2009 Mission Report

Hello!
Please review this draft report to council and let us know if we missed something. It's been an active year and we continue to seek God's guidance for how we can be involved in 2010.

January: "Taste of South America" event with recipe booklet as fundraiser for our ELCA missionaries, Kate Lawler and David Wunsch.

February/March: Planning increased communication and educational activities for our Sister Parish relationship: create bulletin board, send Easter card to Chichipate, plan panel discussion.

April: Guatemalan Panel Discussion to raise awareness of important issues in Guatemala.

May: St. Thomas Lenders group started, providing global micro loans through Kiva.org online. Plant sale fundraiser for ECHO (Education Concerns for Hunger Organization).

June: Mission Media Series continues with several summer sessions on environmental issues, "End of the Spear" and the documentary with our bishop in it, "In God's Name."

July: Visit from our sister synod - Francesca joined us from Chile, participated in our community and then the ELCA Youth Gathering.

August: Solidarity Scarves fundraiser for the Sister Parish Solidarity trip to Guatemala.

September: St. Thomas Mission Fair, where all are welcome to share their projects, activities, organizations with an emphasis on education, not fund raising. Began involvement with new local Inter-faith winter shelter. Introduction to "Every Person a Missionary" materials through small groups at St. Thomas.

October: CROP Walk to eliminate poverty and hunger. Sister Parish Solidarity trip to Guatemala.

November: Guatemalan Advent Series, Sister Parish Devotions book and "Sharing the Dream" fundraiser for our Sister Parish activities.

December: Visit from our ELCA missionaries, Kate Lawler and David Wunsch (and David's parents and Kate/David's kids)

Mission Related Worship: Throughout the year, the Mission Committee recommended various additions to our worship to focus on certain mission issues, eg. Global Mission Sunday, Sister Synod Sundays, Crop Walk commissioning/prayers, Earth Day liturgy/prayers and more.