiritual support of this loving community. Please continue to pray for them as they serve and try to be faithful in the many years to come! MM
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CONVENTION 2018
THANK YOU
WOMEN, WOMEN EVERYWHERE
Thank You First Of All To The Women Who Helped Convention convened in Norman, Oklahoma with 106 women enjoying the festivities over three days. There are many women who helped in a variety of ways and deserve our thanks. They each, in their own special way, made Convention a wonderful experience. Special thanks to outgoing officers Jamie Kay Berkeley and Susan Gray for their leadership over the past few years and helping to organize this year’s Convention. Many Choctaw helped in various parts of Convention. Faith Parra, as President, opened Convention and led it until the installation of new officers. Thank you to Doris Samuels, Chris Jacobs, as well as the Choctaw Choir. Thank you to Paulette Gesslin from Eastlake CPC and Daniel and Whitney Moore from Stonegate CPC for helping with the big job of registration.
The 2018-2019 Officers President – Cathy Littlefield – P.O. Box 125, Booneville, AR 72927; 479.849.6000;
cat760@gmail.com President-elect – Judi Truitt – 1238 Old Eastside Rd., Burns, TN 37029; 615.828.4084;
rdtjct@hotmail.com Past President – Faith Parra – 610 W. Adams, Broken Bow, OK 74728; 580.306.5692; faith.jacobparra@hotmail.com or
fhparra@bbisd.org Secretary – Patti Needham – 537 CR 176, Piedmont, AL 36272; 256.282.8543;
number1teacher26@aol.com Secretary-elect – Robin Hughes – 1205 Olde Bridge Road, Edmond, OK 73034; 405.640-9436;
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Thank you Rev. Marian Sontowski, Stonegate CPC, for arranging for the sound system which was brought and set up by Andy Turner. Rev. Kristi Lombard, pastor of Denton CP Church led our Bible Study. She highlighted the key scripture of Isaiah 8:6 by telling stories of missionaries to the Choctaw, beginning in 1854. She told the stories in first person and added a Power Point presentation with pictures of the missionaries. Rev. Lisa Scott, a CP minister from North Central Region, preached a challenging message during the closing worship. Yvonne Frierson, President of CPCA National Missionary Society, brought greetings from the group. After she spoke, it was suggested that Convention stop and pray for unification, which the body did. Lita Swindle (Soncoast Region) led the prayer. There were special times of joint activities with the CPCA National Missionary Society. Monday evening was a time of sharing and small group interaction. Some members also joined us during our visit to No Boundaries Ministry. Dr. Jennifer Livingston, Interim President of the Children’s Home and Mary Dickerman who works with funding for the home spoke. They thanked all the churches and women for providing funds over the years. They also explained various changes in programming that have taken place over the years.
2018-2019 Nadara Jones, Murfreesboro Region and board member of Coalition of Appalachian Ministry (CAM) displayed a quilt made by the young women of Appalachia. She asked for material to continue their work. They need fabric, thread and batting. Francia Ortiz shared of the exciting and growing work among Latinas. She highlighted the various ministries being done by CP women around the world. There are plans for gatherings/retreats/ meetings with Latinas in Guatemala, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Cuba, Brazil and Spain within the next year.
BETHEL UNIVERSITY CP Women’s Ministry Scholarship Recipient
Sarah Reyes and Carla Bellis led singing during the meetings as well as led us in worship during our two worship services. Sarah sang several solos as well. Beautiful!! Perpetual memberships were bestowed on Natalie Green of Murfreesboro Region, Jamie Kay Berkeley of Forked Deer Region, who also displayed memberships of her mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Betty Jacobs, Director of Indian Ministries, not only received a perpetual membership, but a standing ovation for her hard work in preparing for this year’s GA and Convention. Carolyn Knight (Magnolia Region) and Frances Dickerson (Tennessee-Georgia Region) were CoChairs of the Regional Council meeting held the day before Convention. Outstanding job, ladies! Sherry Poteet, Melinda Reams, and Nathan Wheeler organized an awesome new event: the First Annual 5k Run/Walk. About 50 people participated. Pam Phillips-Burk was recognized for her sixteen years of service as Director of CPWM. She stepped down from this position after Convention to become Pastoral Development Team Leader. Our annual Convention Luncheon highlighted special people as well. Presley Byington gave a beautiful presentation using the Native American flute. Teri Billy shared wonderful stories. Skyla Marcott (Covenant Presbytery) was named recipient of the Bethel University Scholarship. Then there were the 106 women who attended. You were a great participant/audience. MM
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ongratulations to Skyla Marcott, the 2018-2019 recipient of the Bethel University CP Women’s Ministry scholarship. She attends the Flat Lick CP Church and is starting her second year at Bethel University. She is working towards a degree in psychology, which she hopes to use in the field of horse therapy. Her goal is to own her own horse stable and do horse therapy. “I know God will use me daily to minister to his children and I am so excited to see what kind of ministry he leads me to. I have always been driven to help and serve others, and I have done this over the past few years through local and global mission trips.”
This scholarship was established in 1976 in recognition of the service given by Beverly St. John as the first director of Cumberland Presbyterian Women. It is awarded annually in the amount of $2,000. FA L L 2 018 M I S S I O N A R Y M E S S E N G E R 13
Not Only Did Women Make Convention Wonderful, But All Your Gifts Were Outstanding! Please join us in contributions to the 2018-2019 Projects: Stott-Wallace Missionary Offering Fund
A number of the National Missionary Society joined CPWM women in our field trip/work project to No Boundaries International. We took with us boxes and boxes of purses filled with makeup and jewelry. What an inspirational ministry that reaches out to women living on the streets.
Thank You For Your 2017-2018 Gifts Which Totaled $25,500+ Lawnmower for Camp Israel Folsom, Choctaw Presbytery – $9,940.91 Vehicle for Missionaries Daniel & Kay Jang - $4,557.00 Convention Offering (final year of the 3-year focus) – Building a Promising Future in Guatemala - $9,064.30 14 M I S S I O N A R Y M E S S E N G E R
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Convention voted for all local and regional women’s ministry groups to collectively support the Stott-Wallace Missionary Offering Fund in the FALL of each year. This fund goes to support the salaries and benefits of CP missionaries serving outside the United States. Women of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church have deep roots in supporting missionaries and the missionary effort. This collective project will once again unite women in supporting CP missionaries (Project #34026).
Still Waters Single Parent Ministry Home Construction This will be our SPRING project. Many families with children in Middle Tennessee live below the poverty line. Single parent families are especially at risk for poverty. Still Waters, led by CP minister the Rev. Joyce Merritt, is a ministry that serves single parent families who are struggling to survive as they seek the goal of secure and healthy homes. Still Waters serves the families in their care with housing and/or rent and utility payment assistance, goal planning, budget and life skills training, and counseling. They utilize three church-owned homes and two locally owned rental units in middle Tennessee. The need for housing continues to increase and the ministry wants to renovate a donated church manse and build an additional home on their property in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Donations will be used 100% for renovation/construction needs for Still Waters (Project #34027).
2019 Convention Offering Single Mother’s Project There are many single mother headed families in Caldas and Medellin, Colombia (Emaus Presbytery, Colombia, SA), which puts great financial and social stress on the family. Unfortunately, in Colombia there are very few safety nets and programs to assist these mothers. This project aims to fill that gap. No Sola/Not Alone is a bi-weekly ministry targeting single mothers in Caldas, Colombia. This ministry will equip mothers with community resources, job training, life skills, child development education, family development, and spiritual growth. Missionary Jessica Wilkerson will direct this new ministry (Project #34051).
Missionaries
JACOB & LINDSEY SIMS By Lynn Thomas Jacob and Lindsey Sims (and their three children) moved to Salvador, Brazil, as endorsed Cumberland Presbyterian missionaries in December 2016. They started out with nothing but suitcases in hand and a desire to proclaim the Good News. The Sims have been assisting the CP church in Brazil as it makes a cultural transition. The CP work in Brazil was started fifty years ago as a church for Japanese immigrants. The Sim’s work in Brazil has focused on two areas. One area has been to help transition the CP work in Brazil from a Japanese speaking church to a Portuguese speaking Brazilian church. The other focus of the Sims ministry has been working in the city of Salvador, Brazil to make contacts that could eventually lead to church plants. They have used Bible studies, leadership training, and English classes as a means to share their vision and faith. They have been working with several small groups over the past two years in Salvador and just outside of Salvador. They have developed several groups during their time in Brazil. The Sims have given notice to the office of the Missions Ministry Team that it is time for them as a family to return to the United States. Their years in Brazil have been full of adventures, challenges and triumphs. They will be returning at the end of 2018 to live in the U.S. We are grateful for their service and their accomplishments. Their contribution to the work in Brazil is greatly appreciated. As the Scriptures explain, one plants, another waters, and yet another has the joy of the harvest. God calls men and women to different roles in the mission field. We celebrate the ministry of the Sims as planters. It is the goal of the MMT to send new missionaries to Brazil to continue the advancements that have been made. MM
Cumberland Presbyterian SCHOOL OF MISSIONS When: January - October, 2019 Where: The School of Missions is a multi-cultural school consisting of books, projects, interaction via the internet and intensive studies. The intensive classes will be April 22-29, 2019, in Colombia, South America. Each student needs internet access.
Cost: Each person accepted into the School of Missions is responsible for the purchase of their books and all expenses related to attending the intensive classes in Colombia (for those from the USA – approximately $2,000).
Contact: If you would like to attend the School of Missions contact: (901) 276-4572: Lynn Thomas – Lynndont@gmail.com –ext. 261, or Milton Ortiz – Mortiz@Cumberland.org -ext. 234. To see more details and the application form for the School of Missions visit:
https://cpcmc.org/school-of-missions-2019.
What You Will Learn in the School of Missions: What the CP Church is doing and has done around the world. We will learn current mission methods and approaches that are relevant to the CP Church. We will study missions as a multi-cultural learning community; the school is in both English and Spanish. We will learn what it means to be missionaries, mission liaisons, and mission promoters. We will learn mission perspectives and how to develop mission projects.
What Type Of People May Attend? CPs exploring the call to full-time missionary service. CPs exploring ways they can help on the mission field, both clergy and lay persons. CPs seeking more information about the CP mission program, how it works and what it is doing, and how they can be advocates for missions and missionaries. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING THE SCHOOL OF MISSIONS, PLEASE APPLY NOW! FA L L 2 018 M I S S I O N A R Y M E S S E N G E R 15
Beware
Of This
Article:
YOUR
CHURCH
MAY
GROW Think about the church of which you are part. How would you describe your church to someone who has never visited? By T. J. Malinoski
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Below are some suggestions: Our membership is primarily of the same generation. We have committees for the various planning and implementation of church activities that meet monthly, regularly, sometimes. Our worship service consists of one leader and we could reuse a bulletin from the 1990s and no one would know. Our community involvement includes Vacation Bible School and a food pantry but you must come to the church building to receive either. Mission is defined by a trip taken by the youth or that we monetarily support. Our discipleship consists of a monthly women’s ministry group meeting, a quarterly men’s fellowship, and a Sunday School class (when a teacher is available). Our greatest skill and/or asset is a potluck meal. Church news is communicated in two ways: back of the bulletin and gossip (incentive for not missing a Sunday). Our worship may not start on time but we always conclude on the hour (ask any former pastor). We have a nursery room! It is where we keep the Christmas decorations when they are not in use. Parking and seating is complimentary but based on tenure. (ask any visitor).
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While the above list is intended to be humorous there is a bit of truth behind every antic. If we are honest, our church may have unintentionally slipped into a maintenance mode mentality. We get comfortable with the idea of belonging to church without ever questioning why we do “church.” When we do
reflect on the life of our congregation, we often punish ourselves unmercifully comparing our church to what it was in the past, to a neighboring congregation which has and is doing more, or to a church we have never visited half way around the world. We imprison ourselves with negativity when we sense involvement in church life is dwindling, the level of commitment is low, and worship attendance is paltry. I have yet to experience where this type of chastisement has been a successful motivation for implementing changes in the life of the congregation. Where does this leave us? I realize that measuring a congregation’s health by attendance, to another church, and to general involvement will probably continue but what if we expand the parameters of what church growth can look like? What if we enlarge our perspective of the growth measurements in defining what is a successful or, better yet, a healthy congregation engaged in ministry and mission? The Confession of Faith states that growth is natural to the church’s life (5.29). Interestingly, it omits that growth is measured in numbers of people. What the Confession does state is that the church is called into being and exists to reach out to those who have not experienced God’s grace in Christ, and to nourish them with all means of grace (5.29). Accordingly, we can expand what growth may be in our congregation’s life, ministry and mission. Growth can include adding new ministries to the life of the church this year such as a study course on evangelism, volunteering as a tutor for students, or opening up the church facility for community organizations. Growth can include enhancing current ministries of the church and improving current outreach like adding an adult class during vacation bible school, including others to help lead worship, and making those wonderful potluck meals a true community event. This requires change! For many congregations, when it comes to actually implementing change, there is resistance and opposition. This is natural and expected; however, when the resistance and opposition become the main focus rather than the change being implemented we can lose focus. Just make sure
communication is prompt, clear, and concise. Including as many people as possible in the process helps give greater understanding and ownership. A new church development has an easier time incorporating and creating new ministries. A new church is generating new traditions while an established congregation has the precarious balance of honoring the old while initiating and embracing the new. Therefore, an established congregation has to work a little harder to acknowledge and address that change can be challenging. How does a church move out of the maintenance mode mentality slumber? Create a list of all things that your church is doing in terms of ministry and mission. Prioritize these by their strengths, impact on the community, and witness for the gospel. Ask: Can these be improved? Which ones are inward and outward focused? What are the ministries of the church that we do really well? How many involve the entire congregation? Keys for implementing change for natural growth in your congregation: • Members willing to make changes in order to grow • Consistent and intentional prayer before, during and after any new change • Developing goals with action steps, timelines and who’s responsible to help with direction, implementation and accountability • Having leadership, both minister(s) and elders, who have a passion for everyone who has not experienced God’s grace in Christ • Making generosity, in all shapes and sizes, a priority • Maintaining a good balance between inward focused ministry and outward focused ministry • Have effective communication that not only supports the change but reveals current situation, updates, progress and outcome(s) • Celebrate accomplishments as they occur While the above concepts are hardly exclusive or exhaustive, trying to incorporate change based upon the calling and purpose of the church to reach those who have yet to experience God’s grace in Christ is fun, rewarding, fulfilling, biblical, and the essence of being Cumberland Presbyterian. Beware; your church may just grow! MM
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M I S S I O N A R Y M E S S E N G E R 17
Native American Sunday By T. J. Malinoski
October 21 is Native American Sunday for Cumberland Presbyterians. This year the denomination celebrates 200 years of ministry with the Choctaw. During the 188th General Assembly meeting this past summer, a service of celebration was led by Cumberland Presbyterian Choctaw including an open house/pre-assembly gathering at Camp Israel Folsom in Battiest, Oklahoma earlier in the week. To the right is a litany that was used during the service that can be incorporated into your congregation’s worship service in October. Another resource for worship is a Choctaw children’s story Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship and Freedom by Tim Tingle. This book was read by Dennis J Parra, husband to Faith Parra, former Cumberland Presbyterian Women’s Ministry President, during the celebration.
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LITANY Inspired by the Constitution of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
Most gracious Creator of the sky that covers us, the wind that moves us, the land that sustains us, the water that refreshes us, the fire that cleanses us, hear our voices as we call upon your name. Spirit of the living God, hear me. In our prayer, we seek your will and guidance to insure tranquility in our hearts toward you, toward our neighbor and toward the earth in which you have blessed us. Spirit of the living God, sanctify me. You are the Almighty, calling us to promote peace and to lift up our neighbor so that no one individual, people or culture will be diminished, belittled or abolished. Spirit of the living God, forgive me. Help us to wash away the fear of other humans and also the fear of the unknown so that we can truly receive and understand your blessings. Spirit of the living God, transform me. Pull our minds and thoughts to reflect upon the past: to evaluate our behaviors, words, actions, and perceptions so that we may appreciate the present and contribute to a more brilliant future. Spirit of the living God, renew me.
Fill our lives with enjoyment and rejoicing, accompanied with the consciousness of stillness and repose. Grant us safe passage to our places of work, school, home, and worship. Spirit of the living God, assure me. Today, we gather rich in compassionate cultures, with beautiful backgrounds, dynamic diversities, extraordinary experiences, liberating languages and unfolding understandings. Let us celebrate our unity and adopt one another into our family. Spirit of the living God, adopt me. When we leave this gathering of your creation, send us out as witnesses to your comfort and grace. Send us out as a sanctified, forgiven, transformed, renewed, assured, and adopted community to express your love with the same intensity as Jesus Christ. Spirit of the living God, send me. Amen. MM
Suggested Resources: Gilbert, Claude. The Gospel To The Choctaw. Cordova, Tennessee: Discipleship Ministry Team, 2015. Tingle, Tim. Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship and Freedom. Cinco Puntos Press, 2006. FA L L 2 018
M I S S I O N A R Y M E S S E N G E R 19
GIVING NEWS Second Mile Project for Missions A donation made to the Stott-Wallace Missionary Support Fund is the primary way missionaries that work for the Cumberland Presbyterian Missions Ministry Team are paid their salaries. All money donated to this fund is used for missionary salaries and benefits, nothing else. This is not an investment fund, it is donations given and then wired to missionaries. Funding for mission projects on the mission field is received from other offerings, like Loaves and Fishes or Gift to the King, or Second Mile projects. From the inception of the Stott-Wallace Fund (2014) the fund has been growing, but this fund has always been in the “red,” until now. In the past several months we have had several changes on the mission field. Several missionaries that have served the MMT for many years have resigned and returned home. The result is for the first time in Stott-Wallace history we are in the black. That said, because of the needs on the mission field next year we plan to deploy new missionaries. One of the advantages of using this system of funding missionaries is we can recruit missionaries and offer them positions. We can replace and add new missionaries when needed and when we are in the “black.” It is our prayer and hope that the fund will continue to grow with donations and remain in the black, even with the addition of new missionaries. The Stott-Wallace Missionary Support Fund will need approximately $325,000 in donations to cover the expenses of the missionaries we have and the new ones we plan to deploy next year. The MMT is stepping out in faith by deploying new missionaries and trusting that God will continue to touch hearts of donors willing to support them. Thank you to the churches and individuals that have made this fund possible. MM 20 MISSI ONARY MESSE N GE R
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Missionary Car for Daniel & Kay Jang – Project #34041 Daniel and Kay Jang, Iloilo (Philippines) live on an island and the roads are not the best, so they need a small SUV type car that is high off the ground. They are constantly on the move taking care of various CP churches located in different areas of the island of Iloilo. The Jangs moved to Iloilo in 2008 and in less than 10 years have planted 6 CP churches. In addition, they administer several weekend hot-lunch programs that provide food, Bible classes, and health/hygiene classes to many children. All of this depends on their ability to get to these locations. Your donation would be an investment in a resource that makes it possible for our missionaries to do the work of the Church. It is a tangible extension of our ministry as Cumberland Presbyterians to the Philippines.
FINANCIAL DATA: Amount Needed from Second Mile: $7,000.00; Amount Contributed To Date: $4,557.00
CONTRIBUTIONS: Please make check payable to the Missions Ministry Team indicating for project #34041 and mail to 8207 Traditional Place, Cordova, TN 38016-7414.
901.276.4572 / For more information and resources visit our website at cpcmc.org /mmt /
Cumberland Presby terian Church Missions Ministry Team / 8207 Traditional Place • Cordova, TN 38016-7414 /
... that the darkness of hunger and oppression will turn to noon-day and they will be satisfied (Isaiah 58:10).
Night to Noon
POLICY: THE MISSIONARY MESSENGER is published for the Cumberland Presbyterian Church by the Missions Ministry Team. Opinions expressed by the individual writers are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editors. THE MISSIONARY MESSENGER does not accept advertising. ADDRESS CHANGE: send new address and label from a recent newspaper to the Circulation Secretary at the address below. THE MISSIONARY MESSENGER (ISSN 08868344), (Publication permit number: PE14376) is published quarterly by the Missions Ministry Team of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church,8207 Traditional Place, Cordova, TN 38016-7414. Periodicals postage paid at Memphis, Tenn. The magazine is sent free of charge to each household in the denomination. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: THE MISSIONARY MESSENGER, 8207 Traditional Place, Cordova, TN 38016-7414.
NEXT CONECTADOS
Guatemala Missions and Immersion Trip December 27, 2018 - January 3, 2019
Total for Trip: $1,600
To register visit:
www.cpcmc.org/conectadosguatemala.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE FOR CONECTADOS:
December 26 th: (possibly gathering in Nashville or
Memphis for orientation)
December 27th: Travel to Guatemala City December 27th-29th: Youth Camp December 30st: Visit local CP churches January 31st: Helping at local CP church January 1st: Exploring Guatemala City January 2nd: Exploring Antigua January 3rd: Traveling back to USA
CONECTADOS Youth Camp:
As a missions team we will help to plan and run a camp for young people in CP churches in Guatemala City. We will lead them in small groups, recreation, and worship. Each person will be assigned to a team and will be helping to lead those activities during the camp.