Global Ministries Board Works on Fundraising and Long Range Planning

The members of the Common Global Ministries Board (CGMB) met for their Spring meeting on April 12-14, 2012 in Indianapolis. The Board is composed of 46 members which include 20 UCC, 20 Disciples and 6 representatives from global partner churches and organizations.

Their first session was spent hearing from international partners and missionaries about their ministries of critical presence. Dr. Mira Rizek shared a presentation on the situation of Christians in the Middle East in light of the recent events of the “Arab Spring”. Rev. Shin Sueng-Min talked about the work of the PROK and peace advocates from around the world in preserving Jeju Island in South Korea from the construction of a Naval base. Vatsala Vijayakumar from the Family Village Farm in India gave an update on the programs there. Returning missionaries Betty & Ken Frank (Turkey), Samuel & Nohemi Pagan (Palestine), Maryjane & Don Westra (Zimbabwe), and Gloria Vicente Kanu (Guatemala) shared presentations of their respective ministries of accompaniment with partner churches and organizations. The Wider Church Board members who participated in Pilgrimages over the past two years also shared a PowerPoint about their different trips.

The two main agendar items were training in fundraising and insight gathering for future long range planning. Tyrone Freeman from the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University guided the CGMB through a series of sessions on fundraising to equip members to play a role in raising resources for Global Ministries. Bill Edwards, regional pastor of the Disciples in Ohio, accompanied the Long Range planning committee of the board in leading several brainstorming sessions to gain insights on vision, mission, core values and ministry priorities for future strategic planning. Global Ministries’ current strategic plan concludes in 2012. The Long Range planning committee will take these insights and others collected from stakeholders to prepare a new plan to be presented at the November 2012 board meeting.

One of the highlights of the gathering was the closing worship and commissionig of missionaries to serve on behalf of Disciples and UCC around the globe. During that service five fully supported missionaries were affirmed in their re-appointment as Global Ministries missionaries: Gloria Vicente Kanu (Guatemala), Anil & Teresa Henry (India) and Maryjane & Don Westra (Zimbabwe) and Patrice & Bob Shebeck (France) were commissioned as Overseas Associates. Several missionaries where honored as they concluded their time of service including Nohemi and Samuel Pagan (Palestine) and Ken & Betty Frank (Turkey) who are retiring after almost 40 years of missionary service.