Meet our Missionaries
Missions is an important part of the life of our church. The command "Go into all the world" (Matthew 28:19-20) compels us to send and support those who are willing to "go". Over the past several years our church has sent "short-term" missions teams to many parts of the world, including: Hong Kong, Central Mexico, Russia, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic, Korea, Ireland, India and Africa. In addition, our teenagers have been involved in a special outreach to Mexicali, Mexico in cooperation with the "YUGO" outreach.
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E Free DB contributed to the construction of an orphanage in India |
The missions committee is lead by the Deacon of Missions and consists of a number of adults from our church. If you would like to serve on the Missions Committee, please contact the Deacon of Missions for more information.
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Here are some pictures of our summer short-term trip to Kenya.
Get acquainted with our missionaries around the world.
Mike & Jen Berk - USA
Mike is currently serving as director for Campus Crusade in California, Arizona and Hawaii helping to lead 200 staff members in those areas. He and Jen will be taking the family to Hawaii for a much needed rest. They will check on the work with the summer team in Hawaii where Jamie Lam is serving. Christina Leininger, who was raised in our church, is one of the members of the Hawaii summer team this year.
Joyce Bourcier - England
Continue to pray that the legal paperwork will be finished for the South Asian Friendship Center to acquire non-profit status. They have had very good response to the English classes that they offer in the area, even turning some people away because of the lack of space. Classes have ended now and will start up again in the fall. Joyce has found another place that might work well for the Friendship Center building she envisions. Pray that God will provide the right facility and the funds to sustain the work. Joyce continues to make contacts with Muslim women as she walks in the park and neighborhood. Pray that good conversations about the Lord will make a difference.
Larry & Kathy Dunne
Larry uses door to door evangelism to try to reach people for the Gospel. Several people have expressed interest in either one-on-one Bible study or may join the evangelistic group study Larry teaches. Continued prayer is needed for funds for the purchase of a building in the town of Claremorris so that regular church services and Bible studies can be held. In the mean time they are using a motor home as the base for meetings in this area. They will be busy with summer teams and CEF children’s camps this summer. www.4you.ie
Chad & Cheri Lawrence - USA
Chad and Cheri work with international students on the UCLA and USC campuses. They took a group of 55 students from both campuses to Yosemite this spring. A church in the area hosted them and the students were able to experience first hand the love of the Lord. Many good discussions and times of sharing occurred and seeds were planted in the lives of these international students. Continue to pray for Chad’s health; he is still experiencing irregular heart beats and has also tested positive for Lyme disease.
Kevin DeVera - England
Kevin was recently inducted as the new pastor of the Acocks Green Baptist Church in a suburb of Birmingham. Please pray for a spirit of unity as he steps into this new role. He wants to be effective in his teaching and also to inspire the congregation to reach out to the non Christians in the area of the church.
Eunice Castle - Russia
Eunice made a trip to the US this summer to see family and friends. She loves her work at the Hinkson Christian Academy as office manager. She is involved in a Russian Church and hosts a class every Sunday in her home. Pray for her health as she has experienced some back pain this year. Pray that she will be encouraged and refreshed this summer.
Jonathan & Traci Shoemaker - Portugal
The Shoemakers are busy preparing for two summer teams to work in Lisbon in July. Our church will be working in the area of the new church plant doing lots of service oriented projects. Pray that their ministry will make a difference and that the people in Alta Lisboa will see the love of the Lord in our team. Traci and Jonathan continue to help out with the youth group at the Benfica Church. You can check out more information about the Lisbon city team at www.efca.org/europe/lisbon or www.teamlisbon.blogspot.com
Tom & Gayle Shook - Asia
The Shooks oversee the work in Mongolia, Japan, Philippines and two creative access countries. These are areas where the work would have to be done in secret. They will be traveling in California for most of the summer and hope to help their son’s family as they have their first baby in early July. Tom will be traveling to Japan and then to Hong Kong in the next few months. They still need to raise 30% of their support.
Dave & Lisa Trotter - International
Dave is busy with the “Legacy Project” for Crusade, video taping veteran missionaries. They are producing several tapes a month that will be used in a variety of ways to show the world what God has done through Campus Crusade for Christ since its origin. Tabitha graduated from college in May. She has joined the staff of Campus Crusade and will begin training this summer. She still needs prayer for her health issues. Boyd graduated from high school. Continue to pray for him as he battles Lyme Disease. He will be attending community college next year in Tallahassee. Courtney plans a summer missions trip to Hungary if her health allows. Both Lisa and Dave are still receiving treatment for their battle with Lyme Disease too. All of this has been very expensive and finances continue to be a problem for the family.
Bryan & Trisha Wynn - Slovenia
Summer has begun and the interns have arrived in Slovenia. English Camps are going on throughout the country and they are very busy. Bryan is in charge of the interns and will also head up the KRIZ discipleship camp again in August. They will be moving to a new village in the fall and need prayer as they look for adequate housing in the area. You can follow them on their blog at www.teamwynnfamilyblog.blogspot.com
Dave & Lisa Wolf - Eastern Europe
Dave and Lisa will be traveling alone this summer to do several camps in the Ukraine and Romania. Pray that they will be able to carry just the right supplies to the camps when baggage space is so limited. Pray the Holy Spirit will be with them so that the work will be fruitful and they will have the energy to do all that is expected of them in each situation.
Jamie Lam - Hawaii
Campus Crusade for Christ works with six campuses in Ohau. Jamie arrived in May and began her work. She is involved with the summer project team and will be working alongside of Christina Leininger, from the Diamond Bar church, in a strong evangelistic outreach program similar to the one that Becky is working on in Malibu. Pray for her as she adjusts to her new home and new responsibilities.
Becky Ellis - Southern California
Becky works as a secretary in charge of all of the recruits for the southwestern region of Campus Crusade for Christ. (Mike Berk’s area.) The summer project in Malibu is underway and Becky is very involved. At the same time, she needs to keep up with all of her regular responsibilities in the office. Becky needs to raise additional support so that she can continue her work. Please consider helping Becky in any way you can. Office personnel have a difficult time raising support.