“I am the church, you are the church, we are the church together.  All who follow Jesus, all around the world, yes we’re the church together.”

 I think it’s wonderful that “the church” is so large. Throughout the world we are together as one church.  Bethany is connected deeply to many missions as we pray and give financially to them.   The Mission Team at Bethany oversees this joyful task.

Each Sunday during prayer time, we pray for specific missionaries.  I love that part so much. I’ve gotten to know each missionary over the years that I have been on the Missions Team.  Just a few weeks ago we prayed for KICY, a radio station in Nome Alaska, that reaches 100  Alaskan villages that have no pastors and even into Russia.  KICY pays  $12,000 a month for electricity for a 50,000 watt radio station to get their message to the villages over thousands of miles.  We help pay for the electricity  to reach people that have no church around them.   I know I can hop in my car and drive to Bethany each Sunday but to know that we are supporting KICY gives me goose bumps.    And while I’m taking about Alaska, we also support Christian Youth of Alaska, CYAK, (a Covenant program).  In their last newsletter they talked about  an island that had 3 teen suicides over the summer and how difficult it was for the villagers to deal with those deaths.  CYAK flew in a team to walk alongside them and let them know they were not alone.  These folks were all volunteers including the pilot who flew them in.  But the costs of fuel and food were all paid for by people who support their program.  Did you even know that your contribution to Bethany was helping pay for something as remarkable as this?  Again, I feel blessed and feel God’s presence when I know that something so small can do something so huge.  Is that what Jesus meant by the mustard seed?

All of us are a part of what is happening in the mission field just by being part of Bethany.  We have missionaries we support all over the world.  I’d love to tell you about each one at some point in time.  But until then, make sure to pay attention each Sunday morning when we pray about our focused missionary.  You will begin to see the bigger part of the picture of missions in our church.  Pay attention.  That is a gift coming back to you because of your donations to the church.  It is a gift that is beyond comprehension.  Each week I read the newsletters sent to our team from the workers. Come join us on the Mission Team. We meet every other month (2nd Tuesday). Our next gathering will be January 11th, 7PM.  Come see the remarkable things so many missionaries are doing on our behalf.  Remember: I am the church, you are the church, we are the church together.