Missionary Messenger
NATIVE AMERICAN SUNDAY
LOAVES & FISHES
THE COMMUNITY FEEDING THROUGH
CHOCTAW
PRESBYTERY
By T.J. Malinoski
Feeding THE COMMUNITY “YOU GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO EAT.” MARK 6:37 NIV
What can 82 people, 3 ministers and 7 churches accomplish? With your participation in the 2017 Loaves & Fishes Offering, hundreds of people and many families in Oklahoma will have access to food. Even though the United States has many organizations, services and programs to address hunger, there are still numerous children, youth and adults who miss the criteria or eligibility of receiving assistance in the way of food. For many years, the congregations in Choctaw Presbytery have gathered their resources of food, money and volunteers to help alleviate the rampant poverty in their community. Every fall, each congregation compiles a list of individuals and families in need of food beginning with Cumberland Presbyterians, family members, members of the Choctaw Nation, co-workers, neighbors and even strangers. Each congregation then submits their list of persons in need to the Choctaw Presbyterial Planning Council who then enlists volunteers from each church to make the grocery purchases and deliver the food.
THROUGH
Choctaw Now our Choctaw Cumberland Presbyterian brothers and sisters need your financial assistance. The available presbyterial funds to feed the local community is growing smaller while the need to address hunger multiplies. The past couple of years the presbytery has not been able to maintain their purchasing power and the amount of groceries bought have decreased.
PRESBYTERY Your gifts to the Loaves & Fishes Offering will purchase groceries such as fresh produce and food staples to help Cumberland Presbyterians and many others during the fall and winter months in Oklahoma. Your generous support will provide the congregations in Choctaw Presbytery the financial means to address hunger in their neighborhood not just for 2017 but for years to come.
“YOU GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO EAT.” MARK 6:37 NIV
Please support the 2017 Loaves & Fishes Offering in your congregation. Imagine the impact we can make when we partner with our Choctaw Cumberland Presbyterian brothers and sisters in addressing hunger in their community. Imagine the impact we can make when 82 people become more than 68,000 Cumberland Presbyterians and 7 churches become almost 700. Additional ways to support the Offering is to encourage your women’s group to dedicate their monthly offering; ask your men’s fellowship to provide support through their fundraiser; take up a special offering in your Sunday School classes; and have your youth group and children’s church participate this year. Joining together, we can increase the impact Choctaw Presbytery has in feeding the community by giving others “something to eat” now and in subsequent years. You can request your Loaves & Fishes boxes by emailing an order form to jellis@ CU M BE R L AND PR ES BY TE R IAN CHURCH cumberland.org. An order form and additional worship resources can be found on our MISSIONS MINISTRY TEAM website: cpcmcorg/mmt/loaves/. MM 8207 TR ADITIONAL PL ACE • CORDOVA , TN 38016 -7414 901.276. 4572 F OR MORE INF OR M AT ION A ND RE SOURCE S V ISI T OUR W EBSI T E AT
http ://cpcmc.org /mmt /
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MISSIONARY MESSE NGE R 1
Contents 6 The Okla Hannali Receive Reverends King and Moore
8 Tras Bambalinas
9 Commissioning the Wilkersons
10 Connecting With Our Neighbor Through Social Media
12 Bridging the Gap
13 The Scaffolding of Missions
14 Neighbors Near & Far
18 Spain: the Ends of the Earth
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Cover Illust ra tion: Sowgand Sheikholeslami
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MISSIONARY MESSE NGE R 3
PERSPECTIVES by Milton L. Ortiz
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M
Feeding the Hungry in the USA?
On
one occasion, while visiting another country, the group that I was travelling with and I were eating some cookies. After a while we were all full and none of us wanted anymore to eat. So, I said, “If no one wants more cookies, I’ll throw the leftovers away.” Suddenly, a teenager from the country, very angrily said to me, “You are not in the USA!” The idea of wasting food in our country creates different kinds of emotions and reactions to people in and outside of the USA. But it is more surprising for people to hear that 1 in 8 Americans face hunger. The Feeding America organization says that “Children and adults face hunger in every community across the country. Your neighbor, child’s classmate or even coworker may be struggling to get enough to eat.” I can imagine the disciples’ facial expressions when Jesus said… “Feed them.” Feeding more than 5,000 people? When God asks us to do something for Him, He is not expecting that we do it in our own strength or circumstances. We should always expect a miracle from Him. That is the only way they were able to feed more than 5,000 with just five loaves of bread and two fish. When the Missions Ministry Team staff started talking about the 2017 Loaves & Fishes Offering, we thought that feeding hungry Americans through a presbytery project was the way the Lord was guiding us. Choctaw Presbytery has been feeding community people and families around their churches for many years. Imagine how our brothers and sisters from other countries will get excited in participating in this Offering to provide food for the poor and needy in Oklahoma communities. This issue of the Missionary Messenger focuses on the Loaves & Fishes Offering and Choctaw Presbytery, our work in Salvador, Brazil, Madrid, Spain, and Medellin, Colombia. The magazine also includes articles on ways to connect with our neighbor through social media, changes to the Constitution affirming the role of the Missions Ministry Team to act as a presbytery where there is no presbytery, and highlights from this year’s General Assembly and Women’s Convention. I am so excited about this issue of the Missionary Messenger and I hope you’ll get excited too. Enjoy! MM
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VOL .6 , NO.3
MISSIONS MINISTRY TEAM OF THE CUMBERL AND PRESBY TERIAN CHURCH
ART DIRECTOR Sowgand Sheikholeslami EDITORS Milton Ortiz ext:234 Pam Phillips-Burk ext:203 Lynn Thomas ext:261 T.J. Malinoski ext:232 Johan Daza ext:202 COPY EDITOR Jinger Ellis ext:230 8207 Traditiona l Place Cordova, T N 38016 -7414 phone 901.276.4572 fa x 901.276.4578
messenger @ cumberland .org VISIT US ON THE WEB
ht tp://cpcmc.o rg/m m To read the previous issues of The Missionary Messenger visit us at
http://cpcmc.org/mm/mm-archives Made Possible In Pa r t By Your Tit he To OU R U NIT ED OU T R E ACH
Printer Paulsen Printing Company Memphis, Tennessee MEMBER • Associated Church Press
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Bible Study/Devotion
by Lynn Thomas
PROVIDERS
… he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. Mark 6:41 ESV
T
he word “provider” is a common word. We hear it in the context of health care, insurance, the internet, bank services, phone plans, and even parenting. The word comes from the verb “to provide” and the person or group that meets a need is called a “provider.” We all need providers. Who is your provider? The feeding of the five thousand takes place in a remote area late in the afternoon. The disciples are concerned for the people. Jesus has been teaching all day and the group is hungry. The disciples approach Jesus and make suggestions as
to how to meet their needs. After giving Jesus some good ideas he presents an option that no one had considered and rightfully so. Who would have even dreamed up what Jesus was about to do? Jesus says to find what food there is among the crowd and bring it to him. Five loaves of bread and two fish are presented to Jesus. That is it. Jesus then blesses the bread and fish. Blessings/benedictions are always an act of creation. Then thousands are fed bread and fish leaving behind twelve baskets of leftovers. Who is the provider to this community? Is it Jesus or is it the disciples that saw the need and handed out the food? Watchman Nee, a Chinese Christian and author in the 20th century, explains in his book on spiritual authority that we often are confused when it comes to how God works in our world. We do not realize that behind human expressions of authority, and arguably compassion and kindness, is God. Nee calls God’s use of humans to do God’s will indirect divine authority. God’s expression in the world takes on human form by calling God’s people to lead, to serve, and to take responsibility. Sadly, we often see ourselves and others as flawed and limited humans who are not called and sent by God. Nee’s point is we should be careful and respect those who God calls to service. Human nature tends to see our humanness and our faults and then use that as a reason to diminish our role in God’s work. Jesus called and empowered humans by name: Peter, James, Matthew, Thomas but it was the hands and feet of the disciples that Jesus used. Jesus empowered disciples that were doubters, inclined to quarreling, and with questionable histories. To see them and their flaws and not realize they were called and dispatched by Jesus would be a mistake. To see them handing out bread and fish and not see Jesus behind them would also be of equal error. The disciples, seeing the needs around them, made the people part of God’s provision. The Loaves & Fishes Offering has recently fed children in the Philippines, Guatemala, and Haiti. This year the Offering is going to Choctaw Presbytery to help them provide food for the hungry in their community. God uses people to express love. We celebrate those who are able to see those needs. We challenge the Church to see God, our provider, as more than just God. It involves those that see a need and serve. It is God responding to the needs that leaders see in the Philippines, Guatemala, Haiti, and in Choctaw Presbytery. MM FA L L 2 017
MISSIONARY MESSE NGE R 5
THE
OKLA
HANNALI RECEIVE REVERENDS KING AND MOORE
by the late Reverend Randy Jacob, Appuckshunabbi Tribe, Choctaw
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Illustration: Sowgand Sheikholeslami
he Cumberland Presbyterian Church has designated the fourth Sunday of October to be “Native American Sunday” so that our churches may emphasize the native contributions to the United States culture and to recognize and celebrate the first mission work of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. As a tribute to the late Reverend Randy Jacob below is an article that he wrote detailing the history of how the Cumberland Presbyterian Church came in contact with the American Indian people, known more specifically as the Choctaws. “You know, I have just now come to the realization that I don’t really know how any other American Indian Nation or American Indian Tribe came to officially accept the presence of a foreign religious group or its representatives among its citizens. I remember that the Chickasaw Governor, that is his English title today, Colbert gave his and his colleagues’ approval in writing for the receiving of the Cumberland Presbyterians. But it was the Choctaw Nation to whom the ministers of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church first came. The ministers were Reverend Samuel King and Reverend William Moore and the year was 1818 in the fall.” “I suppose that, if my ancestry had its roots in the places across the Atlantic, I could tell the heroic story of my people who came in the big ships. And, if I were a Christian, I would tell of those groups of people who came for religious freedom. And, if I were a Cumberland Presbyterian Christian, I would tell of February 4 in the year of our Lord 1810. And if this was the time of the celebration of our church’s mission to the American Indians, I would tell of 1818 of Elk Presbytery in
Tennessee, and of the sending of the first missionaries to a people foreign to the people of Elk Presbytery - the American Indians, the Choctaws.” “The white men preachers came down from the north and crossed through the land of the Cherokee and also passed by our cousins, the Chickasaw. They came to a place on the Itombikbi (Tombigbee River) and to the keepers of that sacred river, the Okla Hannali Tribe. As you may already know, there were three great Tribes that made the Choctaw Nation. The other two were the Okla Falaya, on the Mississippi River and the Okla Ahe Apat of the southern area.” “In the year you are speaking of, 1818, the man Pushmataha was *Miko. In the War of 1812 Pushmataha was given the rank of general in the Army of the United States. Normally the three Miko sat in council with representatives of each tribe on decisions made that would affect the Choctaw Nation but in the case of religion, it looks as though all decisions were made in a regional manner, with the local Miko and Council.” “On the other hand, suppose that you were an American Indian. Suppose that you were a Choctaw.” MM Please visit our website (https://cpcmc. org/?s=Native+American+Sunday) for worship resources that the Missions Ministry Team is encouraging congregations to incorporate in your worship service on October 22, 2017. For more information and opportunities to get involved in the ministries of Choctaw Cumberland Presbyterians, contact Betty Jacob at chocpres@pine-net.com or Rev. T.J. Malinoski at tmalinoski@cumberland.org. *Miko is pronounced with a nasal sound on the first syllable.
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TRAS BAMBALINAS by Johan Daza
Tras bambalinas is a Spanish expression to refer to everything that happens behind the scenes. During the joint meetings of the 187th General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the 148th General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America in Tampa, Florida, many members of churches and new church developments in Florida were working hard “tras bambalinas” to assist over 400 visitors which included commissioners, CPWM convention participants, staff, and guests during the week. Cumberland Presbyterians do not very often have the opportunity to mobilize and visit the different Cumberland Presbyterian churches and ministries in Florida. This year was one of the best opportunities to do it. We met and learned more about our different ministries and our brothers and sisters living and serving God in this region of the United States. Members from the Christ CP Church, Hope CP Church, Immanuel CP Church, Nacion Santa International NCD, El Camino 8 M I S S I O N A R Y M E S S E N G E R FA L L 2 017
Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and Beth-El Farmworker Ministry played a very important role during this year’s General Assembly. A very diverse group of Cumberland Presbyterians welcomed all the guests by serving with love and showing hospitality. Each day, members from the different churches in Florida were working hard. Some of them traveled from Miami and Naples in order to assist the visitors from the “mainline CP land”. Children, youth, and adults served at the host table to provide smiles, directions, information, and locations of the different events, meeting rooms, logistics, etc. Their work made things easier to all the guests and visitors. Members of the churches in Florida also served as ushers during the worship services and the Nacion Santa International praise band led contemporary praise music at one of the evening worship services. Many guests had a glimpse of what Beth-El Farmworker Ministry is doing in Florida. A guided learning tour of the facilities was led by their staff. The reception for the moderators of the CPC and CPCA was celebrated
at Beth-El facilities. Members of the worshipping community were present and delicious Mexican food was served during the reception. Rev. Kathy Dain, Executive Director at Beth-El Farmworker Ministry, delivered the sermon at Wednesday evening’s worship. There is a lot of “tras bambalinas” work happening in Florida right now. Grace Presbytery and the Missions Ministry Team are partnering with church starters in South Florida to start new ministries there. Currently, there is a new exploration initiative led by Rev. Aida Melendez Diego called Community Outreach Church in Miami. Rev. Jose Tejada is leading the Hialeah new exploration initiative. And there is a new exploration led by the Missions Ministry Team called Casa de Gracia which is also in Hialeah, Florida. We are thankful for all Cumberland Presbyterians in Florida who served during General Assembly and for all of those who are continuing to do ministry through starting new churches. Please keep praying for and supporting them. MM
Commissioning The Wilkersons As Cumberland Presbyterian Missionaries To Colombia, South America by Johan Daza
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he Missions Ministry Team is reintroducing the tradition of commissioning missionaries at General Assembly. Last year, the 186th General Assembly took time during the business meeting to pray and commission Rev. Jacob and Lindsey Sims as our missionaries to Brazil. This year, commissioners, guests, and visitors at the 187th General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church took a special time to celebrate the mission work in the denomination and commission Rev. Patrick and Jessica Wilkerson, endorsing them as missionaries to serve in Emaus Presbytery in Colombia, South America. Rev. Dr. Milton Ortiz, Missions Ministry Team Leader, Rev. Lynn Thomas, Global Missions Director, and Rev. Dr. Josue Guerrero, Emaus Presbytery commissioner to General Assembly led the commissioning service. Rev. Dr. Ortiz introduced the missionaries and presented the 2017 Stott-Wallace Missionary Offering Fund video; a short video focused on the Sims’ call to Brazil and the Wilkerson’s call to Colombia. Then Rev. Patrick Wilkerson shared with commissioners and visitors about God’s call and provision and how the denomination has been supporting the missionary work. He also highlighted the importance of Our United Outreach and the Stott-Wallace Missionary Offering Fund as the main means to support all the missionary work in our denomination.
Rev. Dr. Josue Guerrero led a prayer of thanksgiving in Spanish for the Wilkersons. Rev. Dr Guerrero was representing the newest presbytery in the denomination, and, at the same time, was representing the presbytery receiving the missionaries in Colombia. This was a very meaningful and emotional moment. Then Rev. Lynn Thomas invited the General Assembly commissioners and guests to join him for the commissioning prayer. Rev. Dr. Milton Ortiz led the benediction and charges to the Wilkersons and gave them a copy of the commissioning prayer. Following General Assembly, the Wilkersons were deployed to Colombia on July 12, 2017 and are living in Medellin, Colombia serving in Emaus Presbytery. They are thankful for your prayers and support. If you would like to contact them, feel free to reach them by email at patrickwilkerson3@ gmail.com.
To learn more about the Cumberland Presbyterian missionary work, please contact Rev. Lynn Thomas at lynndont@gmail.com. To donate to the Stott-Wallace Missionary Offering Fund, please send your checks with “Stott-Wallace” in the memo line to Missions Ministry Team at 8207 Traditional Place, Cordova, TN 38016. To donate online, please visit https://cpcmc.org/mmt/sw/. MM
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by T. J. Malinoski
Connecting With Our Neighbor Through Social Media
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ocial media is a term we often use to describe what we share on sites and apps like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. We post and comment through selfies, GIFs, emojis, and short videos to liking, favoriting, reposting, re-tweeting, re-pinning and re-blogging. What is social media? Social media has become an instrument of communication that allows us to interact with one another by both sharing and consuming information. They are web-based tools that allow us to create communities and to connect with others. Confused? Lifewire.com breaks down common features of social media to include user accounts, profile pages, hash tags, news feeds, personalization, like buttons, comment sections, reviews, rating or voting systems. If you have visited a website or used an application with at least one of these features, then you have participated in social media. Social media gives us the ability to instantly and easily connect with others around the world with the touch of our fingertips. While this power of communication is accessible and
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convenient we often overlook the concept of expanding our idea of “neighbor” to the digital world. Each of the synoptic Gospels identify the second greatest commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself”. Social media provides us with the opportunity to be a loving neighbor to both friend and stranger online and in real time. Here are some ways we can connect with our neighbor through social media: BE HONEST. One of the most desired characteristics in a neighbor is honesty. It can be tempting for a little self-image manipulation on social media indicating that every portion of our lives is both important and fascinating. Since we have complete control of what we broadcast on social media and since we are disciples of Christ, may we honestly represent ourselves as such. BE ENCOURAGING. Life is difficult, challenging, and hard. We face danger and the unknown can be scary. Sometimes we share our hardships and burdens
online to connect with our community for solace, advice and comfort. Hourly, we read someone’s post or comment of a trial they are facing. If someone is going through a difficult time and requests prayers – we can actually share comfort by writing a prayer instead of sending a sad emoji or saying, “I’ll pray for you.” SEEK THE TRUTH. News feeds, gossip, and rumors can overwhelm us as our friends and followers in social media increase over time. Before posting, commenting, tweeting, or blogging about an individual or an idea dig deeper to make sure that it is accurate and true; seek out the source. When in doubt or if it may hurt a neighbor’s privacy or feelings refrain from acknowledging gossip, rumors or fake news. SEEK FACE-TO-FACE INTERACTION. Call it old fashioned but face-to-face interaction should always be our primary means of communication and connecting with our neighbor. There is no
substitution for spending time with another and giving them our full attention allowing an intimate and personal relationship to be nurtured and cherished. Social media is a wonderful way of connecting with our neighbor and gives us another means of sharing the life transformation that is given through Jesus. We can connect with family, friends and strangers by sharing how we see and feel God working in our lives. We have a means of sharing what God means to us, our church, our youth group, our Sunday school class, our worship and study. We can impact the digital space we move through daily in positive ways in our honesty, encouragement and our quest for truth. Our posts, likes, tweets, selfies, GIFs, videos, comments, pins and blogs can glorify God and connect with our neighbor in new and creative ways. MM
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Bridging the Gap by Caleb Thomas
When it comes to doing short-term mission work, there are construction teams, medical teams, and VBS teams. As fantastic as all those are, I found myself in a dilemma: I wanted to do mission work but I was in vet school. The question is a simple one: how does a veterinarian use his or her skills on the mission field and for Christ’s glory? Last year a Colombian pastor named Alejandro offered an answer; use a veterinary clinic as a method of outreach for local churches. The idea is also simple: invite the community to bring their pets to church and while the pets are being treated, the church shares with their owners. I knew that when this idea was first mentioned that a mission trip like this would take a lot of work. It would require a team of people willing to do something that had never been done before. But, I figured it was worth a shot. We formed two teams to make it possible; a team to run the vet clinic and a team to share the gospel with the pet owners. In June of 2017, we were off to Medellin, Colombia to work in four churches. Our original goal was to see 25 animals a day but we soon realized the demand was much
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higher. The medical side of the team had to adapt to an average of 45 animals a day while the evangelistic part of the team had to discover how to bridge the gap between animal care and God. It took time but both obstacles were overcome with tremendous success. People came into the church because they love their pets and they left knowing the church loves them. There were a number of people that had never been to church before who came to Sunday worship following the clinic. The whole team represented more than medicine or pets; this was about reaching people who had not been reached before. As tempting as it is to look at the physical work that was done and be satisfied, it is more important to look at the people that were touched by what we did and who felt God’s love through our actions. That was our focus and it made all the difference. Our work may be animals but our mission is people. MM Above from left to right:
Laura Muriel Herrera, Laura Rico, Caleb Thomas, Helena Ortiz, Desiree Thomas, Nona Thomas.
THE SCAFFOLDING OF MISSIONS by Lynn Thomas
It is always interesting to walk past a construction project and see the honeycomb of scaffolding that encases the emerging building. The outer lattice of iron is supporting the building until it has its own inner supports. When those inner structures are put in place, the outer web of scaffolding is taken away. As a church we have many constitutional procedures. Our Constitution talks a great deal about the role and responsibility of a presbytery. A presbytery organizes churches, installs pastors, works with probationers in the ministry, ordains pastors, and gathers Cumberland Presbyterians in a particular area to do ministry. But what about a country where there is not a presbytery? How do we install pastors, give oversight to probationers to the ministry or even ordain pastors? How can we fulfill polity related to a presbytery where there is no presbytery? In 2013, the General Assembly gave the CP missions program a new tool; a scaffold. The General Assembly said it would allow the Missions Ministry Team (MMT), the General Assembly’s mission agency, authorization to act as a presbytery in countries where we do not have a presbytery. The MMT became the honeycomb encasing new mission work. Just like the contractors that use scaffolding the MMT has the cross-cultural experience, resources, relational connections, and the staff (including missionaries) to build the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in other countries. Once mission work is established presbyterial services are provided by the MMT. The MMT first develops a council of CP leaders on the mission field which often includes missionaries. That council functions similarly to a presbytery. For example, a candidate for the ministry is presented to the council and interviewed by the council. If
the council approves the person as a candidate they then recommend to the MMT that this person be accepted as a candidate. The MMT has a Missions Committee that is made up of no less than four ordained pastors and elders, as well as the MMT’s team leader and director of global missions. This committee reviews the documents and the process from the council. If all is correct the Missions Committee approves the council’s recommendation. The council (on the mission field) is informed by the MMT and they are instructed to complete the process by asking the candidate questions, praying for them and declaring them candidates. In cases where we do not have enough churches and leaders to form a council we find volunteer CP pastors and elders that can go to that country to conduct these functions on behalf of the MMT. In all cases the experience on the mission field looks much like what a person would see and experience if there were a presbytery in their country. This year the General Assembly proposed a change to our constitution. In the constitutional proposal it is affirming the role of the MMT to act as a presbytery where there is not a presbytery. It is also establishing that the General Assembly will designate its Permanent Judiciary Committee as a synod for our mission work (where there is no presbytery). This is a new constructional tool. It is new polity developed to perform missions. It is a scaffold to birth new churches and presbyteries around the world. MM
Editor’s Note: In June the 187th General Assembly approved to amend the Constitution. Presbyteries will have the opportunity to study and vote on the Constitutional change to allow the Missions Ministry Team to act as a presbytery where there currently is no presbytery. FA L L 2 017
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NEIGHBORS NEAR & FAR by Pam Phillips-Burk
The Cumberland Presbyterian Women’s Ministry Convention embraced this year’s theme, Connecting With Our Neighbor, in many ways. There was laughter, fun, presentations, workshops and opportunities to reach out to our neighbors in Tampa, Pinellas County and Beth-El Farm Worker Ministry in Florida. REVEREND LISA ANDERSON
was the keynote speaker who introduced us to some of her “neighbors” in Colonial Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Memphis, Tennessee. She talked about how an aging and declining congregation found new life when they went out into their neighborhood and asked their “neighbors” what they needed from the church. The results of that effort are nothing short of miraculous. Attendees were challenged to think of their own neighborhoods and find ways to meet their neighbors. LOIDA GARCIA (NAPLES INTERNATIONAL CP CHURCH, FLORIDA) led the very interactive
Bible study helping attendees explore what it means to be a neighbor. There were two activities which completely captured and engaged the attendees in a profound way. She asked attendees to turn to a neighbor, preferably one they did not know, and using the lotion in little care packages she provided, pray for our sister as we took turns putting the lotion onto each other hands. As 14 M I S S I O N A R Y M E S S E N G E R FA L L 2 016
attendees entered for Bible study, they drew a name out of a basket making sure it was not their own name. They were instructed to hang on to that name until later. At the conclusion of the study, instructions were given to find the person whose name was on the slip of paper, take a selfie, and post it on the Women’s Ministry Facebook page. What fun and laughter resulted from this activity. First, by trying to find the right person, then taking the selfie (and helping others who didn’t have a clue how to take a selfie) and finally by blowing up the Women’s Ministry page. ON TUESDAY MORNING AT CONVENTION there were many
different opportunities for attendees to connect with their neighbors. Rev. Elinor Brown, team leader for the Discipleship Ministry Team led a workshop on Church + Neighbors = Community, a practical approach to reach out to our community
with love and friendship. Judi Truitt, along with a few helpers, equipped attendees to serve effectively in their local church or region as a Women’s Ministry officer. That afternoon two different groups of women went out in the surrounding community to actually connect with some neighbors through hands on projects of a Church Women United Clothing Closet and Religious Community Services’ landscape project. Pam Phillips-Burk led a study session on the new Bible study resource. (NOTE: both workshop and the Introduction to the Bible Studies are available online at cpcmc.org/mmt/cpwm/ wmresources-current). (Continued on the page 16-17)
Clockwise:
Convention Luncheon. Praying for missionaries Patrick and Jessica Wilkerson.
CPCA National Missionary Auxiliary Choir. Rev. Lisa Anderson, keynote speaker.
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INTERNATIONAL NEIGHBORS
From L to R:
Rutsuko Matsumoto, Jamie Berkley & Chiaki Ohi.
2017-2018 CP WOMEN’S MINISTRY OFFICERS President – Faith Parra 580/306-5692; faith.jacobparra @hotmail.com President-elect – Cathy Littlefield 479/849-6000; cat8760@gmail.com
Secretary – Susan Gray 615/318-1584 Secretary-elect – Patti Needham 256/282-8543; number1teacher26@aol.com Past President – Jamie Berkley 731/676-8626; jamiekayb@gmail.com
These officers are available to assist local and regional groups in a variety of ways – devotions, Bible studies, workshops, presentations, encouragement and support. They are eager to serve and work alongside you.
Getting to meet our international neighbors is always a treat. This year Convention welcomed two delegates from Japan Presbytery: Chiaki Ohi (incoming president) and Miho Nemoto. Rutsuko Matsumoto, a recent MTS graduate and who is also from Japan Presbytery served as their translator. Luz Dary Guerrero attended Convention as a representative from Women’s Ministry of the Mexico Council of Churches. In addition to bringing greetings, Rev. Guerrero gave a presentation on the growing Women’s Ministry in Mexico.
NEW PROJECTS FOR OUR NEIGHBORS NEAR AND FAR LAWN MOWER FOR CAMP ISRAEL FOLSOM Camp Israel Folsom is a Cumberland Presbyterian camp located within Choctaw Presbytery in Oklahoma. Approximately twenty acres were purchased in the late 1960’s to provide a space for spiritual growth, renewal and introduction to the Christian faith for Cumberland Presbyterian youth, adults and members of the surrounding area. The current need is a new lawn mower to maintain the property. Current repair and maintenance costs have been falling on individuals and congregations within the presbytery. The camp budget and presbyterial budget are not large enough to replace the mower without outside help. Camp Israel Folsom is an important place for spiritual growth within Choctaw Presbytery and the CP denomination. Young people often make important faith decisions while at church camps and retreats. Camp Israel Folsom is important to Cumberland Presbyterians outside of the presbytery, as it has housed many volunteer work teams throughout the years. It is important to maintain this much-used property for continued ministry in spiritual growth and faith development. The financial goal is $13,000. Make checks payable to Missions Ministry Team (8207 Traditional Place, Cordova, TN 38016) and designate for “Lawn Mower” - #34027). CONVENTION OFFERING BUILDING A PROMISING FUTURE
Officer Installation L to R: Jamie Berkley,
Patti Needham, Athala Jaramillo, Susan Gray, Cathy Littlefield, Faith Parra.
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Susi Franco attended Convention to give an update on the three-year Convention offering focus. The growth of this ministry in Guatemala is remarkable considering the limited resources. The three-part
mission of Building a Promising Future is to 1) prevent violence, 2) restore the damage caused by violence in youth and their families, and 3) lead communities into seeking peace. The number of schools have doubled from two to four in the past year, with requests from more schools. In addition, there were training sessions for teachers and parents. This new ministry received non-profit status during this past year. And lastly, the program was approved by the Secretary of Education in Guatemala and El Salvador (with interest being expressed by school in Honduras and Costa Rica). More detailed information is available on the Women’s Ministry website. This year’s offering goal was $10,000 and as of August 7, 2017 the offering received was $11,993.06.
of the work in the Philippines. It would be a mistake to see this offering as just a car purchase because it is much more than that. In reality, it is investing in a resource that makes it possible for our missionaries to do the work of the Church. It is a tangible extension of our ministry as Cumberland Presbyterians to the Philippines. The financial goal is $7,000. Make checks payable to Missions Ministry Team (8207 Traditional Place, Cordova, TN 38016) and designate for “Missionary Car” - #34026).
BACKPACKS AND SUPPLIES FOR BETH-EL FARM WORKER MINISTRY As usual, CP women outdid themselves with school supplies and backpacks for the students served by Beth-El. Three large suitcases filled with supplies, along with countless filled backpacks, blessed our farm worker neighbors. In addition, the Southeast Synod retreat last April had money leftover from their retreat expenses which they used to purchase 320 backpacks which were shipped directly to Beth-El. The good news is that Cumberland Presbyterians were able to meet all of the backpack & school supply needs for this upcoming school year. Way to go, CP Church! MISSIONARY CAR FOR DANIEL & KAY JANG It is important for missionaries to have safe and reliable transportation. Daniel and Kay Jang, Iloilo (Philippines), need to replace their old car. They live on an island and the roads are not the best, so they need a small SUV type car that is high off the ground. The Jangs, as all CP missionaries, are constantly on the move taking care of various CP churches located in different areas of the island of Iloilo. The Jangs moved to Iloilo in 2008 and after less than 10 years have planted 6 CP churches, two of which are now organized CP churches, so they spend much time traveling to those churches. In addition, they administer several weekend hot-lunch programs that provide food, Bible classes, and health/hygiene classes to many children. All of this depends on their ability to get to these locations. The CP mission work in the Philippines consists of: 5 pastors, 3 licentiates, 4 candidates, 6 churches and missions, and around 400 participants. The Jangs are involved in all aspects
BETHEL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT Congratulations to Kelsey Hayes, the 2017-2018 recipient of the Bethel University CP Women’s Ministry scholarship. Kelsey is the 18-year-old daughter of Rev. Brian and Debbie Hayes of Benton, KY. She is a member of the Unity CP Church, where she assists in planning VBS and is a VBS Team Leader, Puppet Ministry Coordinator, and provides special music for worship as a soloist. She has been the Unity Relay for Life Team Captain for the past four years. Kelsey serves her community by volunteering with Marcella’s Kitchen and Soup for the Soul Kitchen (feeding ministries for the hungry). Kelsey is a sophomore at Bethel University, currently majoring in Elementary Education. She recently returned from a mission trip to Colombia, South America, with the BU Global Services Team, where she taught 5th grade children. Kelsey has served the denomination in many different ways – as a Youth Advisory Delegate for the General Assembly in 2013 and 2015, leadership at Children’s Fest, a writer for the CP Advent Family Devotion book and a series for e-Votions. She is a busy young woman and CP Women’s Ministry is proud to honor her hard work and commitment with this scholarship. MM FA L L 2 017
M I S S I O N A R Y M E S S E N G E R 17
SPAIN
The Ends Of
THE EARTH by Lynn Thomas
LET THEM PRAISE HIS NAME WITH DANCING, MAKING MELODY TO HIM WITH TAMBOURINE AND LYRE! Psalm 149:3 ESV
I
stood in the back of the sanctuary and watched one lady pull out a flag shaded with fabrics of gold and yellow. Another lady pulled out a tambourine and played to the beat. Flags waving in the air, music playing, arms up, and dancing. In Madrid, Spain this is the melody that is played in Sunday morning worship. The Great Commission tells us, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations...” and it is a central verse within the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. However, there is another verse and perhaps just as important as the “Great Commission” found in the book of Acts. This “Great Commission” is intended for the new church: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” Acts 1:8 ESV. This Great Commission is why a group of Cumberland Presbyterians are in Spain. Because we, along with others, have been called to the “ends of the earth.” Scholars observe that Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria are real geographic places. What is more interesting is they assume that “the ends of the earth” is
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an actual place, like Boston or Nashville, Samaria or Jerusalem. When Luke wrote the book of Acts, the “ends of the earth” was a tangible place. The Cumberland Presbyterian Church may have just found it. Several years ago, Colombians from Cali, Colombia migrated to Madrid, Spain. The Colombians in Madrid were presented with new opportunities. They had family connections to the Renacer Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Cali. So, these Colombians in Spain decided to start a CP group instead of going to a non-CP church. This meant that the Renacer Church became the mother church to a new ministry in Europe. The Renacer Church session sent their pastor and other leaders to work with Colombians living in Spain. Soon this satellite ministry in Spain grew. As the Spirit moved, the Renacer Church realized that they had more than just a satellite ministry; they had a new church development. The Spain group could no longer meet in a living room because they had grown to a size where they needed to start renting a space. At that point it became obvious: this is going to be a church. As a next step, the Renacer Church and the Missions Ministry Team (MMT) started working together. In April 2017, they sent representatives to Madrid to further develop the ministry that had already been started. In one of the worship
services, the ministry in Spain was officially recognized by the MMT as a mission field of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Staff of the MMT organized a steering committee in Madrid to help lead the ministry there. The ministry in Spain currently has four candidates for the ministry and has planted two satellite ministries of its own: one in Southern Spain and one in Lyon, France. These expansions are based on following other Colombians that have migrated to those areas. The Renacer Church continues to send leadership to Spain to help with training. The Missions Ministry Team is also helping by assisting with training events, guidance, and support. Exciting, right? But the “ends of the earth?” Have we really found it? Perhaps. Bible scholars speculate that Spain is at “the ends of the earth.” In the days of the disciples, the known world stopped at the west coast of Spain. It was, for them, the ends of the earth. It would take more than a thousand years for European mariners to realize there was more to the earth than the coast of Spain. Now the Cumberland Presbyterian Church has planted a seed of witness in Europe. Through the music of the harp, lyre, tambourine and dancing, we pray this ministry will flourish. As we continue to develop a Cumberland Presbyerian ministry in Spain, let this be our rally cry: “To the ends of the earth!” MM
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M I S S I O N A R Y M E S S E N G E R 19
SECOND MILE PROJECTS THE NEED: Brazil – O Caminho THE WAY Project
CONTRIBUTIONS: Please make check payable to the Missions Ministry Team indicating for project #34440 and mail to 8207 Traditional Place, Cordova, TN 38016-7414. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Lynn Thomas at lynndont@gmail.com, (901) 276-4572 ext. 261.
Choctaw Transportation – Project #34403 Our Choctaw brothers and sisters need your support to replace their current vehicle with a late model SUV or minivan. The Missions Ministry Team calls upon you, your Sunday School class, youth group, Women’s Ministry, and congregation to take on this Second Mile Project to help purchase reliable transportation for the Cumberland Presbyterian Choctaws. The financial goal is $35,000.00 Amount contributed to date is $18,935.97. For more information contact: T.J. Malinoski at tmalinoski@cumberland.org, (901) 276-4572 ext. 232.
Guatemala Medical Clinic – Project #34059
Our new missionaries in Brazil, Rev. Jacob & Lindsey Sims, are ready to start outreach by using a storefront in Salvador, Brazil. They are renting a storefront in a new office/retail building to use for outreach programs. They plan to conduct women’s meetings, men’s meetings and English classes as a way to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. This facility will give them a place to gather people. Our missionaries report that the space where they are renting has a great location in the Stella Maris community. Interestingly, the name of the building is O Caminho Center, which translates “The Way Center.” That is a perfect fit for inviting people to be part of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. This second mile project is asking for donations to cover the cost of renovating the space to function as a meeting place for the CP mission work in Brazil. The Second Mile funds will buy chairs, tables, paint, and an air-conditioning unit. FINANCIAL DATA: Amount Needed from Second Mile: $5,000.00 DURATION: September 2017 – July 2018 2 0 M I S S I O N A R Y M E S S E N G E R FA L L 2 017
The Guatemala Medical Clinic is a vital ministry of the CP mission work in Guatemala. It is attached to the Comunidad de Fe CP Church, using the first floor of their facility. The clinic has several staff: two doctors that alternate their time, a dentist, a physical therapist, an administrator and a receptionist. The clinic is under the direct guidance of the CP Council of Churches in Guatemala and the session of the Comunidad de Fe CP Church. The clinic does charge a fee to people that seek services but it is less than other clinics and if a person cannot pay our doctors will still treat them. In addition to economic medical service the clinic often provides medicines to its patients at no additional cost. Our clinic provides assistance and support when medical teams come from the USA to do short-term mission trips. Medical cases that short-term medical teams treat are able to receive on-going treatment from the clinic. This second mile project is seeking financial support for the clinic’s operational expenses so that it continues this important ministry in the community. The financial goal is $20,000.00 For more information contact: Lynn Thomas at lynndont@gmail.com, (901) 276-4572 ext. 261. For more information about all of these projects go to cpcmc.org/missions/2nd-mile.
Feeding THE COMMUNITY THROUGH
Choctaw
PRESBYTERY “YOU GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO EAT.” MARK 6:37 NIV
CU M BE R L AND PR ES BY TE R IAN CHURCH
MISSIONS MINISTRY TEAM
8207 TR ADITIONAL PL ACE • CORDOVA , TN 38016 -7414 901.276. 4572 F OR MORE INF OR M AT ION A ND RE SOURCE S V ISI T OUR W EBSI T E AT
http ://cpcmc.org /mmt /
POLICY: THE MISSIONARY MESSENGER is published for the Cumberland Presbyterian Church by the Missions Ministry Team. Opinions expressed by the individual writers are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editors. THE MISSIONARY MESSENGER does not accept advertising.
ADDRESS CHANGE: send new address and label from a recent newspaper to the Circulation Secretary at the address below. THE MISSIONARY MESSENGER (ISSN 08868344), (Publication permit number: PE14376) is published quarterly by the Missions Ministry Team of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 8207 Traditional Place, Cordova, TN 38016-7414. Periodicals postage paid at Memphis, Tenn. The magazine is sent free of charge to each household in the denomination.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: THE MISSIONARY MESSENGER, 8207 Traditional Place, Cordova, TN 38016-7414.
EVENTS
DISCERNING GOD’S WAYS FOR MISSIONS FEBRUARY 9-10, 2018 ST. MARY’S SEWANEE RETREAT CENTER, SEWANEE, TENNESSEE
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9, NIV This retreat is designed for members of presbyterial boards of missions to: LEARN about missions in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church; DISCOVER ways to better engage with mission work; ASSIST local churches in mission activities at home and around the world. Every presbytery is encouraged to send at least one representative to the retreat. The goal is to make this an annual event in an effort to establish better relationships between the Missions Ministry Team and those who serve in the area of missions within presbyteries. HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
SCHEDULE is 1:00 p.m. on Friday to conclude before lunch on Saturday. LOCATION will be St. Mary’s Sewanee Retreat Center, Sewanee, Tennessee (near Chattanooga). COST will range from $65-$145 based upon room type. Room types vary from a room with a single twin bed
and private bath to a room with two twin beds and a shared communal hallway bathroom. REGISTER online at www.cpcmc.org/mmtretreat.