31 minute read
Pause and Reflect: The 2020 Board of World Mission Annual Report
Left to right: Lisa Pampe, Dan Miller, Taylor Wickert, Thomas Baucom, Alina Ricardo, Justin Rabbach, Becky Turnbull, Betsy Miller, Donna Gordon, Tommy Cole, Sheila Beaman, Sam Gray, Hilda Regalado, Rex Knowlton, Deb Swanson, Joe Jarvis, Chris Giesler, Jill Kolodziej and Dave Geyer. Thomas Baucom, Chair* Board-Appointed, Southern Province
Joe Jarvis, Vice-Chair* Southern Province
Becky Turnbull, Secretary* Eastern District, Northern Province
Betsy Miller* PEC President, Northern Province * member of Executive Committee
From our Board Chair
Thomas Baucom
I REMEMBER SHOUTING “see you next week” across the parking lot to a coworker and jumping into my car. Friday afternoons were always a time for good music with the windows down on the drive home from work. I didn’t realize that simple act of winding down after a week’s work would be my last such drive for quite a while. As I entered Chatham County, NC, I received a call from a coworker and paused the music. It was a bad connection but I quickly found out we would all be working from home for the next two weeks and pausing all in-person meetings. Our office was officially “paused” for everyone. The next few weeks saw the kids’ schools shut down and my wife’s work temporarily close as well. We would be home for a while it seemed. It is been well over a year from that day last March when I left the office. We have mourned the deaths of friends and family. We have lamented the loss of livelihoods and watched businesses close. We have struggled with home-schooling and working from home. We all spent time learning how to navigate our new world. We are all still learning. As I reflect back on this time, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude and thankfulness. I am thankful that I was able to spend more time with my wife and children. I was able to devote time and energy to projects I always wanted to tackle. I have witnessed the creativity of church teams as they created meaningful worship and outreach opportunities in ways that they never thought possible. We all found a way to unite in service even as we were physically apart. I hope you will join me in pausing to reflect on the work of the Board of World Mission through this past year. I am extremely humbled and proud of the work amidst all the challenges this time has brought. I wish you continued health and happiness, and hope to see you in person really soon! m
Tommy Cole* Board Appointed, Southern Province Alina Ricardo Cukiernik* Mission Society of the Southern Province
Dan Miller Eastern District, Northern Province
David Geyer Eastern District, Northern Province
Clifford Jimmie Alaska Province Arthur Coolidge Alaska Province
Lisa Pampe Western District, Northern Province
Taylor Wickert Western District, Northern Province
Hilda Regalado Southern Province Donna Gordon Canadian District, Northern Province
Errol Connor EWI Province, Advisory Member
Phyllis Smith-Seymour Jamaica, Advisory Member David Miller Unity of the Brethren Rex Knowlton Treasurer, Advisory Member
I LIKE HAVING THE USE OF a “pause” button. If you get a phone call, if the oven timer goes off, if you have to go to the bathroom...you can hit the pause button on a tv show or a YouTube video. Even though I am being interrupted, its ok, I can hit pause, and when I am ready, I just hit play again. But that’s not how it works in reality. Sometimes, when things are happening so quickly, a pause button would be great. But in 2020, the world hit “pause” on many things we are used to doing. We had no control to hit “play” again. The work of the BWM in 2020 seemed to be happening on two screens: one on pause and one on fast forward. Even as planned travel to evaluate some projects were put on hold, the BWM worked quickly to respond to disasters, COVID and hurricanes in a way that put our work into overdrive. Faithful donations from so many individuals and congregations empowered the BWM to send out more financial support for planned (Mission Grants, scholarships, medical work) and unplanned (emergency food aid, well cleaning equipment) efforts in 2020 than in any year since I have been on staff. In the moment, the staff worked hard to respond in real time to needs, so this annual report is a chance to “Pause and Reflect”. In this moment I look back and see all the ways God provided during times of anxiety and uncertainty, and once again I am filled with a sense of awe and wonder at the many ways God fills our day with hope. m
From our Executive Director
Justin Rabbach
PSALM 62:5
Mission Outreach
THE TOP PRIORITY FOR the Moravian Board of World Mission (BWM) in North America is building relationships with, and supporting the mission efforts of, our partner Unity Provinces (Costa Rica, Eastern West Indies, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Western Tanzania), Mission Provinces (Cuba, Labrador), and Mission Areas (Peru, Sierra Leone). As situations differ by location, the BWM provides Mission Grants to help address specific needs and ministries as they are identified by our partners. Each year, BWM receives numerous grant and project proposals from global partners. These are tremendous initiatives that just require some financial support to get off the ground. In some cases, a simple, relatively small grant of startup money has been all that was needed to create a sustainable business which creates proceeds to support ongoing ministry. Over the last few years, nearly $150,000 has been gifted to begin and sustain important ministries such as: ✷ A photography business in Peru ✷ Theological scholarships for pastors in Honduras ✷ Building a science lab at the Moravian Kisanji Girls
School in Tanzania ✷ Scholarships for continuing education for teachers at the Moravian
Secondary School in
Sierra Leone ✷ Start-up funding for a bodega (small grocery store) on the grounds
Global Partners
One of the Mission Grants supported by the Board of World Mission is a fouryear commitment to fund the theological education of Hiloy Ramirez Lopez. Hiloy is a member of the Honduran Unity Province of the Moravian Church. He is currently studying for an advanced degree in theology so he can return to be a teacher of Moravian candidates for ordination
of the Ahuas Clinic in
Honduras ✷ Outfitting a provincial office with a computer and supplies in Cuba ✷ Funding the salary of a speech therapist at the Star Mountain
Rehabilitation Center in
Palestine m at the Moravian Bible Institute in Puerto Lempira, Honduras. The BWM supports this scholarship as one step being taken to strengthen leadership and theological training in La Mosquitia, the rural area of Honduras where most of the Moravians in that country reside. When Hiloy completes his training, he will be able to assist in the training of pastors in a Moravian context closer to many students’ homes. This will help to increase the number of students who can afford the time and travel commitments to be trained as ordained leaders in the church. The message below was written by Hiloy, and translated by BWM staff: Dear brother Justin and to the donors responsible for the support of my study for this cause and for my family, I have been a pastor in the Moravian Church since 1997, specifically serving the Miskito population in Honduras. From the beginning, I have always wanted to better prepare myself in the theological area. It is very difficult to get funding to attend seminary, thankfully the BWM has chosen to support me in my studies. By the grace of God I’m in my final year of my study, but this would not be possible without the support of donors like you who support the Board of World Mission, and also the many who offer their prayerful support. So, I thank you immensely for his gesture of support for this ministry, and the blessing it will be to train pastors, including with the Garifuna people. Dear brothers and sisters, the seeds you are planting through this work and support of training is very useful and needed to grow God’s presence and glory in this land. Finally, once again, I thank you on behalf of my family and for the advancement of God’s work.
Hiloy
Below: Hiloy Ramirez Lopez and his family.
Ahuas: A ministry of medicine
IN 2021 THE AHUAS CLINIC celebrates its 75th anniversary. This is a tremendous milestone for the medical work happening in La Mosquitia, Honduras. What follows here is a short history of the origins of this important ministry. In order to meet Honduran Miskitu spiritual and physical needs, the Moravian Church expanded the medical work started in 1934 by Dr. David Thaeler in Bilwaskarma, Nicaragua. Nurse Cleave Fishel began medical service across the border in Ahuas in 1946 following the footsteps of the Rev. Werner Marx who did medical work along with evangelistic and pastoral outreach. The wide spectrum of medical needs required greater skills and services, so Dr. Sam and Grace Marx were called to Honduras and began building the Ahuas Moravian Clinic in 1952. Initially very rustic facilities limited medical care, but regular trips up the Patuca River and across the savannas brought pastoral and medical help to many people across La Mosquitia. Small clinics were started in Brus Laguna and Cocobila. Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) began intermittent flights early in the 1950’s but by 1972 had based a plane in Ahuas, providing an access to daily medical care for people suffering in distant La Mosquitia villages. By then, full pediatric, obstetrical and surgical services were offered as buildings were constructed and medical equipment was donated–always with generous help from volunteers. By the late 1980’s, as the Nicaraguan civil war raged, refugee medical problems brought a shift of responsibilities. Honduran and Nicaraguan medical providers took on the leadership of the Ahuas Moravian Hospital, reflecting the growing
autonomy of the Moravian Church in Honduras. A network of small government clinics led to a sharing of medical responsibilities, with Ahuas being a crucial referral center. In the 1990’s, the Ahuas Clinic expanded with its triple emphasis of preventive medicine, curative and surgical care, and spiritual guidance. The medical program of the Moravian Church in Honduras is guided by a board of directors elected by the Synod of the Moravian Church in Honduras. Pastor Ted Riven, a native of La Mosquitia, is the Director of the medical program. m
75TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL FUNDRAISING FOR AHUAS
IN CELEBRATION of the 75th Anniversary of the work of the Ahuas Clinic, and in recognition of the ways we can help set this ministry up for success well into the future, the Ahuas Committee has created the “Ahuas Anniversary Fund” . This fund will be held with other investments of the Board of World Mission, and any distributions will be done through the Ahuas Committee in consultation with leaders at the Ahuas Clinic. The goal in this anniversary year is to raise $75,000 to seed this fund. Help meet the goal by making a donation to the “Ahuas Anniversary Fund” and helping us reach the special goal of $75,000 for the 75th anniversary in 2021! m
THE ROLE OF BOARD OF WORLD MISSION IN AHUAS
From the inception of the medical program in Honduras, the Board of World Mission has provided personnel, administrative and financial support. Although the medical program is self-governing, under the authority of the Synod of the Moravian Church in Honduras, the Board of World Mission continues in a close, supportive relationship. In 2018, a special “Ahuas Committee” was formed by BWM to offer more hands-on support. This committee has functioned very well, providing Clinic staff with a direct point of contact to share needs at the clinic. BWM responds monthly with financial support from its budget, as well as extra donations, for medicines, building projects, staff salaries, and additional health and nutrition programs.
Moravian Disaster Response: Honduras & Nicaragua
Generous contributions allowed MDR to provide food and supplies to assist after floods impacted several Central American countries. AS NORTH AMERICANS ANTICIPATE warmer weather and increased freedom from a year-long pandemic, we pause in anticipation of a brighter future. Our Central American sisters and brothers, suffering from the same pandemic, do not have access to the vaccines that will are now available to all of us. As we reflect on our blessings, Moravians in Nicaragua and Honduras postpone concern about Covid while worrying about where to find food and seeds. In late November of 2020, seven shelters housed thousands of refugees in the community of Puerto Cabezas on Nicaragua’s East Coast. In Honduras, evacuees sought refuge at Ahuas and Paptalaya on the Patuca River and in the Departmental Capital of Puerto Lempira. The evacuees had fled Eta and Iota, twin category-four hurricanes that assaulted Nicaragua’s East Coast and dumped up to three feet of rain on the indigenous communities of Nicaragua and Honduras. Homes were damaged, and high winds and devastating floods destroyed whole villages. Many people living outside of the cash economy on meals derived from food harvested on family agricultural plots saw their crops covered with two to three feet of sand and mud. Wells were contaminated with floodwater. The incidence of water-borne diseases, especially among younger patients, increased. The Board of World Mission quickly sent Moravian Disaster Response funds. Contributions from generous Moravians and non-Moravians poured in from across the globe. Assistance was funneled through leaders of the three Central American Moravian provinces. In December, Feed the Hungry sent 38,000 prepackaged meals and followed that with 400 additional boxes in February. AGAPE (with financial support from Mission Aviation Fellowship, or MAF) sent planes from Guatemala to distribute food. Habitat for Humanity donated hygiene kits and water purifiers in Nicaragua, and MAF flew them to Puerto Cabezas. In Honduras,
Habitat donated 208 emergency housing kits from Shelter Box which were transported by the World Food Program (WFP). In Honduras, medicines were purchased with donations from Samaritan’s Purse and the Reformed Church in America. Samaritan’s Purse covered the purchase of equipment to clean wells in Nicaragua. Lutheran World Relief filled a shipping container with school, infant, and personal hygiene kits to be shipped by WFP. Moravian leaders continue to distribute food, seeds, building materials, medicines, emergency shelters, school supplies, and household goods. While some roofs have been repaired, the main concern remains food and seeds. It is hoped that by the time the rains start in May, some crops – especially beans and corn – will be ready for harvest. This report was compiled by Brother Rick Nelson, who was brought onto the BWM staff to serve as the coordinator for this massive effort to provide the compassion of Christ to folks whose lives have been impacted by these Hurricanes. His hard work and dedication have blessed us and the people of Nicaragua and Honduras. m
MORAVIAN DISASTER RESPONSE FUND
THE MORAVIAN DISASTER RESPONSE FUND is a stand-alone fund within the Board of World Mission that serves as a source of funding relief as soon as a disaster strikes a part of the world where we have Moravian brothers and sisters. We depend on donations to the fund to respond within days of a disaster rather than waiting for funds to be raised. We are thankful for all contributions, but those not designated to a particular place give us the most flexibility before, during, and after disasters occur as they allow us to respond quickly. In the past year, through the MDR fund, we distributed over $80,000 in aid, in many different directions, to provide support and assistance with issues arising from the Covid-19 pandemic. Beginning in March of 2020, $200 grants were made available to Moravian congregations in the Northern and Southern Provinces to assist with the expenses of taking their worship services and church administration online. With these grants, congregations purchased Zoom subscriptions, video cameras, microphones, and laptops to enable them to broadcast worship services and hold meetings and fellowship events online. Some congregations also used these grants to bolster food-sharing programs to assist neighbors who, upon finding themselves unemployed, needed help to feed their families. We distributed aid to our Mission partners in Cuba, Peru and Honduras to assist them with financial issues related to the pandemic. In addition to these efforts, we made a large purchase of medical equipment such as oxygen concentrators, personal protective equipment, hygiene kits, and food for our Moravian Medical Clinic in Ahuas, Honduras, and 50 other medical outposts in La Mosquitia. We give thanks and praise for the many donations, both large and small, that enable us to respond where the need arises. Our calling as Christians will continue to challenge us to be responsive to the needs of others. m — Chris Giesler, director of mission engagement
Steadman Bent and John Gielser in Nicaragua Vani and Shanti Pradhan, with Fran Huetter in Nepal
Judy Ganz in Nicaragua Will Dreger, Hedley Wilson and Howard Stortz in Nicaragua
THE HISTORY OF OUR Moravian Church begins in the pages of Scripture. Since the beginning of the early church, under the leadership of people like Peter, Paul and Mary (Magdalene), there has been an unbroken line of women and men that the Holy Spirit has inspired to serve in one capacity or another to bring us to where we are today. Well known in Moravian circles are names like “Zinzendorf,” “Dober,” “Nitschmann,” (Anna and David), and “Protten.” Pictured on these pages are some of the people who, in more recent years, have been part of the Board of World Mission’s efforts to continue that long history of service. We pause to give thanks for them and be inspired by their passion and guided by their wisdom. In my own life, I was inspired by my father, the Rev. John Giesler, and the ministry that he shared with Rev. Steadman Bent in Bluefields, Nicaragua. Together they served in the mid-to-late 1960s when leadership in the Nicaraguan Province was being transferred to local leaders. This partnership was life-changing for my father, who, when he returned to
Peter Green in Alaska
Lehoma Gray in Nicaragua Glenna Tasedan in Labrador
The Gray Family in Nicaragua
Ana Maria Huaman Davila in Peru
Erin Key in Tanzania
the U.S. for service in the Southern Province, became a leader in the efforts to bring about racial reconciliation in the Winston-Salem, N.C. area. Rev. Bent played a key role in my spiritual formation as I well remember many of his excellent sermons delivered from the pulpit in the Central Moravian Church of Bluefields. We must all take time to remember those who have gifted us with the message of God’s grace, reconciliation, and service to others. Their work was not just for us to hold onto in a warm corner of our hearts but rather to send us out to share this incredibly good news. We do so by giving our spiritual gifts and financial support to our local congregations and neighborhood agencies. We do so through the collective work we do together as Districts and Provinces of the Moravian Church. We do so by being in touch with our siblings in Christ around the world to be inspired by them as they share with us and support them. —Chris Giesler
Safiatu and Mohamed Braima in Sierra Leone
Loren Jandro and Tim Baumgart in Labrador
Will Sibert and Ciceliy Athill-Horsford in Barbados Rachel Schacter and Jamie Dease in Ahuas
Sam and Lorena Gray in Honduras
Children in Alaska
All the faces who have taken part in mission through the BWM could not fit in these few pages - but if you have photos of people mission service, we would love to receive them and share them on our social media and in future publications. Send them to matt@ moravianmission.org with a brief description of who is in the photo and where and when it was taken.
STAFF TRANSITIONS: Good and faithful servants
IN 2020 THE BOARD OF WORLD MISSION offered its sincere thanks and gratitude to sister Sheila Beaman and Rt. Rev. Sam Gray for their long years of mission service. In June, Bishop Sam concluded his ministry as the Director of Mission Outreach and accepted the call to serve as the pastor of the New Philadelphia Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, N.C.. In his work as Director of Mission Outreach for the BWM, Bishop Sam worked to further the Great Commission and live out the Great Commandment alongside many global partners. In the most recent years, his work helped grow churches in the “new work” areas of the BWM, Peru, Cuba, and Sierra Leone. Sister Sheila retired on September 1st after more than 30 years of faithful service to God’s mission through her work as the administrative assistant for the Southern Province Mission Society and Board of World Mission. Sheila began her work with the Board of World Mission in the fall of 1989 and was a stalwart presence in the mission office in Old Salem since that time. She welcomed Moravians and other mission-related visitors to Winston-Salem, N.C. and did an excellent job as host, finding wonderful food and accommodations for all she cared for. Well done, good and faithful servants! At the time this article is written, with the staffing departures and the ability to work remotely, the BWM has consolidated its administrative activities to the office in Bethlehem. The BWM remains committed to its work with and among congregations in the Southern Province, and anticipates that as COVID restrictions are lifted, there will be a strong BWM presence in the area. m
Sam Gray
Sheila Beaman
Mission Engagement Resources
The Board of World Mission website now has a handful of new resources that your congregation might find helpful in the coming years. If you go to our website at www.moravianmission.org and click on the “Resources” tab, you will find these new offerings. Congregational Mission Discernment These materials will help your congregation answer the following questions: What gifts does our faith community have to offer? Where is God leading us to serve? How can our congregation establish and maintain a mission mindset? It includes session instructions, Bible studies and prayer guides. Mission-Team Training Materials Suppose your congregation is considering sending out a team to do a mission project. In that case, you might consider using these materials to help ensure that you are properly ready both spiritually and physically. Included are checklists, talent inventories and lists of things to make sure you include as well as things to try and avoid. Preaching Resource This is a tool for pastors and lay leaders to use to prepare sermons or Bible studies based on the lectionary readings posted for each Sunday in the Moravian Daily Texts. This resource offers some commentary with a mission connection on at least one of the assigned texts for the day, most often the Gospel lesson. While these resources are there for you to use, the Board of World Mission staff is willing to lead these sessions via a Zoom meeting or in-person when that becomes more available. m
“Ring the bells that still can ring Forget your perfect offering There is a crack, a crack in everything That is how the light gets in.” LEONARD COHEN’S LYRICS, from the song “Anthem,” struck a chord with me as I considered how dramatically COVID has altered our lives. The ways in which we as the BWM typically engage with ministry partners was disrupted. Despite the fact that Covid has caused us to pause and reconsider the way we carry out our roles, cracks have opened up in the barriers that have restricted our activities. Along with the challenges, light has shone through in the form of new opportunities. As director of mission service I have dedicated time to the creation of plans for several future offerings. An Antioch Leadership Cohort will be guided by these words from the Ground of the Unity: “We oppose any discrimination in our midst because of race or standing, and we regard it as a commandment of the Lord to bear public witness to this and to demonstrate by word and deed that we are brothers and sisters in Christ.”
Planning continues for BWM sponsored work and mission camps at Mt. Morris Camp and Conference Center in the Western District. I also continue to explore ways in which the Moravian Church, in collaboration with the BWM, can aide other denominational agencies in their efforts to meet the needs of people who are seeking migration services. Despite the adjustments that Covid has forced us to make, let’s “ring the bells that still can ring,” or in other words, work with the faith and skills that we possess to foster relationships and serve others. Please contact me at jill@ moravianmission.org if you are interested in hearing more about these opportunities. m —Jill Kolodziej, director of mission service
Pause Reflect AND
Director of Mission Service
Jill Kolodziej is director of mission service for the BWM.
THE DAY-TO-DAY: Managing in a challenging year
This cement sculpture, also featured on the cover of this annual report, serves as a cornerstone in Sierra Leone. 2020 BROUGHT ITS SHARE of challenges to the Board of World Mission Office. On March 13, 2020, we all moved to our home offices, for what we thought would be a temporary two-week break. Little did any of us know the extent of Covid-19 and the global pandemic. Once we realized that we were in this for the longhaul, Northern Province Staff members took turns entering the provincial office in Bethlehem, where the Board of World Mission office is located, to gather equipment and supplies that we needed to do our jobs efficiently from our homes. Plans for fundraisers and meetings have been put on hold until we can safely gather in large groups once again. We re-developed the procedures for our bookkeeping processes, keeping in mind that our annual audit would also need to be prepared virtually. One blessing that came from all of this is that we felt it was the smoothest audit we have had to date. Our new strategy for our accounting tasks is a keeper! Covid-19 wasn’t the only tragedy we were dealing with in 2020. Disaster struck in Honduras and Nicaragua not once, but twice—on Nov. 9, and Nov. 15, 2020—when Hurricanes Eta and Iota wreaked havoc on these two countries. Not only were these people already struggling with the effects of the coronavirus, but now, they were dealing with the destruction and devastation from the storms. With thanks to the BWM staff, word spread quickly to our supporters and congregations about the damage and the needs of our Moravian brothers and sisters in these hard-hit areas. Donations began to pour into the office and on our online giving page. Many donations were accompanied by heartfelt letters from folks who had stories to tell about friends or family in those areas, a handful who had served or volunteered in some capacity (or knew or were related to someone who had), a few who had lived there and others who just felt compelled to share with those who were left with
Deb Swanson
nothing. Several of our donors wrote that they were donating all or a portion of their Covid relief checks because it could be put to much better use in one of those countries. Around Christmastime, numerous donations were sent in honor of friends and family in lieu of giving meaningless Christmas gifts. A large portion of our churches and church groups dedicated collections from special worship services and fundraisers to Hurricane Relief. For the first time ever since we have had online donation capability, we saw donations come in from several different countries other than the United States. As of this writing, gifts for hurricane and Covid relief are still coming in! We are all feeling blessed that even amongst the tragedies in our country right now, our current and new supporters were, and continue to be most generous with their gifts to those who have suffered great losses from the storms. Please visit our website at moravianmission.org/give to learn more about what we are doing and how you can help. m — Deb Swanson, Executive Assistant I STARTED SERVING AS AN intern with the Board of World Mission in May of 2020, just three months into the pandemic. At that point, we knew that travel would likely be restricted for the foreseeable future and most meetings and events were going to be held online. We took this opportunity to enhance our online presence, both on our website and Facebook page. Our goal has been to make communication with our supporters and partners as easy as possible. In July, we overhauled our website to be under the same umbrella as Moravian.org and shortly after regained full control of our Facebook page, allowing us to post up-to-date content at a much higher rate.
Our online presence has been fundamental in raising awareness, and in turn, funds, for recent disasters like the back-toback hurricanes that hit Nicaragua and Honduras. Even though travel was restricted, we were able to share real-time updates and pictures from our partners in the area.
In addition to our online platforms, we have also been working hard on video resources for our denomination and partners abroad. These video resources include the Hosanna Anthem performed by a virtual choir, lyric videos, Advent and Lent resources, as well as theological lectures from Rev. Dr. Craig Atwood.
BWM INTERN: Helping grow our online presence
As the world continues to change post-pandemic, we are eager to continue growing our online presence and getting more people involved in our mission! To get more detailed updates beyond what is included in this report, please visit our website, moravianmission.org, and our Facebook page, Facebook.com/MoravianBWM. m
—Matt Spies
Financial Report
SUPPORT AND REVENUE
For the year ended December 31, 2020 Board of World Mission of the Moravian Church Northern, Southern, Alaska Provinces $437,339 Larger Life Foundation $26,527 Society for Promoting the Gospel $196,944 Mission Society, Southern Province $25,000 Other Provincial Support $28,057 Investment Returns w/o Donor Restriction $179,411 Investment Returns with Donor Restriction $100,724 Contributions w/o Donor Restriction $104,340 Contributions with Donor Restriction $307,459 Total Support and Revenue* $1,398,436
*includes $7,365 loss on disposal of RV THE BOARD OF WORLD MISSION is appreciative of the strong support of the congregations and many others for our continued mission work church wide. The attached graphic depicts where the contributions come from for this work and as importantly, where they go to expand and enhance our collective mission efforts. Support from each of the Northern, Southern and Alaskan Provinces is critical to our success. Congregational giving is part of this support. The Society for Promoting the Gospel continues to fund us generously, accounting for 14% of our revenue in 2020. We are pleased to continue to gather support from the Larger Life Foundation and the Southern Mission Society. Investment returns were positive this year due to the upturn in the economy at year end and keen investment oversight from our brothers and sisters and the Moravian Ministries Foundation. Thanks to many past
Contributions with Donor Restriction
Contributions w/o Donor Restriction
Investment Returns with Donor Restriction
Investment Returns w/o Donor Restriction Northern, Southern, Alaska Provinces
Society for Promoting the Gospel
Other Provincial Support Larger Life Foundation
Rex Knowlton, Treasurer
contributors we have a strong investment base which allows us to use these returns to extend our reach each year. Eighty-two per cent of our 2020 expenditures were applied directly to our ministry through assistance grants or mission grants. This year, this includes not only our historic partners and mission grants abroad, but also the mission grants in North America to help combat the impacts of pandemic. The administrative effort of the expenditures is run through both the Northern and Southern Province with the consistent goal to minimize this effort in order to maximize the work in the field. Additional details can be obtained from the annual audited financial statements for 2020. For Additional information or a copy of the audited financial statements, please contact Sister Deb Swanson (deb@ moravianmission.org) or myself. Thank you for your support of this important outreach. m
—Rex Knowlton, treasurer
Pause Reflect AND
EXPENDITURES
For the year ended December 31, 2020 Board of World Mission of the Moravian Church Direct Program Costs Partner Province Support $399,154
Mission Programs/Initiatives Support and Administration Total Expenditures
514,138 $204,576 $1,117,868
Partner Province Support
Mission Programs/Initiatives
Support & Administration
The board and staff of the Board of World Mission thank the contributors who provided articles, information, photographs and other material for this year’s Annual Report. Originally published as a special section of The Moravian Magazine, this Annual Report is also available in digital format from the BWM. Design by Mike Riess, IBOC ©2021, Board of World Mission. Visit us at www.moravianmission.org.
BOARD OF WORLD MISSION
of the Moravian Church • North America
2020 was truly a year for the BWM Staff and Directors to Pause and Reflect, and each of us made time to find creative and different ways to use our gifts to support ministries with our partners outside of the Province, even during the time of a Pandemic. Here’s how to reach us
OFFICES:
WEB:
www.moravianmission.org
FACEBOOK:
www.facebook.com/ moravianmission
STAFF:
Justin Rabbach • Executive Director justin@moravianmission.orgnmission.org Chris Giesler • Director of Mission Engagement chris@moravianmission.org Jill Kolodziej • Director of Mission Service jill@moravianmission.org Rex Knowlton • Accountant/Treasurer rex@moravianmission.org Deb Swanson • Executive Asst. deb@mcnp.org or deb@moravianmission.org Matt Spies • Intern matt@moravianmission.org Rick Nelson • Consultant rick@moravianmission.org
Yes! I wish to make a financial contribution to the work of the Board of World Mission, Moravian Church in North America.
I would like to donate $ to the Board of World Mission for the purposes of: q Helping where it is needed. q Helping a specific program: 100% of your donation will go directly to mission programming. Name: ____________________________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________________ City/Town: __________________ State: _____ ZIP Code: _________ Email: ____________________________________________________________
q Check here if you would like to be included on our mailing list. We do not share email addresses Checks must be made payable to BOARD OF WORLD MISSION
Please mail your tax-deductible donation to:
The Board of World Mission, 1021 Center St., Bethlehem, PA 18018 or visit us at www.moravianmission.org to donate online.
