Worldwide Ministries
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| Worldwide Ministries (WMD) is conducting a symphony of mission involvement that reaches into eighty countries around the world. It’s a symphony whose direction is set by its vision statement, “Gathering for God’s Future,” but some of its more creative movements come from the improvisations of grassroots Presbyterians and our international partners. WMD’s values, vision, and strategies are informed by a wide array of Presbyterians. We have embraced new ways to facilitate participation in mission not seen in previous generations. Networking opportunities abound for Presbyterians interested in a particular country or program. These networks support mission partnerships with overseas churches and foster dialogue, learning, planning, and mutual accountability. Presbyterians who engage in mission activities receive key support from mission personnel. The major assignment of some mission workers is to connect grassroots Presbyterians with international mission. Our 450 mission personnel work with 165 international partners in holistic ministries and are important interpreters of international mission to the church. International partnerships and other exchanges are helping more and more people in the church learn the perspectives of our partners. They nurture our long-standing commitment to doing mission in partnerships and help shape our devotion to mutuality in mission. We believe the U.S. church will benefit by having more representatives of the growing worldwide church come to us in ministry. Our connections are also enhanced by technology. We continue to build our capacity to tell the mission story via the World Wide Web. We are able to quickly communicate opportunities for direct involvement through Joining Hands Against Hunger, Presbyterian Disaster Response Teams, and short-term volunteer possibilities, as well as longer mission assignments. Technology is also helping us develop an efficient and responsive system for funding mission causes. Tensions among people of different faiths make interfaith dialogue and engagement essential to our work. Today’s interfaith discussions have moved beyond dialogue among religious professionals. Interfaith discussions now include lay representatives of various faiths, and WMD is working to involve greater numbers of Presbyterians in this endeavor. WMD blends these diverse components of mission involvement into a unified orchestral score. It’s a symphony whose players are devoted to performing the music of the spheres under God’s direction. |
 PC(USA) People in Mission Laurie Ann Armstrong, missionary in residence • Bethany Graves Borak, U.S. coordinator for reconciliation and mission, Reconciliation and Mission Program Commission • Haejung Shin Park, team ministry • Dr. Simon Soong Hyun Park, management/financial consultant, Partner Capac • Elizabeth Mary Sophia Sanders, missionary in residence • Rev. Marthame Elliott Sanders III, missionary in residence • Lora Lee Whearty, missionary in residence PC(USA) General Assembly Staff Derrick Perkins, MSS Al Perry, FDN Maria Perry, BOP |
 [God] will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity (Ps. 98:9). |
 Ps. 98, 104, 138, 149 Job 38:1–17 Acts 15:22–35; John 11:45–54 |
