Pentecost Celebration of our Mission TeamsJune 1, 2008
We celebrated both Pentecost and our congregation's mission teams with a day-long festival of worship and telling our mission story.
Dr. Harnish's cover letter for Steeple Notes invited the congregation to join in the celebration.
Each of our four worship services included a litany which was a prayer for our mission work in our neighborhood, across the country, and around the world.
In the sermon at these services, Dr. Harnish discussed the original Pentecost, where the disciples were gathered together, were nourished by the Holy Spirit, and were equipped to go forth into the world spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ. In the same way, we are gathered into this congregation, nourished here, and then equipped to go forth into the world.
In the Sanctuary for our three morning services, we
found these suitcases with banners showing places
where our mission teams serve.
These are flags of the nations where our mission teams serve:
United States, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Estonia, Ghana
These are flags of the states where our mission teams serve:
Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana, Michigan
Did you know that when you display the flags for several states,
you order them by the date the states were admitted
to the United States?
In the Christian Life Center for our Sunday Night Alive
service, we had the suitcases and flags as well.
Our youth Penny Project presented a check for the
amazing amount of $121,597 to Opportunity International
to expand their micro finance bank in Ghana.
At each service, everyone received "passports" for this
virtual tour of our neighborhood, our nation, and our world.
These passports led us to the tent on the front lawn and
wonderful displays of the work our mission teams do.
Ghana.
Ghana.
Estonia.
Czech Republic (Prague).
Sneedville (4th, 5th, and 6th graders)
and Camp Lael (families with young children).
Youth and Young Adults:
Motown Mission (middle school),
Baltimore (high school),
Gulf Coast (alternative college spring break).
Youth and Young Adults.
Gulf Coast (Dulac, Louisiana).
Gulf Coast (Dulac, Louisiana).
Costa Rica.
Red Bird.
As part of this virtual tour of our neighborhood, our nation,
and our world, children had their "passports" stamped.
In celebration of Pentecost (the church's birthday), the
Endowment Fund provided delicious birthday cake.
Fellowship on this day of celebration.
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Thank You!
(from the June 8 Steeple Notes)
This Pentecost celebration of our Volunteers in Mission teams was a huge success due to the hard work of many people.
We can’t thank you enough, Jack, for giving Missions the opportunity to tell the stories of “voices from around the world.”
The staff was exceptional, helping with the logistics. Thank you especially to Linda Howell, Diane Peck, Bev Richardson and Janet Smylie.
We are grateful to the Endowment Fund for providing the delicious cake and punch.
Many thanks to Ann Littleton, Judy Harnish, Sally Meese, Zola and LaVere Webster, Corinne and Dale Parker, Jon Skinner, Carl Gladstone, Heather McNutt, Mary Peterson, Sue Ives and Jan Mistele for organizing the display tables, communion servers and providing “teams” to man the tables.
Decorations including suitcases and pennants, passports, and stamps were created by Jackie Keller and Linda Wilson.
Thank you to everyone. We couldn’t have told the stories without you.
Even more important, we want to thank all of the wonderful people who have traveled on these VIM trips, providing services to people whose voices we heard from around the world.
— Mary Pickett and Karen Sallee
Missions Co-Chairs |
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