Wednesday, May 13, 2020
(We did not get the Zoom call recorded, but here is a summary of the call for your review.)
Today’s call was an information and prayer time for our pastors and leaders in Metrolina, with a special update from the International Mission Board (IMB).
Participants included: Jack Homesley, Calvary; Larry Burns, Mulberry; David Turner, Durham Memorial; Michael Davis, Berryhill; Will Stoneham, Mint Hill; Francis Yancy, Kingdom Life; Methuselah Dixon, Agape Global; Naina Monger, Nepali; Kyle Phillips, Mulberry; Terry Sharp, IMB; Jamie Work, IMB; Todd Jones, MBA; Bob Lowman, MBA, Facilitator.
The call began with updates on how churches are doing and how plans are going toward reopening.
Will Stoneham, Mint Hill, shared their plan, including that they would be following the NC Phases for reopening, with outdoor and online worship now, and when larger groups can gather for worship having 2 Sunday morning services, the first for more health-challenged individuals (with the sanctuary being cleaned and ready for the day), every other pew marked off and 6 foot intervals on the pews marked. They will also have a Sunday evening outdoor worship as well. They are having a church-wide forum on Facebook tonight to discuss their plans, and will be posting a written outline of the plans online as well. Pastors are encouraged to check those out.
Jack Homesley, Calvary; Larry Burns, Mulberry; and Michael Davis, Berryhill, shared their worship plans (outdoor, online, etc.) and tentative plans as we look to the future.
MBA will be posting any written guidelines from our churches and other churches/ministries on our website and on Facebook for our churches’ information.
Jamie Work and Terry Sharp from the International Mission Board, SBC (IMB) shared on how our missions personnel are dealing with the pandemic on a global basis, and how we can pray for them.
Here are some highlights from that presentation:
- IMB personnel have been impacted globally in ways similar to how we have been impacted, only in other countries that present unique challenges.
- Many IMB personnel have to leave the country in which they serve to renew their visas to serve by going to another country for 24-48 hours, then returning. The pandemic has hindered that effort, and personnel have had to adapt how they continue legally with active visas.
- New IMB personnel being trained at the International Learning Center (ILC) outside Richmond, who had already sold their possessions in preparation to go overseas, were not able to go when the pandemic hit. These personnel have had to stay temporarily with their families and in residences provided by many churches and associations as they wait to go on mission.
- With the ILC closing due to the pandemic, missionaries ready for training are waiting until the ILC can reopen in Virginia.
- IMB Prayer Needs:
- Pray that our IMB personnel don’t feel abandoned.
- For wisdom as activities are restricted.
- For outlets to interact, fellowship and pray with others.
- For those separated from family during the pandemic
- For the IMB trustees that are meeting virtually this week
- For missionaries’ evangelism efforts as they adapt to serve in place globally
- For the personnel waiting to deploy and to be trained in this temporary season
- For an awareness of God’s presence daily as they serve.
- We rejoice that for 175 years- through famine, war, global pandemics and civil unrest- Southern Baptist missionaries have maintained an uninterrupted witness among the nations.
- Go online to imb.org/175pray to sign up to receive prayer requests for the next 175 days for IMB personnel.
Jack Homesley, Calvary, shared a good Word for us to remember: “Wherefore seeing we also are surrounded with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. YOU HAVE NOT YET RESISTED UNTO BLOOD, striving against sin.” Hebrews 12:1-4
Naina Monger, Nepali, shared needs from his church and the Nepali community for prayer.
We spent time in prayer, lifting up one another, the IMB needs, the Nepali concerns and all our international groups in Charlotte, and our family of churches through this difficult season.
We will continue these Metrolina Leader Calls through June on Wednesdays at 11 am. Here is what to expect:
May 20: MBA Pastors sharing lessons learned
May 27: Prayer together
June 3: Dr. Chuck Lawless, Southeastern Seminary
To find the link for each of these Zoom calls, go to metrolina.org/calendar. Please let us know how we can pray for and serve you and your church family through these times.
