have been pleased how much the visioning group has learned about our congregation during the last six months. You will hear a lot more about our mission, values, strategy, and measurables over the next months. Two of those values are these: “Get ready to do something.” Ours is a church responsive to the needs around us and willing to take risks. Looking back over the last 15 years or so, every 2-3 years we plant a new faith community. We began our own 8:45 service in the mid-90s when “contemporary” services were risky. We helped plant FaithBridge UMC in Blowing Rock. We took Esmirna Metodista in Patzibal under our wing. We launched our own Crossroads service. We made Blackburn’s Chapel part of our church. We found new communities well, we just don’t speak of ourselves as if we do it well. That is what visioning is for–giving language to who we are at our best.
Another example of this is our Faith Promise missions program. Dan and LaVonne Hill came from another UM congregation that did Faith Promise and helped introduce it here. It was a risk, high-demand and with some chance of failure, and it has worked beautifully to increase our church’s responsiveness to God.
Another value is this: “Everyone everywhere matters.” Every time we see another person we should bow.. That is an image of God, walking around, reflecting God just by being human. This is why local and international missions are not separable from one another. Everyone matters. Go on one of our mission trips elsewhere and see if you can ignore local poverty. You can’t.
Jonathan and Stephanie Allen embody these values beautifully. These friends of mine inspire me with their day jobs in school psychology and financial management. They chaired our mission committee and now they’re boldly going where they have sent others, in their case to Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world. It is also a place where the church is growing rapidly, as it is elsewhere in the Pacific rim. Below are the Allens’ words:
Boone UMC has a long standing partnership with the International Leadership Institute (ILI). You might remember that our efforts have been highlighted during our Missions Celebrations over the past several years, including visits from leadership staff such as Wes Griffin, Peter Pereira, and most recently Norival and Christina Trindade. ILI works to accelerate the spread of the Gospel through the development of leadership skills in local leaders from countries all over the globe. ILI conferences train and mobilize more than 10,000 leaders each year with the eight core values of the most effective Christian leaders. This year, BUMC is partnering with ILI to sponsor the first ever training in the nation of Indonesia. This particular conference is specifically designed for young leaders (18-30 years old) of churches in Indonesia and surrounding nations. Some of the participants in attendance will be traveling from closed countries. The opportunity for training, renewal, and fellowship with Christian brothers and sisters will be an incredible blessing for them. There are five national faculty and twenty-eight participants registered for the conference.
Your contributions to the Faith Promise Missions Account are making this event happen. BUMC will provide $8,000 to ILI, which will cover most of the cost for the conference attendees. We are very excited that our church can be a part of accelerating the Gospel in this part of the world.
Jonathan and Stephanie Allen will be traveling to Indonesia to assist with leading the conference. Here are some other ways you can help:
1) Pray daily leading up to the conference, and fervently during the conference, which runs August 13-18. It is being held on the island of Java, about two hours outside the city of Jakarta.
2) Remember your Faith Promise pledge. The gifts you give today will go towards future ILI conferences as well as many other mission efforts (such as the Justice family and Boone Area Missions) of our church.
3) Look for daily updates about how the Holy Spirit is impacting the progress of the conference on the church website or Facebook page.
Get ready to do something. Because everyone, everywhere matters.