Today in the Mission Yearbook - Evangelism and justice dance well together in Africa

Mission co-workers and partner churches embrace evangelistic ministries and social justice

June 30, 2021

Mission co-worker Jim McGill brings together masons and ministers to learn best practices for making practical latrines in Niger. This skill will be passed on from village to village where open defecation has long been accepted as the only practical solution. (Photo by Michael Ludwig)

The year was 2009, the place was Yei in what is now South Sudan, the newest country in the world. I was a mission co-worker serving as the first principal of RECONCILE Peace Institute, and our first class of students had arrived. The student body included about 45 church and community leaders from a dozen or more ethnic groups on opposing sides of a two- decades-long civil war. They had come to Yei to take courses in community-based trauma healing, peace studies and conflict transformation.

Some people thought we were crazy to attempt to have this group of leaders who had been on opposite sides in a brutal civil war living, eating and studying together in a very intense community for three months. I remember that a European expatriate who also lived in Yei said to me, “I’m afraid that they are all going to kill each other!”

But believing in the Prince of Peace’s call for Christians to pursue justice and reconciliation, the Sudanese church leaders followed their vision to trust God with what seemed humanly impossible. RECONCILE International was established, and my husband, Del, and I were invited to join their staff. So, there we were — ready to dig in and expecting to see God at work.

As American Christians, we tend to compartmentalize our work into neat categories. So, working from an American perspective, I viewed the work we were sent to engage in as mission co-workers as being clearly in the “Peace and Justice” realm of Christian ministry. A perfect fit for that categorization … right? Weeeeelll … not really.

What I saw happening, spontaneously, was that the students, who were deeply committed to peace and justice work, were also involved in evangelistic ministry among themselves. While RECONCILE Peace Institute was formed by the council of churches and rooted in the Christian tradition, courses were open to church and secular community leaders. And what we observed was that Christian students were often sharing their stories of how the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ had transformed their lives. Now this was not a great surprise because, for the three previous years, Del and I had seen bits and pieces of this happening as we went to various corners of Southern Sudan with our Africa colleagues to facilitate one- to two-week workshops in areas experiencing high levels of interethnic conflict and trauma. Whether it was a workshop on conflict resolution, trauma healing or human rights, we saw participants talking very openly about their faith.

But spending the three months together very intensely with this group of 45 adult students and living, eating and studying on the same campus with them allowed me to understand how this worked at an even deeper level. What I saw was participants talking very naturally about their faith in an invitational manner.

From what I could observe, the thought of not sharing the story of the comfort you received from Christ, after your siblings were killed, when you are in a classroom discussion on trauma healing is unconscionable to a Sudanese Christian. They took the approach of “one beggar telling another beggar where to find food” and it greatly impacted me. These dear Sudanese sisters and brothers in Christ helped me to more deeply understand that although American Christians tend to polarize on issues of social justice and evangelism, a true witness to God’s love in Jesus Christ includes expressions of both.

And whether these expressions occur in Community Health Evangelism (CHE), water and sanitation programs, or village savings and loan groups, I see this sharing happening again and again. Congregations of our partner churches in Africa engaged in transformational development and social justice initiatives are simultaneously sharing stories of God’s love as expressed in the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. As a result, the Church in Africa is growing at amazing rates.

In the CHE program of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian in Malawi, needs identified by 13 communities are creating transformational development programs at the grassroots level. Food security, deforestation and disease prevention are being addressed by teaching good home hygiene, practicing sustainable agriculture and constructing toilets and efficient cooking stoves.

Rev. Debbie Braaksma, Retired (2020) Area Coordinator, Presbyterian World Mission

Let us join in prayer for: 

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff

Lee Mitchum, Presbyterian Foundation
Betsey and Eric Moe, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray:

Lord, teach us that leadership begins with compassion and prayer and ends in service. As we model giving, remind us that all good gifts come from you. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Mural project brings neighborhood together

Diversity, unity, and hope are reflected in art

June 29, 2021

Mural artist Tia Chianti Richardson, left, and SecondFirst Church senior pastor the Rev. Rebecca White Newgren collaborated on a 1,700-square-foot community mural titled “Rockford Taking Flight.” Newgren said of the mural: “There are dreams in this wall, places where we have come from and where we hope to go.” Courtesy of SecondFirst Church

In 2004, members of Second Congregational United Church, known as SecondFirst Church since federating with First Presbyterian Church, dreamed of building a gymnasium for the community of Rockford, Illinois — and they did it.

“Little did they know that they left us a blank canvas to shine and radiate out to the west side of Rockford,” said the Rev. Rebecca White Newgren, senior pastor of SecondFirst Church, speaking of the 1,700-square-foot, 55-panel mural that now fills the outside wall of the basketball gym. Called “Rockford Taking Flight,” the image reimagines the city breaking free of racial and class boundaries.

The community mural project was led by SecondFirst Church; Jeremiah Development, a not-for-profit created in 2007 to promote the well-being of the neighborhood surrounding its four founding churches: Court Street United Methodist Church, Emmanuel Episcopal Church, First Presbyterian Church and Second Congregational United Church of Christ; and award-winning Milwaukee-based integrative community artist Tia Chianti Richardson.

“We actually started talking about this a few years ago, thinking, ‘Wow, what could be on that wall?’” Newgren said. Once Richardson came on board to lead the project in spring 2018, the entire community was invited to dream of a Rockford future that people wanted to see, one that may be different than the present. More than 200 people from all over Rockford came together last October, November and December to create the background for the mural on public paint days, using a paint-by-number process. Due to colder temperatures during the painting phase, the panels were prepped and painted inside on the floor of the church. Some panels for the mural also went on the road to the Jubilee Center, a day center for adults living with mental illness; Christ the Rock Preschool; and Northwest Community Center, to make it convenient for people of all ages and all areas of the city to participate.

Richardson said she was moved by the raw joy that people had just to be able to paint on the separate panels that traveled to their locations. “Just because they wanted to be a part of something this big,” Richardson said. “It didn’t matter to them that the panels were not altogether. They didn’t care that they were painting pieces from someplace in town maybe they’d never been to. Nobody questioned that fact. So, that enthusiasm to be part of something really says something to me.”

The mural, Richardson said, is about life. “We all have the same needs in life: to feel joy, to party, to celebrate, to belong and to participate in something bigger. It’s that raw life moving through us as human beings that I believe is the most precious commodity we have,” she said, “because that’s where our potential to create something from nothing comes from.”

Newgren said that the project was funded through a six-week community Kickstarter campaign that raised $15,000 in support from more than 100 donors, plus a matching gift from Rockford community arts supporter and businesswoman LoRayne Logan.

The project also received support from community businesses and local artists, some hobbyists and some professionals who gave a great deal of time over the past year to help Richardson with finishing touches on the mural.

“There are dreams in this wall, places where we have come from and where we hope to go,” Newgren said.

Richardson recognized that people wanted her to see their city the way they see it — parts that are isolated and other parts that are doing well. Richardson said the process of creating the mural offered people from all walks of life the chance to acknowledge community challenges (represented by dark clouds on the far left of the mural) and to think of ways to make those better (such as people working together, helping and supporting one another).

Watching the spirit of collaboration take flight, Richardson said, is what was special to her about this project, this miracle of flight that had “arms and legs and hands and more than 200 heads and hearts. In the mural, that collective spirit can be seen in the stork, delivering Rockford’s future in the form of a baby — the miracle of new life, the hope in the potential of new possibilities.”

Tammy Warren, Communications Associate, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff

Rosa Miranda, Presbyterian Mission Agency
Rosemary Mitchell, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray:

Gracious God, each day we encounter your gifts and the joys of engaging with your world. Orient our service to meet the needs of your creation. Outfit us with your love and give us eyes to see that in serving we are most like Jesus, our brother and Savior, in whose name we offer this and every prayer. Amen.

Serve, Work and Transform: Not just a pastor’s job

Serve, Work and Transform: Not just a pastor’s job: A ‘Year of Leader Formation’ helps laity step up to serve By Rick Jones | Presbyterians Today In the late ’90s, Vilmarie Cintrón-Olivieri be...

God's Mission Our Gifts: June 2021 - An Update on Called to Be the Church: The Journey

We’re sending you a bonus email this month because we had too much good news to fit into one newsletter! This additional message is all about Called to Be the Church: The Journey. If you’ve been thinking about learning best stewardship practices for your community of faith, take a few minutes to look over the information in this message. New modules start in August, and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you have! Called to Be the Church: The Journey Called to Be the Church: The Journey is a set of tailored and topical modules with coaching and ongoing support to meet your stewardship needs.    Module 1: Stewardship Best Practices will start again in August. In four two-hour online classes followed by ongoing coaching and support, dive into these vital best practices: Claim Your Mission –it really is why people give to you  Cultivate Generosity –practical ways to increase giving  Create A Culture of Gratitude –saying thank-you is critical  Stewardship Is Discipleship –integrating stewardship in your spiritual growth programming  Using the recommendations in your customized Stewardship Analysis report, you will accomplish your solid, achievable stewardship next steps.     Congratulations! These communities of faith are already taking stewardship next steps with the Stewardship Best Practices Module. Pacific Mountain:  Salmon Arm: First, Williams Lake: St. Andrew’s, Parksville: Knox Chinook Winds:  High River, Central Calgary, Gaetz Memorial, Olds-Sundre Northern Spirit:  Mill Woods Living Skies:  Knox-Metropolitan, Westminster Humboldt Prairie to Pine:  Crestview Canadian Shield:  Bruce Mines, Thessalon, Rydal Bank, Powassan, Sundridge, St. Paul’s Thunder Bay, St. Stephen’s on the Hill Sudbury, St. Andrew’s Sudbury Western Ontario Waterways:  Kincardine, Rockwood-Stone Antler River Watershed:  Forest Horseshoe Falls:  Central Port Colborne, Christ First, Sydenham-Heritage Shining Waters:  Metropolitan Toronto, St. Paul’s Brampton East Central Ontario:  Lakefield, Dunsford, Bobcaygeon-Providence, Janetville, Kingsview, Buckhorn Eastern Ontario Outaouais:  Gananoque: Grace Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters:  Sackville, Park Royal, St. James Woodstock, Prince William, Spring Park Region 15:  West Bay, St. James Dartmouth, Caledonia, Three Harbours, River John-West Branch, Waverly First Dawn Eastern Edge:  Gower Street, Cochrane Street, George Street, Pasadena-Howley, Topsail Can’t decide whether to sign up? These participants would love to tell you why you should! Just ask them! Module 1: Stewardship Best Practices starts the first week of August!  This session will be open to only three communities of faith per region, so be sure to SIGN UP EARLY! (Dates may change up to the last minute.)   Starting: Region: Contact: Wednesday August 4 Pacific Mountain Vicki Nelson   Chinook Winds Vicki Nelson Thursday August 5 Northern Spirit Vicki Nelson   Living Skies Vicki Nelson   Prairie to Pine Vicki Nelson Wednesday September 8 Antler River Watershed Dave Jagger Thursday September 9 Western Ontario Waterways Dave Jagger   Canadian Shield Melody Duncanson-Hales Tuesday September 14 Eastern Ontario Outaouais Roger Janes Wednesday September 15 Region 15 Roger Janes Thursday September 16 East Central Ontario Roger Janes Tuesday October 5 Shining Waters Dave Jagger Wednesday October 6 Horseshoe Falls Dave Jagger Tuesday October 12 First Dawn Eastern Edge Roger Janes Wednesday October 13 Nakonha:ka Regional Council Roger Janes Thursday October 14 Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters Roger Janes   GOD’S MISSION, OUR GIFTS is your newsletter. We want to provide news and information that you can use in your community of faith, whether you’re a minister, a board member, an administrator, a treasurer, or anyone else who wants to make a difference.  What else would you like to see? What can we do to help your community of faith get where it needs to go? Send us your thoughts! Fill out your Mission & Service goal-setting form online! Visit the United Church’s COVID-19 page for tips and resources for members and communities of faith during the pandemic. And for help with government COVID-19 support, visit the United Church’s emergency funding page. Donate Facebook Twitter Website Email Instagram YouTube LinkedIn   Your generosity enables the United Church to love, serve, and minister in the world. Make an online donation or learn more about your options to support the work of the church.

Copyright © 2021 The United Church of Canada, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you indicated that you would like to receive updates about the work of The United Church of Canada. Our mailing address is: The United Church of Canada 3250 Bloor Street West Toronto, Ontario M8X 2Y4 Canada

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Gathering as One conference ends in hope

Preacher Rodger Nishioka grateful for the work of camp and conferences leaders exploring intergenerational ministry

June 28, 2021

The Rev. Dr. Rodger Nishioka preaches during closing worship at the Presbyterian Church Camp and Conference Center’s Gathering as One online conference. (Screen shot)

During the Gathering as One online conference of the Presbyterian Church Camp and Conference Association (PCCCA), leaders from around the United States and Canada explored how to enhance intergenerational connections in their outdoor ministries, where everyone — young participants, adults, families and entire church communities — could learn together through a shared faith experience.

During closing worship, the Rev. Dr. Rodger Nishioka, director of Adult Educational Ministries and senior associate pastor at Village Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village, Kansas, encouraged conference attendees to build on the work they’d done.

“I’m so grateful because I believe that you can show the rest of us most clearly what it means to do intergenerational ministry,” he said. “And when we are together across the generations, we find new sources of hope — which we so need in these days.”

Then Nishioka told the story of Calvin Presbyterian Church in Ocala, Florida, a church in the Presbytery of St. Augustine. Aging and no longer needing all their pews, the congregation removed the last rows from the back of the church, replacing the pews with rocking chairs. They were a huge hit, Nishioka said, especially for some of the older adults who had back challenges.

One Sunday, a young couple came in with an infant and toddler. When they first laid eyes on the rocking chairs, they instantly thought, “Oh my goodness! This church is for us,” Nishioka said. And they sat down in those chairs.

“Thank you, Jesus,” Nishioka said, “that no older adult came up them and said, ‘Excuse me, you’re in my rocking chair.’”

Instead, as the couple rocked back and forth — one holding the infant, the other with a lap full of toddler — older adults begin to gather around them. As they introduced themselves and welcomed the visitors, one older adult reached out, “and sure enough,” Nishioka said, “the woman gave the baby over.”

One of the pastors at Calvin told Nishioka how much fun it was watching the baby travel from chair to chair to chair. As it turned out, the couple loved being with the older adults. Some of their children’s grandparents had died, and others were living far from Florida. The family had just moved to Ocala and was looking for a church home.

“Lo and behold, the Holy Spirit provided them with a whole raft of grandparents,” Nishioka said.

This young couple told another couple who had just moved into the neighborhood about the church. That couple came as well — with their infant — which led to renewal in that congregation, with older adults and grandparents caring for new grandkids.

“May the God of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the God of hope fill us with all understanding in these days,” Nishioka said.

Referencing Romans 15:1–3, the text from which he preached, Nishioka concluded his message with these words:

“Friends, the invitation is this, that we who are powerful would share the Good News with those who have no power or less power — not for ourselves, but because of Jesus Christ, who himself was the powerless, the least powerful, who showed us what it means to live a life glorifying God. May this God fill us with joy and understanding, so that we may live as one.”

One of the conference workshops highlighted the Intergenerational Retreat Curriculum, which was produced by a partnership among the PC(USA) Office of Christian Formation, GenOn Ministries and PCCCA. Christian Formation Coordinator Stephanie Fritz said those who have interest should reach out to camps in their area and ask about partnering on an intergenerational retreat.

Paul Seebeck, Communications Strategist, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us join in prayer for: 

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff

Victor Min, Administrative Services Group (A Corp)
Eliza Minasyan, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray:

You are a God who cares about the hungry, the sick, the neglected, the prodigal. Help us to see through your eyes, so that when we share of our abundance, the live you care about are changed for the good. Thank you for your love that crosses all boundaries. Amen.

Minute for Mission: PCUSA World AIDS Sunday

June 27, 2021

FJKM seminary students and family members wear masks from the FJKM AIDS Committee. (Provided)

Ministering faithfully in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic has called for creativity and solidarity. Who would have predicted that producing masks would be a part of fighting HIV and AIDS? The Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar (FJKM), the PC(USA)’s partner church, has been committed to fighting HIV and AIDS since 2001.

When COVID-19 arrived in March 2020, everything changed. Travel and meeting restrictions were put in place to reduce the spread of the virus. Many of FJKM AIDS’s activities were put on hold. Others, like HIV testing, stopped altogether. One need the AIDS Committee identified was for masks. So, it produced masks to share with seminary students and their families and those living with HIV and AIDS. Although delayed in 2020, the AIDS Committee was able to carry out its AIDS training at all five of FJKM’s seminaries and distribute masks. Now when trainings occur, everyone is wearing masks and being socially distant. Instead of eating together, which facilitates the spread of COVID-19, bags of rice and oil are shared with the seminary students. 

Unfortunately, HIV testing in Madagascar and in Africa has been greatly affected. Only individual testing is available at certain locations. In many locations, it has been difficult to get medications to those living with HIV and AIDS.

In a mark of solidarity, the PC(USA) sent a grant to help the FJKM in its AIDS ministry. This has helped the AIDS Committee as it has tried to find relevant and creative ways to continue its fight against HIV and AIDS amid the COVID-19 pandemic and be an advocate for those living with HIV and AIDS who often have no voice.

FJKM’s commitment to fighting HIV and AIDS amid difficult odds can be an inspiration for local PC(USA) congregations to become more involved in their local communities’ issues with HIV and AIDS.

Elizabeth Turk, Mission Co-Worker in Madagascar, World Mission, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us join in prayer for:  

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Donna Miller, Presbyterian Mission Agency
Martha Miller, Office of the General Assembly

Let us pray with singing:

Lord God, please be with all those infected and affected by HIV and AIDS. Be with those accompanying them. May we the church be a place of refuge and a voice for those who are often overlooked. Amen.

Minute for Mission: Season of Prayer and Reflection in the Korean Peninsula

June 25, 2021

The railroad ends at this station in the DMZ. The sign says, “the train wants to run.”
There is the remnants of a train, which was bombed during the Korean War.

Beautiful wildflowers are blooming all over the place with warning signs of land mines. It speaks the reality of the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) and the Korean Peninsula. Since my wife, Jieun, and I came to Seoul, Korea, as Regional Liaisons for East Asia in 2020, we have visited the DMZ area twice: inside the Civilian Control Line and inside the DMZ.

There is a strict military control in the area. We had to leave our ID cards at the checkpoint, and wherever we go, we are watched by surveillance cameras. The scars of the Korean War are still visible, like the warning signs of land mines.

Yet, limited number of civilians live in peaceful villages and cultivate land inside the Civilian Control Line. There is the Border Peace School inside the DMZ, teaching peace and reconciliation.

Only 2 kilometers from the Border Peace School is North Korea. But as civilians from South Korea, that is as far as we can go. After the Armistice Agreement in July 1953, with the promise to sign the Peace Treaty within three months, it has not been signed for 68 years. Meanwhile, countless families have been separated, and the peninsula, which once was the land of morning calm, has become one of the most heavily militarized lands. The surrounding nations — China, Russia, Japan and the U.S. — want the peninsula to be remained as divided and in tension as their buffer zone. As always, people are suffering amid the power game.

It’s time for us to pray, and we need an action to end the war and establish the peace treaty.

Rev. Myung “Martin” Han, Regional Liaison for East Asia, World Mission. Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
한명성목사

Let us join in prayer for: 

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
John Merten, Presbyterian Mission Agency
Terri Milburn, Administrative Services Group (A Corp)

Let us pray with singing:

 오소서 오소서 평화의 임금 우리가 한 몸 이루게 하소서
Come now, O Prince of Peace; make us one body. Come, O Lord Jesus; reconcile all people. (GTG 103)

God's Mission Our Gifts: June 2021

We are heartbroken by the news coming out of Kamloops, as we know many people are—and now by the news from the Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan. Please continue to hold space for all our Indigenous relations as the true extent of the findings becomes clearer. Moderator Richard Bott and Executive Minister, Indigenous Ministries and Justice Murray Pruden have written a message to the people of The United Church in Canada in response to the Kamloops Residential School graves discovery. You may find these prayers helpful as well. You Change Lives... Your July Mission & Service Stories Describe How JULY 4 – Supporting Education on the Path to Reconciliation “Part of the struggle with me in life was to find out who I was as Anishinaabe and who I was as French, Irish and English mix,” says Alf Dumont. Dumont’s story offers vital, timely leadership on the path to reconciliation.   [Photo credit: Alf Dumont]   JULY 11 – Turning Hard Work into Hope Every Day: Margaret’s Story Hard work doesn’t always pay off—but around the world, your gifts through Mission & Service turn hard work into hope for the future. Margaret totally transformed her life through a micro-lending program your gifts support. She shares her incredible story in this video.   [Photo credit: The United Church of Canada]   JULY 18 – Jazz and Technology Meet Up to Spark Innovation Exercise. Geolocation software. Jazz. Ministry. Here’s how these meet up—with help from your Mission & Service gifts.   [Photo credit: Trisha Elliott/The United Church of Canada] JULY 25 – Creating a World without Hate   Did you know that 322 anti-Muslim hate crimes were reported in Canada between 2013 and 2019? And that’s just the crimes we know about. Mission & Service supports education to deepen relationships and create a world without hate.   [Photo credit: Tom Gordon] Amazing Results! We are super excited to let you know that this spring, our Mission & Service Easter & Mother’s Day appeals were a massive success.   Together, we raised an amazing $202,184.95.   We are grateful for your generosity. Through our Mission & Service, we truly do help transform and save lives, inspire meaning and purpose and build a better world.   Thank you!!! And please share the good news! [Image credit: Gerd Altman on Pixabay] Congregational Stewardship/Generosity This is your resource to help you grow generous disciples and gather the resources you need to do God’s mission. Please modify and use these ideas in your context. Online giving with CanadaHelps Every community of faith should offer at least one way for donors to give online. CanadaHelps offers a complete suite of tools for you to receive, receipt, and thank your donors. Visit our Stewardship page for a downloadable info sheet. 653 communities of faith are already using CanadaHelps and together they have received over $1.3 million in 2021. Join them! Worship Materials: Find inspiring stewardship worship materials on the United Church stewardship in worship webpage. Each five-week set includes full liturgy, sermon, and children/youth materials. Use them as part of a giving program, or use any of the separate pieces in any time of worship. Stewardship Seconds, Offering Invitations, and Offering Prayers Stewardship Seconds are on hiatus and will be back next month. Offering invitations and offering prayers for July 2021 are available on the United Church’s stewardship worship theme page. Scroll down to “Related Material” at the bottom of the page. If you read just one book this month: Thanks Giving by Christopher Levan How do we invite people to give money for God's work through the church? Thanks Giving answers this question by exploring a good deal more than financial issues. Get 60% off on Thanks Giving at UCRDstore.ca. Free shipping on orders over $80—use code SALEONSALE. GOD’S MISSION, OUR GIFTS is your newsletter. We want to provide news and information that you can use in your community of faith, whether you’re a minister, a board member, an administrator, a treasurer, or anyone else who wants to make a difference.  What else would you like to see? What can we do to help your community of faith get where it needs to go? Send us your thoughts! Remember—Called to Be the Church: The Journey modules begin again in August! Fill out your Mission & Service goal-setting form online! Visit the United Church’s COVID-19 page for tips and resources for members and communities of faith during the pandemic. And for help with government COVID-19 support, visit the United Church’s emergency funding page. Donate Facebook Twitter Website Email Instagram YouTube LinkedIn   Your generosity enables the United Church to love, serve, and minister in the world. Make an online donation or learn more about your options to support the work of the church.

Copyright © 2021 The United Church of Canada, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you indicated that you would like to receive updates about the work of The United Church of Canada. Our mailing address is: The United Church of Canada 3250 Bloor Street West Toronto, Ontario M8X 2Y4 Canada