Mission Memo for November 2004

RECLAIMING CHRISTMAS

Each year Outreach Council offers to congregations and individuals ideas and materials to help them celebrate the Christmas holy-days in ways that honor Jesus. See the sheets describing the Christmas gift options for both adults and children. There are many, many other resources available, including
a. Info on how to set up a children's Christmas store, where children can make decisions about what gifts to buy for Jesus' birthday (using options on Children's Christmas Gift Options sheet) and how to "give themselves" to others.
b. Whimsical and thought-provoking story "Whose Birthday Is It, Anyway?" to set the context for Christmas for children (and adults).
c. Description of how to make a creche ornament out of toothpicks. Could be a good youth project to raise money for hurricane recovery work in WNC.
d. "Christmas and Older Adults"
e. Many, many other materials. Ginnie is available to discuss possibilities with you .

HURRICANE RECOVERY EFFORTS

A WNC Interfaith Disaster Response Committee has been formed. Currently there is a search for a coordinator (volunteer or paid), someone who will organize the interface between those with unmet needs and the material resources and work teams to help them. Pray that we will find the "right person" for this very important job. Also NGMER (Presbytery Mission's Committee) is seeking a volunteer to help coordinate Presbytery efforts.

ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 9:30-4:30 pm in the Asheville/Black Mountain area, THERE WILL BE A TRAINING SESSION TO HELP THOSE IN COMMUNITIES NEAR DISASTERS ORGANIZE FOR RESPONSE. Workshop topics will probably include how to house work teams, how to organize a local committee to work on long term needs, and how to do case management. Please consider sending one or two members to this workshop, particularly if your church is in one of the counties declared for the national disaster list.

There is now a multi-agency warehouse in Waynesville where building supplies can be stored. One of the Christmas gift options for this year is the purchase of building supplies.

Look for more information on the Presbytery web site (www.presbyterywnc.org) or contact Ginnie for more information on any of the above.

INTERNATIONAL MISSION

JOE DYER TO THE SUDAN

From Joe, who has been assigned as a mission co-worker to work with Presbyterian Relief Development Disaster Agency in South Sudan. "Things have been moving fast around here today. I will officially go on board with WMD on Nov. 1st and head for Beirut, Lebanon, on the 2nd (November) for a development training course. I got all the forms to fill out from Louisville and there are a lot of them!! I will be in Beirut for 10 days, then back here… I'm excited about what is going on. What an adventure!! AND it's in our LORD's service. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity given me to serve Him."

In January Joe will attend a month-long orientation with other new mission co-workers, and leave for Africa in February. If your congregation is not yet supporting a specific missionary, consider Joe. Ginnie can give you more information. If your congregation wants to make a donation to help Joe with the equipment he'll need to do his work (rugged laptop, solar battery charger, satellite phone, digital camera), you can send checks to Presbytery, designated "Joe Dyer Equipment Fund."

MALAWI & THE NAGY'S

Who in your church would be a good person to "go and see" the mission in Malawi? Deadline for applications is November 1. Call the office for an application, or download from Presbytery web site: www/presbyterywnc.org/mission. You can get more information from Ginnie, Billy Wilson (704-864-1205) or Tom Kilgore (828-438-0844).

There are plans to fill a 40 foot container with supplies needed at hospitals in Malawi and a crisis nursery for AIDS orphans (founded by Nancy Dimmock, another missionary from our Presbytery). If you want to be kept informed as to the status of this investigation or want to volunteer to help, contact Ginnie.

2 CENTS A MEAL
As of the beginning of September, our Guatemalan partners had raised 275 quetzales in their "5 Centavos per Meal" program. How has your church done?