MISSIONARY | JANUARY 2023 |
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Join with Billy Thomas, senior director of Church Mobilization, as he shares that it's our time to be in '23. |
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Early this year, most of U.S. Missions changed to alternative work schedules. As a result, most employees within U.S. Missions are working these hours:
Monday through Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Friday 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
What does that mean for you? It means that when you call on Friday, your calls will go to voicemail — including the receptionist's phone. Also, if you email us on Friday, you won’t receive a response until the following week because of the alternative schedules.
We want to offer you the best customer service possible, so please contact us Monday through Thursday if you need answers quickly.
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We want everyone in our U.S. Missions family — inside and outside of the AG national office — to know each other, so you never feel like you are speaking with a stranger when you contact us.
This month's feature is MISSIONS SUPPORT.
The Missions Support team functions, in many ways, as the lifeblood of AG U.S. Missions, standing alongside applicants, providing guidance and training from start to finish to the mission field. They also stand alongside our appointed missionaries in assisting them with things like faith promise commitments, donor maintenance, and renewals and are an important part of the development of our district/network relationships.
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Here is the team breakdown:
Tim Laffoon: Director of Missions Support
Sharon Lemons: Missions Support Lead
Joseph Burnash: Donor Coordinator
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L–R: Tim Laffoon, Sharon Lemons, Joseph Burnash |
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ZOLLIE L. SMITH, JR. SCHOLARSHIP |
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The Zollie L. Smith Jr. Scholarship fund was created in honor of Zollie L. Smith Jr., Assemblies of God U.S. Missions executive director from 2007–2017. U.S. Missions awards two $1,000 scholarships each year.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
- Open to the children of nationally appointed U.S. missionaries and full-time AG-endorsed chaplains.
- The parent/guardian of the child must be a full-time U.S. missionary or chaplain at the time of disbursement.
- The child must be a recent high school graduate or have graduated from high school no more than four years ago.
- The child must attend an Assemblies of God church, be saved, and be water baptized.
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The college or university the child chooses to attend must be a stateside, accredited four-year college or university. To be considered for this year's scholarship, applications must be submitted by April 1, 2023.
Contact Stephanie Majors for the application forms.
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U.S. Missions highly prioritizes the health of our missionaries, associates, and interns in every aspect. That is why we continue to evaluate and update processes that help our U.S. Missions account holders be successful in the ministry that God has called them to, as well as providing for their families.
One of those areas that is very important to us is the evaluation of salaries and any adjustments that are needed. As we begin the new year, we are excited to let you know of some changes in our process to assist our U.S. Missions account holders in requesting a salary increase.
Effective January 1, 2023, the new salary increase procedure will be electronic. This will be a much easier and more effective way to allow an account holder to make a request and provide the necessary information to support it.
In most cases, the process will begin with a conversation between the account holder and the ministry department. The Senior Director’s office will send a link to the account holder to submit the salary increase request. The new electronic form can be accessed using the link at the end of this paragraph. It is also listed under FORMS on the missionaries’ page on our updated U.S. Missions website.
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Account holders fills out the form and provides detailed information related to the request. Once submitted, a copy of the initial request is returned to the account holder. The ministry department’s Senior Director also receives a copy which allows them to review it and make necessary adjustments. Before finalizing the newly requested amount, the Senior Director and/or [ministry department designee] will contact the account holder’s district/network and provide them the updated form requesting their approval.
Once the district/network approval has been received, the Senior Director will complete their portion of the salary increase request by marking that the district/network has approved, attach any notes or discussion information, and submit the form to USMEC.
When the U. S. Missions Executive Committee approval is finalized, the ministry department will communicate confirmation of the salary increase to both the account holder and AGUSM Accounting for processing.
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We are pleased to announce that our updated U.S. Missions website launched in mid-November! This project has been a massive team effort and we are grateful to everyone involved, including the AG's IT department.
We trust you will enjoy looking through the new site and that it will serve you well. While you're there, add /missionaries to the address bar (usmissions.ag.org/missionaries) to take a peek at the new MISSIONARIES page.
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Effective 1-1-2023 the U.S. Missions Executive Committee has approved an increase to the income tax benefit. Eligible account holders can request disbursement of income tax benefits provided you paid taxes for income received in the previous year. (It can be for quarterly tax payments already made or for taxes due.)
We are very thankful to our U.S. Missions Executive Committee for this increase!
For CM, AG, and RA status missionaries, this will increase up to $2,000 per year for those that paid taxes.
For CX, CA, CC, and AC statuses, the amount will increase up to $1,700 per year.
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Note: The IRS has updated the mileage rate for 2023. It has increased to 65.5 cents per mile for business purposes.
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This new policy goes into effect January 1, 2023; however, all the details may not be worked out by then because of other changes that are happening. Expect to see several notifications about it as we want to be sure you are aware of this major change.
By now you are probably asking, “Okay, okay. What is it?”
All spouses that qualify and that work in qualifying missions ministry will be eligible to raise a separate salary for themselves!
Here are some quick points to fill in a few of the blanks.
- For missionaries, the spouse must be co-appointed and in ministry full time.
- The main account holder allowance will disburse first.
- The spouse will be eligible for full allowance and MBA and will receive a separate 1099.
- Nothing changes with other disbursements, such as health insurance, medical and work expenses, and special personal offerings where applicable.
- A new budget must be processed. If the new budget puts you in the underfunded category, only one member of the couple must step away from ministry to itinerate.
- If the main account holder has been approved for a higher salary, it will be re-evaluated.
- If you choose not to participate and are receiving a spouse stipend, you may continue as is; however, you won’t be eligible for the additional MBA.
- Career associate spouses that are interested may require additional vetting and paperwork. Spouses that qualify will be listed as co-career.
- Missionary associate and missions intern spouses that are interested may require additional vetting and paperwork. Spouses that qualify will be listed as co-ministry.
Additional changes for career associates are coming and will be announced soon. These spouses may also need to do additional paperwork and vetting. Our goal in all of this is to have a valued, healthy missions family.
We can work with you one-on-one to have you set up in time for January month-end. Please pray about this and, if you are interested and/or have questions, send Ramona an email.
If you don’t have funding for this right now, please wait to reach out. This will allow us to work with those who do have funding in place and are ready to be set up.
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You should have received an email regarding the new electronic 1099 for the upcoming year and future. To make the annual 1099 available electronically, the IRS requires that we have an official consent form on file.
This form should have been filled out and submitted before December 1, 2022. When you submitted the form, you should have received an email to sign it digitally. This step is required to ensure the form is completely finalized. When you received an emailed copy for your records, that was your verification that it was completed and that we received it.
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All 1099s will be mailed by January 31, 2023 (they will not be available before then).
If you have consented to receive your 1099 electronically, they will also be available in your U.S. Missions portal by January 31, 2023.
If you have moved recently, please be sure we have the correct mailing address. Contact your Accounting Specialist with any questions.
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You will receive your housing letter later this month, showing the amount deducted for 2022 and the amount approved for 2023.
If you did not submit a new form for 2022, the default amount of 50 percent of your personal allowance was used. Contact Accounting Manager Dawn Eoff with any questions about these amounts. You will need to submit both this letter and your 1099 to your tax preparer.
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When you are paid through U.S. Missions, your required half tithe is automatically taken out of your personal allowance. This YTD total is displayed at the bottom of your monthly statement for the accountholder and spouse (if applicable). |
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DECEMBER MONTH-END CHECKS |
December checks will be late due to end-of-year close-out. You can expect them on around January 15.
Also, remember that January cash receipts may be lower than you’ll receive in other months due to holding December cash receipts open for offerings postmarked by December 31.
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As you know, our usmissions.org email system is closing. All your financial information will be sent to your U.S. Missions portal for you to retrieve at your convenience.
We will send them through email as well for January and February as an overlapping time period to get used to the portal. In preparation for when the usmissions.ag.org email system closes, we need to know your preferred email for general communication.
Please send this preferred personal email address to the U.S. Missions Accounting email between now and February 28 so we can update our records to your preference.
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GC 2023 U.S. MISSIONS AND USMK LUNCHEONS |
UPDATE: Registration for the 2023 U.S. Missions Luncheon at General Council will open soon. This luncheon is available for the following missionary statuses:
- Appointed Missionary
- Candidate Missionary
- Career Associate
- Endorsed Chaplain
- Missionary Associate
- Missions Intern
- Retired Missionary
- RV Volunteer
For those needing childcare, we will also host a USMK (U.S. Missions Kids) pizza party for ages 5 and up during the U.S. Missions luncheon.
*Children under 5 may attend the U.S. Missions luncheon but will need to be registered.
Seats go quickly. We encourage you to register early.
**Thank you to those who emailed to let us know that this newsletter initially included a bad link to the registration.
We expect to have a correct link in the near future and will include it in February's newsletter so you can register to join us at the U.S. Missions luncheon and, if applicable, so your kids can join the USMK pizza party. We appreciate your patience.
Note: If you register for General Council before February 1 and see our luncheons listed among the Special Functions, that will indicate that everything is resolved. Please take the liberty of registering for the luncheon(s) at that time.
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A refreshed AGUSM Donor Guide is in the works and will be available in early 2023 in both English and Spanish.
This free resource is available through the My Healthy Church store and is limited to 50 copies per order.
English 722005
Spanish 722006
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Introduce the people you meet to the missions work happening here in the United States through the seven windows of U.S. Missions. Available in English and Spanish.
Email U.S. Missions Marketing to order.
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In this fun-filled activity book, kids will
travel around the United States with
Smush the Pug to learn what Jesus is
doing through the seven windows of
U.S. Missions:
Adult & Teen Challenge, U.S.A., Chaplaincy Ministries, Chi Alpha Campus Ministries, U.S.A., Church Mobilization, Intercultural Ministries, U.S. Specialized, and Youth Alive.
Includes stories, mazes, word searches,
coloring pages, and more! Great for
missions conventions, Sunday School,
kids church, or any other event.
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Available on MyHealthyChurch.com
or call (855) 642–2011.
English 722066
Spanish 722002
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Few ministries are specifically reaching out to the hundreds of farm and ranch families across the United States. As a result, many are often unreached with the gospel of Jesus. In recent years, these families have become even more isolated.
Albert Lautenschlager, U.S. missionary associate with Church Mobilization, serves farm and ranch families across several states. From family redemption to miraculous salvations, Albert tells many stories about the redeeming work the Lord has done through his ministry.
With skyrocketing prices and continued pressure to produce food and survive financially, the normally difficult lives of farmers and ranchers have gotten even harder. The COVID-19 pandemic has also affected farmers as their health is essential to their ability to do their job.
Albert responds to these realities daily. “The farmers and ranchers feeding the world are dying and going to hell,” he says. He believes the answer for these hard-working families is to open the eyes of local churches. “Some of them may have had some sort of Sunday School or religion classes growing up, but as they’ve become adults who are engulfed in the farm and ranch lifestyle, they have not stayed in relationship with the Lord. They live each day just barely hanging on to a bit of sanity.”
One church is stepping up to the need. Pastor Foster Beckstrand of Dazey, North Dakota says, “Our church wants to honor farmers, lift them up and encourage them.” Albert and his family are working to help the church host an event with door prizes and hamburgers and hot dogs that honors farming and ranching families. He will encourage them with a message pointing out that the first job God ever created was farming.
Beyond ministering to farmers through local churches, Albert builds relationships with individual farmers and ranchers. Sometimes, the Lord leads people to him. One night, he received a surprise phone call from an old coworker he had worked with years ago, before he became a Christian. Upon answering the call, the man said, “I need someone to talk to. I don’t have a friend.” The man had been with Albert during a tough time in his life, and now he was calling for help.
The man was facing serious marital struggles among other problems and was desperate, almost to the point of self-harm. He didn’t think his local Catholic priest could be a help to him but knew that Albert had come to Christ when they worked together and hoped he would know what to do.
This providential conversation allowed Lautenschlager to share what God can do if we will surrender our lives to Him. The two prayed together and, through their conversation, the man made the decision to commit his life to Jesus!
They have stayed connected for almost a year since that phone call. Albert shares, “It’s been a wonderful relationship. He went from being depressed, literally in tears while sitting in the middle of a hayfield to saying, ‘I have peace, I have a newfound joy of life!’”
Due to the intertwined nature of their business and family lives, farmers and ranchers often undergo a greater level of stress than those in other careers. They can experience anxiety from the constant responsibilities, illness, injury, balancing work and life, and weariness. All these stressors can bring tension to family relationships as well. Albert understands these struggles and works to show these families that the Lord provides peace and assistance through life’s difficulties.
God prompted Albert to visit a struggling farm family. As they talked, he suggested they take a ride around the farm. The worship music on their radio opened a natural door to share his own experience of the hardship of winding down a farm operation and how God has remained faithful and worked in his own life.
The farmer and his wife had divorced but came to faith in Jesus in the past year and subsequently remarried. Recently, however, the farmer had been injured, their farm was in jeopardy, and the farmer was questioning his faith. “He was adamantly mad at God,” Albert recounts. At first, he didn’t even want a conversation, believing a Christian minister could never truly understand his struggles.
Albert shared his testimony and the realities of spiritual warfare that even new believers face, prayed with the couple, and read Bible passages with them. The farmer told Albert, “You’ve just given me hope that I can get through this, that this isn’t the end of everything, it is just a challenge!”
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