News from the Mission Field

January 2024

Mission Task Force News: our Global Impact Celebration

Looking ahead as we celebrate success with mission partners

To Our St. Michael’s Church Family,

We are only days away from Global Impact Celebration (GIC) 2024 and we wish to relate some of its highlights in this newsletter. That said, let’s first look back on the impact that GIC 2023 had on St. Michael’s mission efforts.

Total mission giving in 2023 was $336,453, comprised of Mission Offerings of $172,239 plus Designated Offerings of $164,214, and these numbers don’t include the tithing to missions from our church’s 2023 operations budget.

GIC 2023 brought back some prior features and started some new features. These included the reinstatement of an off-campus banquet and a first-time silent auction. The silent auction, in its inaugural year, raised $4,100 for mission support.

How did GIC 2023 inspire the congregation and how did it impact the working of our Mission Task Force (MTF)? This is best answered by the MTF Committee Chairs themselves, as follows:

Holy City

Contact Lynn Rogers for more information 843-442-1604

The Holy City team of the Mission Task Force endeavors to carry out the mission charge to be witnesses of Jesus as our Savior through supporting nine local mission partners. Through the generous 2023 GIC pledges by the parishioners, the church gave a total of $21,600 in grants to Holy City Mission partners.

Star Gospel Mission received $5,000 to add a commercial refrigerator. Fellowship of Christian Athletes at The College of Charleston received $5,000 for programs to help expand the ministry to fraternities and sororities and the international community. Charleston Classical School received $5,000 to use toward student scholarships as 95 percent of the tuition is covered by scholarships.

Hope Scholars Academy received $6,600 to help fund scholarships. In addition to grants, mission donations were used to provide a meal for cadets at The Citadel before they attended St. Alban’s Chapel. Mission funds also helped support the Hot Dog Ministry suppers. Since the Holy City mission partners are local, we had the opportunity to support them by volunteering.

The Hot Dog Ministry works with East Cooper Baptist Church to provide a meal to those in need six times throughout the year. Forty to 60 persons are served at each meal. In February, the Family Ministry helped make and distribute Blessing Bags (made the previous December) to those attending the supper.

Three of the Holy City Mission partners were Mission Sunday speakers. In May, mothers Ashley Frampton and Erin Lott spoke with their daughters about their experience making and giving the Blessing Bags at the Hot Dog Ministry supper.

In September, Dr. Sasser from North Charleston Dental Outreach was the speaker. The children collected $290 through their Lemonade for Missions for the dental clinic.

In October, Will Kendrick the director of Fellowship of Christian Athletes at The College of Charleston and the Youth Ministry Leader at St. Michael’s spoke to the congregation.

We hope to continue the work for the Holy City mission partners by the pledges from GIC 2024.

Hurting Coast

Contact Sherrie Driver for more information 770-354-6471

2023 has been an exciting year for our Hurting Coast partners and our Hurting Coast Committee/MTF. Currently we have seven active mission partners.

The Anglican Leadership Institute (ALI) has seen a new director come on board this year in the person of the Rev. Canon Frog Orr-Ewing, with Hurting Coast committee member, Claudia Moose, serving as our liaison. There will be a gathering in Cairo, Egypt, in October 2024 of all past institute participants with the next annual three-week event on Isle of Palms in Feb. 2025. A number of St. Michaelites are active in this ministry through giving, teaching and serving. Our MTF committee normally asked to allocate $10,000 of your mission giving funds to help fund the scholarship for one attendee. Last money given was in 2020 in memory of institute’s founder, Peter Moore, and was used in 2023 to fund one scholarship for the first post-covid gathering.

New Wineskins Missionary Network is led by Jenny Noyes out of Greensboro, N.C. and now has former Hurting Coast member, Anne Schaffer, as an employee. The Mission Task Force was able to allocate $3,000 of your mission giving funds in 2023 to aid in New Wineskin’s new International Apprenticeship Program to help raise up, train and debrief 8-10 young adults to serve a nine-month mission internship in another country under the guidance of an already established missionary. The focus of the program is evangelism and missional training to expand the Gospel to unreached people groups.

Rise Church in Portland, Maine continues to have the Rev. Dan Wolf as a minister. Eunice Logan and Mike Walker as our Hurting Coast committee liaisons. RISE Church has progressed from a start-up church to one with its own brick and mortar church building that was gifted to them with the merger of an older congregation of evangelical Christians that aligned with the Anglican Diocese of New England. Dan and his enthusiastic wife, Carrie, have established an on-going ALPHA program that has been highly successful in reaching atheists, Muslims, agnostics, unchurched friends, renewed Christians through the ALPHA meetings, discussions and spreading the gospel of Christ. The MTF was able to allocate $3,000 of your mission giving funds in 2023 to help with the program. Enjoy this video from Dan Wolf: https://www.riseportland.church/alpha.

The Dandelion Ministries of Cutchogue, N.Y. was established and led by the Revs. Kate and Sean Norris, with Pam Smith as our committee liaison. They are an art and music based Anglican evangelism ministry that works with neighboring Anglican churches as well as running after-school art classes and Christian Creative Camps in the summer. They welcome children and parents of all faith backgrounds. Kate and Sean use their talents as a way to build trust, relationships and winsomely share the Gospel. They’re very active within the Anglican Diocese of New England. The MTF was able to allocate $3,400 of your mission giving funds in 2023 to Dandelion Ministries.

The REZ Church (Church of the Resurrection) of Washington, D.C. on Capitol Hill has the Rev. Dan Claire as rector and our committee liaison is Sherrie. The committee had no requests from REZ in 2023 for mission funding. Their church continues to be a beacon of light on Capitol Hill by sharing their Biblically based faith. The congregation of 80+ percent 20-40 year olds continues to grow. Al and Elizabeth Zadig were able to attend service there on one trip through D.C., and former St. Michaelites, Nancy and Ray Hardwick, are actively involved with REZ since their move several years ago back to the D.C. area.

The DAZZ Orangeburg (Part of LCPC and DAZZ, Charleston) is led by Faye Hill as outreach coordinator with Pam Smith as our committee liaison. Every expecting mother is offered an ultrasound in the early stages of being a client of DAZZ. The ultrasounds enable the moms and dads to see the baby, which often serves as the catalyst to their deciding to have the baby and not have an abortion. The ultrasounds are performed by a trained nurse on staff and also enable the nurse to share God’s words from the Bible about children. The MTF was able to allocate $2,300 in 2023 to support the ultrasound program and nurse training for DAZZ Orangeburg, which also helped to lower the overall county abortion rate.

Hungering World

Contact Park Dougherty for more information 843-860-3950

In 2023 St. Michaelites were on mission in Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Mongolia, Kenya, Burundi, Iraq and Jordan; we also hosted six foreign mission partners in Charleston and contributed $97,044 to 11 projects to spread the Gospel. Some of those contributions were matched by the Anglican Relief and Development Fund (ARDF.) In addition to these gifts to the St. Michael’s mission general fund, members of our congregation also made significant designated contributions to specific projects.

Many tangible and intangible benefits to God’s Kingdom derived and continue to flow from all this giving. The St. Michael’s Safe House was expanded to accommodate 18 more girls rescued from the sex trafficking trade in India. 

A full year of a Christian school’s fees and expenses for 103 students were provided and food was provided to 1,000 students for a month in drought-stricken Kenya. Ninety Pastors were trained and three debates between Muslims and Christians were organized in Burundi. Sixteen AFM missionaries received training to help them with the severe challenges that drive 80 percent of their colleagues out of the field within five years. In Honduras, we supported a new program to help young adults. 

In Thailand, church planting, church strengthening and evangelism is happening in three “traffic zones,” areas where prostitution and sex trafficking are rampant. Work is proceeding to establish the University of Nations Mongolia. And in Tanzania, the Piggery Project was launched at Kagera Theological Seminary to help students support themselves by raising pigs.

The 2023 trip to Burundi by St. Michaelites resulted in a major commitment that will benefit Anglican clergy there for decades to come. After Linda and Dave Soutter introduced the ARDF leadership to Anglican leaders there, ARDF decided to partner with their efforts to establish a farm. Eventually the farm will provide food for the retired clergy who will live on the campus they are building. ARDF’s financial contribution will be $165,000.

As with all our mission partners, these relationships with these wonderful warriors for Christ bless St. Michael’s many times over and are made possible by the generosity of time, talent and financial resources by our congregation.

GLOBAL IMPACT CELEBRATION (GIC)

Congratulations to GIC 2023 Co-Chairs Jim and Pam Smith and to their entire GIC 2023 team and supporters for a job well done in serving the Lord.

GIC 2024 builds on the fine work of Jim and Pam, while adding some new features and perspective. GIC 2023 and GIC 2024 combine to form a solid foundation for a sustainable tradition of mission awareness, fellowship and giving to support the selfless mission work of St. Michael’s Church and our mission partners locally, along the east coast and around the world.

GIC 2024: theme, events and opportunities

The theme for GIC 2024 is: Continuing our father’s work through missions, which is based on John 5:17 “But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father is working until now, and I am working.’” What does that mean? Jesus was working on behalf of the Father and so are we also called to do the same. Through missions we first provide for earthly needs and then when hearts are open, we share the Gospel with those who have fallen away and with those who have never been reached. The Father calls us to work on His behalf bringing the Word and there is no better way to continue our Father’s work than to do so while easing human strife!

Looking forward, GIC 2024 starts a day earlier than usual on Saturday January 27, 2024, and runs through Sunday February 4, 2024.

The GIC 2024 events are conveniently accessed by starting at www.stmichaelschurch.net and clicking on “Events” which lists all of the GIC 2024 events. Each picture tile, when clicked on, will take you to a detailed description of that particular GIC 2024 event. We encourage you to use the website and learn more about each event and to sign up for specific events requiring registration in advance of attendance (January 27; February 1; and February 3).

We want to highlight a few of the GIC 2024 events that are focused on family; offer a strong educational opportunity; and provide excitement and fellowship. These are:

Saturday January 27 at 2:00 p.m. in the Belser Chapel - “Gospel Family Creative Time” Hosted by the Revs. Sean and Kate Norris of Dandelion Ministries - What makes you “love much?” Join us for a dramatic retelling of Jesus’ embarrassing encounter with a woman who “loved much” and find out why she did! We will uncover how Jesus loves YOU that much too. Children of all ages will respond to the story with a bracelet-making craft for you to keep. You will also make one to give away! Every “extra” bracelet will be given to YWAM Missionary Claire Sullivan who loves and lives among women in slavery in Bangkok. She will use your bracelets to share how Jesus “loves much” these slaves and their families. We might even see some in heaven — wearing your bracelet! Hosted by Dandelion Ministries, the Revs. Sean and Kate and their daughters, Rhyan and Skylar. Click to register here.

Wednesday January 31 at 5:45 pm in the Kinloch Room “Living on Mission in an Increasingly Post-Christian World” Presented by the Rev. Dan and Carrie Wolf of Rise Church, Portland, Maine – You’re invited to enjoy dinner with Dan and Carrie Wolf and discuss how to show and share Jesus with those who have no faith or have lost their faith. They will relate how they navigate following Jesus, leading their family, and sharing God's story with the unchurched who are often distracted and closed off to Christianity because of their views on sex and gender, pluralism, and a generally therapeutic spirituality. Yet they are seeing God working in some powerful ways among post-Christian Portland people. Come hear stories, pray together, and discuss practical ways to share Jesus with your neighbors and raise your family to live on mission.

Thursday February 1 at 5:00 pm at South Carolina Society Hall “The GIC 2024 Banquet) (Please register and purchase tickets here) The GIC 2024 Banquet will be held at the historic South Carolina Society Hall on Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. The banquet will be catered by Jamie Westendorff. Our keynote speaker is David Thompson, of Operation Christmas Child of Samaritan’s Purse.

David began serving with Samaritan’s Purse and the Operation Christmas Child project in 2005. He started as the regional director for Eurasia and now serves as the senior director for International for Operation Christmas Child. David and team are responsible for the fulfillment of the global mission of OCC of Evangelism, Discipleship and Multiplication (11 million children impacted through shoe box gifts with Gospel outreach and five million children discipled annually).

Previously, David served with Moscow Bible Church in Moscow, Russia; he also grew up in Russia during the 90s, speaking the language. David has a huge heart to love, serve and to share Jesus with the lost wherever they are, especially with the children. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Wheaton College and his master’s degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. His wife Beth also serves at Samaritan’s Purse as a nurse in the Cleft Palate Project, bringing joy to many children globally. They have a 10-year-old son, Malachi, a seven-year -old daughter, Savannah, and a four-year-old son, Soren.

Friday February 2 at 5:45 p.m. in the Kinloch Room - “Taking Mission to the Streets of Bangkok” The Rev. Claire Sullivan, YWAM Thailand - Come and hear YWAM missionary Pastor Clair Sullivan speak of her Spirit-inspired calling on the streets of Bangkok, where she empowers trafficked women to seek refuge in Jesus Christ. Please

click to register here.

Saturday February 3 at 2:00 p.m. in the Belser Chapel “Mission Praise Service” - Come and join your fellow St. Michaelites for a service of praise and thanks honoring our mission partners and our mission task force members.

From January 15 (9:00 a.m.) to February 3 (6:00) p.m. “The GIC 2024 Silent Auction” – the auction site is accessible at www.gicsilentauction.com. Once there, click on the video and our sister Normandie Updyke will take you on a guided tour of some of the incredible items generously donated by members of the St. Michael’s family. There are more than 40 items up for bid, including unique hunting, boating, private dinning and other experiences, as well as beautiful original artwork, stunning jewelry and wonderful services and gifts.

These highlights are a sample of the nine days of GIC 2024. We encourage you to view all the events comprising what we pray will be a joyous and fruitful celebration of St. Michael’s mission focus.

We conclude this newsletter with a simple appeal. Changing culture has crossed the line prophesied in Isaiah 5:20, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” and culture is attempting to form a perimeter around Christianity. Preventing that perimeter from closing is the Word of God, delivered by church, family, and missionaries. Missionaries work on the front lines bringing the Word to places where they put their own lives at risk for the Lord. These brave Warriors of the Word need our financial support. Please prayerfully consider your 2024 pledge to missions.

Yours in Christ,

Bob and Ruth Bonelli

GIC 2024 Co-Chairs

Please Remember....

Your mission pledge allows the parishioners of St. Michael's Church to continue to be blessed to be a blessing unto others.

Thank you for your support.