Meet Your New SAMS Missionaries!

Meet Your New SAMS Missionaries!

by | Apr 3, 2018 | SAMS-USA

SAMS is pleased to introduce you to new Missionary Candidates and Bridgers!

 

Hunter and Stephie Van Wagenen: Long-term Missionary Candidates to Spain

Hunter and Stephie Van Wagenen are called to minister along the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain. The Camino de Santiago is a 500-mile long pilgrimage that draws over 300,000 spiritual seekers a year.  Hunter and Stephie hope to plant a hospitality ministry along the Camino so that they may proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to pilgrims.  Hunter and Stephie are currently raising their support. Visit their page here!

 

Michaela Ray: Bridger to the Dominican Republic

Michaela will serve in the San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic with SAMS Missionary Cathy Donahoe assisting Cathy in her physical therapy ministry. Her home church is Christ Church, Plano Texas. Keep an eye out for posts from Michaela on her missionary page here.

 

 

Madeleine Ruch: Bridger to Brazil

Madeleine is from Wheaton, IL where her home church is Church of the Resurrection. She has felt a strong call to mission to Brazil. Madeleine will be serving at the Casa da Esperança in the Diocese of Recife under the authority of Bishop Miguel Uchôa. Visit her page here.

 

 

 

Jessica Tetirick: Bridger to Uganda

Jessica Tetirick will serve with SAMS missionary Mary Chowenhill at Uganda Christian University in Mukono, Uganda. Jessica has a background in finance and accounting. She will serve alongside Mary through business ministry. Jessica’s home church is Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church in Fort Worth, Texas. Read her recent blog post for more about her calling to mission!

Send Those Who Go

Send Those Who Go

by | Mar 9, 2018 | SAMS-USA, USA

Familiar words given to us by the physician Luke, All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. (Acts 2:44,45)

These words give a sentimental idealism to our idea of the early church.  Yet, in this era of local to global, these words are more prophetic than nostalgic.  Today, Senders, those who respond to God’s call to mission through prayers and donations, sell property and give sacrificially just like those early believers.  Throughout the history of the church, those who journeyed out cross-culturally always had need of spiritual, moral and physical support.  Today’s cross-cultural workers are the same. So, how can we provide spiritual, moral, and physical support?

  1. Spiritual: Prayer, prayer, and more prayer! This is something that anyone from anywhere can participate in. Not sure how to pray? Visit the prayer page to discover a prayer calendar.
  2. Moral: Let them know you are listening. SAMS Missionaries love to know that you are keeping up to date with their ministry. When you read their newsletters, reply and let them know you care and are praying for them.
  3. Physical: Give financially.  Acts 2:45 tells of people giving up their own property and possessions for those who were sharing the Gospel. We can give in some way too so that others may know the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Are you one who gives so that others might go? Maybe you never realized that you are a member of the Acts 2:44-45 club.

Ways to Give

SAMS’ New Prayer Page

SAMS’ New Prayer Page

by | Mar 2, 2018 | SAMS-USA, USA

A part of SAMS’ values is submitting to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the authority of scripture. 1 John 5:14 says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”

Because of the power of prayer, we have decided to make it a tab on the SAMS website. We want to partner with you in prayer, as your Society is committed to praying for missionaries as well as for those who support and send.  Now with the new prayer page, you can be more informed how we can pray as a Society. Discover the new prayer tab at the top of the SAMS Website. There you will find the following:

The SAMS Prayer Calendar in digital format: Now you can set reminders to pray for your missionaries. Simply search your missionary’s last name, expand their pray, and select how you want to be reminded. Reminders to pray can be sent straight to your email, or you can add it to your outlook or google calendar.

A PDF version of The Messenger: Some Senders like to keep the SAMS Prayer Calendar in their Bible as a reminder to read. If you rather have a physical copy, you can print it here. You can also sign up to have The Messenger sent to your email here!

Send your prayer requests: We want to pray for those who Send! Submit your prayer requests to SAMS. As a Society, we pray daily for both Missionaries and Senders.

All of this can be found on the new Praying with You page! Your SAMS Missionaries covet your prayers and thank you for joining alongside them in their calling. Explore now and join SAMS in prayer for mission around the globe!

The Rest of the Story…

The Rest of the Story…

by | Feb 20, 2018 | Africa, Madagascar

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

In 2009 your Society featured a story on the front page of The Messenger about the Rev. Patsy McGregor (center of the top picture and a SAMS Missionary serving in Madagascar with her husband Bishop Todd) mentoring young women. One of those women named Nolavy desired to be an evangelist, but her father, the local shaman at that time, forbade her to be one. Nolavy and the McGregors prayed persistently, and eventually, her father gave her the blessing to go to Kenya to prepare to be an evangelist. Another beautiful aspect of Nolavy’s testimony in her own family is that shortly before her father died he, too, gave his life to Christ.

Despite living in poverty and facing many obstacles, today Nolavy is the first Malagasy woman from the Diocese of Toliara to receive her Bachelors in Divinity. Upon completing her studies with the help and support of SAMS Senders, Nolavy said, “By the grace of God, I have finished my schooling and I have returned to Madagascar. I could not hold tears from falling down my eyes when I was writing my final college paper. It was beyond my imagination that I could one day get a chance to study for a Bachelor of Divinity!”  She currently serves as the Diocesan Children’s Ministry Coordinator and Diocesan Evangelist.

Nolavy knows firsthand that the Word of God is not merely confined to the mud and rice-straw thatch she usually inhabits when preaching the gospel.  She knows that the people will take it out in their hearts and souls to serve their community.  She serves people who, in turn, go on to serve others.  This, for Nolavy, defines the joy of Christian service.

Recently, in recognition of her faithful and tireless service, e the Anglican Communion selected Nolavy to represent rural women in the Province of the Indian Ocean at the United Nations.  She is coming soon to the USA in order to participate in the 62nd session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women.  Rural women and girls face unique needs in every nation, often suffering from lack of attention compared to women in cities – resulting in fewer registrations at birth, minimized opportunities for education and work, more likelihood of forced early marriage, early childbirth, increased rates of maternal mortality and infant mortality, neglect of opportunities for learning, earning, and loans, and a greater chance of neglect in old age.  Please pray for Nolavy’s cultural adjustment, her husband and two children at home, and her testimony to the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Next month there will be an opportunity to meet with Nolavy. If you are or will be in the vicinity of Southeast Florida, she will be at the following churches:

Thursday, March 1 – ECW – St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church Boca Raton – 6:00 PM Please call if you will be attending. (561) 395-8285

Saturday, March 2 – St. Mary’s Episcopal – Stuart – 5:00 PM Followed by PowerPoint with Q & A  (772) 287-3244

Sunday, March 4 – St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church Boca Raton – 8:00 AM (561) 395-8285

Sunday, March 4 – Chapel of St. Andrew Episcopal Church Boca Raton – 10:30 AM (561)-271-7151

Tuesday, March 6 – ECW at Chapel of Saint Andrew Boca Raton – 6:00 PM simple soup and salad dinner. Please call Cheryl Harman at 561-271-7151 if you are attending.

Wednesday, March 7 – St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church, Boynton Beach – 5:30 PM Supper followed by a Lenten service, Power Point and Q&A. Please call the church if you will be attending. (561) 732-3060

 

The Rev. Patsy McGregor and her husband, the Rt. Rev. Todd McGregor, minister in Toliara, Madagascar.  They live in sometimes difficult circumstances among the people they serve.  Through evangelism and discipleship, the Diocese of Toliara finds many coming to love and serve the Lord Jesus.

Lent, Fasting, and Praying for Your Missionaries

Lent, Fasting, and Praying for Your Missionaries

by | Feb 14, 2018 | SAMS-USA

Today is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent, a 40-day period, concluding the day before Easter. This is a time for us to draw closer to the Lord through prayer, repentance, self-denial, and honoring Jesus’ suffering and death. In a world where material and personal wants can be quickly satisfied, Lent is a time to focus more on Jesus Christ and what he has done for us, rather than ourselves.

People will often fast during Lent. What exactly is fasting, though? The dictionary says it is “abstinence from food and/or drink as an element of private or public religious devotion.”

The Bible gives several reasons why we should fast:

To become Christ-like: In Luke, Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights while being tempted.

To repent of our sins: Samuel urges the Israelites to turn back to God (1 Samuel 7:3-6).

To seek God’s wisdom: Paul and Barnabas prayed and fasted for the elders of the churches before committing them to the Lord for His service (Acts 14:23).

To strengthen time of prayer: Luke 2 tells the story of a prophetess named Anna, “She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.”

The Bible also teaches us how we fast. Types of fasting include:

Regular fast: A regular fast usually means refraining from eating all food. People may still drink water or juice.

Partial fast: A partial fast means refraining from certain foods and drink or a particular meal. Daniel 1:12 says they restricted their diet to vegetables and water: “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.”

Full fast: A full fast means abstaining from all food and drink. Acts 9:9 describes when Paul went on a full fast for three days following his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus: “For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.” This type of fast is usually done with caution and not done for a long period of time.

What did Jesus say about fasting?

During the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said:

Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your father who is in the secret place; and your father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Matthew 6:16-28

Fasting is a time to focus and rely on the Lord for strength, provision, and wisdom you need. It is not something to boast about, and it doesn’t mean that God will answer your prayers the way you want him to. God only promises to fulfill our prayers if they are according to his will.  1 John 5:14-15 tells us, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him.” Having a dedicated time of prayer and fasting, especially during the 40 days of Lent, helps us take our eyes off ourselves and puts them on Jesus Christ, the one who suffered, died for our sins, and rose again so that we too may have eternal life.

Fasting and Praying for Mission

This year, would you consider fasting and praying for missions around the globe? Perhaps there is a particular SAMS Missionary on your heart. You can sign up for the SAMS E-Messenger to receive prayer requests from your SAMS Missionaries. Maybe there is a particular region or country God is calling you to pray for. Operation World has facts, figures, and prayers for every country.

Matthew 9:37 says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” Would you pray in the morning and/or evening at 9:37 for missionaries to be called into the field? May the Lord draw you close to him during this Holy Season.