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MNA Honors Retiring MNA Coordinator Jim Bland and Introduces New MNA Coordinator Paul Hahn
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Left to right: Doug Domin, Phil Douglas, Paul Hahn, Jim Bland, Charles Dunahoo. At the MNA luncheon, Doug, Phil, and Charles honored Jim with recollections of God's work through MNA during the time of Jim's leadership.
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A special highlight of the 44th PCA General Assembly, meeting in Mobile AL June 21-23, was the transition of MNA Coordinator leadership. Retiring Coordinator Jim Bland was honored, and his successor Paul Hahn introduced, at an MNA Staff meeting and dinner on Tuesday. The entire program of the annual MNA General Assembly Luncheon, a gathering of 300 Assembly Commissioners, was similarly devoted to honoring both men. Jim Bland began serving in 1998 on the MNA Staff and as Coordinator since 1999. During that time, God blessed MNA with growth from a few program staff to a staff of 50 who serve PCA churches through a wide variety of church planting and outreach ministries. Paul comes to MNA with a background in RUF Campus Ministry, church planting, and presbytery church planting and church renewal leadership. His vision is to build on the foundation established during Jim's time of service, looking forward in faith to the advancement of the Gospel through MNA in church planting, church renewal and missional partnerships with the churches and presbyteries of the PCA. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God bythe Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22
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Curriculum Pilot Project for Children with Special Needs
MNA Special Needs Ministries recently launched a pilot project to train churches to adapt their reformed Sunday School curriculum for children with differing levels of ability. There are 13 congregations participating from the PCA, OPC, Sovereign Grace and Southern Baptist denominations in 8 states. An all-original, comprehensive training package was developed, including three videos and more than a dozen resource documents. Click here to go to the project website. |
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Visit MNA Refugee and Immigrant Ministry on Facebook
Interested in staying aware of resources, events and opportunities related to advancing the Gospel among the persons from many nations the Lord has brought to your community?
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Bibles Free to a Good Home
Any new churches looking to increase their supply of Bibles? Providence Presbyterian in Midland TX has approximately 100 pew Bibles (red, NKJV) that they can donate to a new church/church plant. If you would like to follow up, please contact Clay Finley at Providence/Midland. They will cover shipping costs as an additional gift to you. |
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Reach Immigrants, Refugees, International College Students with ESL
Does your community have more and more people from other nations moving in? Are you looking for a great way to welcome them while reaching them with the Gospel? Consider starting an ESL Ministry at your church. The first step would be to start a free ESL School staffed by church volunteers. These volunteers don't need to speak a foreign language or be professional teachers. All they need to do is speak English and love Jesus and we can teach them the rest in a 12 hour training. For more information, please go to www.pcamna.org/esl or contact Nancy Booher, MNA ESL Ministries Director, at nbooher@pcanet.org or 410-868-3025. |
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Disability Ministry Pre-Conference
MNA Special Needs Ministries is excited to be a part of the 2016 Transformed Women's Conferences being held in Birmingham (September 9), Philadelphia (September 30-October 1), and Dallas (November 11). In Birmingham and Dallas we will offer Disability Ministry Pre-Conferences from 2-5pm, prior to the start of the main conferences. At the Philadelphia Transformed Conference, Steph Hubach will present a workshop at the main conference. For more information on any of these opportunities, click here . |
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African American Ministries Leadership Development Resource Weekend
September 2-4, St. Louis MO. For men and women, ministry leaders, volunteers, pastors and church families who desire to address core concerns in Black communities. This is a unique opportunity to engage leading black voices from the Reformed tradition. Speakers and seminar leaders all work or received training in Reformed contexts. This year's keynote speaker is church planter Rev. Russ Whitfield of Grace Mosaic in Washington, DC. Topics include generational reconciliation, mental health, women in leadership, planting and sustaining multi-ethnic churches, and more. All conference content is designed and presented by Black women and men in Reformed ministries. Click here for more information and here to go directly to the website to register.
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MNA Disaster Response Training
September 24, Meridianville AL. Learn more about how you and your church can become involved in disaster response by attending this training session. Topics to be covered include:
- MNA Disaster Response: Who we are and what we do
- Why we do mercy ministry and disaster response
- Breakout sessions - mucking, chainsaw safety, roof tarping, site coordination, more...
- Roles and Responsibilities of a Key Leader
- How to Get Involved
Click here to learn more and here to register.
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MNA Church Planter Training 2017
Mark your calendars for the next MNA Church Planter Training, February 14-17, 2017 in Orlando FL. Multiple tracks, many modules, lots to learn! Registration will open in early fall and close in mid-January. Plan now to come; we encourage couples to come together and suggest church planters bring another ministry leader if possible. For more information, contact Ann Powers.
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MNA SecondCareer Seeks Volunteer to Assist Church Planter
Have you ever wanted to lend a hand in church planting, but wondered how to serve? MNA SecondCareer Ministry may have the answer for you. For example, Pastor Joshua Kines of Parish Church PCA in Lafayette, LA is seeking a volunteer who can assist him with Marketing and Design Publications. This job could be done over the internet with no need to travel. Learn more about this and other opportunities to serve at www.pcamna.org/second-career or contact Gary Ogrosky at gogrosky@pcanet.org (phone 770-695-4811).
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MNA ShortTerm Missions - Looking for Teams to Serve!
The PCA is growing and so are the opportunities for teams to serve at many short term sites throughout the North American continent. Domestic short term missions offers you opportunities that are high impact, cross-cultural, flexible, convenient and affordable. Please click here to check out opportunities to serve PCA churches, church plants, and PCA-led ministries through short term missions. |
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MNA Disaster Response - Volunteers Needed
Hurricane Season began officially on June 1. Already three named storms have spun up and there is a strong chance of a major storm this season. Preparation is always more effective than reaction so NOW is the time to register as a disaster response volunteer. When an event occurs everyone who is registered is contacted for mobilization. Please click here to register! |
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Pray for good summer breaks for those who lead in ministry. For many, the summer pace changes enough that they can catch a little well deserved and needed family time. Pray for MNA staff in doing the same. Please prayerfully consider a contribution toward the work of MNA, as we serve those who labor at the front lines of ministry.
Click here to donate online. You can also mail donations made out to Mission to North America to: |
Mission to North America
PO Box 890233
Charlotte NC 28289-0233
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Milwaukee WI
Dan Quakkelaar is planting a church in the Brewers Hill area of Milwaukee called Friend of Sinners Church, reaching lost folks who have struggled with addictions or who are needing help re-entering society after incarcerations. Dan tells this story: "'Johnny' was high on pot and had a few drinks in him when he approached the liquor store last Friday night. Four of us were evangelizing...would we be able to communicate the Gospel to this man? As it turned out, he communicated the Gospel to us. Even more amazing, he has never been to church. How is it he could quote Romans 10:9 for memory, and yet never been to church or in fellowship with another believer? He didn't even have a Bible of his own!" Click here to read Dan's full Update, and click here for prayer requests.
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Rochester NY
Chris Holdridge, planting New City Fellowship Beechwood in Rochester NY after several years of laying a ministry foundation in this struggling neighborhood, reports: "We have had an amazing first 4 weeks of worship at NCFB and are praising God for all of the blessings we're experiencing! It really is a time of refreshing for many of us who have been waiting so long to be able to worship together in the neighborhood. The last month has been filled with great worship, prayer, and fellowship. Attendance was high our first week, which is to be expected with many visitors; we had about 50 people." Read Chris's full update here, including some ways you can pray for this new work. |
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Considering Church Planting?
The assessors were the most valuable component of the Church Planter Assessment Center...they were able to adjust to the variety and types of personalities that were represented with love and humility; a sense of peace came over me throughout the week... Getting the opportunity to learn from others in church planting and peers interested in serving the Lord in a similar way. It doesn't happen often in the "real world" context and I felt supported and encouraged and challenged...Thanks for facilitating a safe and wonderful instrument to help test and confirm our call.
The cost of assessment is less than half of one month's salary and operating expenses for a typical church plant, and is a very wise investment that individuals, churches and presbyteries can make in starting a new church. Next one up: October 25-28, the last for 2016. A pplication deadline of August 22, but we suggest a 3-4 week lead time. Plan ahead! The Next one:January 31-February 3, 2017 (application deadline mid-November) Click here for more information or email Ann Powers quickly. |
Looking for a PCA Church?
Know someone who's moving? Be sure to suggest they check this list of new church plants around North America as they look for a new church home. Don't see a new plant in a possible destination on the list? Contact us (678-825-1235) and we'll try to find out more information for you!
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Visit pcamna.org to connect with ministries, follow events, and subscribe to publications |
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