Mission & Mercy Ministry Update - 2024, Issue 7

 

Table of Contents

  • Prayer Focus: The Unreached People of Central Africa

  • Mercy Highlight: Sewing & Craft Ministry Blesses Hope Rising with Baby Blankets

  • Spotlight: Builders for Christ May Missions Trip

  • Opportunity: Operation Christmas Child (OCC)

  • Opportunity: No Longer Strangers Open House on July 20

Prayer Focus

The Unreached People of Central Africa

During the month of July, we will focus on Central Africa where one of our nineteen missionaries serves full time. Central Africa is a subregion that for our purposes includes Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Congo, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea. Security concerns for our missionary in the region prohibits sharing the specific country.

This month, we continue our monthly prayer focus missionally on Unreached People Groups (UPGs) and the Frontier Groups (FPGs) in or near the areas of our UBC supported missionaries. FPGs are a subset of the UPGs with 0.1% or fewer Christian Adherents that have no reported church movement within the group. 

The Joshua Project reports 114 UPGs within the identified countries within Central Africa.  Of these 114 UPGs there are 72 FPGs. Chad has the most UPGs and FPGs (55). Of the total 72 FPGs within these countries, there are 26 that are considered Indigenous peoples. The term “indigenous people” refers to groups in an area that have retained social, cultural, and (at times) economic and political characteristics that are distinct from the dominant societies in which they live. They maintain a special relationship with their traditions and usually have their own language. All but 1 of the 72 FPGs in Central Africa are Islamic. 

Let us intentionally pray for Central Africa this month. Below are suggested prayers.

Prayers

  • The LORD of the harvest to send out laborers to these FPG’s especially calling those with experience among similar peoples. (Matthew 9:30-31, Luke 10:2)

  • All these peoples will come and worship before the Lord, the One and Only GOD and may they glorify HIS name for He is great. (Psalm 86:9-10)

  • I thank you, Lord God, that the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without defect to God, can cleanse these people’s conscience from dead works to serve the living God. (Hebrews 9:14)

  • Father, I pray that these UPGs and FPGs would be called by your name, that they would humble themselves and pray, and seek your face, and turn from their wicked ways; for then you will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Mercy Highlight

Hope Rising in Xenia Blessed with Baby Blankets

The UBC Sewing & Craft Ministry delivered 70 baby blankets to Hope Rising in Xenia on June 6th.  Each of the baby blankets donated included a UBC card inviting the recipient to join us for church. 

At Hope Rising, a baby blanket is given to every woman that gets an ultrasound. The good news of the gospel is shared with every client seen at Hope Rising. While visiting, the group was given a tour of Hope Rising. 

Here are a few prayer requests shared by Hope Rising:

1.  Robin is creating an educational program called "Rethink" for sexual purity to educate parents on how to talk with their children. It will be shared with groups of parents in the future.  She appreciates prayers for developing the program & for volunteers to help her.

2. Hope Rising is in need of men (& women) to mentor clients they serve. 

3. Pray for Hope Rising volunteers and staff as they serve the community.

If you are interested in getting involved with UBC’s Pro-Life or Sewing & Craft Mercy Ministries, please let us know by filling out this interest form.

The next Sewing & Craft Ministry Open House will be on July 13, 2024 from 10:00 AM -12 PM at UBC East. The group plans to work on more baby blankets, burp cloths, and potentially begin making fleece “tie” blankets for Hope Rising as fall approaches. Non-sewers please join us! You an meet other crafters and help tie some blankets. Come join in the fun!

Spotlight

Builders for Christ May Mission Trip

This summer, UBC members are making three different trips to support Builders for Christ in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The first team of 12 to go included all ages from teenagers to senior adults and served from May 4-10.

The team was primarily responsible for helping Brookwood Baptist Church from Birmingham, Alabama with cutting all the wood pieces for the entire building. With many hands, the work was completed quickly and finished ahead of schedule. The UBC team is working toward taking on a greater leadership role for “cut week” as the older folks from Birmingham begin stepping away. Jason Horsman will be leading this endeavor going forward.

After working hard all day, the teenagers used their creative talents to make a giant Jenga game from the leftover wood cuts. This provided a fun, bonding time for everyone as the team relaxed and warmed up around the campfire!

Lisa Hamilton and Lorrie Gneiser were the cooking team for the week for the UBC and Birmingham groups. When the team arrived, the field kitchen (in a newly-built garage) still needed a lot of organizing! They were able to help the logistics person get better prepared for the many volunteers who will be coming over the course of the summer.

The team had two unexpected trips to urgent care during the week as Mike Bistline and Lorrie Gneiser each managed to break a finger but both are healing up quite nicely!

The trip helped Haven Church get their build off to a great start! Please pray for this church as they experience a summer that God has planned to bless and challenge them in their faith journey. Pray for many who come to the church to know and love Jesus more as their Savior.

Team Members: Jason & Gabe Horsman, Andy, Gabe & Mac Kerschbaum, Mike Bistline, Tim & Morgan West, Wayne Simpson, Peyton Parks, Lisa Hamilton, Lorrie Gneiser

Opportunity

Operation Christmas Child

It is Christmas in July time! Operation Christmas Child (OCC) is a tangible way that you can help spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth. This is a great time to get started working on this year’s OCC boxes as school sales are starting and you can get school supplies for a great deal. Think about working with your growth group to do a packing party together. It provides a great opportunity to work and serve together and is a great way for children in the group to get involved in missions. 

Some things to be thinking about this month:

  1. How many boxes would you like to do?

  2. What items should go in the boxes?  

    A. School supplies (pick a few) - pencils, crayons or markers, erasers, pens, scissors, notebooks or paper

    B. Hygiene items - hairbrush, comb, washcloth, toothbrush (NO soap or toothpaste)

    C. WOW item - an item that catches the kids eye like a stuffed animal or soccer ball and pump (Jesus Loves you Ball available for $5 this fall for purchase at the Mission table)

    D. Other fun or useful items - stickers, cars, crafts

  3. What kind of personal touch can you add to your box (a photo or personal note)?

  4. If doing a growth group packing party, who can help coordinate it?

If you would like additional information or ideas check out the OCC website https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/pack-a-shoe-box/ or please reach out to Lindsay Tucholski at lindsay.tucholski@gmail.com.

Opportunity

No Longer Strangers Open House

At UBC we desire to make Him known mercifully by sharing the love of Christ through attending to the tangible needs of those in our local community. One way to do this is to serve the scattered people God has brought to our city! 

No Longer Strangers is a local ministry that welcomes our foreign-born neighbors by building lasting relationships that create a sense of worth, belonging, and well-being. 

No Longer Strangers (NLS) assists refugees who have been resettled in Dayton from war-torn countries in Africa and the Middle East. Refugees receive federal assistance for approximately 6 months during which they must find employment and become financially self-sufficient—a daunting task for newly arriving immigrants.

NLS provides assistance to families to meet material needs such as food, housing, financial assistance, and home repairs. They assist with paperwork like immigration, job, school, and benefit applications. The ministry offers opportunities for children to participate in sports, tutoring, mentoring, leadership training, and Bible studies. They also partner with various churches and faith-based organizations to complete work projects and provide educational/recreational programming for the kids during the summer months. 

No Longer Strangers is hosting an open house on Saturday, July 20 from 10 AM - 1 PM at the NLS Ministry House. It is a great opportunity to stop by and learn about what they are doing in the community, meet current partners and volunteers, and explore ways to serve or support the ministry. Don’t miss it!

Monthly Mission Quotes:

…Eliot recaptures the central aim of the evangelist and church planter whose primary role, as detailed in Matthew 10:16, is to be a “sheep among wolves” rather than a “sheep among sheep.” Disobedience to carrying out the Great Commision of Jesus Christ is to increasingly withdraw from the wolves and ignore those with little or no access to the Good News of Jesus.

— Nik Ripken, Forward In: The Faith Road

Contact to learn more:

Jim Corbin
jim.corbin@ubcbeavercreek.com

To read past Mission Updates or to get more information about UBC on Mission, visit
https://www.ubcbeavercreek.com/mission-and-mercy-ministries.

Jim Corbin