09945
November 2, 2009

‘Mission is a gift from God’

World Mission Celebration wraps up with Africa plenary, worship

by Bethany Furkin
Presbyterian News Service

CINCINNATI — The World Mission Celebration here wrapped up with a plenary session about the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s involvement with Africa and a worship service featuring the president of a theology school.

The plenary was presented by a group of mission co-workers and staff from the PC(USA)’s Africa Office.

After dancing up onto the stage, they took turns speaking about different aspects of partnerships between the PC(USA) and African countries. That engagement began in the mid-1800s, and although it has changed over the years, it still represents the outpouring of God’s love.

There are 10 African mission networks within the church.

The speakers told of a variety of mission work in Africa: health and development ministries, education and literacy efforts, women’s empowerment, feeding centers and community education programs about sanitation, communication, transportation and housing.

After the plenary, the audience heard from Mary Mikhael, president of the Near East School of Theology in Beruit, Lebanon.

Preaching with the theme “We Respond to the Word,” Mikhael spoke of the relationship between suffering and peace, between pain and victory.

“Pain and victory seem to be conflicting sides to the mission of the church,” she said.

The church has always had a commitment to mission, but it can be easy to be discouraged in a world where injustice and violence seem to be the norm. Even so, the church cannot allow itself to be overwhelmed.

“What mission does the church of today have to the world of today?” Mikhael asked. “The church has no mission apart from that which is the mission of Jesus then and now.”

To have the mission of Jesus, she said, the church must catch the spirit of Jesus. The church must provide hope and healing to all, even those with different religious beliefs.

“As the world grows more complex day by day, the church has a new context,” she said. “The world has never been in more need for hope and healing than it is now.”

The church has a mission to participate in God’s movement toward humanity. The whole church needs to be concerned about the whole world because the gospel is good news for the whole world, Mikhael said.

“To catch the spirit of Christ is to engage in actions that challenge the evils of society,” she said. “To catch the spirit of Christ is to become bearers of hope and healing.”

Service requires compassion and humility, and to be in service is the way to live as the Christian church.