September 10, 2007
Dear Friends,
September signals a time of change. Summer is ending, families everywhere hurry about to get children ready for the new school year. In many part of the United States, the vibrant colors of summer give way to the earthy tones of autumn. Here in Cameroon, rainy skies give way to sunny days and roads thick with red dust. Change is all around.
This Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC) is busy preparing to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary of independence from the Basel Mission in Switzerland. At 50, the church recognizes its maturity, and as a mature church, it realizes the need for continual self-evaluation and change. The church must renew itself in order to remain viable and relevant in any society.
As the PCC looks back over the last 50 years and seeks to discern changes God would have her make, so too is the PC(USA) in a time of discernment and change. There have been many changes over the last year, most notably the restructuring of the Worldwide Ministries Division, now known simply as Presbyterian World Mission. We are seriously examining how the church should be about God’s mission in the world. As part of the re-examination of the church in mission, the PC(USA) is launching a big event called Mission Challenge ’07. During October, 47 PC(USA) missionaries will spend a week sharing the stories of their ministry in 143 presbyteries. That's more than 80-percent of our presbyteries.
We hope to put speakers in 700 churches that month to share the news that every day, in Christ’s name—and thanks to your faithful support—lives are being saved, wells are being dug, and hope is being shared with people in need around the world.
Another part of Mission Challenge '07 is a request to every church in the denomination to support Presbyterian missionaries like me.
I understand that churches will be receiving some materials for distribution as bulletin inserts and a DVD featuring our new director, Hunter Farrell. We hope that every church will participate in Mission Challenge ’07 by choosing a Sunday to view the DVD and distribute the bulletin inserts. Will you support and encourage your church’s participation in Mission Challenge ’07?
Together, we can impact the world for Christ.
Peace,
Shirley
The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 318 |
