I am the Mission Advocate at my local church and thought I would share a couple ways I have promoted the offering from the pulpit. A couple Sundays ago, I played the "What if..." game with the congregation. Let me give an example, using names of missionaries familiar and supported by Maine churches.
> What if...
Lauren Bethal, ABC missionary had not received support to develop the New Life Center in Chiang Mai, Thailand. How many young girls would not have been saved from abusive child labor and prostitution?
> What if...
Sarah and Dan Chetti, serving in Lebanon, had not received support to stay there.
How many Christians from the Arab world would have had an opportunity to take seminary classes and how many Asian maids, wrongfully jailed would languish in prison with no hope.
> What if ...
Bill and Ann Clemmer's support dropped and they could not return to Congo. Would ebola have wiped out the entire country without Bill's medical expertise?
> What if ...
Kristy Engel, serving in the Dominican Republic, had not been able to return because of lack of funding. What would have happened to the thousands in Haiti she and volunteer medical staff from the US treated after the earthquake.
>
These are only what-ifs, but they could be whatsoevers if we say so-what and ignore the opportunity we have to put a generous gift in this envelope.
>
The following Sunday, I used the "you were there" theme.
> You were There...
with Bill Clemmer in Congo as he visited AIDS patients and hugged a woman who had not received a hug from anyone for a long time
> You were there...
with Kristy Engel when she went out into the bateys with her dog Nike and taught the children about good hygiene.
> You were there...
with Sarah West in Zambia teaching a Bible study on the Proverbs 31 woman with women who had supported themselves and their families thru postitution. The women learned trom this scripture God's plan for women and got excited about the possibility of starting cottage industries in their neighborhoods
> We can continue to be there with our missionaries with the gifts we give to the WMO.
> The world needs to hear about Jesus so missionaries are called.
> The missionaries need our prayer support and monetary support, so we are called.
> We are a blessed people. We not only have our needs met, but we have more.
> Is there a better way to share what we have?
> Prayfully consider your part in the WMO
>
We have one more Sunday in October. Let's do what we can for our missionaries and promote WMO!
>
> Lorna Hansen
> What if...
Lauren Bethal, ABC missionary had not received support to develop the New Life Center in Chiang Mai, Thailand. How many young girls would not have been saved from abusive child labor and prostitution?
> What if...
Sarah and Dan Chetti, serving in Lebanon, had not received support to stay there.
How many Christians from the Arab world would have had an opportunity to take seminary classes and how many Asian maids, wrongfully jailed would languish in prison with no hope.
> What if ...
Bill and Ann Clemmer's support dropped and they could not return to Congo. Would ebola have wiped out the entire country without Bill's medical expertise?
> What if ...
Kristy Engel, serving in the Dominican Republic, had not been able to return because of lack of funding. What would have happened to the thousands in Haiti she and volunteer medical staff from the US treated after the earthquake.
>
These are only what-ifs, but they could be whatsoevers if we say so-what and ignore the opportunity we have to put a generous gift in this envelope.
>
The following Sunday, I used the "you were there" theme.
> You were There...
with Bill Clemmer in Congo as he visited AIDS patients and hugged a woman who had not received a hug from anyone for a long time
> You were there...
with Kristy Engel when she went out into the bateys with her dog Nike and taught the children about good hygiene.
> You were there...
with Sarah West in Zambia teaching a Bible study on the Proverbs 31 woman with women who had supported themselves and their families thru postitution. The women learned trom this scripture God's plan for women and got excited about the possibility of starting cottage industries in their neighborhoods
> We can continue to be there with our missionaries with the gifts we give to the WMO.
> The world needs to hear about Jesus so missionaries are called.
> The missionaries need our prayer support and monetary support, so we are called.
> We are a blessed people. We not only have our needs met, but we have more.
> Is there a better way to share what we have?
> Prayfully consider your part in the WMO
>
We have one more Sunday in October. Let's do what we can for our missionaries and promote WMO!
>
> Lorna Hansen