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If you spend a little time at St. Stephen’s you will eventually hear reference to the “Mexico mission trip.” A little over a decade ago the congregation began commissioning teams of people to go to northern Mexico to build hope through the building of houses. We have done this through a relationship with the good people of Amor Ministries. Many in the congregation have been involved in this work in some different ways and it has provided all sorts of opportunities for us to grow and reach out, even into our immediate community. This work has marked us as a congregation and we are thankful for the blessing we have received in being a part of this important ministry.

 

Some years back, those who organize the mission locally realized the importance of not assuming that this would be something we just “do” every year. While they always made their decisions about the mission prayerfully—to the point of drilling into everyone who is ever a part of the trip the first rule of mission—“Pray first!”—they wisely made the request that this be a decision of the congregation, not just the small group who organize the trip. Since that time we have attempted to be as discerning together as we could be, and now have—on a couple of occasions—become convinced that God was saying, “Not this year.”

 

This last spring we had a most remarkable time in Mexico and we saw God do some amazing things. It was especially rich for those who were there and so, we should go again …  right? Maybe … or maybe not. Once again we are entering that time of discernment as to whether we are hearing God’s call to about this work this year.

 

The Church Board will be required to prayerfully arrive at a decision in the next months, and so we are asking members of the congregation to begin praying about this to help us in the task.

  • What is God’s heart on the matter?
  • Should we be sending a team?
  • Should we be having a fallow year?
  • Are we being called to something else?

As you begin to hear we encourage congregants to share with Board members what you sense God might be trying to communicate—through words, “nudges,” coincidences, dreams, visions, scriptural texts, however it is that God speaks.

 

Thanks for your faithfulness in this task!