Acts 13:2-3  (ESV)

Many teams have formed and are currently preparing for service on OPC mission fields, both here and abroad.  Have you as a church considered your important role as “sender”?  Just as Paul and Barnabas were sent, ought we consider our important role as the sending congregation.  Sadly, in our independent-mindedness, short-term missions is often self-propelled. It is probably far too seldom that one approaches his pastor or elders, seeking their blessing in this mission endeavor.  But the biblical model is that churches send missionaries, long-term or short-term.  Whether or not your church has had a role in the decision of one of your members to head off on a missions trip this summer, would you prayerfully consider your role as a church in sending them?  At this time it involves helping them prepare spiritually, physically and financially, coupled with “fasting and praying“.  Once they go, continually remembering them in prayer for effectiveness, safety and the Lord’s blessing.  And, when they return, giving them the opportunity as with Paul and Barnabas to “declare all that God has done with them” (Acts 14:27b).

5/23 – 6/25   Various ministries RP Missions team to Karamoja, Uganda
6/23 – 7/4     VBS team “Team Haiti” to Haiti
6/24 – 6/28  English for Kids team #1 to Quebec
7/1 – 7/5        English for Kids team #2 to Quebec
7/8 – 7/12     English for Kids team #3 to Quebec*
7/12 – 7/19   English Camp team to Czech Republic
7/15 – 7/19   English for Teens camping team to Quebec**
7/18 – 8/1    Disaster Response team to Japan
7/22 – 8/13  Various ministries “Team Praha” to Czech Republic

*  This team is still partial.  Ben Westerveld can use 5-8 more team members, particularly males!
** This team is “in desperate need of volunteers…particularly camping types”!  Contact Ben Westerveld

NATIONAL MISSION TEAMS

6/13 – 6/21     Evangelism Team #1 to participate in Keys Ministries in Key West, FL
7/9 – 7/16       Evangelism Team #2 to participate in Keys Ministries in Key West, FL
7/20 – 7/26    VBS Team with Venture Ministries in Zoar, WI
All Summer!  Boardwalk Chapel Ministries in Wildwood, NJ***
All Summer!  Various disaster response teams in Brick, NJ – thank you!!****

*** The Boardwalk Chapel can accept another 8-10 staff members.  Contact Jim Zozzaro!                       Here is an inspiring article on the impact of the Boardwalk Chapel, written by OPC missionary to Uruguay, Jeni Richline, who practically grew up at the Boardwalk Chapel.

**** Hurricane Sandy response work is going well, but much more work remains to get all OPC families back into their homes.  Please consider investing some of your summer serving in this way.  Contact Charlie Farrell!

We would like to organize a minimum of two other camps.

• July 8-12: English for Kids (up to 50 kids, 5-12 years of age) — Volunteers needed (16 years and older).  While we need several young people to help with activities and games, etc., a few adults, even grandparents, always add an element of calm reflection.  The mix of ages makes the camp more family-like.
• July 15-19: English for Teens (up to 25 teens, 13 years and older) —  We would like to take the teens camping (4 days, 3 nights), so we need young people as well as adults with interests and ideally experience in outdoor activities.

Please pray that we can form sufficient teams to host the camps. If you or a friend would like to participate, please contact missionary associate Debra Blair debra.biwd@gmail.com .

In his service,
Ben Westerveld
Pasteur – Enseignant
Église réformée St-Marc
418-659-7943
www.stmarc.erq.qc.ca

Click to view the “Thank You” Flyer from the Hopps

Even at this “late hour” there are still many slots of service to be filled for the upcoming summer.  Would you consider putting together a team from your church to serve regionally?  San Antonio Reformed OPC has requested a team to come help them with outreach in the San Antonio area.  Churches of the presbytery of the Southwest, would one or more of you be ready to serve this part of your regional church?  Would a church in the Presbytery of NJ consider answering the call to help run a VBS that has been voiced from your sister congregation of Calvary OPC in Ringoes, NJ?  Churches of the Presbytery of Philadelphia, Grace OPC in Middletown would like help for one week with a VBS.  Would one of your churches or a committee of the presbytery be willing to muster a team to serve in this meaningful way?  The list goes on.  Presbytery of Northern California and Nevada, how about a team to respond to Trinity’s desire for a team in Novato, CA?  Quebec still needs teams.  Covenant OPC in Reading, PA, is still looking for help with completing their building.

We have separated the “Global Opportunities” from the “National Opportunites” to help you navigate the opportunities.  If you would like to talk through the options, please always feel free to send me an email me or give me a call.

I give thanks for the many that have responded to the call for help in serving in Japan, on Long Island and the Jersey Shore, in Neon and in so many other places.  These teams and individuals, members of the body of Christ, have brought such encouragement and blessing to those whom they sought to serve.  And I want to believe that they in turn were blessed, even as they sought to be a blessing.  When we serve, the Lord will bless.  This ought not be our motive to serve, but the church has seen this time and time again.  Lets go serve our fellow churches that the whole body may be encouraged!

So, how about you?  Do you have plans this summer?

~ David Nakhla, OPC Short-Term Missions and Disaster Response Coordinator                              nakhla.1@opc.org                                                                                                                     562-760-7606

The Presbytery of Ohio Foreign Missions Committee invites you to apply to be part of a 10 person team to serve alongside of our missionaries in Japan for disaster relief work near Sendai. This effort is in conjunction with the work of the Nozomi (Hope) Center, a cooperative center sponsored by the Reformed Church in Japan and the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, in Yamamoto. The nature of the work will be to assist the largely agricultural community and neighborhood around Yamamoto with various outdoor manual labor projects, to participate in the center’s “get to know you” events, and to assist with activities for children.  The team will be led by Elder Mike Gilbert (Christ Covenant OPC in Sheridan, IN).    If you would like to be considered for this team, please contact Rev Ken Montgomery.  Applications can be found here.

The deadline for the submission of the application is May 10th, 2013. Candidates will be notified by invitation to participate by May 17th.

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Background: Two years after the great tsunami that ravaged 250 miles of the coast of Japan, many are still trying to pick up the pieces and put their lives back together.  Over 300,000 people still live in temporary housing units that are only 320 square feet in size!  The Nozomi Center, built with funds donated toward disaster response work by various teams from within the OPC and beyond, stands equipped and ready to receive and house teams of volunteers who would like to come to Japan to demonstrate the love of Christ to these people, many of whom are grieving the loss of loved ones and depressed at their outlook for the future.

…none of our people were directly affected (caught in the blast). At least two people were working close by, but they are safe. I have not heard of anyone in the greater OPC family that was affected.

I appreciate that there are people who would love to come and help. At this time, I am not sure how they could. The victims certainly need prayer, and it may be that in the coming days or weeks, a way of meeting physical needs will emerge. Right now, I know that many are scared, or upset, and are in need of prayer. The families of the victims and of those killed (2 locals and one Chinese national) need prayer; prayer for the FBI and the Boston Police to catch these killers, and prayer for Boston.

Here in Boston, most people have either rejected God (atheists), made him some sort of PC/tolerant/powerless god that He is not, or they fear him and distrust his goodness (many Roman Catholics). People can pray for a revival here, for a blessing of all the churches and ministries that preach the gospel of grace. Pray that the believers here would take every opportunity to love their neighbors.

If I know more, I will let you know. Thanks again for contacting me, and for your prayers and love.

In Christ our Champion,

Steve Marusich, pastor

New Covenant Presbyterian Church

The church is willing to provide housing and meals for a few young people.  (Having your own vehicle will be a big help!) Interested?  Available?  Contact Pastor Harting directly at harting.1@opc.org or 302-545-5038.

“This one seemed to hit close to home,” she said, referring to Super Storm Sandy. Members in her extended family had been impacted by the hurricane. But as a small business owner herself, Stephanie wanted to reach out to Shore businesses affected by Sandy.

Stephanie attends Calvary Chapel in Glenside, PA where OPC Disaster Response Coordinator David Nakhla also worships. Through David she connected with Toms River, NJ, site coordinator Charlie Farrell. Charlie helped Stephanie coordinate a fund-raiser for small business owner Dave Weller, who co-owns Uncle Nick’s Sub Shop in Seaside Park, NJ.

Uncle Nick’s is open year-round, so the shop was fully stocked when Sandy hit. The building and refrigeration system sustained massive water damage. A lot of inventory was lost as well.

(As of this writing, Dave and his partner are still waiting for an insurance adjustor to come out and assess the “loss of product.”)

Through two of her children who worked there, Stephanie had a connection with Conshohocken Café in Conshohocken, PA. Stephanie’s business, ReNu Consulting Health Coaching, and the café hosted the fund-raiser February 27.  Local businesses helped sponsor the event described as a health-focused dinner and raffle.

Stephanie is still taking donations and hopes to raise $1,000.

What are Stephanie’s hopes for the event?

“Our hope is really two things. First, we definitely planted gospel seeds, and we hope to have continued relationships with those we met. Second, we are being salt and light. We’re saying as Christians, ‘We’re here, we do care, and we are doing something about it.”

~ By Jennifer Peacock

One URC volunteer doing some really dirty work!

How Hurricane Sandy brought together the OPC, URC, PCA and RPCNA

Many different volunteers who have come to help with the disaster response efforts in Toms River, NJ.  A certain trend has been exciting to see and is worthy of special note.  Reformed Mission Services, a ministry within the bounds of the United Reformed Church (URC), in December sent a team of 13 from Michigan to the Jersey Shore (800 miles!) to help out with the response effort.  This URC team came to help out OPC families.  They were housed at Calvary PCA in Allenwood, NJ!  To add a little more spice to this fraternal mix, the project was arranged by James Hulbert of the RPCNA who has been donating weeks of work towards helping OPC families recover.  Isn’t that what fraternal relations should lead to?  URC teams, housed by the PCA, helping OPC families on a project set up by an RPCNA brother.  I would give that two thumbs up!  Thank you brother and sisters in Christ!  Praise the Lord!