~ Wider Church Ministry Team
Your Wider Church Ministries Team wants to convey the many ways we “do” ministry beyond our individual congregations. In order to accomplish this goal, we have our “Hands of God” blog attached to the CPC website AND we have a more personal mode—that of speaking to your congregation about mission.
Several persons within our conference have participated in the Ministry and Mission Interpreter’s Training, some have served in mission abroad, and we’d like to share the good news with you. Here is a bit of information regarding some of us:
Mary and Farley Maxwell, missionaries to Nepal 1999-2003. Mary served on the faculty at UMN Nursing School in Kathmandu; Farley was headquarters director, UMN. You may remember Mary’s textile art (a roaming exhibit). maxwell@tplaza.org
Karl Vercouteren has been attending “missionary conferences since the 1950s. He says, “Each summer we got to meet ‘home’ and ‘foreign’ missionaries who planted in us a lifelong interest in the church’s mission….I was a representative on the Board for World Ministries” (later the WCM). Karl has promoted common Global Mission; he’s volunteered at Back Bay Mission. kjverc@gmail.com
Jean Doane says, “I was CPC representative on the WCM Board from 2000-2006. Simultaneously I served on the Common Global Missions Board (with the Disciples)” Jean served on our local Team as well and has traveled with Susan Smith to Haiti (Drink Water for Life) and has volunteered at Back Bay Mission. jeandoane@comcast.net
Susan Smith, Water Justice Advocate. susanlsmithor@gmail.com
Mike Terpstra grew up in Micronesia and provides unique insight mgterp@onebox.com
Dennis Alger, involved with the partnership development between our conference and the NW Mindanao Jurisdiction, United Church of Christ in the Philippines, current chair, WCM (and busy at Zion UCC on Sundays) dennisrev@frontier.com
Most of these persons are available on Sundays. Schedule time with them
Partnership and mission links us with others and makes us aware of other lives. Last month an unusual storm and subsequent flooding affected the region of Mindanao (Cagayan de Oro) with which we are in partnership. Some information is posted in “Hands of God” as well as the UCC/DoC websites.
And here is the best bargain of the year! Plan to attend our Spring Assembly in May at the Hillsdale UCC in Portland. The theme is Global Ministries and Partnership. Our special guest will be Bishop Melzar Labuntog (Northwest Mindanao, UCCP). We will have many workshop opportunities as well as worship and engaging program (music & dance). We are also sponsoring with our Disciple friends a mini (one day) mission interpreter’s training on May 17th. More information later.
Dennis Alger