Missions Moment

Good Shepherd Missions Moment

Reformed Episcopal Church Board of Foreign Missions

January 2025

We begin our new year 2025 with greetings from Deacon Alcides Medina Pavon and photos of the Casa de Dios church in Cuba. An excerpt from his letter is included below (via Google Translate). He mentions several prayer requests: his illness and congestions (catarrh), as well as the continuing blackouts which limit communication and travel. Despite facing significant difficulties, Deacon Alcides often mentions that his church is praying for our parish as well.

 

Thank you for your concern and prayer. I had a visit from the bishop. Everything was a blessing. I am sending you photos. I have had health problems—a very strong toothache and a catarrh, and I have felt bad. Thank God I am better now. The power problem is terrible. Blackouts of 8 and 10hours without power. But thank God we have limited services. But we do it with much love. In Cuba the situation is terrible in every sense. Our God gives us strength and peace in our hearts to be able to continue and to preach His word. I want you to know that we pray a lot for you. And may our God always bless you and guide you to do His will. I would like to ask if it is possible when you write to me if you could send it to me translated into Spanish. For me it would be better because to translate I have to have the internet and sadly even the internet connection in Cuba is terrible. The fields are even worse. That is why it takes me a little while to respond. My family is fine. And the church and the mission that I serve in Bejuquero is also growing. Thanks be to our God. Hallelujah. I say goodbye. Hoping that the peace of God is always with you and your family. Servant of God and Deacon Alcides.

 

 

 

 

 

December 2024

As we pray together each Sunday morning for the Casa de Dios in Cuba and their Lay Reader Alcides Medina Pavon, it may be helpful to have a visual reminder of the leader of the Casa de Dios,  who also faithfully prays for us  Here he is pictured on the left with Bishop John Boonzaaijer, who visited Cuban parishes last month.

Despite hurricane recovery and lack of electricity, the bishop and his team enjoyed a productive time of ministry.

During this Advent season when our attention turns to givinggifts and sharing resources, please consider the needs of the REC missions inCuba.  Below you will find a link to the Advent Offering, which describes the collection of donations with a goal of $6,000  "toward a reliable diocesan vehicle for transportation to twenty parishes in three deaneries on the nearly 800-mile-long island"

https://storage.googleapis.com/wzukusers/user-34762540/documents/b63a2e50cc4143c1a3a27c5c3f74f87c/Advent_Offering_Brochure_2024.pdf 

Cuba continues to experience blackouts which limit the meeting of basic needs which we take for granted.  The restriction in the ability to charge a phone limits basic communication.  Alcides relies on an electric motorcycle which he cannot operate if he cannot charge, so please continue to pray for these brothers and sisters as they work to gather and worship despite these restrictions.

 

November 2024

Are you feeling fatigued by our current election drama?  Disappointed that your favorite football/baseball/investment team is underperforming?  To experience a refreshing and hope-filled change of perspective, let’s focus on the work of the Reformed Episcopal Board of Foreign Missions. 

Many of you are aware of our parish’s relationship with Casa de Dios in Cuba and their lay leader Alcides Medina Pavon. They continue to experience power outages and blackouts which limit communication. Please continue to pray for them.

The REC Board of Foreign Missions is also active in Malawi in southeastern Africa through the leadership of the Gressner family. Dr. Bob Gressner trains pastors and evangelists at the Leonard Kamungu Anglican School of Theology in Zomba, Malawi. His wife, Traci, homeschools their special-needs children and offers support to others in a culture where these children are often overlooked. If you spend some time reading the archives of the Gressner family at the link below, I think you’ll come away with a fresh appreciation for all the blessings we enjoy and gratitude for servants of Christ who sacrificially serve Him around the world.

https://www.rec-bfm.org/malawi

 

 

October 2024

Regular readers of this monthly missionary newsletter will note that this edition is coming to you early, and there are 3 timely reasons for this.

1.       Cuba is experiencing the power of tropical storm Helene as I type, and will be in great need of prayer for safety and protection from the destructive forces of the storm and its aftermath.

2.        At long last, we have direct contact with Alcides Medina Pavon! Alcides is the REC Board of Foreign Missions lay reader with whom we have established a relationship. Despite power and Wi-Fi outages, corrupted email, and a wrong number, we can gratefully say that now have been in communication and have photos of Alcides and his family, as well as the Casa de Dios, for whom we have been praying corporately on a weekly basis.

3.       If you feel led to give to the REC Board of Foreign Missions / Cuban Missions General Fund, September is an excellent time to do so. Through the end of the month, all gifts given to the Board of Foreign Missions General Fund will be matched up to a total of $10,000. You can give today through the BFM DONATIONS PAGE. Look for September Challenge Match on the donation form.

 

 

September 2024 

We continue to remember Casa de Dios and the entire country of Cuba in our prayers. Archdeacon Alexei reports that Cubans continue to struggle in having access to sufficient food and basic resources. You can learn more about the situation in Cuba here: https://www.rec-bfm.org/news/news-from-cuba-6-august-2024

The REC Board of Foreign Missions recently shared some exciting news. An anonymous donor has committed to match all gifts to The BFM General Fund given in September up to a total of $10,000! Donations to the BFM General Fund pay for missionaries’ travel expenses and immediate needs. Give today through the BFM DONATIONS PAGE.

 

August 2024 Missions Moment

  • Have you noticed in our corporate worship at Good Shepherd that our prayers, both written in the bulletin as well as spoken, have included the Casa de Dios church in Cuba and their lay reader Alcides Pavon?  The Reformed Episcopal Church Board of Foreign Missions has paired this Cuban congregation with our Harrisburg, PA congregation to support through our prayers, both individually and corporately on Sundays.  Before Christ's ascension, he instructed his disciples, and by extension us as well, to  "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. "  We do this in our homes, neighborhoods and workplace, but the "all nations" part seems out of reach for most of us.  Although we cannot all go, we can all support these faraway nations through our prayers, and the power of the Holy Spirit is able to accomplish works powerfully to God's glory.  Need some ideas of how you can pray for the Casa de Dios and Alcides Pavon?  Here is a helpful update from  Rt. Rev'd John Peter Boonzaaijer, Board of Foreign Missions President:
  • The Missionary Diocese of Cuba thanks each and everyone for their prayers and expressions of concern. Shortages of food, water, and electricity continue to be a concern in a rather unstable political and economic situation presently. Compounding this has been the onslaught of a number of mosquito-borne illnesses which have affected nearly all the clergy and the whole church. Archdeacon Alexei is now recovering after more than three weeks of fever, and is slowly able to return to pastoral care and the liturgy. Due to these trials, the brethren have suggested a delay of travel, awaiting their recovery and better conditions. 
  • Please pray for:
  • 1) economic stability and the availability of food, water, and electricity
  • 2) restoration of health for the ill
  • 3) offerings for the remainder of 2024 Cuban clergy stipends
  • Give thanks for:
  • 1) fifty confirmands and five postulants and deacons preparing for Confirmation and Ordination
  • 2) God’s perseveration of life for those ill with dengue and other fevers
  • 3) the beginning of a church taxi service in Havana deanery
  • 4) the completion of the Christian Center in the Central deanery
  • 5) the addition of two new congregations in the Eastern deanery
  • 6) the approval of religious visas for the next visit

 

July 2024 

Please continue to pray for the Reformed Episcopal Church in Cuba.  Their economic situation is dire, with 16-18 hour a day rolling blackouts and increasing prices for food.  Our congregation here at Good Shepherd in Harrisburg is in the process of forming a relationship with one of the congregations in Cuba, The Casa de Dios, or House of God. Please pray that God will bless Casa de Dios as a place where His word is proclaimed effectively to draw the Cuban people closer to Him.

We will begin this Sunday to pray each week for The Casa de Dios and their Lay Reader, Alcides Medina Pavon.

For learn more about the REC in Cuba, read the Cuba Chronicles newsletter at this link: Cuba Chronicles

 

 

June 2024 

Dear Good Shepherd Anglican, 

Please read the following letter from the REC Board of Foreign Missions and join in praying for people of Cuba:

Reformed Episcopal Church Board of Foreign Missions
 

 

May 2024

Dear friend of REC Foreign Missions,

Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Cuba, and for all the people of that land. For some time now they have been living without electricity most of the time, with minimal water supply, and often with no food. The situation worsens every day, and are asking for the prayer of the whole Reformed Episcopal Church for their diocese.

The churches are sharing what they have, but everyone is suffering, and frustration is mounting by the hour. Pray not only for provision, but for the presence of God’s people throughout the island to be the light, leaven, salt, and refuge during this current upheaval. Pray for an outcome that improves the lot and lives of all. Pray for the progress of the Gospel. Pray for the Church to be the voice of Goodness, the calm of Jesus, and the hope of Peace.

All the parishes in the Missionary Diocese of Cuba have agreed to pray Morning Prayer at 8:00 am every day during this crisis, joining their voices together for God’s mercy and provision. Perhaps you or your parish could join them and pray at the same time with and for them.

The Rt. Rev’d John Peter Boonzaaijer
REC International Missionary Bishop
Suffragan for Iglesia Episcopal Reformada de Cuba
Board of Foreign Missions, President
www.REC-BFM.org
Tel +1 972.741.2837

 

 

May 2024  

The Reformed Episcopal Board of Foreign Mission has organized a mission trip to a church planting training  in Croatia this summer from June 1-8.  While we at Good Shepherd won’t be able to join them physically on this trip, we can support them in prayer as they come together to focus on the work of advancing the gospel in central Europe.  Read a description below from Rev. Michael Vinson, the rector of St. Benedict's Anglican Church in Rockwall, Texas who will be leading this trip with Bishop John Boonzaaijer:

Bishops, clergy, and church planters from Germany, Holland, Croatia, Serbia, and the Free Church of England will attend a church planting training in Croatia. The training will include visits to various parishes and church plants, providing an opportunity to connect with European partner churches. Through this training, attendees will witness how the church re-evangelizes Europe by using parish ministry and church planting to spread the Gospel.

For more information on the Reformed Episcopal Church in Croatia, follow this link

Croatia-Serbia-Hungary

 

 

April 2024 

  • In May at the REC’s Women's Day event, an offering will be taken to support missionaries Gerhard and Grace Meyer, who will soon retire after 50 years’ service in Germany. During his ministry, Bishop Meyer has overseen several missions, supervised students at Saint Benedict Seminary in Schwarzenborn, and assisted his wife, Grace, at several Christian camps, including one that welcomes English-speaking high schoolers from the US. To learn more about the Meyers, the state of the church in Germany, and the Meyers’ work over the past 50 years, please visit the REC BFM Germany website https://www.rec-bfm.org/germany. 

 

March 2024 

  • Does the Anglican Church care about missions?  Aren't we instructed in the Great Commission to "go and make disciples of all nations"? Is there such as thing as an Anglican missionary?  The answer to all this questions is "Yes!"  The REC Board of Foreign Missions (https://www.rec-bfm.org) is active around the world, and we have the opportunity to partner with them by supporting missions with prayers and donations, and even in some cases, missions trips.  This "Missions Moment" paragraph will be appearing once a month as a place for you to learn about some of the REC missionaries, and will help acquaint you with their work and locations around the world.  The more we learn, the better we are able to pray for them and support them in this important work of taking the gospel to all nations.  For more information please speak with Betsy LeGrand.