How we became
Missionaries for Christ
Mission to Roatan, Honduras Mission Photo Album
Our dear friend and mentors, George
& Eva Wickes were in their late 60’s when we met them.
They were coordinators for Lay Witness Missions here in the United States
and we were invited by way of another friend to go on a mission at this church.
George had heard that I sing solos and ask me to be prepared with some
songs to sing. We went to our
first Lay Witness Mission.
What happens at a Lay Witness Mission?
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This was so new for us. We got to the church on Friday afternoon around 4:00 p.m, which is typical for a mission. There were greeters there with our name tags and a schedule for the weekend. We had a time of refreshment as other team members began to arrive. We met lots of new people and then we gathered in the sanctuary for our team meeting. George greeted all of us and said prayer and then he began his devotion for the team out of the Oswald Chambers book, “My Utmost For His Highest”. We had a 1 hour team meeting, then we went downstairs to the fellowship room to have a meal and there were all the members from that church to have fellowship with and talk to. It was a good time, then we went upstairs to the sanctuary again to begin the Friday evening service. We had lots of singing, several were called on by George to share their testimony and story of where they were when Christ found them and where they are now in their spiritual journey. |
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My husband Jack & I |
We then broke up into small groups and discussed the question, “What would you like to see change in your church and what would you like God to change in your own life?” That is a good time for sharing.
This group discussion lasted about 45 minutes and then we came back into the sanctuary and general notes were taken in the group by a person who then shared them back in the sanctuary in generalities about what they would like to see changed in their church and their lives. These notes were given to the continuation chairperson for them to use in their follow-up after the weekend is over. We then went home with our host families that we had been assigned to for the weekend.
We
came back to the church on Saturday morning and had a team meeting and then we
went to various homes for coffee groups.
In those groups, we discussed “Why is prayer important”?
Jesus prayed much in all decisions and we pray so little.
We just try and do it on our own.
It was a wonderful experience.
We went back to the church for lunch and then some of the team were assigned to go on a visitation to various shut-in’s or hospital visits or a nursing home visit. That evening, we came back to the church for another time, similar to the one the night before with singing and testimony sharing and then in the small group we did a graph of our experience with God. Where and when we gave our heart to Jesus and how the journey has been along the way. That was quite interesting.
On Sunday morning, members of our team share in the different Sunday School groups and then for the morning service their was the church’s standard opening and then George as the coordinator for that weekend had a couple of testimonies for the benefit of those who had not attended at all, and some special solo singing.
I had already sang on Friday and Saturday evening and was ask to sing again on Sunday morning to a much larger crowd. I have never been so nervous. God was with me and it was a wonderful weekend.
We have been going on Missions for 16 years now. George and Eva went to Russia in the fall of 1992 for a year of church planting and we were asked by George to take over coordinating, which we did and have been doing ever since. George passed away with Cancer on Oct. 20, 1998 and we stay in touch with Eva on a regular basis. They were wonderful mentors to us and helped us grow in our walk with God.
Six years ago, we decided to start having reunions of the teams that go or have gone with us. Last year, we had a surprise “Tribute to Eva Wickes” to honor her with lots of surprises for her.
This year our reunion is going to be here in Peru, IN on July 16 – 18th. Peru is the Circus Capital of The World and it just so turned out that it is also the beginning performance of our yearly Circus that is put on by local youth, children and adults. Many of our team will be attending that this year on Saturday and then on Saturday night we are having Doug Oldham and his family come and do a concert for us at 1st Christian Church. We are very excited to have someone like Doug to be coming here.
What is a Lay Witness Mission or Journey of Faith?
Our Missions to Roatan, Honduras Missions Photo Album - Honduras
Aldersgate Renewal