GM Board Approves New Missionary Appointments

At the recent Common Global Ministries Board Meeting, which took place April 18-20, 2013 in Indianapolis, seven people were approved by the board to serve as mission personnel with international partners.

At the recent Common Global Ministries Board Meeting, which took place April 18-20, 2013 in Indianapolis, seven people were approved by the board to serve as mission personnel with international partners.

Rosalind Gnatt has been appointed to serve as a Long Term Volunteer with the Evangelical Church of Hesse-Nassau, Germany, beginning June 1, 2013.  The New York Conference of the United Church of Christ has a partner relationship with the Evangelical Church of Hesse-Nassau.  One way in which the conference and Evangelical Church accompany each another is through the exchange of seminary students for one to two year internships after completing formal study.  Rosalind will serve in a pastoral leadership position in a local congregation.

Faye and John Buttrick have been appointed to serve with Kairos Palestine beginning April 20, 2013.  Kairos Palestine was launched in December 2009 as a movement of Palestinian Christians to call upon various communities locally and internationally to act and help end the injustices they experience.  Fay and John will work with Kairos Palestine as the organization seeks to expand its connections among Palestinian civil society organizations working for conflict resolution and to report accurately on current realities.

Kristine Tisinger will serve a three year term with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) in Ghana beginning October 1, 2013.  The church has developed extensive economic empowerment programs and direct social services that are provided by member churches to communities around the country.  One program involves child care for vulnerable children and Kristine will be involved in providing expertise and stability.  Kristine recently completed three years of service as a Global Mission Intern, working with the Theological Education by Extension College (TEEC) in South Africa.

Erik and Kimberly Free have been endorsed to serve a four year term with the United Church of Christ in Mozambique, contingent on availability of funds, beginning January 1, 2014.  After years of civil war and political instability (war began in 1977, two years after the end of the war of independence, and ended in 1992), the leadership of the UCCM has requested the presence of missionaries to accompany them in the implementation of two of their priorities as a church – agriculture and health care.  Erik and Kimberly will assist in the training the youth and elders in agriculture skills for the self-sustainability and increased food security of the community.

Benjamin Ewert has been appointed to serve as a Long Term Volunteer with Church of Christ of Thailand, beginning in April of 2013.  Quality education is a critical need in the rapidly changing economies of Asia and children from low-income families are served by this continued ministry of church schools. Benjamin will be involved in the educational ministry of the Church of Christ in Thailand by teaching English at Sajja Pittaya School in Bangkok.

We congratulate these who have been appointed and give thanks for their commitment to serve in God’s global mission.  Please keep each of them, along with the international partners with whom them will serve, in your prayers as they seek to accompany one another in serving around the world.