Mission Mosaic
The Mission & Justice Newsletter of the West Ohio Conference
In This Issue
Upcoming VIM Teams
Mission & Justice Events
A Matter of Justice
The Four Corners
Upcoming VIM Teams
(click on name for details)
Mission & Justice Events
(click on name for details)
ERT Team Training
West Independence UMC
Saturday, Sept. 27

Embracing Diversity
Church for All People
October 25-27, 2014

Interfaith Conference on Human Trafficking
University of Dayton
Wednesday, Oct. 29

UMW Mission Exploration
Meet at Conference Center
Friday, Nov. 7

ERT Team Training
Aley UMC
Saturday, Nov. 15

Ohio Statehouse
January 15, 2015
From Jail to Jobs
Father Greg Boyle from Homeboy/Homegirl Industries in Los Angeles will speak on criminal justice reform and re-entry services on Thurs, Oct. 2, 7:30pm at Bellarmine Chapel at Xavier University.
Global Prayer Calendar
SOCM Globe
In the coming weeks, pray for our friends around the world! Visit the Global Prayer Calendar online!
Mission Mosaic Blog
Read first-hand accounts of mission experiences on the Mission Mosaic blog!
Mission Encounters
Romeo del Rosario, missionary to Cambodia, will itinerate in West Ohio from October 20-November 2, 2014. Churches interested in hosting Romeo may contact Dee Stickley-Miner.

Mariellyn Dunlap Grace, a Church & Community Worker serving at the Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio, will be itinerating from Fall 2014 to Spring 2015. If your church or UMW needs a mission speaker, email [email protected].
 


Happy Fall from the Office of Mission & Justice at the West Ohio Conference! In this edition of Mission Mosaic, the Mission & Justice newsletter of the West Ohio Conference, you can learn more about the experiences of a West Ohio family who moved to Zambia as missionaries, read a testimony from an inmate who's grateful for the ministry of the Horizon Prison Initiative, and discover how young adults can get involved in mission throughout the world! Thanks for all you do to support the work of mission and justice in West Ohio!

Dee Stickley-Miner
Director of Connectional Ministries
West Ohio Conference
Missionaries in Focus
Brian and Tara Vinson, and their four children, recently moved to Zambia as United Methodist Missionaries. Below is an excerpt from their latest newsletter.
 

So many changes in such a short time!

 

We sold our stuff, moved out of the Wellston parsonage, moved to Lancaster, moved on to Millersport, departed for Zambia, lived in a Bed and Breakfast, moved to a hotel, and then finally moved into our new home!

 

We bought a car! It is amazing how much more one can accomplish with a vehicle than without. Depending on others to drive us around was difficult - it is hard being the served rather than the servant.

 

We enrolled Jonathan and Andrew in school (they have been home-schooled thus far) and daily walk them to school. We have been attending church with all locals - some of the service is in English... but plenty is also in Nyanja. 

 

Some unexpected experiences:

  • Zambian people are generally extremely friendly and inviting. It is fun being greeted with big smiles everywhere you go.
  • We are becoming more aware than ever about racial issues. A simple indication: when every baby doll in the toy aisle is white while only 1% of the population is.
  • City living is fun and exciting. But we are getting used to boiling water and/or buying bottled water. The tap water is so hard, we even wear rubber gloves to wash our hands!

To support the Vinson Family, go to The Advance and choose Brian or Tara from the Select a Missionary menu. 

A Matter of Justice
The Horizon Prison Initiative works to restore the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated to healthy, purposeful living through mentoring, education, skill training, and spiritual growth. The following testimony excerpt was written by a current Horizon inmate.


Since coming to Horizon, I have been an active participant or encourager with the ministry since April 2007. Because I am under the old law (convicted and sentenced on or before July 1996), I have to give thanks to the Horizon Dorm. Horizon is the only program "ministry" that is offered to an old law inmate no matter how much time that person has to serve.

Speaking for myself, I have a 33-year minimum sentence with a life tail. I think this is where a long-time offender such as me can fall through the cracks and is caught up in the revolving door of recidivism. All of us have made bad choices in life; however, I still believe that we are not all bad people. Anyone who wants to can change his or her behavior. It would be nice, if those of us who realize we do not have to be defined by our past, could be given an opportunity to do something positive with our lives. Prisoners could be doing something to give back.

 

Therefore, I thank God for Horizon and the opportunity that it gives me to find that oasis in the wasteland. Horizon gives me the greatest gift that you can give to anyone: the knowledge that I am still of value to God, others, and to myself; the hope that I can one day be restored to the person God created me to be. That is my call to you folks to help all of us find a way to help those who want to help themselves. Horizon might just be the one tool that creates life instead of destroying life.

 

The Four Corners of the World

Generation Transformation is an initiative of Global Ministries to increase opportunities for young adults to engage in mission throughout the connection. Program opportunities include...  

  • Global Mission Fellows - Fellows engage with local communities, serving alongside churches, community groups, and individuals to address the priorities of people in the community. Ages 20-30, 2 year commitment.
  • Global Justice Volunteers - Volunteers work alongside their host community to address critical issues such as HIV and AIDS, poverty, human trafficking, and migrants' rights. This program gives the volunteers the opportunity to develop new skills, to learn from local experts, and to channel their passion to help build just communities. Ages 18-30, 10 week commitment.
  • Individual Volunteers - Get involved in mission during your vacation, required semester abroad, or gap year. Put your faith into action while living in community with those you serve. Ages 18 and up, flexible commitment anywhere from 2 months to 2 years.
For more on how you can join Generation Transformation, visit the website here!
Want more Mission & Justice news, stories, videos, and prayer requests? Go to...
MISSION & JUSTICE WEBPAGE - MISSION MOSAIC BLOG - GLOBAL PRAYER CALENDAR


Contact [email protected] for more information.