Missions in a COVID World

By Larry Hovis CBFNC Executive Coordinator

Abig part of my job involves speaking with pastors and other leaders about their churches, including trends, challenges, strengths, needs and much more. So far in 2022, many of these conversations have drifted toward institutional matters such as Sunday morning attendance, financial income, engagement (or lack thereof) of young families and committee work (Nominating committee enlistment, meeting formats, etc.). Only a small percentage of the content of these conversations seems to involve missions—local or global.

While we in CBFNC care deeply about our congregations and seek to support them as they address institutional challenges, we continue to maintain a steady focus on missions. These mission efforts sometimes involve CBF field personnel, sometimes involve congregations and often include both. Let me describe some of these efforts.

Welcome House

Through the ministry of CBF Field Personnel Marc and Kim Wyatt, serving primarily in the NC Triangle region, the Welcome House ministry had gotten off to a phenomenal start prior to the pandemic. This ministry, in partnership with numerous congregations, engages in providing the welcome of Jesus through housing and hospitality to those without a decent place to live. Welcome House’s primary focus is on newcomers to our state (i.e. refugees, asylum seekers and other internationals).

In 2020, in spite of the pandemic, CBFNC embraced Welcome House as a signature missions ministry of our fellowship and established the Welcome House Community Network (WHCN). I conducted two “Welcome Rides,” cross-state bicycle rides, in Fall 2020 and 2021 to raise awareness and funds.

Since late summer 2021, the ministry has been heavily involved in welcoming refugees from Afghanistan, many of whom worked with the U.S. military. And now, we are gearing up to welcome refugees from Ukraine. Jesus says, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:35) and that is exactly what we seek to do with this ministry.

Though congregations are needed to offer a myriad of practical expressions of hospitality to these newcomers to our communities, the most critical need is housing. The total number of Welcome Houses now exceeds 30, but more are needed. If your church can lend a property you already own (i.e. an unused parsonage or rental home), or would be willing to secure property, or would simply like to learn about other ways to minister through WHCN, please contact the Wyatts (Wyatt@cbf.net) or the CBFNC office. Disaster Response

In August 2021, Tropical Depression Fred pummeled western North Carolina, flooding the Pigeon River and causing tremendous damage. CBFNC partnered with FBC Canton and other area churches to provide financial and other support. We organized several work days, including a “bucket brigade” to fill 200 five-gallon buckets with various supplies homeowners would need to clean up their homes, along with 1,000 plastic totes in which to pack their belongings.

Encourager Church

CBF’s Encourager Church program seeks to connect congregations with CBF field personnel. The program cultivates relationships between churches and missionaries around four encouragement areas: prayer support; program support; short-term engagement; and financial support. Even though NC has more CBF churches than most other states, we only had 10 Encourager Churches prior to the pandemic. Since the start of the pandemic, churches have either renewed their commitment or new congregations have become Encourager Churches, bringing our total to 20. I’m grateful for each of these congregations and dream of the day when every CBFNC congregation will be an Encourager Church for CBF field personnel. For more information about the Encourager Church Program, contact CBFNC Associate Coordinator Mary Kaylor (MKaylor@cbfnc.org).

Ukraine

The world has watched in horror in recent months as Russian troops, under orders from Vladimir Putin, invaded and bombarded Ukraine. Mina and Gennady Podgaisky, CBF field personnel, have served in Ukraine for almost two decades. They have continued to minister in Ukraine through virtual platforms from the mission house of FBC Black Mountain. Other CBF field personnel and partners have welcomed refugees from Ukraine to neighboring countries such as Poland and Romania.

At the 2022 Annual Gathering, CBFNC contributed $50,000 to CBF’s Ukraine Fund. In addition, individuals and churches have contributed thousands more to this effort. At press time for this issue, we have just begun to welcome Ukrainian brothers and sisters to North Carolina through WHCN.