Are You a Risk Taker? 

By Dana Allin
I continue to find it helpful that we have identified and articulated the characteristics associated with being a flourishing church. As a reminder, the six elements have been a part of our conversations for several years, but in our vision framing process we were able to fine tune our language to help us have optimal clarity accessible to everyone 
( SEE THE VISION FRAME HERE ).

The second characteristic of a flourishing church is that it "Normalizes Risk Taking".  This is probably the most jolting to our historic understanding of what it means to be the church.  The others ones are relatively intuitive even if they are not actualized!  

Our normal tendency is to avoid risk and seek safety and security.  I was recently doing some thinking and planning for our family's future.  In 7 years, I will have three kids in college. If I have 40 years in full-time ministry, I am half way through that and certainly need to have retirement planning on the radar.  I have purchased home and life insurance in order to make sure my family is secure in the event of tragic situations. So you see, the idea of having risk be normalized is not a comforting thought for me - and certainly not for our churches.

Global Engagement Reflection on Egypt Trip
There is nothing quite like the traffic in Cairo to test your level of risk-aversion! My capable driver, who pastors a new church plant in a low-income neighborhood in Cairo, weaved through narrow, unpaved roads.  He dodged pedestrians, horse carts, a slew of cars and covered motorcycle taxis, and a whole herd of goats
 eating trash which was piled up in the center of the intersection. I arrived safely and glad for the view out of my backseat window. By the time we had made it through rush-hour traffic and pulled up to the church that Friday afternoon, I had seen some of the color and culture of the neighborhood.  Veiled women holding their young children's hands as they walked. People rushing about, and colorful shops lining the streets.  READ MORE


Watch Waypoint's 5 Year Video! 

What is Waypoint? We'll show you in 3.5 minutes!




Global Engagement is Going Live!



ECO Global Engagement is going Live on May 16 at 12 PM (Central)!  Mission leaders and pastors are welcome to join for our first live Zoom conversation with mission leaders across ECO. Our topic for this first call is "Short-term Mission as Discipleship." Revs. Jonathan and Kristy LaBarge will be leading us in a conversation about how short-term mission can form participants to live as missional disciples in their everyday lives.  

MAG churches in Washington work together

MAG churches in Washington work together to minister to over 90 displaced people.
On the night of January 21, 2019 there was a fire at an apartment complex in Prosser, Washington. Shane Williams, the Youth Director from Covenant Presbyterian Church in Prosser, who also serves as a Chaplain with the local fire department as part of Chaplaincy Services Network, responded to the scene. Over the course of several hours a temporary emergency shelter was established at MAG Church Bethany Presbyterian Church located in neighboring Grandview Washington. With the assistance of the Red Cross over 90 people were placed in emergency shelter including over 40 being housed at Bethany.  

How is your Mission Affinity Group grow together by serving and sharing together? Send us your stories!  
Need ideas on how to connect? 
Contact your presbytery MPT chair!


Write your Legacy Every Day!




Are you ready to create a legacy that touches the hearts of future generations and supports the ongoing foundation of your church? 

Legacy Sunday typically occurs during the month of May, and we want to make sure you are prepared by providing free bulletin inserts. Let us help encourage your congregation to make this decision of faith and hope to impact future generations. Financial stewardship is more than just a conversation for one week or month of the year. Thankfully our partnership with Texas Presbyterian Foundation allows us to help our churches to make this topic a continuous conversation.

Legacy planning and giving is one of those topics that church leadership sometimes feels ill-equipped to speak about. Consider using TPF's complimentary resources in your church bulletin in May and let them help you with those conversations. Blessings, John Terech, ECO's Executive Director of Operations. 

Click Here to order your free bulletin inserts online. 
 
If you prefer not to use the Internet for ordering, and/or have special instructions, please call Martha Ingrum at 800-955-3155 or email her at martha.ingrum@tpf.org.