Video from Global Mission Event

The ELCA Global Mission Event held in July had 100 "global university sessions", speakers from around the world, and global music! Enjoy this short video (1-2 minutes max) and the photo below and look for more follow up to come!

Global Mission Event

This is the beautiful quilt made by the women of the Mashiah Foundation serving women and children with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. It was the symbol of the gathering, reflecting the theme, "God's Work, Our Hands."

July Mission Prayers

Global Mission Event in La Crosse, July 17-20

1) Pray for a Spirit filled time together sharing with people from around the world and safe travels.

2) Pray for the mission offerings featured:
a) US based missions in Bridge of Life, Holmen and Agape Asian Ministry, La Crosse, Wisconsin.
b) ELCA missionary sponsorship program
c) ELCA World Hunger Appeal

Indiana Floods

Pray for those affected by the floods in Indiana. Check with the church office, in the newsletter and weekly notes for ways you can help.

World Vision Prayer "Triggers"

In the recent addition of World Vision News there was a brief article encouraging us to pray throughout the day for mission needs around the world based on these triggers in our daily lives.

1) Bath/shower time: pray for clean water. Nearly 1.1 billion people are without access to clean water.

2) Going to work: pray about child labor. Many children worldwide work for less than $1 a day and 126 million children work in ways that are likely to harm their health, safety or moral development.

3) Meal time: pray for hungry children. Nearly 150 million children are underweight.

4) Reading/listening to news: pray for education. There are 72 million children worldwide not attending primary school.

5) Going home: pray for displaced children. More than 34 million people, mostly women and children, have been forced to leave their homes by violence or disaster.

6) Taking vitamins/medicine: pray for medical access. Every year, nearly 15 times more children die from preventable diseases than Americans who are killed by heart disease, the leading cause of death in the US.

7) Bed time: pray for orphans. There are nearly six times more orphans in the world than there are children under the age of 5 in the US. Orphans in Africa are increasing especially, due to AIDS.

Prayer for Mission and Thanks

A Mission Prayer

Christ has no body now on earth but yours,
no hands but yours, no feet but yours;
yours are the eyes through which is to look out Christ’s compassion to the world,
yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good,
and yours are the hands with which he is to bless us now.

Saint Teresa of Avila

We are thankful for all those in the St. Thomas community engaging in mission in our own community and beyond!

Global Disaster Response

Pray for all those in the recent global disasters mourning lost love ones, those struggling to live, those in leadership positions and those providing care and relief. The ELCA Disaster Relief website has some additional information and ways to respond to the Myanmar cyclone, the earthquake in China and others:
http://archive.elca.org/disaster/

Mission Interest Groups

The mission committee is considering forming a variety of interest groups surrounding important mission related topics, as a way to encourage broader and deeper participation. You do not need to be a member of the mission committee to join these interest groups. Some of the first potential interest groups being formed are:
1) Sister Parish Interest Group - be involved in discerning the best direction for this relationship with our Sister Parish in Chichipate, Guatemala;
2) Micro Loans Interest Group - help have an impact on poverty by providing direct loans to entrepreneurs around the globe. Consider joining an interest group to discuss and make these investment decisions together, connecting with the entrepreneurs via the internet. To learn more, contact: Chris Ogan;
3) Missionary Interest Group - We are considering forming a Missionary Interest Group to sponsor an ELCA missionary, support them in prayer and learn about what they are doing. If you are interested in helping form this interest group, please contact Lyman Hitchcock for further information.
4) Please contact any member of the Mission Committee if you have other ideas for interest groups.

Spring Mission Calendar

March
March 30: Visit from Executive Director, Sister Parish, Guatemala
4:30 pm, St. Thomas

April
April 7: Mission Committee meeting, 7 pm, St. Thomas
Note that meetings will now be on the first Monday
of each month.
April 13: Forum on micro loans to reduce poverty,
Chris Ogan, 9:45 am, St. Thomas
Fair Trade Coffee and Mission Books?
Mission Endowment Fund meeting
April 18-20: ELCA Global Formation Event, Des Moines, Iowa
April 20:
Earth Day Worship Services
Fair Trade Coffee Booth?
April 27: Forum on ECHO by Janet Ellis, 9:45 am

May
May 4: Temple Talk on ECHO
May 5: Mission Committee meeting, 7 pm, St. Thomas
May 11: ECHO plant sale
May 18: ECHO bake sale
Operation Bootstrap Sunday School Event

Upcoming Summer Events
July 17-20, ELCA Global Mission Event, LaCrosse, Wisconsin
Consider going to this wonderful event!!