In the Presbytery
of North Puget Sound, north, south, east, and west meet in mission
partnership. The boundaries of the presbytery reach from the
furthest northwest tip of the United States to the foothills
of the Cascade Mountain range, from the Canadian border to Seattle,
and include 7,817 members in 36 congregations and 1 worshiping
fellowship.
Distance and diversity did not prevent congregations from connecting
as the presbytery implemented a new design in 2006. Its vision
is for each congregation to be “vital in its ministry,
supported in meeting existing and emerging needs and connected
in Christ-like ways for shared mission all to the glory of God.”
Mission at the congregational level emphasizes partnerships
such as those created in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
A National Mission Partnership grant matched funds from congregations
for emerging mission projects that linked congregations in shared
ministry. The same grant allowed the presbytery to create a
DVD that highlighted mission and to develop an interactive website
where congregations post their mission stories. Donors contribute
online to mission projects of their choice, significantly increasing
mission dollars.
No one can predict how the Spirit may open doors to mission!
A member of Myong Sung Korean Church shared the gospel with
someone at a grocery store. When that person came to worship,
the congregation realized it needed to offer translation in
order to be fully welcoming. Even though no one in the congregation
spoke Mongolian, they felt led to find a way to bridge the gap:
Korean to English, English to Mongolian. About forty Mongolians
join them now in worship and hold their own Mongolian-language
service. An elder from Myong Sung put it simply: “We want
people to know the love of Jesus and the hope of heaven!” |
