December 2007

Dear Friends,

Joyous Advent-Christmas greetings from Malawi!

Christmas is a season of gift-giving and a season of mission. For what is mission really about if it is not at its heart about giving and receiving gifts in celebration of the greatest gift of all, the gift of the birth of the Christ child, the gift of God’s extravagant mercy and remarkable love?

Like the Christ child, we are called to share our lives in partnership with those to whom we are sent, bringing gifts of life to people of many nations. Like the angels, we bring “good news of great joy for all the people”:  a Savior is born to give us shalom, to give us reconciling life, to heal us and make us whole, to give us peace and love and joy. Like our Savior, we bring not only the gifts that redeem the spirit of the human heart but also gifts that fully redeem human life, body and soul: gifts of education, medical care, means for development, disaster assistance, hunger relief, social justice, reconciliation, and peace.

But we will miss the Christ in our midst if we think and behave as if being sent is just about gift giving. It is also about receiving the gifts of others. This requires that we acknowledge our great need for the gifts that our partners have to offer us. We need their gift of reliance upon God that is steeped in holistic spirituality touching every aspect of life. We need their gifts of community, extended family, and gracious hospitality. These are among the many gifts we are receiving from our sisters and brothers in Malawi.

In November, PC(USA) mission co-workers of southern and East Africa received the gift from PC(USA) of a mission co-worker retreat. Our guest speaker, the Rev. Dr. Kwame Bediako, rector of Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Mission and Culture in Akropong-Akuapem, Ghana, reminded us that the spirit of Christ is everywhere. The various cultures and diverse humanity we encounter, though imperfect, reflect images of the Christ through whom all things came into being (John 1:3). Thus, as we reveal Christ to others they also reveal new understandings of Christ to us.
 
PC(USA) Mission Challenge ’07 invited every congregation and every member to celebrate the international mission of the church, to nurture life-giving partnerships with our sisters and brothers throughout the world. During the month of October, 48 PC(USA) missionaries visited congregations in 144 of our denomination’s 173 presbyteries to share the good news of world mission and appeal for increased support. Hunter Farrell, the new director of Presbyterian World Mission, reports that Presbyterians have responded with “a renewed passion for world mission in our church today. There is a surge of Presbyterians stepping out in faith to support world mission through prayer, giving, and hands-on involvement.”

Indeed, we are “joining hearts and hands” to revive and renew the mission of the church, and we rejoice and give thanks to God for your faithfulness: your prayers for us and our partners, your messages of thanks and encouragement, your contributions that support our service and mutual mission, and your participation in our partnerships throughout the world.

This is the season of giving gifts. Perhaps God is calling you to extend your gift-giving to Christ’s family in various parts of the world through generous gifts to support those who serve on our behalf in mutual mission with partner churches abroad. Please prayerfully consider sharing the Christ child’s love this Christmas with our sisters and brothers in other parts of the globe.

A Gift for World Mission

For individuals

Online – To give online go to the simplified giving Web site. Here it is possible to give undesignated support to all missionaries or to designate funds to support missionaries in one of seven regions of the world. It’s also possible to designate support to any individual PC(USA) missionary by going to the missionary’s home page at the Mission Connections Web site.

Through the mail - If individuals would like to send a check they may send it to Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Individual Remittance Processing, P.O. Box 643700, Pittsburgh, PA  15264-3700. To designate to a specific missionary write the missionary’s name and account number on the subject line of the check. The account number is available online.

For churches

Online - Churches may give through Directed Mission Support (DMS). Pledge forms and an updated list of the DMS numbers of all missionaries serving in 2008 are available at the Mission Challenge Web site.

Through the mail - contributions from churches may be sent to their normal receiving site or

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Church Remittance Processing
P.O. Box 643678
Pittsburgh, PA  15264-3678

It is in sharing our lives that we receive the blessing of the Christ child. There is a saying that “love is not love until you give it away.” The gift of love by its very nature must be shared or else it will die. When we share our lives with our sisters and brothers throughout the world, we give and receive the love that redeems. For we are one body, one family, and herein God bestows the blessing!

May the extravagant mercy and remarkable love of the Christ child be yours to give to others this Advent-Christmas season and always!

Debbie

The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 337