2025januarycurrent

LOCAL CHURCH NEWS

CONFERENCE NEWS WITH A GRATEFUL HEART

missionary assigned as director left almost as soon as I arrived due to a serious medical issue. I had no idea what to do, how to do it or where to start. Thank the Lord for the mission initiative’s NIMs. In their midst, I had hand-holders, prayer partners and guiding mentors. Nor did it take long for those of you reading this article to come to my aid with prayers, encouraging emails, continued missionary Advance support and special financial gifts to the Center. Look at what has been accomplished since my arrival, due to the NIMs and all of you:

BY CONNIE WIECK GBGM missionary serving in Southeast Asia

(Note: Due to my placement being one considered sensitive, the country is not announced in this article. “Southeast Asia” is acceptable when advertising my service here, which falls under the category of a mission initiative. There are currently 4 Global Ministries’ missionaries in this mission initiative, each with his/her specified work: one is country director, one is women’s ministry, one is church planting and the last is myself, community bonding through English language teaching. While no country will be listed here, the country is fully used on my website and Facebook page as I do not mention missionary or Christianity.) “Ajahn Connie, we need to bring snacks to the village chief in celebration of National Day.” “Ajahn Connie, a coconut fell from the tree in the courtyard. It’s dangerous for the children.” “Ajahn Connie, this Sunday’s service commemorates our church founding 5 years ago. Wear our traditional skirt. But no T-shirt. A blouse.” It’s been a full year now in my new position as “ajahn” (teacher) and Director of the Suntisouk Language and Vocational Center (SLVC) in Southeast Asia. I am quickly finding that being successful in this new environment depends largely on the mission initiative’s Nationals in Mission, who are referred to as NIM. These are local people employed for five years by Global Ministries to partner with us in service to their country. Those opening quotes are from my NIM office manager, Khamxay. His comments, and those of the six other NIM staff members, are a constant. This vital team of Christians brings attention to items I would otherwise not be aware of. Working together, they keep me in good standing with the community, the parents, the students, the government leaders and the church community as well. Whatever would I do without them? A difficult and challenging year in a new placement One year ago, I was thrust into a new missionary role, that of being an administrator and an English teacher, and serving in a new country. Not only that, but the language center I was to oversee was a mess: building in terrible disrepair, staff morale low, outdated equipment, virtually no fee-paying students (we had very little money on which to operate), and no records or documents of what had been done before for me to follow. The previous

After worship one Sunday, Connie and church women paused for a fashion of the country's traditional skirt, the sinh.

• Add seminars and workshops for area business employees. Such vocational courses and outreach are required by the country’s government office in order for us to operate as a sanctioned educational institution. • Hold English classes at church for pastors and congregation members. VIM (Volunteer in Mission) teams are coming. It is vital for us to prepare our local Christians to connect with English-speaking same-faith visitors. • Move to a newer, safer building With a grateful heart Due to your continued support, this mission initiative program, which God has entrusted into my care, is thriving. Thank you for helping to create a brighter, more nurturing and better service-oriented outreach into both the Christian and non-Christian community here in Southeast Asia. Join me in praising the Lord, keeping the faith and giving God an enthusiastic “Hallelujah and Amen!” How to support me • Advertise and regularly visit my website, www. connieinchina.org , for stories, pictures and updates • Pray for and connect with me: cwieck@umcmission. org • Support my missionary service: Advance #10672Z, Connie Wieck • Give to the Suntisouk Vocational and Language Center for our future needs: SLVC Advance #302148

• Repairing and substantial improvement of the Center’s dilapidated, very old building (We almost burned down due to faulty electrical wiring.) • Hiring a full-time, live-in caretaker (cleans, takes care of security, supervises our children before and after classes). Our caretaker is an active member in the church and a Global Ministries scholarship recipient, hoping to study part-time for his college degree. • Increasing our fee-paying students from 5 to 30. We now have 2 elementary education English classes, 1 junior high class and an adult class. • Creating proper classroom set-ups with chairs, tables, projectors, storage cabinets and bookshelves. • Offering free evening English classes to government workers, needing to communicate with visiting dignitaries, and also to our area teachers (Currently, the government requires English language study in schools but many teachers are poorly educated, often unable to read their own language well much less teach another.) • Giving free morning English classes once a week to an impoverished primary school. The SLVC vision for 2025 What you see in the accomplishments of the last year is the strong foundation upon which the staff and I will be building. While we currently have only 3 teachers (myself, a Global Mission Fellows intern from Pakistan and one NIM, qualified in English teaching), it is my fervent hope we can somehow manage the following: • Increase enrollment to 60

Photo by Jim Beers

The Chester Area Christian Food Pantry (CACFP) hosted its November 2024 Mobile Market Nov. 27. Food items supplied by the St. Louis Area Food Bank were supplemented with items from local sources to serve one of the biggest markets in the history of the events. The CACFP is now open on "Wednesdays only" at the Chester location at the Koeneman Acres Housing complex location. During the month of November 2024, the pantry served 550

individuals from 217 different families. Its current needs include boxed pasta meals, canned pasts meals. and canned tuna fish. Monetary donations are always useful to purchase items that are not donated via tangible food donations. The Dec. 4 pantry distributed special holiday gift bags to clients in addition to their regular food staple items.

Photos courtesy of Lynette Barnett

Harrisburg First UMC holds Chili Cook Off event for local “Coat to Kids” campaign

RIVER RAMBLINGS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Harrisburg First UMC held its Annual Chili Cook Off. More than $1,207.50 was raised from the event for the local "Coats to Kids" campaign. Six chefs entered the Chili Cook-Off. The First-Place winner was Barb Schmitz, the second-

place winner was Lynn Carmean, and third-place winner was Lynette Barnett. The real winners were the kids that will receive coats this winter. Food, fun and fellowship were had by one and all.

dealing with the impact of racialized thinking in our own hearts and minds is an essential part of growing in grace and love. We are also at an important inflection point in the life of our denomination and of the church. The fastest growing religious affiliation in the United States continues to be “no affiliation.” If we believe we have something important to offer other people and the wider world, then we need to focus on the heart of who we are and what we have to offer. Failing to do so we risk either being ignored, or risk having Christian faith be defined by the loudest voices in the culture which right now seem to be voices that have aligned Christian faith with a narrow, partisan political agenda. The church has a role to play in speaking into the moral issues which face our society, issues which also have political dimensions. And it is important that we consistently ground such speaking in our deepest theological thinking and our profoundest affirmations of faith. I look forward to working with you in the new year on the agenda of the church as we ramble down

Harrisburg: First UMC observed United Women in Faith Sunday on Nov. 17. Jeff Van Camp, Executive Director of the Chaddock Children’s Foundation (UWFaith1), was the guest speaker in worship. The congregation took up a love offering that totaled more than $1,400 for the ministry at Chaddock. UWFaith President Becky Barnhill, age 94, (UWFaith2) and other UWFaith members led worship and ushered during the service.

the river together. Bishop David Bard

Photos courtesy of Lynette Barnett

Photos courtesy of Connie Wieck

Students join in a photo with Connie in the Center's courtyard before classes begin.

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