MNA Online - December 2018
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Blessed Advent and Merry Christmas to you from Mission to North America! Advent and Christmas provide us with such good space to consider the greatness of God’s love. How great is the Father’s love for us? So great that at just the right moment, he sent the Son into the world to redeem us from sin, guilt, and condemnation, and to make us his children, children of the Living God, who enter the work of our Father and his Only-Begotten Son in making all things new in the world, as his Spirit is at work in us and through us! This is truly amazing love, a love divine, all loves excelling.
Thank you for your prayers and gifts to Mission to North American as we share the love of God in the gospel of Jesus Christ through church planting, church renewal, and missional partnerships across the United States and Canada. Your generosity has been used by Jesus to further our many avenues of ministry.
Click here
to see what we've been up to over 2018, and how you might participate as the year draws to a close.
MNA deducts no service fees from gifts designated to specific projects or designated to MNA staff members. The administrative cost of this service is supported by undesignated gifts to MNA, or gifts to the
MNA Ministry Support Fund (MSF)
. Please consider
giving to MSF
, so that MNA may continue to make 100% of designated gifts available to their intended recipients.
Mission to North America
PO Box 890233
Charlotte NC 28289-0233
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The PCA Unity Fund Now Accepting Applications for Tuition Subsidies
Out of 4,882 Teaching Elders in the PCA, only 1% are African American, .8% Hispanic American, and 10% Korean/Korean American.
The PCA Unity Fund aims to increase these numbers through training, mentoring and developing minority leadership in the PCA, primarily through providing tuition subsidies to support training at reformed institutions. To learn more about The PCA Unity Fund, visit our new website at
https://pcamna.org/unity-fund/.
Interested in applying for a tuition subsidy?
Don't let the holidays catch you unawares - applications are being accepted through through January 31, 2019.
Click here
for instruction on how to apply.
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A gift for you and your church!
MNA Church Planter Training
February 12-15, 2019
Canterbury Retreat Center
Oviedo, Florida
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Tracks for planters at all stages and church planting leaders
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Budget friendly on-site lodging and meal plans available
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Value Added! A Taste of Parakaleo for church planting spouses
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Congratulations to Another LAMP Graduate!
Michael VanDerLinden has just completed the MDiv program with LAMP Seminary. Michael has been a great student and has been actively involved in leadership through his local congregation, presbytery, General Assembly, and overseas mission fields throughout his training. He and his wife, Lorri, have been raising their five children, and Michael has enjoyed a long career as an air traffic controller with the FAA. Recently, Michael received a call to work part-time at Timber Ridge Christian Church in Highview WV (an independent church within the bounds of New River Presbytery - PCA), while he awaits his retirement from the FAA in 18 months. He hopes to finish ordination exams by early 2019 through the New River Presbytery and looks forward to devoting more time to the ministry, as God moves him into full-time work with God’s people.
Click here to read more.
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Paradise Lost - California Wildfire Response
MNA Disaster Response is working with Ridge Presbyterian Church, a lovely multi-site congregation with preaching points in Paradise and Chico. The church physical plant in Paradise was incinerated along with every member’s home. This is perhaps the largest loss of PCA owned homes in our denominational history, and likely the most traumatic disaster event that has ever affected one of our congregations. Fortunately, our church family living in Chico and other places whose homes were spared have taken in families who lost their homes.
Click here to find out more.
Click here to make an online donation.
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Planning Your Disability Ministry's Next Steps for the New Year
As 2018 winds down, this is a good time to reflect on all that has happened this year in the lives of families you know who are touched by disability. Whether it is your own family or other families in your church, think about the steps that were taken to become more integrated into church life and the outcomes. What steps did families in your church take? What steps did your church take to enfold these families into the congregation?
Our fast-paced, technology-driven lives have conditioned us to expect immediate results. It would be easy to feel that we have not done enough or made enough progress. As you reflect, don't focus on what you have or haven't done. Focus on what God has done and be encouraged.
Click here
to continue reading.
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Please Remember to Pray for Our Deployed Military Personnel this Christmas . . .
And our PRCC military Chaplains who are also away from their families, ministering to them. We list the currently deployed Chaplains in each issue of the Guardian Prayer Newsletter. You can receive each issue for free, either a paper copy or via email. Request the Guardian online at
https://pcamna.org/chaplain-ministries/public-resources/guardian/ Thank you for praying for our Chaplains, their families, their ministries, and for those they serve.
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Engaging Disability 2019 Training Opportunities
Engaging Disability With The Gospel will continue our series of online disability ministry trainings in 2019. The staff will also present workshops throughout 2019, including the following:
ESTABLISHED Children’s Ministry Conferences
To stay informed of all disability ministry trainings and events, please visit the
Events section of our website anytime.
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Church Planting and Renewal Conference
January 7-9, Chattanooga TN. A church planting conference for planting and renewal pastors, by those who have been there.
Enjoy 3 days of learning and fellowship in Chattanooga TN with revitalization pastors and church planters who understand working in your particular context. Plenary Speaker Robby Holt will talk on "Practicing the King's Economy." Breakout topics will include urban, rural and suburban church planting, multicultural leadership, and missional communities, among others. Parakaleo training for wives is also available.
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January 2019 Online Training for Churches and Families
Starting a Disability Ministry in Your Church: First Steps
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
11 am ET | 10 am CT | 9 am MT | 8 am PT
Teacher: Ashley Belknap, Director of Engaging Disability With The Gospel
Every church has or knows families touched by disability. How can your congregation intentionally take steps to better love, disciple, and meet the needs of individuals and families living with disability?
Learn more.
Planning Your Disability Ministry Year: Next Steps
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
11 am ET |10 am CT | 9 am MT | 8 am PT
Teacher: Ashley Belknap, Director of Engaging Disability With The Gospel
January is a great time to strategically map out the direction of your church's disability ministry in 2019. Your focus could be on your church's website, volunteers, women's ministry, young adults, communicants class, or more.
Learn more.
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The Gathering for Reconciliation, Justice and Mercy
The Gathering for Reconciliation, Justice and Mercy is holding its third conference this year in
February 15-17 at University Presbyterian Church in Las Cruces NM. Carl Ellis and Albert Reyes will be featured speakers. The conference is a working meeting of practitioners with breakouts and discussions on real-world applications. The cost of the event is $60 for early registration (deadline January 31, 2019) and $75 in the last two weeks. Flights in should book to El Paso International Airport. Housing is available. Watch this space for more details.
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Cost is only $75.00
Plenary Speakers:
Randy Nabors
Tony Myles
Scott Moore
More details and registration to come!
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Mobile AL
Congratulations to Christ Redeemer Church in Mobile AL, planted by Ben Nelson, which launched their public worship services at the end of October after a year or so of preparation. Ben says, “"Praise God that on October 28th we held our first service as Christ Redeemer Church in Midtown Mobile. It was an encouraging time as our church of many singles and young families celebrated this inaugural service together. In many ways this work is the culmination of months of prayer, the gathering of a core group, and hands on ministry in the Midtown community. Please pray for us that God would bless this mission work in the heart of Mobile." Read more, including some prayer requests,
here.
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San Marino CA
Congratulations to
The Way/SGV
, planted by Tim Lien. Tim, his wife Melissa, and their family moved to California’s San Gabriel Valley almost four years ago to plant a daughter church from Pacific Crossroads. Just a few weeks ago, The Way organized as a self governing, self supporting congregation. But long before that, plans were laid to plant their own daughter church as Tim brought on apprentices. Now they look forward to launching their own daughter church on Easter of 2019 in Alhambra CA. Please pray for Michael Gregory and Richard Lew, who are partnering to plant that church. You can read more
here
.
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MNA Disaster Response - Volunteers Needed!
MNA Disaster Response continues mobilizing volunteers to serve at five sites across the impact zone of the two most recent hurricanes, Michael and Florence:
New Bern NC, Wilmington NC, Mullins SC, Albany GA, and Panama City FL. We also continue to mobilize volunteers to serve in Puerto Rico
. We are in need of as many volunteers as possible. Some of you may have already served -
THANK YOU!
We are hoping you will be able to come (
or come again
) and bring a team.
Click here
for details.
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MNA SecondCareer Seeks Help for PCA Church Planters
MNA SecondCareer Ministry has a whole host of volunteer opportunities for lay people of all ages to serve in Church Planting. Often these opportunities allow the volunteer to serve without leaving home. For example, Church planter
Nate Keisel, of Mosaic Community Church in Jeannette, PA, is seeking a bookkeeper.
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Volunteer With Prison Ministries
Do you live in the greater Greenville SC area? If so, Metanoia Prison Ministries is looking for men to serve as life-on-life, one-on-one mentors to prisoners at Perry Correctional in Pelzer. For more information, please contact MNA Metanoia Prison Ministries Director Mark Casson at
[email protected]
.
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Considering Church Planting?
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“I’m leaving feeling that this is one of the best things I’ve seen going on in the PCA.”…
Fantastic week of learning, growing, stretching, and fellowship…Appreciate all the encouragement.”
Considering Church Planting?
Then the MNA Assessment Center is for you.
Considering Church Planting? Then the MNA Assessment Center is for you. The cost of assessment is less than half of one month’s salary and operating expenses for a typical church plant, and a very wise investment that individuals, churches and presbyteries can make in starting a new church
.
The next open Assessment date is April 23-26 with an application deadline of February 2.
Please plan ahead! An absolute three week lead time minimum is required prior to each application deadline in order to apply, and we often run at capacity. Not convinced? Here are a few more kudos for MNA Assessment…
“The assessors were the most valuable component of the AC… Loved the process, conversations, insight and the people. This is a life-long memory that I will certainly cherish…Getting the opportunity to learn from others in church planting and peers interested in serving the Lord in a similar way. It doesn’t happen often in the “real world” context and I felt supported and encouraged and challenged…. So much grace and love for those attending…I loved assessment, was encouraged and I’m leaving feeling that this is one of the best things I’ve seen going on in the PCA.”
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Know someone who's moving? Be sure to suggest they
check this list
of new church plants around North America as they look for a new church home. Don't see a new plant in a possible destination on the list? Contact us (678-825-1235) and we'll try to find out more information for you! You may also want to visit the
PCA Church Directory
for a list of established churches.
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Check Out Our Other Publications
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Pray for Our PCA Church Planters
The Intercessor is a quarterly letter with prayer requests from PCA church planters and MNA Ministry Leaders. The requests are organized by week, making it easy to follow along in individual or group devotions. They have expressed many times how grateful they are for prayer support.
Click here
to read online, where you will also see subscription options.
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Subscribe to Multiply and Learn More about MNA
Multiply, available as both a print or email newsletter, goes out three times a year and brings you news from the church planting field as well a special features on MNA ministries. Our fall issue focuses on the connection between church renewal and community outreach, loving your neighbors.
Click here
to read. Want to subscribe?
Click here
- it's free!
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Church Renewal through Loving Your Neighbor
Along with Church Planting and Missional Partnerships, Church Renewal is a core commitment of MNA. Two PCA churches with stories of gospel renewal – through engaging with neighbors in their diverse communities – are Chattanooga Valley Presbyterian Church in Flintstone GA, led by Pastor Dan Gilchrist; and Grace Church PCA in Dover DE, led by Pastor Jonathan Seda and Associate Pastor Kenny Foster. The speakers in
this 9-minute video
know firsthand the beauty and challenge of bringing different people together as one body, worshiping and serving the Lord.
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