Western North Carolina Mission Trip

Participants,

We are on track for our trip October 4-7.

Let me thank each of you for volunteering for the 2012 Western North Carolina Adult Mission trip. The trip last year was a blast and very rewarding. I expect no less this trip. We have 12 committed to the trip as of now. We can take 4 more if you know of anyone who would like to attend.

I spoke with Mark Hanna last week and he is planning some projects for us similar to last year of installing a tile floor, construction of handicap ramps, repairing a roof, and replacement of underpinning and a window of a mobile home.

Mark has also spoken with the pastor from the First Baptist Church and the Catholic Church in Bryson City. They may have some volunteers to round out the teams.

I have asked Ron Nelson to schedule the commissioning for 10:30 AM on Sunday, September 30.

Thank you,
Dave Spivey

Lesotho: Hunger Emergency Escalates

Resource:  allAfrica

A poor rainy season has led to a dramatic increase in the proportion of Lesotho's population needing humanitarian assistance.

The number of people suffering from hunger in Lesotho has risen sharply this year, according to new findings released by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Around 39% of Lesotho's population will need humanitarian assistance during 2012-2013, an increase of 514,000 compared to last year.

Full story...

Perú's Fog Catchers Net Water Supplies

Resource:  The Guardian

Sandwiched between the cool ocean currents of the Pacific Ocean and the Andean foothills, Peru's coastal capital is a meteorological anomaly. Lima is the second-largest desert city after Cairo, yet it has a cooler and more humid climate than its subtropical latitude might suggest. Rainfall is extremely low – less than 4cm annually – but humidity can reach 98%.

The city – home to a third of Peruvians, nearly 9 million people – is dependent on three rivers that flow from the Andes, the Rimac, Chillon and Lurin. But as the city continues to expand outwards, up to 150,000 migrants a year swell its peripheries, where there is little or no infrastructure. For these people, water is a scarce resource.

Full story...

Additional Information:  Water Advocate

Peruvians Worried After Russians Predict "Devastating Earthquake"

Resource:  Perú This Week

Two Russian scientists have caused commotion among some Peruvians, after claiming Peru would experience a devastating earthquake this Friday.

According to La Republica, Victoria Popova and Lidia Adrianova – self proclaimed UFO experts - said the earthquake would be unlike anything seen by humanity before, and would even be felt in some parts of the United States.

Full story...

Western North Carolina Mission Trip

Sharon's Western North Carolina Adult mission trip is October 4 - 7, 2012. We will partner with the Bryson City Presbyterian Church (BCPC) to conduct mission work in and around Bryson City, NC. BCPC has identified families in poverty and with poor health who need assistance with basic repairs to their homes. The group will depart Thursday, October 4 at 12:00 noon and return the afternoon of Sunday, October 7. Anyone can participate, regardless of prior construction experience or skill level. Three slots are open on our team of 16 Sharon volunteers; contact Dave Spivey at spiveys_@msn.com or 704-604-3644 for information.

Join Us!

Interested in hearing about the work of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in Perú? Rev. Sara Armstrong and Rusty Edmondson, partnerships and delegations coordinators in Perú, will be at Sharon Church on Sunday, September 16, 2012, for a presentation. Please join us at 9:30 a.m. in the Chapel for a visit with them.

New Horizons 2012

From June 4 to August 31, 2012, the United States and Peru will undertake the joint civil engineering and medical assistance exercise “New Horizons 2012” that will benefit six communities in the Ica and Huancavelica Regions.

The three-month exercise will feature construction of community facilities, a disaster response exercise, and the provision of free medical care to an estimated 30,000 people. New Horizons activities provide assistance to areas in need and advance Peru’s social inclusion goals while also enhancing military and civilian cooperation and disaster response capabilities.

Full story...

5 Factors That Brought A Dying Church Back To Life

By J.D. Greear
Create A Sending Culture

In my opinion, creating a sending culture is essential to revitalizing a church. Churches that are revitalized see themselves as communities on mission with God, not as country clubs for Christians.

One very practical thing you can do to encourage this mentality is to send as many people on short-term mission trips as possible. Few things open our eyes to missional living like spending time with missionaries overseas. The more that mentality gets into the bloodstream of the church, the more church members become willing to apply missional principles to their own context.

During our first two years, we sent an inordinate amount of our people and leaders overseas. It cost a lot of money and took up valuable time, but it did two things. First, it raised the level of generosity in our church. Having seen the needs on the field, the people gave. The trips may have cost us a lot of money, but they paid for themselves many times over. Second, it made our people ask themselves if we were laboring to reach our city the same way that missionaries overseas were laboring to reach theirs.

When you create a sending culture in your church, you will likely lose some of your best people to a church plant or a missions assignment. But don’t be afraid; the sending culture creates more leaders to take their place. It has worked for us like the five loaves and two fish: the more we give away, the more is multiplied and given back to us.

Full story...

Better Together: Ecumenism & Networks

From Sarah Henken

Original Post August 28, 2012

The Red UMAVIDA is an ecumenical network, comprised of three Bolivian denominations (Lutheran, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches) and six community organizations from around the country. At the annual assembly earlier this year I was invited to share some thoughts about what it means to be ecumenical, and why it is important. Here’s a bit of what I said:

“Ecumenism” comes from the Greek word oikoumene and the root oikos, which means house. Other common words including ecology and economy have that same root, and they are all connected. “Ecumenism” refers to the whole inhabited earth, the home we share; ecology is the study of the way that home works, and economy refers to the rules of order we employ in our home.

Full story...

Avondale Senoir High Mission Team Returns From Perú

The Senior High mission team from Avondale Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, North Carolina has recently returned from a visit and work in and around Cusco and at the Seminaro Biblico Iep in Sicuani.  After their mission work was done the group enjoyed a 4 day trek on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu!

Peru Mission 12 from Zach Chambers on Vimeo.

Huanta "Splash Out" Water Game

Avondale Perú Presentation

On Sunday August 26, at 10:00AM, the Avondale Presbyterian Senior High Mission team will be giving a presentation of their recent trip to Perú.  The presentation will consist of descriptions of their hard work at the Seminario Biblico Iep Sicuani, other work in and around Cusco and their trek on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

Join them at Avondale Presbyterian Church, 2821 Park Road, Charlotte, North Carolina (704) 333-6194.

Missions At Home

Democratic National Convention - 2012

A community-wide group of organizations serving poor and homeless people in Charlotte has asked the Urban Ministry Center to provide Room In The Inn overnight housing for those displaced during the DNC. These people include those who are homeless and sleeping in center city Charlotte, and families living in motels who are being displaced so that the motels can raise their rates during the DNC. Since school opens August 27, there is particular concern for families with school-aged children living in these motels. The shelters are at maximum capacity. There is no way to know for sure how many people will need RITI services, but several cities who hosted national and international events have been contacted for their experience and response. Motels in the area have also been contacted. Tampa, hosting the RNC, is engaging in similar efforts as being done here.

The decision has been made to open Room In The Inn from August 31 through September 7 when the need should be the most acute. The goal is to house 150 guests/night city wide. Priority will be given to families and women; men will be admitted as space is available.

Sharon Presbyterian has committed to host RITI Friday, August 31, and Friday, September 7. We will need volunteers for each of the functions – set-up, pick-up drivers, dinner preparers, dinner servers, overnight hosts/hostess, breakfast preparers, return drivers, and clean-up crew. Each volunteer will only work one weekend of the two we are hosting.

Your consideration to help with this extra effort is very much appreciated.

David Beers

Exciting News!

Most of the Sharon/Avondale Presbyterian mission group have returned home from a wonderful journey to Perú.  This year, team members visited Lima, Huanta, Ayacucho and Chula.  The Magees from Avondale Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, North Carolina left for Perú early to visit Cusco and Machu Picchu and joined the rest of the team on arrival in Lima.

Keep in your thoughts and prayers Rose Boelke, Amanda Boelke and Wes Manus who are still in Perú.  They will return back to the United States in a few days...  after completing the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu!

A few pictures are already loaded into the Perú album that can be accessed using the 2012 Album link below.  More pictures will be added each day as time permits.

The exciting news is for our planned visit in 2013.  The date will July 12-22 with 2 groups proposed.  One team is scheduled to work in and around Huanta, doing repairs on elderly and disabled church member's homes.  Team two will travel to the jungle highlands of Pichari to share our Lord's good news.

More information coming soon!