News from the Mission Field

November 2023

Holy City

Contact Lynn Rogers for more information 843-442-1604

Fellowship of Christian Athletes, The College of Charleston

Will Kendrick, St. Michael’s Youth Ministry Leader, was the Mission Sunday speaker at the 8 a.m., 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services on October 22. Will spoke about how FCA at The College of Charleston is offering more opportunities for students for Bible study and how the student athletes are connecting with St. Michael’s youth through his new role as Youth Ministry Leader. FCA will be part of the Angel Tree with the gift wish of scholarships for Winter Blast, a collegiate camp. They need $3,000 in scholarships to help the students attend.

Hot Dog Ministry

Ten enthusiastic St. Michaelites met in the parking lot of Citadel Square Baptist Church on Halloween to serve 75 hungry people treats that included fried chicken, green beans, potato salad, rolls, desserts plus popsicles and water. There were haircuts with beard trimming and clothing giveaways, too. Lee Cox gave a wonderful homily to the bells of Amazing Grace from Mother Emanuel Church. The Ruff family carved a “Gospel Pumpkin” and passed out a page with its meaning: “The carved and lighted pumpkin lets the light of Jesus glow brightly in a dark world.”

Our volunteers were Jo and Lee Cox, Charlie Cutler, Dee and Beatrice Goehring, Annalee, John, Emma-Grace and Gabe Ruff and Pat Jennings. To volunteer for the next opportunity for this ministry on December 26, please contact Pat Jennings at bellinger.56@att.net.

Advent Angel Tree

The Angel Tree will return to help support our local mission partners this Advent and Christmas season. Please look for the Angel Tree in the narthex from now through December 10. Select an ornament to provide a gift for the local mission partner of your choice. For families with children to join in, we will have our two partner schools, Charleston Classical and Hope Scholars Academy, represented. Their tags will include ways to give tuition assistance, sports equipment and art supplies.

North Charleston Dental Outreach would appreciate donations for a new portable x-ray machine and donations to help bridge the gap between what patients can pay and the cost to operate the clinic.

Star Gospel Mission needs men’s T- shirts in all sizes and colors, also financial donations to purchase beef and pork for their freezer.

Fellowship of Christian Athletes at The College of Charleston’s tags will include ways to give scholarship donations for Winter Blast.

The tags will have the name of the mission partner and instructions on how to give with a QR code or the website that will take you directly to a list or to the online giving page. Please mark you gift St. Michael’s Angel Tree.

Hurting Coast

Contact Sherrie Driver for more information 770-354-6471

New Wineskins

Be the one, see the one, and tell others about the One True God. Read all about the 111 'club challenge being launched by New wineskins as an effort to mobilize and equip anglicans to spread the gospel around the world. Read more here.

Dandelion Ministries

New music videos by the Rev. Sean Norris.

Now that You're Here and I'm Here

Rise Church, Portland, ME

Living on Mission in an increasingly post-Christian world, RISE Church invites you to enjoy dinner with the Rev. Dan and Carrie Wolf the Wednesday evening of GIC week and discuss how to pass along your love for 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; these are persons who are often distracted and closed off to Christianity because of their views on sex and gender, pluralism and a generally therapeutic spirituality. Yet, the Wolfs are seeing God working in some powerful ways among post-Christian Portland people. Come hear stories, pray together and discuss practical ways to spread the love of Jesus with your neighbors and raise your family to live on mission.

Anglican Relief and Development Fund

In response to the brutal attacks by Hamas into Israel that occurred on Oct. 7, the Anglican Relief and Development Fund (ARDF) is asking for donations to send aid in partnership with CMJ-USA. Please visit their website here to give. Please pray for Israel to survive and for the hostages.

Hungering World

Contact Park Dougherty for more information 843-860-3950

All ongoing projects are noted in the financial report below. Our mission partners had no specific updates to report.

GLOBAL IMPACT CELEBRATION (GIC)

GIC 2024 is approaching, and all arrangements are progressing for a joyous and productive celebration.

The Saturday January 27, 2024 art project for young families (a prelude to GIC 2024 Week, which begins on Sunday January 28, 2024 and runs through Sunday February 4, 224) will be held in the Chapel. It will be conducted by Dandelion Ministries’ Sean and Kate Norris and will focus on supporting the Thailand mission work of Claire Sullivan. A Zoom Call was held with Claire, Sean and Kate and it was decided that the young families will make “beaded bracelets” with the word “loved” (in Thai) for Claire to use in her ministry in Thailand.

Dandelion Ministries will present their mission focus to the congregation in the Kinloch Room on Sunday January 28, 2024, immediately following the 11:00 a.m. service.

The silent auction for GIC 2024 is almost ready. With the strong support of Duval Acker, Normandie Updyke and Reiley Jacobs, there now are more than 40 items (including hunting, fishing, boating and social experiences) pledged. The total “stated value” of these items is approximately $17,000, with the expectation of attracting total bids more than that amount. One hundred percent (100 percent) of all winning bids will go directly to support missions. An online catalog will go live on December 15, 2023, with bidding to begin on January 15, 2024, at 9:00 am. Bidding will conclude on February 3, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.

Please remember there is still time to support the GIC 2024 banquet speaker, David Thompson, senior international director of Operations Christmas Child for Samaritan’s Purse, by going to Shoebox Online and building a box on-line.

Look for news about GIC 2024 in the church bulletin, social media, direct emails, handouts and by checking https://www.stmichaelschurch.net/gic-2024.

Blessings,

Bob and Ruth Bonelli

Co-Chairs, GIC 2024

Click here for the August 2023 Mission Opportunities Brochure

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.

St. Michael's Church

71 Broad Street

Charleston, SC 29401

843-723-0603

stmichaelschurch.net