The Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study is a beloved resource and prayer guide that serves the Presbyterian Church as a unifying daily devotional and study resource for learning about mission domestically and around the world. As Presbyterians we are called to talk about our common ministry as it is realized in the life and work of the church in congregations, presbyteries, synods, the General Assembly, and with Presbyterians and partner churches in the United States and around the globe.

The Mission Yearbook and the new Children’s Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study are excellent ways for adults and children to learn about and share the stories of our life and work.

Over 350 writers contribute to the Mission Yearbook each year. Using a Scriptural passage to guide content, writers from each synod and presbytery write on the chosen theme. Mission Yearbooks are sent overseas to mission workers and partner contacts. Yearbooks are sold individually, by bulk order, and at General Assemblies, conferences and mission fairs throughout the year.

Sunday or Lord’s Day Pages are important worship resources. Most minutes for mission focus on PC(USA) churchwide emphases for a particular day, or are tied to the liturgical season. Pastors often incorporate minutes for mission into sermons. The church’s daily cycle of lectionary readings as well as the Sunday lectionary are included.

The Yearbook includes 4 valuable appendices: PC(USA)-related conference centers and educational and theological institutions; active mission personnel; retired mission personnel (those who have served over 20 years) and PC(USA) synods and presbyteries.

Other features include synod maps, world maps, demographics and the 16-page color insert that reflects on the annual theme and helps readers grow on their journey of faith. The Outline of Prayer suggests a framework for a daily ministry of prayer for use in classes and other meetings.Here are some suggestions for use of both Yearbooks

• Give a copy of the Mission Yearbook and the Children’s Mission Yearbook to each new family of your congregation as an introduction to the worldwide scope of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Encourage families to use them together as personal devotional guides. Use them in new member classes and Christian Education classes to help adults and children answer the question, “Who are Presbyterians?”
• Look to the Mission Yearbook for an overview of what people are doing in mission, globally and domestically.
• Use the Mission Yearbook for personal or family devotions. Pray specifically for those persons, institutions, and projects named each day.
• List in the Sunday bulletin the names of people in mission for whom the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is praying that Sunday and on other days in the coming week.
• Before a Bible study meeting, find the scriptures for the lesson in the Mission Yearbook and open your meeting with the prayer for that day. Reflect on the message or country highlighted.

Presbyterian Women are always looking for prayers and stories to use at regional gatherings (cluster meetings); at Circle meetings; for Bible studies; or at presbytery events—where special needs of communities and world mission can be lifted up in prayer. Planning teams can use it to open their meetings. Many read a “minute for mission” which can be easily found by using the alphabetical index.

• A program could be built around the life of a family in another country (e.g., Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya) compared with the life of a family here. Use the Mission Yearbook to find out more information on the PC(USA)’s mission in that country.
• The color section offers an in-depth reflection on the annual theme of the Mission Yearbook. It is an excellent tool for personal or group study and reflection.
• Open new lines of communication by harnessing your presbytery’s mission with the mission goals of congregation members. Join together with a mission committee to put on a Mission Fair, highlighting presbytery mission, local mission efforts and overseas mission involvement with information gathered from the Mission Yearbook and the new Children’s Mission Yearbook.
• Establish a regular mission promotion column in your church’s newsletter. In addition to mission news from the congregation, also use mission stories from the Mission Yearbook.
• Find new recipes in the Children’s Mission Yearbook relating to stories domestically and internationally. Some of these snacks can be passed around in meetings or study groups as a way to help visualize the lives of persons of another culture.
• Mark for easy reference projects featured in both Yearbooks sponsored or supported by your congregation or presbytery. You can be ready to share these in gatherings or session meetings.
• Provide nuggets of mission information in the Mission Yearbook and the Children’s Mission Yearbook on a regular basis to enhance mission generally.

Conclusion

For information about the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) or for inspiration from the wonderful stories of people who work to help others, the Mission Yearbook is essential for those who want to use real-life present day situations to help teach the word of God. Please share with us your own ideas about how to use the Mission Yearbook. Tell us about your success stories. Let us know what additional items of information and inspiration you would like to see in the publication.

Write to: Editor, Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, KY 40202–1396.

For more information on both Mission Yearbooks and to order, visit the new Mission Yearbook Website at www.pcusa.org/missionyearbook.

Or:
Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study (PDS# 70-612-04-450) $8.50, plus shipping

Take Time to Pray & Study: A Companion to the Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study (PDS# 70-612-04-425) Free

Written by Deborah Haines Associate for Mission Interpretation/Editor Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study) (888) 728-7228, ext. 5170.