Dear Zion Family~
Thank you all so much for your support in my mission to Malaysia. The outpouring of encouragement is overwhelming and for that I know I am blessed to be a part of your church family.
As I continue in this mission I promise to represent our church family to my best capability in all that I do. I also promise to send updates as often as possible. Hopefully along with these updates there will be a few pictures to give you a visual with the verbal.
Thank you all very much and I will see you in a year with plenty to share about our sisters and brothers in Christ around the world. This wouldn’t be possible without you and your generous donations through prayers, letters, and donations. Thank you!
Peace,
Kelsey Mackereth Young Adults in Global Missions – Malaysia www.facebook.com/Kelsey.Malaysia
Note from Kelsey
July 22, 2009 — AngelaKelsey To Serve in Malaysia
July 13, 2009 — Angela
Kelsey Mackereth, daughter of Laurie and Joel Mackereth, has been doing work at a Bible camp for a few years and has now been accepted into the ELCA Global Mission program and will leaving for a mission year in Malaysia in August. On Sunday, July 19, Kelsey will be at Zion to help with worship and explain a little about her upcoming year.
The ELCA sponsors these missions but also asks each person or their home congregation to also help with the financial needs. That means Kelsey needs about $4000 of sponsorship from Zion’s Global Mission committee, family, friends, etc. To help Kelsey with sponsorship, Zion’s Global Missions Committee will be sponsoring a cookie fundraiser (also on July 19). The Mackereths are organizing the fundraiser (contact Laurie if you want to help), and funds will be matched by Thrivent; so stop by on Sunday and throw in $1 or $100 for a great chocolate chip or turtle cookie. Any checks written to support Kelsey’s mission should be written out to “Zion Lutheran Church” (put Kelsey’s name in the memo, or bring them to the cookie fundraiser) and we will send one check on to the ELCA.
Kelsey is also working with the church office to find ways of keeping the congregation up-to-date on the details of ministry while overseas.
In Sherilyn Burgdorf’s words “Kelsey was a great help with so many things here at Zion while she was a “youngster” here in Buffalo. She did lots of things through her high school years and this is a great way to help her as she grows in her vocation of God’s mission and care for people around the world.”
Congregation Invited to Meet Dr. Kristopher Hartwig
November 6, 2008 — AngelaDr. Kristopher Hartwig will be visiting Zion’s Global Missions Committee on Thursday November 13th at 7:00pm. Kristopher is working through the ELCA in Tanzania on a Hospice Development Program. Zion has given mission dollars to this program and the Missions committee has recommended giving our next Forward In Faith gift to this most important effort. Kristopher will share with us how our donations have been used as well as what the need is for the future. Members of the congregation are invited to attend this very informative and interesting evening with the committee.
A Letter from Dennis Murnyak
September 18, 2008 — AngelaDear Supporting Congregations,
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! I am writing to give you an update from my last letter written from Tanzania. Since that time we have departed from Tanzania on July 2 and returned to the USA. The departure was not easy in that it was a lot of work to move from a country where I lived for 25 years. There was the house to move out of, belongings to give away, dispose of, sell, or ship to USA. There was work to finish up and responsibilities to turn over. There were farewells to friends and colleagues, and to the country we grew to love. It was an emotionally draining time.
Now perhaps is the more difficult time for us as I adjust to living in the USA Read the rest of this entry »
Potluck Picnic Celebration
June 24, 2008 — AngelaYou’re invited to a pot luck picnic to celebrate Dennis and Kari Murnyak’s return to Minnesota. Kari’s brother, Kristopher Hartwig, will also be with us. Zion has supported his hospice project in Tanzania and he will give us a short report on the progress of this ministry.
Monday, July 7, 2008 6:15 p.m. at Dave and Sue Wright’s Garden near Zion on 12th St. S.Bring a dish to share. We’ll provide beverages, paper plates, and picnic utensils. Please RSVP so they know how many to plan for. Invite anyone else you know who know the Murnyaks or who are interested in Zion’s mission activities. Hope to see you there for this mission celebration.
Dave and Sue Wright
Dennis Murnyak Update
June 23, 2008 — AngelaMissionary Dennis Murnyak is moving back to USA from Tanzania on July 2 and is in the midst of sorting, packing, moving and saying farewells.
His family will spend the summer in Minnesota as they search for jobs and places to live.
Dennis has a new email address, so please delete old addresses and contact the church office for his new address.
Murnyak Mission News
May 22, 2008 — AngelaMay 22, 2008
Dear Supporting Congrgations,
Greetings to all of you! While many of you are welcoming spring/early summer we are just marking the end of the rainy season. It was a good stretch of heavy rains and farmers are pleased – but it did a number on our dirt roads (like the one that leads to our house) which are nearly impassable in spots – happy we have four-wheel drive!
Enough Already & Hurry Up And Wait
May 20, 2008 — AngelaBy Warren Mhyre, Global Missions Committee
‘ENOUGH- ALREADY’ is a phrase used by people who are poised for action and frustrated with delay and anxiety. I, as I am sure you did, felt that way as the world watched anxiously the human suffering in Myanamar (Burma) in early May. ENOUGH-ALREADY as that nation’s elite looked at their self-interest vs. the suffering of the people hit by the cyclone, and the willingness of relief organizations to help.
Mission Congratulations
April 18, 2008 — Angelaby Dave Wright
After 25 years of digging fish ponds, coddling Tilapia fingerlings with his farmer protégé, and negotiating the African bureaucracy, Dennis Murnyak and family are returning to the United States in July. You can find Dennis’s final report of their ministry here and a letter from Dennis here. It’s been an amazing journey and well worth the read. Our congregation has supported the Murnyaks financially and prayerfully since they began serving as missionaries in Tanzania in 1983.
This is just one of the many ways Zion has made a Christian impact on our international neighbors. We have sent approximately $30,000 to projects around the world from our building fund. Three percent of our contributions to Forward in Faith is ear-marked for missions. Each year Harvest of Hands commits thousands of dollars to alleviate suffering from hunger, and our Forty Days of Purpose has led to a groundswell of financial and social outreach locally. We can be proud of these efforts to act as Christ’s ambassadors.
Murnyak Mission News
April 15, 2008 — AngelaApril 15, 2008
Dear Supporting Congregations
Greetings from rainy and muddy Tanzania! We are in the middle of the raining season and it is really raining this year. Despite being tired of the muddy roads and paths and gloomy days we are all thankful for good rains that are needed for the crops and to recharge the ground water and springs.
As I have written you earlier we are nearing the time to leave Tanzania. My contract with Heifer is up on June 30th and we will return to USA on July 3rd. I am starting to feel in limbo Read the rest of this entry »
Gratitude For Our Gifts
March 13, 2008 — AngelaSubmitted by Bill Deneen
One of my high school mentors was privileged enough to hear Mother Teresa speak in the early 1980’s. She talked of her work with God’s children and what an honor it was to serve. What a humble statement from a person that gave up all she knew, moved to another country and helped those that had absolutely nothing.
A person in the crowd asked how we as American’s could live our lives, comfortable as we are, without feeling guilty. Read the rest of this entry »
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