Missionary Messenger
SUMMER 2020 / Volume 9
THE
DOOR IS OPEN Acts 10:34-36
are being created for those who do not know Christ,
Worshiping communities
WILL YOU BE THE BRIDGE FOR OTHERS?
CONNECTING
Relax A Bit and Find Joy in Creating Community
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y the time you are reading this issue of the Missionary Messenger, I hope your daily routine has returned to something resembling the beginning of the year or that you have adjusted and adapted to your current circumstances. By now, I anticipate that every church leader, minister, and B yinnovator, T. J . M a l i nexpert o s k i has chewed and digested every morsel of the ramifications of COVID-19 on ministry, discipleship, and worship and on how we should respond. The Church at large has found itself in complicated and uncertain circumstances, however, I have often found uncertainty to be a wonderful place for hope, discovery, and new opportunity. In the last couple of years, the staff of the Missions Ministry Team have had to take a circumventive look at how the Cumberland Presbyterian Church does new ministries, specifically, new church development. Basically, we are like most folks: looking for the latest model, technique, or strategy; searching for answers in what is new, shiny, and exciting. All these methodologies, and I do mean all of them, promise an expected outcome. I believe we were doing it wrong. “Wrong” in the sense that our eyes were fixed on the answer for church growth, the answer for church renewal and revitalization, and the answer for new church starts, driven by results, outcome, achievement, and accomplishments.
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Wouldn’t it be better if we just relaxed a bit and found joy in creating communities where people can worship in ways which nurture and sustain? Communities in which people listen to the proclamation of the Word, study it, and are inspired to witness to others? New church development is centered on creating worshiping communities for those who do not know Christ, for those who want to know Christ, and for those who already know Christ but need a community in which to worship. What can these worshiping communities look like? There can be discussions of books, music sharing, art development, round table discussions, traditional worship styles, scripture reading, silent prayer, and local mission work. Prior to COVID-19, worshiping communities met in living rooms, on front porches (weather permitting), in restaurants, and in church fellowship halls, sanctuaries, or classrooms. Since the communities are fluid and flexible in context and circumstances, online worship and social technology have complimented their ability to maintain community and reach new people. The Cumberland Presbyterian Church has always been able to reflect and respond to the unique circumstances and context. A worshiping community does not need to have all the answers to the universe, but it is a place where people are driven towards prayer, study of scripture, and the wisdom of seasoned
Christians. Cumberland Presbyterian worshiping communities are places where the drive for results, outcome, achievement, and accomplishments can be slipped off at the doorstep in order to feel the journey of hope, discovery, and new opportunity under our feet. For those participating in and leading worshiping communities there are a few common themes being expressed. Each have stated, although in different ways, in a worshiping community there is a sense of freedom to study and proclaim the scriptures anew, invigorated by open dialogue, questions, and conversations, and a thankfulness to be part of the Cumberland Presbyterian denomination which encourages the discovery of the workings of the Holy Spirit. As I write this, it is the last day of March. I am certainly unable to even guess what the world will be like by the time you get this issue of the magazine in the mail. Even so, this is a wonderful time for hope, discovery, and new opportunities. Are you interested in starting a worshiping community in which people can experience the freedom of studying and proclaiming the scriptures, have theological conversations, and be thankful for a place in which to discover the workings of the Holy Spirit? If so, let me know. If you are already participating and leading a worshiping community, I would love to learn more about it. MM
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Contents 5 A Worshiping Community at Cornelius' Home 6 Breaking the Evangelism "Spell" 8 A Dream Came True! 10 The Community Table 12 How Does One Make a Profession of Faith? 14 Engaging Congregations
Women's Ministry
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Photo by T. J. Malinoski, Desert Gardens CPC, Tuscon, Arizona
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PERSPECTIVES by Milton L. Ortiz EVANGELISM AND MINISTRY IN THE MIDST OF COVID-19
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mid this pandemic of sickness, death and uncertainty, a text came to my mind: “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” (John 12:24). It is my prayer that after this difficult experience, we as individuals and as the body of Christ, would come to life and produce more for the kingdom of God. New expressions of church and the use of technology will enhance our opportunities to share the Gospel with others.
This issue of the Missionary Messenger focuses on evangelism and new church development. You will find articles about breaking the evangelism “spell” (we may have been pointing, connecting, and nudging others to Jesus Christ and not even have realized) and about understanding how one can make a profession of faith and become a member of a church (and how it will help us become more intentional in creating opportunities to invite persons to profess their faith). You will find articles related to worshiping communities which will help us to relax a bit and find joy in creating community where people can worship in nurturing and sustaining ways while being inspired to witness to others by listening to the proclamation of the Word. The Bible study is about a worshiping community at Cornelius’ home. You will find a lot of examples of worshiping communities in the US, like the Encounter worshiping community which is a new service to reach others in the area at Talbott Cumberland Presbyterian Church in East Tennessee. At the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Marshall, Texas, starting Hispanic outreach was a dream come true; and The Community Table is a group of people that have in common their search for life, love, hope, and healing. Evangelism and mission opportunities happen through relational connections. Effective evangelism and ministry are an extension of relational opportunities. The article, Engaging Congregations, encourages members to serve, to find their passion within the mission of the worshiping community, and to help people feel a loyalty and a sense of belonging within the community. Also, you will find steps to help start or rebuild your Women’s Ministry, by praying, building a team, crafting or adopting a mission statement, planning an event or first gathering and sharing what you are doing, assessing your efforts, and celebrating. Finally, you will find information about the Young Women’s Ministry Retreat and Latina Women’s Ministry. May the Lord bless you and keep you for the extension of his kingdom in days to come! MM 4 M ISS I O N A RY M ESS E N G E R
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MISSIONARY MESSENGER { VOL.
9, NO 2
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MISSIONS MINISTRY TEAM OF THE CUMBERL AND PRESBY TERIAN CHURCH
ART DIRECTOR Sowgand Sheikholeslami ext:211
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Milton Ortiz ext:234
PUBLICATIONS MANAGER Matthew Gore ext:221
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jinger Ellis ext:230
CONTRIBUTORS Johan Daza ext:202 Cardelia Howell-Diamond ext:264 Kristi Lounsbury ext:263 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 S T U DY
A WORSHIPING COMMUNITY AT CORNELIUS’ HOME By Milton L. Ortiz
Acts 10 tells us there was a man named Cornelius. He and his family were believers. He regularly prayed to God and served people in need. One day while he was praying, he had a vision from God. He saw an angel who told him to find a preacher named Simon “Peter.” Four days later, Peter arrived at Cornelius’ home. Cornelius was waiting for him and had invited all his relatives and close friends. After introductions, Peter was invited into the house and found this large gathering of people, a worshiping community.
What is a worshiping community? · “A worshiping community is essentially three things: it is a community for those who do not know Christ; a community for those who want to know Christ; and, a community for those who already know Christ but need a community with which to worship. · A worshiping community meets where it is feasible because the purpose is to create a space where we get to pray, to have Bible study, to eat together, to share time, possessions, and space together, and to get involved in the needs of the community.” (T.J. Malinoski) During the message Peter said, we are witnesses of, “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.” He was killed, “by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen.” And, “He commanded us to preach to the people” and to testify, “that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” Amazingly, while Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit came on Cornelius, his relatives, and close friends the same way as he had come on the apostles at the beginning. They were speaking in tongues and worshiping God. This is what a worshiping community is all about. After hearing God’s Word, Peter said, “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” So, they were baptized, and Peter stayed with them for a few days. How important was Cornelius and what was his role in this worshiping community? He was not a preacher, but he became a pioneer because he understood the power of influence. What Is A Pioneer? · “A pioneer can help provide as many opportunities as possible for as many people as possible to hear the gospel of Christ. A pioneer can gather a group for worship, study and fellowship opportunities. A pioneer can start a worshiping community. · A worshiping community allows you to lead from your strengths. You get to gather people who respond to your particular leadership style into a worshipping community open to being led by your gifts.” (T.J. Malinoski) “We are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.” Acts 10:33 Some Things To Think About While You Consider Being A Pioneer: · God is already working in you and other people you know. · God has opened the door of the Gospel to all people. · The message we have is a message through which people and their household will be saved/restored. · Opportunities will come to you. The Spirit will make it happen. · The starting point can be simply inviting relatives and close friends to your home. · Be sure God will provide what is needed to allow people to experience the Gospel and the coming of the Spirit. · People who don’t feel comfortable in a church can feel at home in a worshiping community. Discerning the possibility of becoming a pioneer starts with prayer and sharing with others the idea of a new kind of church led by the Holy Spirit. If you would like to explore the possibility of pioneering a worshiping community at your home, send a message to T.J. Malinoski at tmalinoski@cumberland.org or jdaza@cumberland.org, they will guide you and will provide resources. Peter fairly exploded with his good news: “It’s God’s own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open. The message he sent to the children of Israel—that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again—well, he’s doing it everywhere, among everyone. Acts 10:34 MM SUM M ER 2020
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B y T. J . M a l i n o s k i
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Illustration by Sowgand Sheikholeslami
round 1980, my family started to attend one specific church regularly. We were “regular” at the West Nashville Cumberland Presbyterian Church in the sense that we attended Sunday morning worship and you could find us at an occasional fellowship activity or church sports function (this was back in the day when congregations participated in adult basketball, softball, bowling and volleyball leagues) but probably more on the peripheries of the congregation’s life and even less involved in any aspect of leadership.
A few years later, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Screenings and treatments have certainly advanced since then but not many women in their early 30s were considered at risk in the mid-1980s and were 6 M ISS I O N A RY M ESS E N G E R
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not often tested or simply misdiagnosed. Within a year’s short time, my mother fought but ultimately succumbed to cancer in the summer of 1985. For a nine-year old boy, this was a tough blow. I was old enough to recognize the slow deterioration, feel the sense of the gaping hole that a loss of a parent leaves, and to know that I was carrying all kinds of intense emotions inside. Yet, I was too inexperienced to know what to do with the anger, sadness, and fear let alone how to articulate what I was feeling. My fourth-grade school year was about to begin, and I remember vividly women from the church coming to the house at various times during the late summer to take my sister and me shopping for school clothes and supplies. I remember this because it was not something
Breaking the Evangelism
“SPELL” I particularly wanted to do, and it was a role reserved solely for my mom. It was not their responsibility to take an unwilling begrudging boy to purchase husky sized Wrangler blue jeans, KangaRoos shoes, an A-Team lunch box and a Trapper Keeper (all non-Gen Xers can look up these cultural references). School clothes and supply shopping is an activity that a boy shares with his mother. On each shopping trip these women: patient, kind, compassionate women from the church came to our house encouraging my sister and I into the rear seat of their car to go shopping. In doing so, they tolerated an intolerant boy for a half day on a task he wanted nothing to do with.
very most. I received love because these women from the church loved me and my sister. They loved my mom and my dad. They wanted to help and knew it was not something I could do for myself. In doing so, they were pointing me towards the love of God. Did I become a believer in Jesus Christ during those moments? Did I make a profession of faith that next Sunday, that month, or later that year? Did I let go of the anger, angst, loss, and fear because of acts of kindness and love? Well, no. However, these wonderful, thoughtful, kind women pointed me in that direction. I became a recipient of their evangelism; of someone sharing and showing me the Good News. In their acts of patience and love was an invitation to struggle For the longest while, I could not figure out why they wanted to take me. with how the universe operates. Later, I was able to consider what it means to What was their scheme? The only conacknowledge Jesus Christ as the center nection I could see was that they were of the universe, shaping my life through all part of the same church. But no one ever said to me, “Since I took you shop- God’s grace. Did the good people at ping and let you pick out your t-shirts, I West Nashville Cumberland Presbyterian Church share these exact words? Did hope to see you in Sunday School.” No they show me what God’s grace looks one ever said, “Since you chose lunch like? Yes, but in their own way and in at McDonald’s for all of us, I would their own words and it was not until love to see you at the Wednesday night later that I was at a place for the words program.” What was their motivation? of comfort to register and the actions of They must want something from me but love to be appreciated. what does a nine-year old have to offer in trade? GI Joe action figures? EncycloThe act and term evangelism seem pedia Brown books? My dirt bike? They to have a bad omen attached to them, certainly weren’t pulling any of these like a spell lingering, looming overhead from this boy's clutches. which we would rather take cover and I think back on that very tough summer and early years of my life and recognize that I received love from people at a time when I needed it the
avoid. The evangelism spell is that we worry about taking the wrong action which would repel another from Christ, or we worry about saying the
wrong word which could be construed as insensitive. I am so grateful people around me did not succumb to cultural pressures to remain quiet or do nothing for fear of offending or intruding in my family’s life, especially during a time when I really needed help. I do not believe the evangelism spell, being injurious or pushy, ever had power over us. We have been pointing, connecting, and nudging others to Jesus Christ and may not have even realized it. Could each of us be more thoughtful and intentional? Of course! We can point persons to see God working in our lives both in the past and present. We can invite people to consider how big, mysterious, and wonderful this universe is and show them we understand Jesus Christ to be at the center of it. We can show others, whether they are nine or ninety-nine years old, we do not have to struggle with loss, anger, angst, or fear by ourselves. Let us continue to connect with others and show what the life of Christ means to us through our words and activities. Let us be intentional while being thoughtful, sensitive, and purposeful. Let us foster opportunities for others to experience kindness, love, patience, and grace through us and let us show others the means to consider having Jesus Christ in the center of their lives. Let us break the evangelism spell, like the women I met early in life did, so folks will be invited to experience and know the love of God through Jesus Christ. MM SUM M ER 2020
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Cross–Culture Ministr y
A DREAM CAME TRUE! CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF MARSHALL´S HISPANIC OUTREACH
By Candidate David A. Montoya
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ur story begins in 2013, when Pastor Mary Kathryn Kirkpatrick shared with me a project the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Marshall was planning to start. This project was a contemporary worship service and she wanted to know if they could count on me. My immediate response was “Of course! Count on me!” After this conversation I continued my life in Houston, Texas. My family and I lived there for many years and were well established and working for the Lord at Nueva Vida, a Cumberland Presbyterian Church. After three years without much news from the Marshall Church, Pastor Rusty Rustenhaven told me during the Trinity Presbytery Summer Camp in June 2016, that he would call me the following week to let me know about the project Pastor Mary Kathryn had mentioned three years ago. When Pastor Rusty called me, I couldn’t believe it. He told me that the contemporary worship service project had been approved by the Session and he needed me to move from Houston to Marshall as soon as possible and start working on the new project. I had a full-time job in Houston and, besides, my wife and I had applied for the purchase of a new house which was almost finished. Before making any decision, we decided to visit the church in Marshall to get a better understanding of the project and the proposals they had for us. We visited the church twice and as we returned to Houston after the second trip, my wife spoke the words that I was waiting to hear from her to be 100% sure that God’s plan was the Marshall Church. She said to me, “The Lord is calling us, let’s move to Marshall.”
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e began to make all the preparations to move from Houston. We shared the news with our friends from Nueva Vida Church, I presented my letter of resignation at my job, and we requested the cancellation of the house loan/closing date. On August 12, 2016, we moved to Marshall following God’s plan, a plan that we did not know, but a plan we were sure was the best. While we were adjusting to all the changes, in October 2016, we launched the contemporary worship service. It has been a blessing for the church and has allowed us to continue growing and reach more people in the city. Since we moved to Marshall, I talked to Pastor Rusty and Pastor Mary Kathryn about the idea of starting a Bible study in Spanish. They talked to the session and, after some meetings we started praying and seeking for God’s guidance. It took many months of prayer. We visited some schools looking for Hispanic parents waiting for their kids in the afternoon, we talked to some Hispanic families through different activities we have at church, and we invited all of them to church. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the response we were expecting. Even when we set up a time for the Spanish Bible study and we invited many people; we (me, my wife and both pastors) ended up praying outside the building asking God to continue guiding us.
In February 2018, I had to make a short trip to Colombia. While I was there, my wife took Sarah (my youngest daughter) to the library. Sarah started playing with a little girl and her mom came to talk to my wife; what a surprise! They were Hispanics! God’s plan is always perfect. My wife invited her to join us for the Bible study, she accepted and the following week she came to church. We officially launched the Spanish-language Bible study! After that, I have no words to say how blessed we are; our small group continued growing by having families and people invited by the lady my wife met at the library. Around the summertime in 2018 we had a solid and growing group of Hispanic families attending Bible study. We then saw the need for a Spanish language worship service. We prayed and continued asking for God’s guidance and, in October 2018 we launched the Spanish-language worship service. A dream came true! We are reaching the Hispanic community in town, we have a Sunday worship service, Bible study, marriage enrichment meetings, Christmas parties, and more with a core group of 54 people, including children. Finally, our biggest blessing is to declare that even if we speak two different languages and even if we belong to two different cultures, we are one church. Praise God! MM
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We n d y Q u a l l s a n d Stephen Granade at T h e C o m m u n i t y Ta b l e’s All Saints Day service 2019
The COMMUNITY Table By Cardelia Howell-Diamond
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ne Tuesday night in Madison County, Alabama, a group of women sat around a kitchen table working on crafts and sharing stories of pain and loss. It was a time to relax, laugh, and to share their needs. But it was becoming something more. When I was invited to join the group, in March of 2018, I quickly noticed God was at work. Time and time again I heard stories of how they had been hurt, by family, by friends, but most of all by the church. And my heart broke. The very place where I have always turned for hope and healing had been the place to wound them deeply. As they shared their stories around that beautiful table, an idea began to form in my heart. These women had faith, they had a desire to know more about Jesus, or to meet him for the first time; they just didn’t have a place where they felt comfortable exploring their faith except this table. I finally voiced something my soul had long been saying, “I think this is a church, in the best possible way, we just haven’t called it that.” And with this sentence my life changed in an exciting way. I called the Reverend T.J. Malinoski, Director of Evangelism and New Church Development, and told him I wasn’t sure what this thing was, if it was a new church yet, if it was a worship experience, or if it was anything that could be labeled. T.J. encouraged me to continue working with the group, to not rush to label it but to enjoy experiencing it. Eventually he helped me see that this could be an opportunity for
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real evangelism and growth as a part of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. With his encouragement and guidance, I approached the group about adding an intentional spiritual aspect to our relationships. They were on board! We began meeting together on Monday nights, separate from craft night. We studied scriptures together, specifically scriptures about women in the Bible. We talked about the witness of women and how we could continue to share that witness in our world. Slowly we began inviting our children and husbands to join us. Before long we had too many to meet at that kitchen table and we began praying about our next step. I turned to the session of Christ Presbyterian Church, where I serve as Pastor. I told them about this group of people who were not looking to join a congregation but were looking for a safe place to worship. They had formed a bond that led them to feel safest with one another. The session graciously allowed us to use their sanctuary on Monday nights where we continue to meet weekly. We are a motley crew: former Baptists and Lutherans, Presbyterians and Universalists, agnostics and searchers. The thing we have in common is that we are searching for life, for love, for hope, for healing. I am still not 100% sure of our trajectory as a group. Will we be a church? Will we stay a worshiping community? What I do know is that this fellowship, which calls itself The Community Table, will always be that for one another–a community brought together by a table and leaning on the Lord’s Table to draw us together. MM
Mission Opportunities Through RELATIONAL CONNECTIONS By Lynn Thomas
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t would be interesting if each of us listed people we know, both near and far, family members or church friends who now live in a different city or church friends who now live in a different community. They might be co-workers in our city or friends who live in a different country. What if these people were our roadmap to ministry? The Presbyterian minister, Ralph Winter, presented the idea that effective evangelism and ministry is an extension of relational opportunities. Winter explained not all relationships are equal. In the case of missions, he observed how Paul and Barnabas went to the mission field and found Jewish synagogues. Then these early Jewish apostles used the Jews and Gentiles in those synagogues to network into the surrounding community. This approach illustrates the idea of pursuing opportunities based on relational connections. Winter explains that relationships which are easy are the best opportunities for sharing the Gospel and making disciples. This is Winter’s point, if each Christian looks at the easy relational connections they have as their roadmap to evangelism, the path to ministry becomes clearer. Relational connections have guided the Cumberland Presbyterian mission program to new ministry opportunities. Recently, we heard about CPs living in Santiago, Chile. Pastors and leaders in Colombia told us about CP families that had left Colombia and were now living and working in Chile. These Cumberland Presbyterian families in Chile expressed how they missed their churches in Colombia. Early in 2020 the Missions Ministry Team sent a CP pastor from Colombia to Chile to arrange a gathering of Cumberland Presbyterians living there. Almost 20 people showed up for the first CP gathering in Santiago, Chile. The next step is to find a way to gather those interested in forming a group and identifying leadership for them.
As Cumberland Presbyterians we can look at CP churches in countries like Mexico, Australia, South Korea, Belize, and Haiti as examples of ministry opportunities which were opened as the result of relational connections. In these cases, CPs reached out to people they knew and trusted in these countries. What would it look like if we were to use this strategy in our lives? The process of using relational connections as a roadmap to ministry might look like this: · We develop a list of our relationships. Who are the people we know? This might remind us of the people we enjoy being around, or enjoyed being around before they moved away. · It is at this point the process becomes a little mystical. We pray “God you know all of these people and love them all. Please touch my heart and give me an idea. Help me find a way to express your love.” · Then we sit quietly and wait for an idea to come to our mind. It is amazing, but ideas come, the Holy Spirit speaks in that still small voice.
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he ideas that come may not be something relevant to everyone on our list, but maybe one person stands out and there is an idea about something we can do. We then take a step of faith and implement the idea and see what happens. We are following our relationships into ministry. Reaching out to people we know is practical. We pray, and we listen, believing that God is speaking to us with an idea. The early missionaries reached out to people they knew. We are centering on those we know to see how God wants to express God’s love to those people. They are leading us down our path of ministry. MM SUM M ER 2020
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How Does One Make a Profession of Faith & Become a Member of a CHURCH? B y T. J . M a l i n o s k i
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profession of faith can occur at various times and in different places such as worship, a revival meeting, summer camp, mission trip, in a home, at a bedside, or in nature. What is a public profession of faith? Is a profession of faith the same as “being saved,” “becoming a Christian,” or “knowing Jesus?” Late last year, I met with three people who attend the Casa de Fe y Alabanza Cumberland Presbyterian Church just outside of Boston, Massachusetts. In their own way, each person expressed a desire to become a committed Christian and to be baptized. Each named a parent, a sibling, a church member, and a friend who were influential in helping them to decide to live a life as a disciple of Jesus Christ. While we talked about God’s saving act through Jesus, making a profession of faith, and living a life of Christian discipleship, I began wondering about the larger context of the Church. Can we, as the Church, give persons more opportunities to make a public profession of faith? Can we provide more encouragement and spaces in our worship, fellowship, and study settings which invite adults, youth, and children to make a profession of faith? Are we discussing life, death, hardships, and good times with our friends, loved ones, colleagues, co-workers, neighbors, and acquaintances in the context of our faith? 12 M I S S I O N A R Y M E S S E N G E R
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What Does It Mean to Make A Profession of Faith? Specifically, a profession of faith is a personal public announcement of the belief God acts redemptively in Jesus Christ because of our sins and the sins of the world. God calls each of us to repentance and faith where we firmly resolve to forsake sin, trust, and live in grateful obedience to God. The Catechism for Cumberland Presbyterians describes a profession of faith more succinctly when it answers the question, “What does it mean to be saved?” To be saved means to live in the covenant of grace, to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and to promise, with the help of the Spirit, to follow God’s will. Whoever is willing to be saved may be saved, but not without the help of the Spirit. To paraphrase a Cumberland Presbyterian stalwart Rev. E. K. Reagin, a profession of faith is to learn, trust, and commit. We can learn of God’s existence, but learning is just one step. We can learn about a lot of things without really putting much stock or faith in it. We can trust in the words of God found in the scriptures and in the voices of the Church down from the ages, but we must trust what is offered is the assurance of love, forgiveness, guidance, and redemption. And we must commit to a life of discipleship where we strive to overcome temptation and promise to share the gifts of time, resources, abilities, and life to God, to the community of faith, and to those whom we encounter. When one makes a profession of faith and becomes a member of a Cumberland Presbyterian Church, they are asked to learn, trust, and commit themselves as they enter this new relationship with God.
What Does It Mean to Become A Member? About three years ago, I was filling the pulpit one Sunday at Concord Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Waverly, Tennessee. The session had met with an individual who wanted to make a profession of faith and to be baptized. I met with her a couple of times prior to the worship service and we discussed the meaning of a profession of faith and baptism. After her baptism, we were moving toward the conclusion of the worship service and she stated, “T. J., I also want to become a church member.” To my embarrassment, our conversations prior to worship did not include church membership and she called me on it. Making a profession of faith and becoming a member of a church are two distinct actions that compliments one another. Through our baptism, we are ushered into the community a faith which holds both encouragement and accountability (see the questions in the side bar). We strive and make promises to participate in the life of other Christians and to the mission and witness of the Church. This type of membership is one of action. We are actively involved in a relationship with God, with others in the community of faith and we share the joys, love, and forgiveness found in Jesus Christ. Creating Opportunities Since a profession of faith should be public, our worship services are the best occasions for us to articulate our faith. We can create more opportunities for persons to profess their faith and to live in the covenant of grace. Perhaps the first place we can begin is from the perspective of an individual who has not yet made a commitment to Christ. How can we create spaces where people feel welcomed and comfortable to make a profession a faith? Some examples are:
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Sermons focused on becoming a new Christian and asking seasoned Christians to recall their profession of faith • Share testimonies and stories from seasoned Christians telling their journey of how they have grown as a disciple of Christ and what God means to them today • Prayers, both corporal and private, for persons to make a profession of faith • Invitations in worship, both verbal and written, detailing how one may make a profession of faith • Starting individual and group studies in one’s home, Sunday School class, or weekly study on the life of a Christian • Identifying persons within the congregation who would make good mentors/ encouragers (does not necessarily have to be the minister, elder, or Sunday School teacher) for new Christians These examples, and I am sure that you can think of many more, are to help us become more intentional in creating opportunities to invite persons to make a profession of faith. While this article is hardly exhaustive of what a profession of faith is and the meaning of church membership, our Confession of Faith, Constitution, Catechism, and Directory of Worship are excellent guides and resources to help us articulate what having faith in Jesus Christ is, how to make a public profession of faith and how to participate in the life of the Church. As we embark into a new decade, may we reflect on our own faith journey with God and encourage and invite others to share in the joyful experience of having Christ in their life. MM
Public profession of faith and covenant for those desiring to become a member of a Cumberland Presbyterian Church Do you repent of your sin and believe Jesus Christ to be your Savior and the Lord of your life? Do you believe the scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the inspired word of God, the source of authority for faith and practice, and will you read and study them for guidance in living the Christian life? Do you promise to be a faithful member of this church by taking part in worship, sharing in its ministry of witness and service, supporting the government of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and loving your brothers and sisters in Christ? Will you strive to overcome temptation and weakness, grow in knowledge and grace, and practice love in all your relationships, being strengthened in your personal discipleship by your life in the community of faith? Do you promise to be a good steward of the life, talents, time, and money which God has entrusted to you, giving of these gifts to the church? SUM M ER 2020
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Congregational Ministries
Engaging Congregations By Kristi Lounsbury
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mission statement allows the congregation to engage on a spiritual, physical, and missional level which is deemed relevant for the local congregation and its community. An engaged congregation and her participants will serve God through the mission of the church wholeheartedly and live its mission out daily by engaging with others. An engaged congregation will know their mission. Congregants will be passionate enough about the mission to invite their friends to participate. And, the church will grow–not because people sat in the pews–but because the congregation has become engaged in the Great Commission to “Go!” What does this look like for your congregation? Does your congregation have a mission statement? If so, do the members, session, and pastor uphold the statement? What programs, activities, outreach, and such does the congregation do to emulate the mission of the congregation? These are important questions to ask in a time when the church must go beyond the four walls of its sanctuary to engage with others. What might this look like for a local Cumberland Presbyterian congregation? An example could be of a church which has around 35 active members in a rural community. Recently, a local factory closed causing a financial hardship for those families whose income has been lost. The local church’s mission statement includes something about reaching the poor and the lost. An elder, in a session meeting, mentions there is a need for financial help for the families in the community who have lost their jobs. The congregation would then discern how their mission statement helps them to respond to the needs of the poor in their community. The question to be asked would be, “How can our church engage our members to help
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engage our community?” And, thus, with a lot of discernment and details left out of this article, a food bank was started. Members and their friends have created a way to engage their church with the community. This church, in a small town, has become a focal point and a shelter for those in the community who need help. The congregation has become engaged in the community. A second example, an inner-city church, sitting on the corner, has a large fellowship building sitting empty from days gone by when the members were young, and children ran rampant. Using the same process as mentioned previously and ascertaining a need to help the dual income, working class community, the church begins a full-time daycare and afterschool tutoring program. The daycare accepts state subsidized childcare vouchers that enable otherwise stay at home parents the opportunity to work. Retired teachers in the congregation have become a part of the Leadership Board, as well as some of the teachers. The day care employs people from the congregation and community. Income from the daycare has helped subsidize building repairs and the budget of the church.
T
he opportunities are limitless for a congregation to engage. One of the most important aspects of engaging congregants is to encourage one to serve, to find their passion within the mission of the worshiping community. When one has a purpose, a place to serve, the passion explodes for that individual and they feel a loyalty and a sense of belonging within the community. For more information on how to become an engaging congregation, please contact Rev. Kristi Lounsbury, Director of Congregational Ministries at klounsbury@cumberland.org or 901-276-4572 ext. 263. MM
Congregational Ministries
By the Reverend Karen Borchert
Encounter Worshiping Community at TALBOTT
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y husband Mark and I have co-pastored Talbott Cumberland Presbyterian Church in East Tennessee for almost three years. We are on a journey to love our members and attenders who have built a tight-knit community while setting up a new worship service to reach others in our area. In midFebruary 2020 we launched a new service called Encounter and we share our story with the hopes of encouraging others to try something new. Our church, as well as others in the denomination, have a great heritage of believers who took risks and committed themselves wholeheartedly to reaching others for Christ. We have many lovely church buildings, camping facilities, and a denomination that offers guidance and support. We are poised for growth, yet too often we look backwards, as if our best days are behind us rather than before us. Too easily our focus becomes maintaining our traditions rather than how to impact the people around us. With a call to reach new people, we met with our Session over many months to consider what God might be calling us to do. We examined the trends of the congregation noting that if the decline continued unchecked it may close its doors within a decade or two. Like a patient who waits too long
to see the doctor, if we waited too long, we may not survive. In our Session meetings we talked about how we do hospitality and examined our budget. We thought about the facility and the degree of possessiveness people have for the physical property. We also discussed at length the delicate balance between maintaining our committed attenders and fulfilling the call to reach new people. At the end of our year-long process we determined that the most important time of the week that seekers think about attending church is on Sunday morning. Mark and I prayerfully developed a proposal and presented it to the Session asking if they would like to: 1. Make no changes and keep everything as it is, 2. Modify the current service to make it more contemporary, or 3. Start a new service. They unanimously agreed to launch a new service. T.J. Malinoski, Director of Evangelism and New Church Development met with church leadership and helped with groundwork for the changes that lay ahead. He encouraged the Elders to present regular progress reports to the congregation. Their updates built unity as members could hear and approach Elders with their questions and concerns about the new service. We also benefitted from the wisdom of
Rick Owen and Jeff Gehle from the Pathway Church in Texas who presented at The Symposium last November and who continue to offer guidance and encouragement along the way. Elissa Shults also has spent much time and energy helping us effectively utilize the internet and “market� the Encounter service. As of this writing we have had four services. Set in the fellowship hall one hour prior to the traditional service, we dim the overhead lights and use lamps and candles to create a calm ambiance. The music is an acoustic coffee house style served with light refreshments. A seed group of attenders from the church and some new members are becoming engaged and involved in the Encounter service. We also have noticed the overall attendance for the church has increased creating a new sense of energy throughout the congregation. With the dynamics from the pandemic we are unsure about the future, but we pray that once we resume, the Encounter service will minister to many people who find themselves far from God. We would encourage other churches to follow suit, to use your resources, to innovate and try something new. MM
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Cumberland Presbyterian Women's Ministry
Latina Women’s Ministry
T h e Re v e r e n d D i a n n W h i t e a t t h e 2 0 19 L a t i n a Re t r e a t
By Cardelia Howell-Diamond
C
umberland Presbyterian Women’s Ministry continues to engage all women in our denomination. One of the ministries we have established to do this is our Latina Women’s Ministry. This specialized ministry addresses the specific needs of the Latina women we are blessed to count as Cumberland Presbyterian sisters in Christ. In previous years we held an annual retreat in Alabama and invited as many women who could participate. This year we decided to try a new approach. We will be offering day retreats in several different areas of the United States. These retreats are planned and led by Francia Ortiz, the Reverend Diann White, and myself. They are designed to reflect our 2019-2020 theme based on Ephesians 5:1-2, “Walk in Love.” The passage which serves as our guiding theme for these retreats follows a list of rules for how participants are to live this new life. Paul warns them to speak truth (rather than lies), he encourages them to deal with their 16 M I S S I O N A R Y M E S S E N G E R
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anger quickly and come to a place of agreement; to work hard (rather than steal); to speak words of kindness; and to refrain from bitterness, wrath, anger, fussing and fighting, slander, and malice. The key verses which shape our focus “Walk in Love” sum it up by challenging participants to be imitators of God and live in love. As God’s beloved children, we are challenged to give ourselves to others in divine love. The good news is our actions of love and kindness cause us to look more like Jesus every day. There will be times for worship, Bible study, prayer walks, prayer stations, crafts, fun, and relationship building. Our hope is holding retreats in various locations, for one day instead of a weekend, will allow more women to participate. Due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak we postponed our scheduled retreats. We will be keeping a close tab on local, state, and national regulations. Check our website for updates and more information. MM
Cumberland
Young Women’s Ministry Retreat By the Reverend Abby Prevost
T h e Re v e r e n d s P e g g y J e a n C r a i g , Abby Prevost, and Cardelia Howell-Diamond
Presbyterian Women's Ministry
"This is My Story. . .Re“The Young Women’s Retreat deemed," based on Psalm gave me space to worship and 107:2a, was the theme for a think creatively in a restorative weekend when we explored way,” said the Reverend Dusty our personal stories and our Luthy. “As a minister, so much collective story as Christian of my time goes into helping women; the good parts; the others be creative or to worhard parts; the sad parts; and ship that it’s easy to forget I even the parts of which we need to do those things, too.” are ashamed. It was a sacred There were breakout sestime of vulnerable sharing. We sions throughout the weekend cried. We laughed. We prayed. which focused on different We embraced. We connected. areas for young women and We lifted and empowered each cultivating our stories through other. “It’s so important to activities such as story mapbe in a space that is safe and ping, study of the women in one that allows you to let your Jesus’ lineage, discovering guard down,” said Natalie yourself better through the Stephens, one of this year’s enneagram, and empathy. participants and a worship Each session helped in providleader. “The Young Women’s ing a time of sharing a deeper Retreat is that for me. It is a discovery of both our personal “space” where I can be goofy and connected stories. with my friends and a space As the weekend closed, we that I can worship in ways that stood hand in hand and were I don’t always get to.” given a charge to Go; go share Rev. Peggy Jean Craig led our story and listen to others’ us in our times of worship. stories. “Owning our story She brought our theme to life and loving ourselves through by sharing various parts of her that process is the bravest story which were special, real, thing we will ever do” (Brene and raw. She shed light on the Brown). This retreat fostered connections between our stospace for this to occur for the ries and the stories of women twenty-two young women in in scripture. Space was created attendance. I challenge those for faith renewal through com- reading this article, whether munion, foot washing, and you are a woman or man, find a service of re-affirmation or someone with whom to share longing for baptism. Natalie your story and then ask them Stephens and Robyn Burns led to share theirs. You may just us in beautiful music which find a connection you didn’t added to the beauty, wonder, know existed. MM renewal, and the creativity of each of the worship services. SUM M ER 2020
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Starting or Rebuilding Your Women’s Ministry By Cardelia Howell-Diamond
I don’t know about you, but during the days of social isolation my local church’s Women’s Ministry took a big hit. We were not meeting together regularly. We were not spending time and energy on our local ministries. While we needed some time to rest and recuperate, missing special events like Easter services was hard. We find ourselves in a position to come back together again but need a little help in getting started once more. Whether you have an existing Women’s Ministry that needs a boost, or you have not had an organized Women’s Ministry before, now is the time to rebuild your ministry group. This is the time to try new things, reach out to new people, and see where God is leading your Women’s Ministry. Here are some things you can do to help your local Women’s Ministry get back on track.
Step 1: Pray
Step 2: Begin Building your Team
This sounds like an overly simplistic step. However, we often overlook the basic things when we are in a rush to get moving. Prayer is essential to the foundation of any ministry. Seeking God’s will to inform us of how we are to proceed. This is not a quick step, not a one and done. I would suggest that you gather a group of prayer warriors, female, and male for this task. I recommend at least three people, based on Ephesians 4:12 (a cord of three strands is not easily broken). Meet to pray aloud with one another and vow to pray separately as well.
Do not assume those praying with you will be your leaders. Some have the gift of intercessory prayer, but not leadership. Look for women who are different ages, from various stages in life, married, single, with young kids, with adult children. A diverse leadership group will allow you to reach more women in your congregation and community. Do not worry about making them President, President-Elect, etc. right now. You are just looking for a team to get things rolling, official titles can come later. On the forms the denomination sends out to each local church requesting this information feel free to scratch out the terms of officers and just put leaders. (Just make sure we have a good mailing address and email address to contact your congregation!)
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Step 3: Craft or Adopt a Mission
Step 7: Assess your efforts
Statement
It is important to evaluate your work. Ask for feedback from the women who participate and from those who do not. Not all feedback will be positive and that is okay. Do not take things personally, instead look at negative feedback as a chance to grow and reach in other directions. It is also important to remember that sometimes those who speak the loudest against something are just afraid of being left out or left behind. Invite these people to become a part of the group, praying for women’s ministry on a regular basis.
A mission statement helps you keep your ministry on track. Just as churches use mission statements to measure their activities and offerings to the community, each women’s ministry group should have one to help guide your planning. If this sounds overwhelming, take a deep breath, all will be well. You can use your church’s mission statement as a starting point, or you can adopt the official Women’s Ministry Purpose Statement. “To accept and share the love and joy of Jesus Christ through the ministry of women in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church as we pray, study God’s Word, and reach out through mission, service, encouragement, and fellowship.”
Step 4: Plan an event or first gathering I wish I could tell you when to plan an event or even how many events to plan a year. The answer will be different for each congregation. For some, a monthly meeting with one or two special events during the year will be perfect. For others, a quarterly women’s meeting with monthly small group meetings, such as book club, Bible study, or a knitting and crochet group will be just what the doctor ordered. For others, one meeting at the church and then a meeting out in the community will be ideal. This will be unique to each women’s ministry’s goals and plans based on how they have been led in prayer. Every single event (this includes meetings, crafting, social etc.) should point women to Jesus. At a minimum this should include a scripture reference shared and prayer, but, ideally all that we do as members of women’s ministries points others to Christ. That should be your touchstone for everything you do.
Step 6: Share what you are doing Women’s ministry grows relationally. It is not the kind of thing that you can announce on a Sunday morning during service and expect buy in from all your women. You must announce in church, in your newsletter or church email, and every other way your congregation normally communicates. However, none of these will be as important as individual person to person invitations. Women’s Ministry is all about personal connections and the best way to build these is one-on-one communication. It may be labor intensive, but it is worth the effort.
Step 8: Celebrate! It is important to celebrate the successes of your Women’s Ministry group and individuals within the group as well as its leaders. Thank You cards are a dying art. We should bring them back into style! Expressing your gratitude for the efforts people have made to help your ministry is a gift of the Spirit, one that we can all cultivate in our lives. Another way to show your gratitude is to give memberships to the women in your congregation to honor their service to the church. These gifts begin with a Perpetual Membership ($35), or a Patron Membership ($100). These can be given to anyone (male or female) who is concerned about strengthening and sustaining mission work. We also have memberships based on years of service starting with the Diamond Perpetual Membership ($50) given to anyone who has served in the CP Church or Women’s Ministry faithfully for a period of 10 years or more; Silver Patron Membership ($125) given to a woman who has served the CP Church or Women’s Ministry faithfully for 25 years or more; Golden Patron Membership ($125) given to a woman who has served in the CP Church or Women’s Ministry faithfully for 50 years or more. Honoring those who serve is a wonderful way to celebrate the work they have done and will continue to do for Women’s Ministry. (You can find an application for these memberships at cpcmc.org/wp-content/ uploads/2015/10/Application.pdf ) Thank you for beginning or restarting this journey! I look forward to being with you as you grow and minister to the needs of your specific community. I will have more information and ideas about starting or rebuilding your Women’s Ministry, including specific tools to use, at the Symposium this November. Please be sure to register for this fantastic event. Visit cpcmc.org/ the-symposium/ for more information. Do not hesitate to contact me for support of your local or regional women’s ministry at chd@cumberland. org or via phone 901.276.4572 ext. 264. MM SUM M ER 2020
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WILL YOU BE THE BRIDGE FOR OTHERS?
CONNECTING
GIVING NEWS/Second Mile Project for Missions
Missionary Cars - Project #34041
this Second Mile offering. We know this is an ambitious project. At the same time, it reflects the exciting reality that we will be deploying three new missionary families within a twelve month period. As you prayerfully consider this Second Mile project please pray for these three families that will be using these cars: Rev. and Mrs. Josue Guerrero and daughter (Brazil), Rev. Wilson and Rev. Diana Lopez and two daughters (Spain), and a missionary couple we are not ready to announce by name at this time (Guatemala).
Financial Data:
Contributions:
Amount received to date: $8,925
Please make check payable to the Missions Ministry Team indicating for Missionary Cars Project #34041 and mail to 8207 Traditional Place, Cordova, TN 38016-7414.
are being created for those who do not know Christ,
Amount needed from Second Mile: $42,000
Worshiping communities
The Missions Ministry Team has new missionaries to Brazil. We plan to deploy new Missionaries to Spain later in 2020. We are also working with another missionary couple that will deploy to Guatemala in 2020. One of the benefits we provide new missionaries is a safe car. Sometimes they are new cars, but often they are good used cars. Our missionaries need a car in order to fulfill the church planting and ministry responsibilities that they have on the mission field. We are asking Cumberland Presbyterians to help us with
Contact Lynn Thomas at lynndont@gmail.com, (901) 276-4572 ext. 261.
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Cumberland Presbyterian Church • Missions Ministry Team 8207 Traditional Place • Cordova, TN 38016-7414
for those who want to know Christ, and for those who already know Christ and need a community to worship.
For more information, contact T. J. Malinoski at tmalinoski@cumberland.org, 901.276.4572 ext.232 or Johan Daza at jdaza@cumberland.org, 901.276.4572 ext.202
Acts 10:34-36 Peter fairly exploded with his good news: “It’s God’s own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from–if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open.” Illustration by Sowgand Sheikholeslami
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 issue 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.
WHAT:
SYMPOSIUM 2020 A Leadership Training Event for Pastors, Elders, Youth & Children’s Ministers, Lay Leaders
WHEN:
November 5-7, 2020
Dyersburg Cumberland WHERE: Presbyterian Church Dyersburg, Tennessee
2020