According to the United Nations, Venezuela, a country that has traditionally been a generous host to refugees, is now facing its own displacement crisis. The humanitarian crisis in Venezuela has become the second largest international displacement crisis in the world with six million Venezuelans displaced globally. Of the displaced, 4.8 million are currently residing in South America and the Caribbean.
Close to 2.5 million Venezuelans are living in Colombia. While the government has generously offered residency rights, many refugees nevertheless face extreme hardship and have few resources to sustain themselves.
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Armenia, Colombia, has responded to God’s call by accompanying children who are in some way vulnerable because of their complex situation. Many children are left alone at home or taken by their parents to work with them on the streets. The goal of the “He Loves Me” program is to help children achieve academic and long-term life success. Children come to the church every week, Monday through Friday, from 2:00pm to 5:30pm. The director of the program and a volunteer provide help with homework and academic reinforcement, present a daily devotional, and place emphasis on Christian values and the love of God. Sometimes they do not have the resources to eat well so every day the children are given a nutritious snack to reinforce their diet.
This year, the Loaves & Fishes Offering will support the “He Loves Me” program. The project began on February 4, 2019, in the facilities of the church, with fourteen Venezuelan children. Today, there are twentyfive children between the ages of six and eleven, and many more families are on a waiting list. As a result of the project, four of the families are now attending the church. Some have been baptized and are serving in church leadership. Six of the other families are attending other churches near their homes.
During the pandemic, the program’s resources were used to sending groceries to the children’s homes every month which was very helpful. The parents could not go out to work, making the family’s circumstances difficult.
Through funding from Bill and Kathryn Wood’s children (who were missionaries in Armenia) and interest from the Wood endowment this project has been funded. It can be expanded to cover more families if the financial resources are available. The project also wants to provide training to mothers which will allow them to improve their income by creating their own business, and thus realize dignity through economic independence.
This vision requires the help of people with a special sensitivity for children. This program requires men and women who understand Jesus wants children to come to Him (Matthew 19:14). The timely invitation is to support this project with your prayers and donations.
He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. (Deuteronomy 10:18)
Look around you: Everything you see is God’s—the heavens above and beyond, the Earth, and everything on it. But it was your ancestors who God fell in love with; he picked their children - that’s you! - out of all the other peoples. That’s where we are right now. So cut away the thick calluses from your heart and stop being so willfully hardheaded. God, your God, is the God of all gods, he’s the Master of all masters, a God immense and powerful and awesome. He doesn’t play favorites, takes no bribes, makes sure orphans and widows are treated fairly, takes loving care of foreigners by seeing that they get food and clothing.
(Deuteronomy
Ihave been an American citizen since 1997 when I was sworn in at the U. S. District Court for the Massachusetts District at the historical Faneuil Hall in Boston, Massachusetts. Being a foreigner means many things for people. Some of the experiences can vary for several reasons: Culture shock, language barrier, different social customs, integration and acceptance, legal and administrative process, different work environment, experience diversity, homesickness, travel opportunities, personal growth, etc. On the other hand, being a citizen of a country grants individuals various rights and privileges, including the right to vote, the ability to travel within the country, access to government benefits and services, and protection under the law.
In reality, not all immigrants have the same opportunities for success in their new countries. To be successful in life there are various aspects such as career achievements, personal fulfillment, happiness, good relationships, financial stability, positive impact on others, and overall well-being. For that reason, God calls us, the Church, to “take loving care of foreigners by seeing that they get food and clothing.” So, just look around you. You will be able to see people in need, and you may be Jesus’ hands and feet for them.
This issue of the Missionary Messenger focuses on the Loaves & Fishes Offering. This year the offering will be used to feed and clothe refugee children in Colombia. You will see an introductory letter, a Bible study, and the “He Loves Me” program in Armenia, Colombia.
Other articles are about the Opportunity List, with information for ministers; mission trips, national or international; progress in the United Kingdom; having a ministry when you are not a minister; and Native American Sunday, inviting you to celebrate the heritage of our Native Americans. You will also read Lynn Thomas’ story of missions begun when he was sixteen to 36 years later.
There is also a financial update, the Second Mile call to help our Missionary Setup fund for our newly endorsed missionary to Haiti, the new 2023 Convention officers, and the 2024 Women’s Retreat.
Thank you for reading the Missionary Messenger, and may the Lord bless you during this summer season.
Presbyterian 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
Kristi Lounsbury ext:263
T. J. Malinoski ext:232
Milton Ortiz ext:234
Lynn Thomas ext:261
Rebecca Zahrte ext. 264
8207 Traditional Place Cordova, TN 38016-7414 phone 901.276.4572 fax 901.276.4578
messenger@cumberland.org
VISIT US ON THE WEB
http://cpcmc.org/mm
To read the previous issues of The Missionary Messenger visit us at http://cpcmc.org/mm/ mm-archives Member
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10:13-18 MSG)
The opening line in the book of Deuteronomy begins, “These are the words that Moses spoke to all of Israel beyond the Jordan – in the wilderness.” From his viewpoint above the tree line, Moses can see the terrain the Israelites have wandered and conquered over the previous forty years. His garments rustle from the winds blowing from the Dead Sea below onto the high plain where he is standing. Scanning the topography, he envisions cities and towns the Israelites both passed through and conquered. He sees the mountainous regions both climbed and skirted. He feels the current of the Jordan River, cutting and carving a path through stone, clay, and dirt. Moses also sees a land his feet will never touch. He sees fruits, vegetables, and livestock he will neither raise nor taste. He sees promise he will neither inherit nor claim. This land has been covenanted by God to a people who knew life as slaves, as dusty nomads, and as a scrappy tribe which now has grown into a great nation. Before this great nation enters the Promised Land, the unlikely orator and leader has words to impart upon his people. Clearing his throat, Moses finds his speaking voice once more to tell them a story.
A story can evoke emotions and stir the consciousness to recall forgotten experiences. For the listeners gathered around him, this is Moses’ intent. He tells them a familiar story about a forty-year journey. He deeply desires the Israelites to remember both their fear and excitement in their newfound freedom from slavery. He presses them to remember the desert dust that caked
eyelids and plugged ears. He insists they remember the stone tablets, etched with guidance, being broken and then written again. He challenges them to remember their grumbling, joys, obedience, and rebellion.
Leafing through the first ten chapters of Deuteronomy, a reader could insert the phrase “Remember when…” before most paragraphs. “Remember when…you sat and grumbled in your tents.” “Remember when…you traveled circles in the desert wastelands.” Remember when…you defeated the Amorites and took the territories east of the Jordan.” Remember when…you made an idol for yourselves in the shape of a calf.” Before entering the land promised to them by God, Moses is resolved for the Israelites to remember.
Moses also invites his listeners to remember the presence of God. Amid their trials and tribulations, wanderings and growth into a great nation, God was among them. Moses recalls times when their disobedience even angered God. Yet, while the relationship was strained, stretched taut like the cord around a tunic, God continued to love and care for them. Along their entire forty-year journey, Moses emphasizes God has neither forsaken nor forgotten them.
A good story also asks something of its listener, and this is what Moses does. Like a skillful orator, he may have paused for good measure while asking, “So now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you?” (Deuteronomy 10:12). He answers his own question saying, “Only to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord your God and his decrees that I am commanding you today, for your own wellbeing” (vs. 12-13). It is in this moment that Moses calls the Israelites to ground their very being to the creative, redemptive essence of God. He continues, “For this God is the God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who carries out justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them with food and clothing” (vs. 17-18).
Moses’ story in Deuteronomy continues to have great value. God continues to call persons to receive the covenant of restoration and healing and become engrafted into a community that is defined by its worship, compassion, and witness of its Creator. This community of faith, illuminated with God’s own Spirit, responds with joy as living witnesses to God who is “mighty and awesome” yet still brings “justice to the parentless, the widow(er), and loves the strangers.”
Reflection questions –
What does the scripture passage in Deuteronomy 10:12-18 say about God and who God is?
How might the Israelites hear the words spoken by Moses?
How do you hear these words now?
Closing prayer:
Thank you, O God, for calling me to walk in your ways to love and serve you. May I do so with all my heart and soul. Amen.
According to UNICEF, refugee children are often more vulnerable to child protection risks and violations including separation from their families, neglect, violence and abuse, psychological disorders and distress, isolation, discrimination, and economic exploitation, including trafficking and child marriage.
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Armenia, Colombia, has had since 2019, an after-school program for refugee kids from Venezuela. “He Loves Me,” is the name of the project, and the goal has been to help children achieve academic and long-term life success.
The program has also served children by providing support in deworming, offering vitamin supplements for the low weight of some, and providing dental support, and medical care. Also, the program provides school packs at the beginning of the year and school shoes twice a year. The children have made trips to parks, to celebrate special dates, such as Children’s Day and Christmas, which always includes dinner and gifts for the children of the program and their younger siblings.
Harley Rotbart, MD, a nationally renowned parenting expert, said that “Years of research in child development have identified eight essential
requirements for kids to become happy, successful adults: security, stability, consistency, emotional support, love, education, positive role models, and structure.” This is what the “He Loves Me” program has tried to provide to these children.
With their fundamental requirements for a home, food, clothing, healthcare, and protection from harm addressed, children feel secure and protected.
Family and community are the sources of stability. When a family cannot stay together and maintain
a stable home, it is crucial to cause the least disruption possible to the child’s life. More prominent groups could be a part of their lives to provide children and families with a sense of community, tradition, and cultural continuity.
Parents can coordinate their parenting and make sure strong values remain constant. There should be no “good cop, bad cop” mentality.
Parents can model trust, respect, selfworth, and independence for their
children through their words and deeds.
Almost all “mistakes” parents make can be fixed by expressing and demonstrating love for children. Show kids that they are loved and will always be loved, even when they disobey, are enraged, frustrated, or rebel.
Children must receive the best education possible for their future. This includes the priceless life
teachings provided while they are together with adults.
The primary and most significant role models for children are their parents. Being the person, parents want their children to become will instill values and teach them empathy.
Without them, children are forced to become adults before they are ready, which diminishes their respect for their parents and other adults.
The Opportunity List seeks to inform ministers of staff positions available in congregations and to aid in facilitating a covenant relationship for the glory of God between Cumberland Presbyterian churches and those who serve them.
As of March 1, the primary resource for pastors to learn about open churches will be the Opportunity List, located at www. cpcmc.org/opportunity list.
Other enhancements include :
• The previous online system known as Leadership Referral Services is no longer available. Ministers will find information about open churches by visiting the Opportunity List online.
• The Church Information Form (CIF) has been simplified, providing only the basic facts currently on the front page of the multi-page document. For those churches who complete the ENGAGE process, the questions formerly asked of the search committee will be discussed and answered during the process, creating a more expansive document.
The Process to Promote Open Congregations
• Notify the Director of Congregational Ministries (DCM) that a congregation is open.
• The DCM will contact the congregation to discuss participation in the ENGAGE process.
• Upon the congregation’s decision regarding the ENGAGE process, the onepage CIF will be filled out and placed on the Opportunity List. Those congregations choosing the ENGAGE process will then be listed as either an ENGAGE Graduate or an ENGAGING Congregation.
Working through Discovery, Discernment, Development, and Discussion will equip congregations to do ministry for themselves and their community. With this vision, congregations will be aided by:
• In-person meeting with the DCM or other staff member.
• Continued meetings (in-person or via Zoom).
• The DCM (or other staff members) will go through each step of the process with the congregation, investing time on all four Ds to create a fresh new perspective and/or confirmation of their current ministry in preparation for a new pastor.
• Advice on writing their unique CIF in a professional and updated manner.
• Monthly, collaborative Zoom sessions with other churches in the ENGAGE process.
• Quarterly Zoom meetings with guest pastors who will serve as advisors to discuss with churches in the ENGAGE process, concerns or questions regarding the pastoral search and how congregations are able to better address these concerns (Zoom).
• Online resources such as videos on the website.
• One congregation (or member of a congregation) will be showcased weekly via social media.
Please note: Although the process for ENGAGE congregations may take slightly longer, the goal is that ENGAGE congregations will be significantly better equipped with a greater sense of knowing their mission, providing a more accurate picture of the qualities and gifts a pastor needs for a specific congregation.
Having received the command to “go and make disciples of all nations,” the disciples did just that, developing relationships with friends, families, and strangers. We, too, are called to go and make disciples of all nations.
What does that look like for people who have already heard the gospel and have either chosen to respond or not? For many of us, it may simply be to share in accordance with one another through prayer, scripture, and serving others.
As Cumberland Presbyterians, we have responded to this call. We went to the hills, the valleys, and the coastlines. We have responded by going to Colombia, Japan, Australia, Canada, Brazil, and around fifteen other countries. The witness of former Cumberland Presbyterians has spread far and wide. We heeded the call.
Some have heeded the call through ordained ministry serving in churches, universities, or as missionaries. Others have responded as ambassadors through international mission trips. Yes, this is an important call! Those who have given their time and talent through a mission trip will benefit from more blessings than one can ever imagine –until you experience it yourself!
International Mission Trips have changed focus over the years from being a work trip to a relational trip. Mission groups often will go to a different country and start a lofty
project. However, with only one or two weeks to finish the project, many projects do not see completion and are left as a financial and physical burden to their new owner.
Rather than work on large projects, the Missions Ministry Team’s approach to mission trips is to help establish life-long relationships with those who are a part of the global Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mission trips are often now designed with a Bible school to work with the children and youth, as well as having some opportunities to share in the faith with the adults in the churches.
For example, the 2022 trip to Belize involved a Bible school during the day and financial/empowerment classes for the adults in the congregation. The 2023 trip to Brazil involved splashes of time that focused on the children for Bible school, a youth evangelism event, and even CPR training for the adults.
The approach to becoming more relationship-focused has brought about great awareness of our brothers and sisters who have the same faith. Friendships have been formed that will last a lifetime. Ministries have been created. The call to “GO!” as Christ demanded, has been answered by the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Will you be the next one to respond? If you are interested in participating in a future mission trip, please contact Kristi Lounsbury at klounsbury@cumberland.org or 901-276-4572 ext. 263.
Lounsbury
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations…” Matthew 28:19a
The growth and development of the Cumberland Presbyterian (CP) Church in England and Scotland is progressing well. The Missions Ministry Team (MMT), with the assistance of the Program of Alternate Studies (PAS), conducted classes with four of our pastors in the United Kingdom (UK) in April 2023. Candidates Joseph Li (Birmingham), David Quan Jeon (Sheffield), and Wa Sum Lai (Glasgow), and licentiate Oldfield So (Edinburgh), met in Birmingham, England for intensive classes. All these pastors have seminary degrees earned in Hong Kong. The PAS instructors were Matthew and Susan Gore, Rev. Dr. Milton Ortiz, and Rev. Dr. Lynn Thomas. The PAS classes were related to classes required for ordination as CP ministers.
While in the United Kingdom, the PAS instructors worshipped with the Birmingham CP mission and the Edinburgh CP mission. Both congregations reported over 100 participants. Hopefully, these pastors will be ordained in the coming two years. Although the four mission churches are growing, there are currently no ordained CP pastors in the UK. Pray for them as they work through the process of ordination and pray for the mission churches as they reach Hong Kong people moving into the UK.
Igrew up surrounded by pastors and missionaries, and, as a result, I was aware their job was “ministry.” I always liked that idea, you know, that the thing you spend most your day doing is service to God. My problem was I was not a pastor. But that doesn’t mean that other jobs aren’t used by God and, therefore, are a ministry. The Bible has stories about people who used their professions as a ministry. A tax collector forgiving people’s debts, a seamstress giving clothes to the poor, or farmers making offerings to God from their flock/crop. Even when Jesus was challenged by religious leaders for working on the Sabbath, he responded, “Which of you [clergy], having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” (Luke 14:5). I think Jesus was defending the non-clergy who must work at all times of the week.
I am a veterinarian. I pulled an ox out of a ditch on a Sunday, not to mention countless other emergencies. My profession has allowed me to gain skills that are helpful to others – well, mostly animals. Can what I do serve God? I have thought a great deal about how to use my skills to serve God. I am always trying to be sensitive to God and God’s leading when doing my job.
One idea I recently had was to use my profession in service to God on my honeymoon. My wife, Subin, and I chose to use our honeymoon as a mission trip to Guatemala. It was a working honeymoon. Through the blessing of being a vet and donations from a pharmaceutical company we
were able to host free vaccine clinics in Guatemala. We did veterinary clinics in Cumberland Presbyterian churches. As we vaccinated and diagnosed medical issues in the animals, the church members spent time evangelizing the owners who came to the church. In just two days we saw over 100 animals and the church talked to lots of people. We did help the animal population there, but the greater effect was the word of God and the love of Christ being shared with those that may have needed it. I love what I do, and I think it is a great service, but it is not like being a pastor or missionary who preaches the Good News of Christ. However, I have learned I can use my profession to bring people to the right place to receive the Good News. My profession is not the same as being a minister, but it is a ministry.
Missionary Rev. Socorro Pejendino:
“Dr. Caleb and Subin Thomas visited Guatemala and did a beautiful job with the Guatemalan community. They offered veterinary clinics in two sectors of the city. One in La Reformita, where the CP Church La Vid is located and another in zone 6 of Mixco, where the CP Church, Casa de Fe y Oración is located. They treated 115 pets including dogs and cats, applying vaccinations, deworming, medical check-up and delivery of medicines. It was a beautiful opportunity to share the love of God and his Word. God bless Caleb and Subin in their marriage, ministry, and business. We are grateful for your social work in Guatemala.” Facebook Post
OnOctober 22, 2023, the Cumberland Presbyterian Church will celebrate the 205th year of the ministry of the Choctaw people in and to the global Cumberland Presbyterian Church. It is a wonderful time to celebrate our diversity and remember the many people who have contributed greatly to the church.
In the August 2021 issue of the Missionary Messenger, Reverend T.J. Malinoski provided the church with a review of the history of the Choctaw people and their relationship with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The issue can be found online at https://issuu.com/ cmteam/docs/mm_fall_2021.
One statement in the article has stuck in my mindthe Choctaw people expressed gracious hospitality to the first missionaries in October of 1818. Not all people or tribes could easily agree with this statement. Even though there have been many times in history that shares stories of a great injustice to the Native Americans, the statement that gracious hospitality was given to those who first went to evangelize is of great significance to the faith of the Choctaw people.
Throughout the history of the Cumberland Presbyterian Denomination, gracious hospitality has been displayed by our Native American brothers and sisters. Presbytery meetings, camp meetings, mission trips, leadership positions held (Moderator, CP Women’s Ministry (CPWM) President, Director of Indian Ministries), and so forth. On the 200th year of ministry, the Cumberland Presbyterian General Assembly and CPWM Convention were hosted by Choctaw Presbytery. This year, on October 22, 2023, we remember the gracious hospitality displayed by our brothers and sisters of Choctaw Presbytery and beyond. I invite you to extend
By T. J. MalinoskiAsthe days get shorter and the cooler temperatures begin to greet those in the Northern Hemisphere fostering introspection and reflection, the eleventh month of the Gregorian calendar is November. (Ironically, the word November is derived from the Latin word novem meaning the number nine.) In the United States, the month of November is designated as the Native American Heritage month to celebrate the traditions and contributions to the world by Native Americans. According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the designation Native American includes all native peoples of the United States: American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Chamorros, and American Samoans. Native American also includes persons from Canada First Nations, indigenous communities in Mexico, and Central and South America who are United States citizens with estimates upwards of 1.9 million people.
574 federally recognized tribal nations reside, work, study, worship and fellowship in the United States and its territories with over an additional 300 tribes not yet officially recognized. A federally recognized tribal nation is a Native American tribal entity that has both its sovereignty and a government-togovernment relationship with the United States. This includes inherent rights for self-government for its citizens and lands and having
14 MISSIONARY MESSENGER FALL 2021
protections, services, and benefits in their relationship to the United States government. The relationship between tribal nations and the United States has a long history with official alliances dating back to the Continental Congress with their first written treaty; the first of many to be written and later broken.
The relationship between the Choctaw nation and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church also harks back to a time when the United States and the denomination were just newborn fledglings among a people who have inhabited the “Americas” for eons. In October 1818, the first missionaries of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Reverends Samuel King and William Moore, were commissioned by Elk Presbytery.
King and Moore spent six months among the Choctaw nation marking, what the author of The Gospel to the Choctaw Claude Gilbert writes as, “the beginning of a ministry and friendship between the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Choctaw people that continues to this day.”
Reporting back to Elk Presbytery and the newly formed Mission Society, Rev. Robert Bell was commissioned as a missionary in 1819 with both the Choctaw and Chickasaw in a relationship that lasted for years enduring the hardships of removal from what is now known as Mississippi, through the Trail of Tears and Death and relocation to Oklahoma.
Cumberland Presbyterians celebrate the traditions and contributions of Native Americans on a special Sunday. To remember the hospitality of the Choctaw to the first Cumberland Presbyterian missionaries and for all the Native American ministries and leadership shared with the Church, General Assembly designated the third Sunday of October as a time to lift up the men and women who are and have been part of this denomination. There are many available resources to celebrate and learn more about Native Americans. Where possible, try to locate resources and information created and written by Native Americans. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (www.bia.gov) provides general information and links to tribal nations. www.nativeamericanheritagemonth. gov has resources from the Library of Congress, Smithsonian and National Archives including films and online events available to the public. There are many works by Native Americans that have earned the accolades of Emmys, National Book Awards, and Pulitzer Prizes. Developments in ecology, sign language, history, politics, medicine, and the scientific community are all being enhanced by Native Americans. Join with all Cumberland Presbyterians on October 17 and during the month of November to celebrate the cultures and heritage of Native Americans.
the opportunity in return. Attend church in Choctaw Presbytery. Purchase Native American-made items. Educate yourselves on the customs of the different tribes. Learn our history and respond in a new way.
Most of all, Pray for all Native Americans:
• that their rich heritage will be protected
• that the languages continue to enlighten us all
• that the traditions and songs be passed along to a new generation
• that the dances and dress be celebrated
• that the food and games be a lasting memory of laughter and joy
• that the Native American nations continue to bring forth their leadership
• that the injustices of the past be turned into new lessons of love.
The invitation is yours. Celebrate the heritage of our Native Americans in worship on October 22, 2023. Celebrate, specifically, our loved ones in Choctaw Presbytery. Give thanks to great people! For liturgy resources, please go to https://cpcmc.org/discipleship/worship-resources/.
Atsixteen years old, I headed to Colombia, South America for a summer mission experience. My life of missions started in 1976. I flew to Bogota where I boarded a DC-3, which is a large WWII era prop plane. We flew to a remote town named San Jose which is in the jungle plains of Colombia. All passengers sat in cargo nets, like paratroopers. There was no flight attendant, seatbelts, or in-flight safety demonstration. Once we landed on the dirt strip, we were told by the pilot to push the plane around so he could take off. The town had cinderblock and bamboo/ mud-wall homes, with dirt streets.
That summer I lived in a tent, bathed and washed clothes out of the same bucket, and helped build a church. Despite malaria, being evacuated and a few days later returning, boiling water to drink, sleeping on the ground all summer, and working long hot days, I loved it. It was that summer God and I made a deal. God gave me a passion for missions, and I responded by telling God I would be a missionary. Going back to high school for my senior year was difficult. After experiencing what I had experienced, doing what I had done, and seeing the underdeveloped world, high school now seemed - well - trivial.
After graduating, I spent my summer in Liberia, Africa. At that
time Liberia was a poor but peaceful country – one could hitchhike. Because of a letter from my grandfather (Rev. L.L. Thomas), I searched for Presbyterians in Liberia. His letter told me a story of meeting a Liberian in 1941 who wanted Liberian Presbyterians to join with the CP Church. My grandfather knew that the CP Church’s first missionary (1852) went to Liberia. I found the Liberia Presbytery’s office in Monrovia and was able to gain information, which I shared with CP leaders in the US. Eventually, by the efforts of CP leaders in the US, Liberia Presbytery became part of the CP Church.
In 1978, I went to Suriname, South America. Suriname was a full-blown National Geographic experience. It took two days by canoe to get to the jungle village where I stayed. I lived with a tribe for the summer. They lived in grass huts, and both men and women wore loincloths – and that was all. A few years after I left the village National Geographic Magazine, January 1983, “Wayan Indians?” did an article on the tribe. The article never mentioned the church in the village or its devoted members. Unknowingly, the article pictured some of the church’s Indian leaders. The village was next to a huge river and dug-out canoes were the Ubers of the day. I slept in a tent. I learned big fruit bats love bananas, so do not hang them on your tent pole at night. Army ants
will swarm without warning and cover everything. And when bathing in a river, wear shoes – sting rays. I ate monkey, taper, caiman, deer, and piranha (I thought that was cool, eat them before they eat you). I did not eat the ants or the popsicle size larva from the cocoon I was offered, I had my limits.
In 1981 I interned in Durbin, South Africa with a Bible school. I also worked with non-whites, particularly Indians (from India). Apartheid was both sad and silly. I had to sleep in the white neighborhood because I was white, and drove into the Indian township to work, eating lots of spicy Indian food. South Africa had four main classifications, white, black, Indian, and colored. Within each main group there were sub-groups, English, Afrikaners, Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, Tamal, Hindis, to name a few, and the coloreds, who were mixed raced people. Everyone had their place, beach, transportation, race-specific salaries, and townships – the silly part was knowing where to be. One exception was the Bible school I worked in as an intern. It was integrated.
When I proposed to Nona, I said our life together might involve a mud hut in Africa. She accepted, knowing my history. Much later in life I learned her family hosted in her home missionary aviation pilots. She loved their stories and was drawn to missions –even as a child. »»»
What did I learn? Short-term mission trips are inspirational and can change one’s life. Seeing Christians living in challenging situations gives you great respect for them. My teen mission trips certainly put high school and college into perspective. Summer mission trips helped me understand how to live with the mysterious and unfamiliar. But short trips are not real missions. Being a missionary is nothing like a summer on the mission field. They are two different things. Learning the language and culture takes years, which is hard and humiliating. Being a missionary takes training, time, and skills. Those skills are indispensable if one wants to be an effective missionary.
In 1986 Nona (my wife) and I landed in Costa Rica with our new baby to learn Spanish for a year. I was finally a missionary. The late Rev. David Brown, director of CP missions, was our boss and very supportive. We discovered learning the language as an adult was hard. Adapting to the culture was harder. Despite these challenges, we learned we could trust the people around us. Within a few days in Costa Rica, we were in trouble. Our baby was writhing in pain, screaming for all to hear. Neither of us spoke Spanish and we knew no one in Costa Rica. Our house did not even have a phone. Nona ran out of the front door and started knocking on doors asking for help – do you speak English? Help! Will you call a doctor? Dr. Boza arrived, he was very kind and spoke a little English. He checked out our son and identified the problem. Diaper rash. A neighbor helped us find diaper cream. We made some good neighbors because of that. They felt sorry for us.
What did I learn? People will help you; compassion is universal. Being dependent on others, as opposed to being independent, is how one opens relational doors in the mission field. People love the ones they take care of – like caring for a puppy. And we later learned, with four children, you can trust your children to God’s care on the mission field. All our children benefited from being missionary kids, and as adults, they say they have no regrets about living on the mission field.
Manizales is a city on a mountain peak at 7,000 feet altitude. It has the most amazing Andes Mountain views. We lived there for over four years. The weather was cool to cold at night. I delivered one of our children there using the emergency birth chapter in a book – a missionary story
for another day. I was sent by Andes Presbytery and the Board of Missions to work with the Manizales CP Church and their pastor, who was not ordained. I was sent to help build a new church for his growing congregation. The church was dynamic and had many university students and professionals – over a dozen eventually went into the ministry. Their pastor, Milton Ortiz, moved to the US while I was in Manizales. He moved to Boston, married a girl from Colombia (Francia), went to seminary, and was ordained as a CP minister.
What did I learn? A growing church full of young adults is fertile ground for church leaders. The people under your guidance might be your future boss and future co-workers in ministry. In fact, as leaders in Christian ministry, that is what we want. A church’s future is found in the leaders it produces more than in how large it becomes.
After Manizales, we moved to Armenia, Colombia for almost two years, then on to Medellin, Colombia for another four years. Rev. Bob Watkins, a former missionary, assumed the Mission Director position and guided us in our work. By this time Colombia was in an internal war, first the mafia wars (Cali versus Medellin mafia), then a guerrilla war. After Pablo Escobar was killed, just a few blocks from where we rented an apartment in Medellin, the narco-trade was taken over by the communist subversive group FARC. The narcotics trade turned into a guerrilla war between FARC, the Colombian army, and clandestine death squads. We saw death around us, car bombs, assassinations, fear, and displacement. We found ourselves in several street shoot-outs and saw the assassinated on the side of the road. Thousands of people died in Medellin during those horrible years. We lived by many security protocols and never drove very far outside of Medellin. The FARC roadblocks and kidnappings were pervasive.
However, the churches we worked with did great. The church offered hope and peace from the stress of violence. There was peace in the worship of Christ. Being in the middle of growing and vibrant churches helped with the stress. New leaders were going to seminary in Medellin and our churches were growing. Many were young adults from the Manizales church. While in Medellin, observing the work of our Colombian pastors, I learned lessons from the Colombians I would use for the rest of my life. I learned that the mission field was a place missionaries go to learn.
By 1998 we were exhausted. The war seemed neverending. The stress of violence and the age of our four children led us to resign as missionaries. The Board of Missions opened a new position in the US designed to start new churches among the growing US immigrant population – Hispanics. I accepted the position and we moved to Birmingham, Alabama. As my boss explained, you can live where you want because you will not be home that much. He was right. I traveled extensively in the US working with presbyteries and task forces to start new Hispanic and Korean churches. We started new churches in several places in Tennessee, cities in Alabama, Boston, Houston, Atlanta, Russellville (AR), and Miami, all within the first few years. We started Korean churches in the Northeast (New York, New Jersey), Atlanta, Arkansas, and Tennessee. Nona raised our school-aged kids; I was gone a great deal. Although some of those projects failed, many succeeded. The strategy we used was what I had learned on the mission field. I called it “opportunism.”
When I discovered a person or persons, that is, an opportunity, I approached them and asked if they would be willing to start a CP church. In the case of Boston, I contacted my old friend Milton Ortiz (from Manizales), who was living there. I asked if he would be willing to start a CP church in Boston and he agreed. East Tennessee Presbytery agreed to accept the project. He successfully planted a church. Milton eventually moved to Memphis and became the team leader of the Missions Ministry Team (MMT) and my boss. I contacted various pastors; some were CP, and some were not. If a Hispanic or Korean pastor was not CP, and if he/she had an unaffiliated church or group, they were an “opportunity.” Our target for church plants was not a place, it was based on a person/s. The key was to find leadership and work with the leaders wherever they were. Rev. Dr. George Estes, the director of Evangelism and New Church Development for the Board of Missions, and my boss, was supportive of the idea and brought invaluable guidance.
Opportunism involves finding people, that is, leaders, and being part of their vision of ministry. The next step is to work with that person by helping him/her in their ministry and teaching them what they need to know to be part of the CP family. The Program of Alternate Studies adapted to help with their training, and the General
Assembly made constitutional changes to help assimilate pastors and churches into the CP family. Many of these people found homes in the CP Church and became leaders and cheerleaders for the denomination.
In 2011, I took the position of Director of Global Missions in the MMT. I had returned to my first love, foreign missions (outside the US). Using the same approach of opportunism and with the support of Rev. Dr. Milton Ortiz (MMT Leader) and Edith Old (Director of Ministries) we found new doors and walked through them – taking us to new countries. We found opportunities (people) to plant new churches in Australia, Belize, Canada, we expanded our work in Brazil and the Philippines, developed more churches in Guatemala, opened work in Haiti, attempted mission work in Cuba, expanded into Mexico City, Spain, and even England and Scotland. We started a CP Asian Forum to connect CPs in Asia to Hong Kong and Japan presbyteries. I also worked with many CP missionaries, recruiting, and providing guidance. As a result of the growth, I traveled to another country almost every month of the year to meet with churches, presbyteries, councils, and missionaries.
I have learned that leadership is the KEY to growth and success. To open churches, you must find people that others will follow. The focus should be a person, not a place. Find out what God is doing in other people’s lives and participate. All who believe they are leaders may not be leaders. Real leaders have followers. I also learned people will adapt. Most people are open to adopting new ideas about church government and theology, especially when in the context of friendship with other church leaders. And of equal importance, leadership at the top of an organization must be fearless, willing to take risks. Part of that risk involves never having enough money to feel secure.
My next chapter of ministry is working with OptIN, The Trade School for Christian Formation. I am gladly giving up my Medallion Status with Delta Airlines. I will travel less and work with my daughter and son-in-law, Reverends Brian and Micaiah Tanck, and the Scottsboro CP Church (Alabama). I am excited about a new approach to Christian formation, one that focuses on practicing skills of spirituality. I believe this method of Christian formation can bring vision and energy to churches, both inside and outside of the US.
I would like to say a special thanks to more people than this article has space to list. You know who you are. Thanks for 36 years of amazing ministry, adventure, and friendship working for the Board of Missions and its successor, the Missions Ministry Team.
Cumberland Presbyterian missionaries working with the Missions Ministry Team (MMT) are supported by the Stott-Wallace Missionary Offering. Mission deployment depends entirely on the willingness of qualified individuals to serve, the need in the mission field, and Stott-Wallace fund donations.
Missionary work is not easy and there are countless challenges and risks. The MMT employs a three-year cycle for its missionaries. Before the three years are over, we begin a conversation to ascertain if the missionaries are called to continue for another three years or if it is time to return to their home country. In 2021, Rev. Wilson Lopez and Rev. Diana Gutierrez, and their daughters Marcela and Valery, moved from Colombia to Madrid as missionaries. Their first responsibility in Spain and France was the expansion of the kingdom. Today we have two congregations in Spain, the Zion CP Church in Madrid, and the Baneres CP Church in Valencia; and one in France, The Gate of the New Way in Lyon. Through their efforts, local leadership was developed and trained through PAS Colombia. As a result of their hard
work, the Cumberland Presbyterian Church is growing and is legally incorporated in both Spain and France. Now Wilson and Diana and their family are making transitions once again in their lives and are returning to Colombia. Please join us in prayer for them as they begin this new chapter and join us in giving thanks for their willingness to serve as missionaries. Thank you, Wilson, Diana, Marcela, and Valery for your work in this Great Commission effort!
The denomination’s newest missionary, Rev. Kim Moore, will be deployed to Haiti later this year and we anticipate that others will be sent in the future. Thank you for your commitment to this offering. Through your efforts and those of our missionaries, the gospel of Jesus Christ is being proclaimed throughout the world.
Los misioneros presbiterianos Cumberland que trabajan con el Equipo Ministerial de Misiones (MMT) son apoyados por la Ofrenda Misionera Stott-Wallace. El resultado de la misión depende completamente de la voluntad de las personas calificadas para servir, la necesidad en el campo misionero y las donaciones del fondo Stott-Wallace.
La obra misionera no es fácil y hay innumerables desafíos y riesgos. El MMT emplea un ciclo de tres años para sus misioneros. Antes de que terminen los tres años, comienza una conversación para determinar si los misioneros son llamados a continuar por otros tres años o si es hora de regresar a su país de origen. En 2021, el Rev. Wilson López y la Rev. Diana Gutiérrez, y sus hijas Marcela y Valery, se mudaron de Colombia a Madrid como misioneros. Su primera responsabilidad en España y Francia fue la expansión del reino. Hoy tenemos dos congregaciones en España, la Iglesia PC Zion en Madrid, y la Iglesia PC Ba ñeres en Valencia; y una en Francia, La Puerta del Nuevo Camino en Lyon. A través de sus esfuerzos, el liderazgo local fue desarrollado y capacitado a través de PAS Colombia. Como resultado de su arduo trabajo, la Iglesia Presbiteriana Cumberland está creciendo e incorporada legalmente tanto en España como en Francia. Ahora Wilson y Diana y su familia están transicionando una vez más en sus vidas y están regresando a Colombia. Por favor, únanse a nosotros en oración por ellos al comenzar este nuevo capítulo y únanse a nosotros para dar gracias por su disposición a servir como misioneros. ¡Gracias, Wilson, Diana, Marcela y Valery por su trabajo en este esfuerzo de la Gran Comisión!
Kim Moore, se trasladará a Haití a finales de este año y anticipamos que otros serán enviados en el futuro. Gracias por su compromiso con esta ofrenda. Por medio de sus esfuerzos y los de nuestros misioneros, el evangelio de Jesucristo se proclama en todo el mundo.
By Rev. Rebecca Zahrte
Rev. Kim Moore is our newly endorsed Cumberland Presbyterian (CP) missionary to Haiti. Kim graduated with a Master of Divinity from Memphis Theological Seminary in 2020. She has pastored the Mt. Sharon CP Church, Nashville Presbytery, and was ordained on September 21, 2020. Kim had an interest in missions as a youth, but life first took her on a journey to gain some skills that would be useful in ministry and in missions. Prior to going into the ministry, Kim spent years in the medical field as a nurse, supervising and instructing, and working in ICU. She also did strenuous endurance sports like marathoning and triathlons and has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. One never knows what skills might come in handy in Kingdom work! She loves gardening and is also a singer and musician. Kim is an amazing individual with skills and a beautiful heart for her fellow man.
The current goal is for Kim to deploy to Haiti in the fall of 2023 for at least a three-year term. She will partner with and learn from the council of CP pastors and churches there. During the Convention Luncheon held June 22, 2023, in Denton, Texas, Kim gave a presentation on Haiti and the many challenges she could face. Haiti is a country with no formal leadership and as such, gangs have overrun the capital causing untold violence and loss of life. The CP Denomination has six churches in Haiti where they serve as both church and school for the local community. Kim will be bringing in her medical expertise and passion for Jesus. Kim was officially commissioned on June 22, 2023, at the 192nd General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Denton, Texas.
The Stott-Wallace Missionary Offering is named after two CP missionary families. The Wallaces who served over 50 years in Colombia, and the Stotts who served almost 30 years in Japan. This fund is the only way we financially support our missionaries with a salary and benefits. Only through continued donations to this fund can we ensure the continuation of our missionaries in the mission field. Currently, it takes $270,000-$300,000 annually to meet this need.
The Stott-Wallace Missionary Offering is used to pay CP missionary salaries and their benefits — nothing else. It is the only source of missionary support that CP missionaries have. Donations to the Stott-Wallace Missionary Offering do not incur administrative fees. Our United Outreach (OUO) covers all the administrative, processing, and transfer costs.
Currently, we have missionaries in:
• The Philippines: Daniel & Kay Jang
• Cambodia and an undisclosed country: David & Sarah Lee
• Guatemala: Socorro Pejendino; John Jairo & Esperanza Correa
• Haiti: Kim Moore, prayerfully deployed fall of 2023
Rev. Kim Moore and all our missionaries need your help. By giving to the Stott-Wallace Missionary Offering, you are sending people into the world to share the love of Christ.
By Rev. Rebecca Zahrte
What an exciting time to continue Our Story with our sisters in Christ! Mark your calendars and make plans to attend Retreat 2024, where we will share more stories, fun, and fellowship!
April 5-7, 2024, we will be joining in a Denominational Women’s Retreat in Mt. Vernon, Missouri. The Women of Missouri Region will be hosting us as we gather to share.
Our weekend together will be a time of relaxation, rejuvenation, and a refreshing of our minds, bodies, and spirits. Located in the beautiful Ozark foothills, Baptist Hill Assembly Camp boasts beautiful views and a quiet, relaxing environment.
According to their website www.baptisthillassembly.com, “Baptist Hill sets back in the rich timber setting of the Ozark Hills. We are located 30 miles west of Springfield, Missouri outside the small community of Mount Vernon. Big Spring, which is a huge attraction for many, pools into a river which runs around the entire perimeter of the campground. Its flowing waters make for a great day of canoeing or hiking.”
“Rebels Bluff, another historical site nearby, is adjoined to the acres of wildlife-filled hills and bluffs that encompass the campground.”
“Spring, Summer, Autumn, or Winter...there is no time of the year
that you will not find Baptist Hill a peaceful and captivating place. A hidden treasure of simplicity and character, this camp has drawn many, near and far, to be embraced by its spiritual aura felt upon entering its gates. We invite you to come alone or with a few, or as a group to see all that awaits you at Baptist Hill.”
For our indoor enthusiasts, we have you covered…literally. With a large worship building and cafeteria/ breakout areas, we have tons of space for activities, group conversations, sing-a-longs, and fellowship. There are also hiking/walking trails around the camp to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation.
Our Story retreat will include engaging workshops, soul-refreshing worship, and of course some great food!
As the world around us becomes increasingly fast-paced and spiritually disorienting, our time together will stand as an oasis of faith, enrichment, and rejuvenation. Retreat 2024 is prepared to become a vital resource for women seeking spiritual renewal. Make plans today to join us as we continue Our Story and together continue to build the legacy of the women who have gone before.
Check back on our website for updated information about the retreat and a recap of the 2023 Convention. https://cpcmc.org/mmt/wm-info/.
Debbie is a member of the Good Prospect Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Trilla, Illinois, where she grew up, married her husband Tim, and raised their three daughters, Beth, Erica, and Amanda. They are blessed to have a son-in-law Shane and three grandchildren, Madison, Blake, and Lainey. Being active in the church has been a lifelong fulfillment for Debbie. She has served the church through VBS, taught Sunday school, been a youth leader, song leader, and trustee, and is currently serving as Assistant Sunday School Superintendent and Children’s Church Director. After attending a few Women’s Spring Retreats, she joined her local CPWM. The retreats have always been a great motivator. She became Secretary of the North Central Presbytery region and continues to serve. Planning the retreats and hoping to motivate others is a great passion! Besides being active with the church, she is also a part-time administrative assistant at Mattoon Precision Manufacturing Inc. where she has worked for the past fourteen years. In her spare time, she enjoys being outside in all of God’s creation. She loves spending time helping Tim with their 27-acre farm. She says, “It is amazing to see God’s work in that.” Her other hobbies include sewing, photography, and many other things too numerous to list. Contact information: 217-849-2665; Email: debbiebeals82@gmail.com.
Lisa currently is serving as pastor at Mt. Tabor Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee (Murfreesboro Region). Much of Lisa’s ministry has been as a hospice chaplain, serving throughout Middle Tennessee. Lisa has also enjoyed serving as a children’s minister at Milan CPC, Summer Youth Minister at Hopkinsville CPC, and Children and Youth Minister at Beech CPC. Over the years, Lisa has volunteered as a camp counselor for camps in Arkansas, West Tennessee, Kentucky, and Middle Tennessee. She also directed some senior high camps for Tennessee Synod in the 1990s. Around that same time, she helped initiate a young adult retreat for Tennessee Synod. Lisa was ordained at New Hope CPC in 1995. She graduated from Bethel College, now University, and received her M.Div. from Memphis Theological Seminary. She followed that with a Chaplain Residency at Methodist Hospital in Memphis. She has served on the Committee on Ministry and is currently serving on the Still Waters Family Ministry Board and the Historical Foundation Board of Trustees. Most recently Lisa has been volunteering at St. Luke CPC with the laundry ministry of Sacred Sparks called Loads of Love where she finds joy serving alongside Rev. Lisa Cook, volunteers Brittni Burnsey, Stacey Wilhoite, and her father Alvin Oliver. There is joy in washing dishes for our friends! Lisa enjoys spending quality time with friends and family, crocheting, writing, and listening to music. Lisa has had the great pleasure of sharing road trips to the General Assembly and Convention with her niece Savannah Lamb. Contact information: 615-474-3954; Email: lisa.oliver316@gmail.com
Holly McReynolds attends the Good Prospect Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Trilla, Illinois. She is the current treasurer of the Good Prospect CPWM. She is going to be a junior at Eastern Illinois University this fall, majoring in Graphic Design. Her hobbies include painting, playing with her dog, and spending time with friends from her youth group. Contact information: 217-254-5766; Emai l: hkmcreynolds38@gmail.com. We would also like to welcome aboard our new President-Elect, Christie Vanderlaan, and Secretary-Elect, Beth Graham. Thank you for your willingness, and your encouragement to CPWM.
The Stott-Wallace Missionary Offering is used to pay CP missionary salaries and their benefits — nothing else. It is the only source of missionary support for CP missionaries. Donations to the Stott-Wallace Missionary Offering do not incur administrative fees. Our United Outreach (OUO) covers all the clerical, processing, and transfer costs. We have received $131,804.00 in donations from January 1, 2023, to date. We have also received $14,044.26 from the CPWM Offering #34026. We are so appreciative of all the offerings received for our missionaries.
Missionary Set-Up is a missionary benefit that helps missionaries with the purchase of plane tickets, legal expenses, basic furniture and appliances, purchase a car, and set-up an office. Our recent project received $45,398.97 in donations to help Rev. Kim Moore with her move to Haiti in the fall of this year. Our goal is $50,500.00. It is not too late if you still want to help support Kim!
The Second Mile project #34432 was for Sound Equipment and Furnishings for the Spain New Church Development in Madrid. The project raised $2,294.00 which helped the mission purchase some basic equipment needed to better serve those that are attending services.
In 2019, news outlets around the world exploded with images of massive crowds in Hong Kong protesting the new laws China forced the Hong Kong government to adopt. By 2022 it was obvious Hong Kong, a special independent free district of China, would become just another city in China. As a result, tens of thousands of Hong Kong people are leaving Hong Kong. Because of Hong Kong’s status as a former British colony, many ended up in the United Kingdom of Great Britain (UK).
Within a year there were four Hong Kong Christian CP mission churches, two in Scotland and two in England. All four mission churches have Hong Kong CP pastors.
Three of the four mission churches have 60-70 in worship each Sunday, and one has around 40. There are Sundays when they have seen as many as 100 in attendance.
Although the churches are young and growing, they still have many needs. The offering is to help them cover the costs of paying pastors and doing ministry. They are all currently renting space to worship, some in UK churches and others in community centers.
Your gifts totaling $45,036.01 have helped ensure they can continue to do ministry.
Your donations totaling $56,389.68 to the Loaves & Fishes Offering will be used to fund The Harvest Project in Brazil. The goal is that sufficient donations will be made that allow the Mata de SJ Mission to provide monthly food assistance to fifteen families for two years (2023-2024).
2023
He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.
Deuteronomy 10:18 (NIV)
For more information and resources visit our website at http://cpcmc.org/mmt/loaves
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. ©2023 Missions Ministry Team
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