Missionworks and MMI training in Indianapolis

by Global Ministries | published on Oct 10, 2014

Global Ministries News Update: November 1, 2006

On October 19th, 120 persons converged on the Radisson City Centre in Indianapolis to participate in Missionworks, a biennial event sponsored by FOCUS (Fellowship of Continuing Understanding and Support) and Global Ministries. The gathering enabled participants to learn about Global Ministries’ work with international partners around the world on behalf of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ.

Global Ministries News Update: November 1, 2006

{mosimage}Through keynote speakers, workshops, panel discussions, small groups, and informal conversations, each attendee had the opportunity to grow in their understanding of God’s mission in the world and how Global Ministries is responding to the challenge of being a critical presence.

The event began on Thursday evening with a keynote presentation by David Vargas and Cally Rogers-Witte, Co-executives of Global Ministries. In two part harmony, Cally and David traced the history of Global Ministries, as well as the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

The following day, Mhizha Chifamba, Director of the Washington Office on Africa, encouraged the group to be involved in various advocacy issues facing the African Continent. The participants also had the opportunity to attend a variety of workshops that provided informational updates from the five area offices of Global Ministries, as well as practical ways for a congregation to be involved in global mission, such as child sponsorship, volunteer opportunities, group mission trips, HIV/AIDs ministry, disaster relief, and refugee resettlement. Several of Global Ministries’ missionaries led a panel discussion on the topic of peacemaking. The day concluded with an electrifying jazz concert by Oikos which wove together global music and stories.

On Saturday, the group heard a mission moment from Ruth Edens, Global Ministries’ Global Mission Intern serving in Lebanon. Ruth was evacuated from Lebenon at the onset of the war. Then Joe Roberson, who is responsible for Church World Service’s (CWS) immigration and refugee resettlement program, shared about the work that CWS is doing with refugees around the world. After taking in so much during the course of two days, the group spent some time considering how they would take this information back to their churches so that each one might respond to the challenge of being a global mission church. The gathering concluded by an inspiring worship and communion service lead by the Council of Theological Students with Rev. Rebeca Nanjese Canganjo from the Evangelical Congregational Church of Angola as the guest preacher.

As Missionworks came to an end, 49 of the participants who wanted to receive more training in telling the story of Global Ministries, continued on in a 24 hour Ministries and Mission Interpreters (MMI) training event marathon. The group spent time learning how to interpret the guiding principles, as well as, the structure and funding of Global Ministries. They explored the various available resources, and spent time developing creative mission moments and presentations to share back home. They also got to enjoy an evening at the movies with snacks and the Global Ministries Connecting Threads video series! The culmination of the training was the group and individual work that lead up to the writing of an action plan that each MMI presented as an offering during the closing commissioning service where they were challenged to go tell the story.

Currently there are over 300 trained Ministry and Mission Interpreters who have a passion for global mission and are using their unique gifts to tell the story of Global Ministries in 33 Disciple regions and 39 UCC conferences. If you are interested in learning more about the Ministry and Mission Interpreters network, click here.