What’s Happening in Missions at UCC? November 2011

Gifts from the Heart
Each year the church receives a special Gifts from the Heart offering at Thanksgiving to give towards important ministry projects of some of our UCC missionaries. Gifts from the Heart is our opportunity as a community to express the love of Christ to those beyond our walls. This year the Missions Committee has chosen to send funds for the following special projects:

1) Translate and publish the book: Where There is No Animal Doctor                     
by Pete in the Burmese language 
Cost: $10,000

Life in the village is really simple. However, the village people need cash for their children's education and medical bills. Livestock are their living piggy bank. 
The animals provide sources of milk and meat, as well as assist with farming. Because of the lack of care, the animals belonging to village people in remote areas are often more prone to illness or malnutrition. Thus, the villagers never have enough income and end up in the city. 
Women sell handcraft on the side of the busy street to earn some cash, while husbands stay at home working in the field. This break-up of the nuclear family is very destructive. Women frequently end up in prostitution. 
                     
Boon, Pete’s counterpart, doing a health check

This very practical book has been a great help to the many people in nations who support themselves raising animals. It has already been published in Russian and Chinese and is now being translated into Thai. The new goal is now to publish it in the Burmese language. 
The offering from Gifts from the Heart will not only be used for the translation and publication of Where There Is No Animal Doctor, but also for a small animal manual. The book will be a great take home reference material for the trainee. 

Special project: 
Any excess funds given for the translation will be used to help fund the salary of Boon, a key Thai worker whom Pete has trained to oversee the agricultural project in northern Thailand. The full funding for Boon will be $7,000. 
                   
                        Boon examines a sick pig

2) Solar power recharging station for publication of Gospel of Luke in Uganda
Cost: $2,700

Steve and Ann work as technical assistants with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Uganda, Africa. They are in touch with a fellow missionary who is ministering to a people group without the Gospel in a very remote area of Uganda. He is trans-lating the Gospel of Luke, using his laptop computer for the work.
Every time the battery runs down (there is no electricity in the area), Venant, a Ugandan helper, has to ride 10 miles on dangerous dirt roads to the nearest village with electricity to recharge the laptop computer battery.
This missions project is to raise $2,700 to purchase a solar power recharging station the missionary can use, so he doesn’t have to ask Venant to make repeated trips each time his computer battery runs down.
If you are seeking an area of special giving during this season, “Gifts from the Heart” is a great channel for your generosity. Gifts can be placed in the Sunday offering any Sunday in November, and a special offering will be received at the Thanksgiving service on Wednesday Nov. 23d at 7:00pm. Be sure to earmark your donation for “Gifts from the Heart”.

                                                                      
      Traveling 10 miles on a difficult road to recharge a laptop battery

                         
   The road he travels winds around the hills and is rather dangerous.
        It was always too narrow and curvy to stop and take pictures


What’s Happening in Missions at UCC? August 2011

Short term missions teams return from Columbia and Thailand!
One of the ways UCC places a strong emphasis on missions, is by sending out short term mission teams each year. This year, teams went to Columbia and Thailand. 

Columbia

            
Vacation Bible camp in Medellin, Columbia                     

         
UCC Columbia team with some of the local church members

What a great opportunity for ministry!
For almost two weeks in late July early August, 10 members of UCC, led by Pastor Jamie, went to Medellin, Colombia to work with Covenant Missionaries, Gary and Mary.
The trip consisted of leading a vacation bible camp for about 95 school kids, connecting with various churches and beginning the construction of a fourth floor on the school.
The days were tiring, yet so fulfilling. The team worked superbly together as they taught about Jesus, sang songs, made crafts, played
games, conducted experiments, hugged kids, stirred cement, carried bricks up four flights of stairs, ate dinner together and finished the day with bible study, singing and prayer.
It was a taste of the Kingdom – work, laugh-ter, singing, study, com- munity, purpose and joy.
And what about you? God could use you on one of the short term teams next year! See pastor Matt Robbins for more information.

On Sunday, Sept. 11 at 4:00 pm. the Columbia team will be reporting to UCC.
Save this date to hear what God is doing in Columbia where persecution has been so rampant.

Thailand
         
  Scott Agee headed up the 9 member UCC team which ministered in northern Thailand

The UCC team of nine, whose ages ranged from 8 to the mid-sixties, accomplished all that God had prepared for them to do: They lived as the church - - devoted to His Word, worship and prayer every day.
They sat at the feet of numerous missionaries from various countries and national leaders learning what God has been doing in Thailand and the surrounding countries through various strategies and individuals,
Upon arrival in the Karen village they went to serve, they worshipped with the believers, visited in homes, praying prayers for blessing and healing for each family they visited. Then over the next four and a half days, the team labored shoulder to shoulder with men and women from the village, Pete and Mary, and three staff members from the Mekong Minority Foundation (from three different Hill Tribe people groups). 
At the end of the time in the village, a celebration service culminated in every-one standing in a big circle,holding hands, and singing about our unity in Christ - - - - a very moving moment! 

   
Pete – UCC cross-cultural worker in northern Thailand

Guiding Scriptures for UCC Missions
Matthew 22:36-40 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." 

Matthew 28:18-20 “Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." 

Revelation 7:9 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.

From its founding to the present day, UCC has been passionately and steadfastly committed to fulfilling the passages above.  The love we have received from God compels us to want to spread that love to all the peoples of the earth.  We long for the day when this is fulfilled and people from every nation, tribe, people and language will gather together to praise God!

UCC's Long Term Missionaries
We are have sent out and continue to support a large number of missionaries around the world.  We currently support 25 full time missionaries on 14 teams engaged in cross-cultural mission work.  Many of these have become leaders in their regions and organizations and do incredible work, but for security reasons we won't post their pictures or information on this site.  If you'd like to find out more, please email our missions pastor Matt Robbins at Mattr at ucov dot com.

 

UCC's Short Term Mission Projects of Years Past 
We are also very active in sending out short term mission teams as a way to support our long term workers and expose new people to God's heart for the nations.  We have ongoing efforts at an orphanage in India, a school in Turkey, and assisting various churches in Mexico by providing medical and veterinary assistance. 

Little Flock Children's Homes near Chennai India









Vetmerge: Merging the Love of Christ with Veterinary Medicine