Seasons and Journeys

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens
(Ecclesiastes 3:1, NIV)

What do you think of when you read this well-known passage, traditionally attributed to King Solomon in the 10th century BCE? We immediately hear Pete Seeger, Judy Collins, and – especially – the Byrds singing Turn! Turn! Turn! in our heads … which says a lot about us and our formative years.

Today, Solomon’s words signal a new journey on the horizon for us. Beginning October 1 this year, we will start a new chapter as volunteer Global Consultants through International Ministries (IM). This transition to “active retirement” will bring to a close our 36-year journey as standard appointment global workers that began in 1987.

As we look forward to opportunities to continue some parts of our work alongside Baptist partners in the Asia-Pacific and Latin American regions, we also look back in gratitude to God and to you for the privilege of cooperating in God’s mission to rescue, redeem, and restore all creation. Here are some high points on the journey:

Sent by First Baptist Church in Portland, OR, to attend IM’s World Mission Conference in 1986 with our 2-year-old.

Commissioned to cross-cultural ministry by FBC Portland and by IM at the World Mission Conference in 1987.

Serving with Central Philippine University (CPU) and the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches (CPBC), 1987-1996. Highlights: strengthening CPU’s Katin-aran Center, establishing CPU’s bachelor’s degree program in Entrepreneurship, setting up CPBC’s Buligay Center, and assisting CPBC’s Development Ministries program to encourage church-based co-ops and livelihood opportunities. Our second child was born during this time.

Serving in IM’s office in the US, 1996-2004. Highlights: serving as CFO/Treasurer, coordinating IM’s crisis management teams, writing, and promoting IM’s short-term mission team leader guide, installing a new enterprise resource planning software package to provide accounting, reporting, and budgeting services, orienting new global servants, advocating for missionary kids, and helping design and pilot IM’s relationship-based support model for global servants.

Dear friends came to the airport to say goodbye to us and our 11-year-old

Serving with the National Baptist Convention of Brazil (CBN), 2004-2015. Highlights: trained 70+ of the CBN’s cross-cultural global workers in holistic evangelism, cross-cultural ministry, and English, led a missional revival at our home church, developed two new national secretariats for the CBN that offer training and consulting in servant leadership and holistic evangelism, and led strategic planning initiatives for a CBN seminary and the national Baptist women’s and men’s organizations.

Regional and global consultants, 2015-2023: Highlights: equipped and encouraged Baptist partners in the Asia-Pacific region (Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Aotearoa New Zealand, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam) and Latin America (Ecuador, Brazil) in holistic evangelism, faith-based social entrepreneurship, servant leadership, accessible theological education, and organizational effectiveness.

Please pray for wisdom and grace as we wind down some of our relationships and deepen others in preparation for this new life journey. Let us know if you would like to continue to partner with us and receive ministry updates after September.

If you are a financial partner in our ministry, please continue to send designated gifts to IM through September. We will need your continued financial support until then. Beginning in October, we hope you’ll consider shifting your support to our fellow Global Servants at IM. We or the donor advisors at IM would be happy to give you some suggestions.

Blessings,

Ann & Bruce