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December 4, 2007

Valentine issues appeal for missionary support

Three candidates ready to go but need funding by Dec. 15

by Jerry L. Van Marter
Presbyterian News Service

LOUISVILLE — Three fully-trained Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) mission workers are ready to depart for their assignments but lack the funding to go.

General Assembly Council Executive Director has sent an appeal to the church seeking the $212,000 that is needed to deploy Denise England to Egypt, Carol Dolezal-Ng to Lebanon and Kathy Reeves to Switzerland.

All three have been validated for service through the Mission Initiative: Joining Hearts & Hands, a five-year, $40 million campaign to raise funds for new overseas missionaries and for church development in this country, particularly new racial ethnic and immigrant congregations.

The full text of Valentine’s letter:

Because we can accomplish more together than we can individually, I am inviting you to rise with me to a new challenge.

When the Steering Committee of Joining Hearts & Hands met on Nov. 28  via conference call, we learned that $212,000 stands between us and the deployment of gifted mission candidates to serve where Christ has called them: 

• Denise England – called to Egypt;
• Carol Dolezal-Ng – called to Lebanon;
• Kathy Reeves – called to Switzerland; and
• other qualified candidates who are ready and waiting need your financial assistance now. 

If we do not raise the needed funds by December 15, at least three of these candidates will be unable to fulfill the mission that Christ has laid upon their hearts, as their window of opportunity will have passed. 

You can make a difference in so many lives by making a gift now. You can also learn more about Carol and Kathy by reading these past news stories. 

The First Presbyterian Church of East Brady, PA, voted last week to pledge $10,000 to Kathy Reeves’ position in Geneva.  “We were called by the need,” said Debbie McCanna, clerk of session, “an established mission project that had proven its worth and needed funding.”