Smoke Rise Baptist Church
October 20, 2024
Help us raise $50,000 for the Offering for Global Missions of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. OFFERING FOR GLOBAL MISSIONS BECAUSE PRESENCE MATTERS
Mission Sunday
Mission Sunday Worship 11:00 AM -12:15 PM Biscuits & Global Connections 9:00-9:40 AM
Sunday School with CBF 9:45-10:50 AM
Fulfilling Your Pledge October 20, 2024 - March 31, 2025
Highlight
October
20, 2024
Come share a biscuit in the Fellowship Hall and meet CBF personnel, see their displays and learn about the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s worldwide Global Missions efforts. This event is open to all at no charge.
Many of our classes will be hosting CBF associates to lead discussions about CBF Global Missions. Most classes begin at 9:45 a.m. Everyone is welcome to join!
Our speakers, CBF field personnel, Lita and Rick Sample have an incredible story to share during the service. Your support and contributions make their ministry and the presence of other CBF field personnel across the globe possible. During the service you will have an opportunity to place your pledge card in the offering plate.
Following Mission Sunday, we encourage you to fulfill your pledge by giving online at smokerisebaptist.org/give/ or by placing your gift in the offering plate. Please be sure to designate on the envelope or check that it is for the 'World Mission Offering.
OFFERING FOR GLOBAL MISSIONS
BECAUSE PRESENCE MATTERS
Getting to Know CBF Missions
Our goal for Mission Sunday is to raise $50,000 for the Offering for Global Missions of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF). This contributes to CBF’s overall goal of $4,000,000, with every dollar directly supporting the 48 field personnel (missionaries) serving in the United States and 18 other countries. These funds cover their salaries, housing, and benefits, enabling them to continue their vital work. Presence matters!
CBF Global Missions advances God’s mission through three key contexts: Global Poverty, Global Migration and the Global Church. Committed to transformative ministry, CBF collaborates with communities to combat food insecurity, promote education, and foster economic sustainability in places like Togo, Haiti and West Africa. They also extend hospitality and support to refugees and displaced individuals, partnering with local entities in regions such as the Texas/Mexico border and Uganda.
In the Global Church context, CBF partners with churches in Japan, Spain, Indonesia and Southeast Asia to promote worship, fellowship and service, fostering a global Christian community. Rooted in the Gospel, CBF Global Missions embodies a holistic approach to ministry, driven by a passion for justice, renewal and community transformation.
Lita and Rick Samples' Ministry
Lita and Rick Samples have dedicated over 20 years to serving Afghan refugees as Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) field personnel in the Bay Area of northern California. Their ministry, which began in the aftermath of 9/11, continues to address the overwhelming needs of Afghan families who have fled war and hardship. In 2021, when a new wave of Afghan refugees arrived in the U.S., the Samples were ready to meet their needs with open arms.
They established an English-as-a-second-language (ESL) program for adults, a homework club for children, and provided essentials such as food, furniture and household supplies for newly-arrived families. Their extensive network of contacts has been vital in identifying and meeting the specific needs of these refugees, offering not just assistance, but hope and a fresh start.
Their ministry focuses on building relationships and sharing the story of Christ with love and patience. “It takes a long time for people of other faiths and cultures to consider the gospel,” Lita explains, noting that their role is to share the story, not to convert. Through their compassionate service, some Afghan adults have come to know Jesus, influencing entire families. Their work exemplifies a holistic approach to missions, addressing both physical and spiritual needs.
OUR MISSION SUNDAY SPEAKERS LITA AND RICK SAMPLES
Meet Our Missionaries
Stella Perrin Larnaca, Cyprus
Stella was commissioned by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) in June 2023 as one of the new field personnel, arriving in October to her assignment in Cyprus. Stella is from North Carolina and had served on church staffs as an associate pastor as well as being a school counselor.
Stella’s gifts are being used in Cyprus as she works with and ministers to refugees who are arriving there. She is just beginning her work with unaccompanied minors by teaching ESL and offering pastoral care and counseling.
Stella is partnering with a mission organization called All for Aid, whose focus is refugee work and resettlement.
Our support: $2000 annually.
Carson and Laura Foushee Kanazawa, Japan
The Foushees' ministry focuses primarily on two things: serving alongside Kanazawa Baptist Church in supporting the physical and spiritual needs of our international neighbors in the area and equipping the Japanese church to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world.
Carson writes, “We have actually taken on more roles in our local church than we had expected due to the sudden resignation of our pastor over a year ago. This has been a growing and humbling experience, but it has brought us even closer to the church body as we move forward in faith together.”
Carson served as an intern at Smoke Rise while a student at McAfee before he and Laura were commissioned by CBF to serve in Japan. We have been supporting Carson and Laura since 2017. Our support: $2000 annually.
Missionaries
Along with the Samples, Smoke Rise supports four other missionary efforts.
Ahmed & Amira
Real names withheld for security Kurdistan, Iraq
We became acquainted with this couple through Friends of Refugees, one of our partners in Clarkston. Born in the Midwest, Ahmed received a call to serve in the local church, and later felt called to international missions. He and Amira met in Greece while on mission assignment; both are passionate about their opportunities to serve in Iraq.
After language and cultural training, they will concentrate on church planting among a people who are mostly Islamic, with only a small percentage of them being Christians. They have a heart for unreached people groups. Work in Iraq will be tedious and challenging, and our financial and prayer support is essential as they join what God is doing in Iraq. Our support: $3000 per year for three years.
Joshua and Amy Pun Nepal
We met Joshua and Amy through our own Dr. Jimmy Cobb, retired missionary to Canada. Josh is from Nepal and is active in a local Atlanta church. He, Amy and their three small children (under age five) are called to serve in Nepal to minister to an unreached people group. Their original commitment was for a nine-month tenure, but they may extend their stay.
Sharing the gospel, improving living conditions, and encouraging economic growth has been achieved by a small metal factory Josh and his Nepalese associates have built. The business produces stoves which are sold to local pastors for $7.00 each who in turn sell and install them in homes. This provides a safe home environment and a small income for pastors. Our support: $5000 (one-time gift).
Local Mission
Smoke Rise is able to support so many wonderful ministeries that have a
NETWorks Cooperative Ministry
Primarily serving the Tucker and East Dekalb area, NETWorks recently relocated to larger facilities where each neighbor served can make their own food choices. In addition to food services, NETWorks offers financial assistance and counseling, and special back-to-school drives for children’s needs. Mike and Martha Holt are champions for NETWorks.
Lilburn Cooperative Ministry
Longtime partner with SRBC, the Lilburn Co-op serves the zip code areas near our church with social ministries to the underserved, homeless and the food insecure. Hundreds of families and individuals are provided with encouragement, help and hope. SRBC has been one of the lead churches in providing volunteers over the years. Mike and Martha Holt are champions for Lilburn Co-op.
Developmental Disabilities Ministries
Serving the needs of the developmentally disabled adults, this vital ministry serves those in need all over Geogia. With 18 homes serving 70 residents, SRBC has partnered with Developmental Disabilities Ministries (DDM) with pride. Recently, in addition to our regular annual gifts, we provided a gift to their capital campaign for improvement of all their facilities. Tentatively scheduled, members of SRBC will help with renovation efforts.
Edgewood Church
This ministry serves ethnically diverse communities in and around Memorial Drive. With the help and support of SRBC and many other churches and groups, Edgewood Church is now a self-supporting church.
Partners
direct impact to those struggling in our commuinty.
Clarkston Ministries
Our annual Give More Store at Christmas is staffed mostly by vendors from the Clarkston Ministries. Mary and Rudy Wilson are champions for the work of the Clarkston ministries.
The purpose of Friends of Refugee (FOR) is to help new arrivals make a comfortable adjustment to their new home and to experience abundant life in flourishing communities. Offering a variety of services such as housing, transportation, job opportunities, healthcare advice and transportation, FOR has stepped in to help with get new residents off to a good start.
The Family Heritage Foundation serves children primarily in the Clarkston area. They provide after-school tutoring, snacks and recreation. Providing English as a second language (ESL) classes serves the adults.
Blue Mountain Church
Nathan and Carrie Dean, formerly at Edgewood Church, have started a new ministry in north Georgia in the Blairsville area. With a vision and a prayer, property was located, a dwelling renovated, and the family moved in. It has not been an easy ministry, but through many challenges and hurdles, a church building/residence has been constructed. Slowly, a small congregation has formed and worships regularly. Charlene Echols is the champion for Blue Mountain and serves on their board.
Domestic and Mission
God’s Appalachian Partnership
GAP is located in McDowell, KY, ministers to residents in Floyd Co., KY, one of the poorest counties in the nation. In 2023, almost 30% of the population were living under the poverty rate. Unemployment also was twice the rate of that in KY in general.
For 25 years, GAP has supplied food, clothing, training, spiritual counseling, financial assistance and friendship to hundreds. Smoke Rise has been a solid partner over the years and has given both financial and leadership support. Recently several members of the Missions Committee joined GAP for their 25th Anniversary, and the celebration of the beginning of their new distribution/ministry center.
The men of our church annually make two trips to complete home improvement projects in the county. The women’s trip provides personal care, spiritual guidance and prayer as they listen to the women in the area. They also visit the local retirement center and lead the women in crafts and games. Bill Blanton is SRBC’s champion for GAP, and has served on GAP’s board for a number of years.
New York Mission Partners
Rauschenbusch Metro Ministries serves the needs of “Hell’s Kitchen” in New York with food, shelter, rooftop gardens, teen center and other social ministries.
Greater Restoration Baptist Church in Brooklyn is a small church with a big heart for the city. Primarily working in the Crown Heights area, GRBC serves the spiritual and social needs of the area residents.
International Partners
These Smoke Rise partnerships extends our reach beyond our community to impact the world.
Honduras Outreach International
Honduras Outreach International (HOI) is a long-time partner although because of travel restrictions, we do not travel to Honduras. However, we continue to support their egg project and were the initial church in starting economic development in the Agalta Valley, where the HOI ranch facilities are located. HOI continues to offer medical care and education to the valley, along with home improvement, water projects and spiritual development.
African Children’s Mission
African Children’s Mission (ACM) in Uganda serves children by providing nourishing meals, schooling, religious training, and many other ministries that benefit families. Our teams have over the years helped with water projects, home improvement projects, and most recently, girls’ hygiene education and supplies. The trip to Africa is expensive and the team usually goes about every two to three years. Wilson Echols in the Champion for ACM, and currently serves on the board of ACM.
Centro Shalom
Centro Shalom in Tijuana offers a wide range of spiritual and social services. Recently, they installed new leadership and refocused their vision of ministry. Over the years, we have helped purchase the property where the church and ministry center are located and provided scholarship funds for school students. While we are not currently making mission trips to Tijuana, SRBC continues to support Centro Shalom.
We look forward to welcoming CBF Field Personnel, Lita and Rick Samples, our speakers for Mission Sunday.