BOYD Powers
The year 2020 dawned with DREAMS for significant Kingdom advance. Early in the month of March we hit a wall. I’m speaking of course of the coronavirus, which we now know as COVID-19. And although our DREAMS may have seemed to be quashed, we look back over the ten months from March 8 to the end of the year with amazement! God was at work in spite of COVID. The evidence speaks for itself!
Admin &
Missions
Missions
Missions
We anticipated casting vision for the Horn of Africa Initiative 2.0 at the Summit missions service in April. Although Summit was cancelled a missional impulse surged across our Network and $345,000 was received by the end of the year to translate the Discovery series Bible School curriculum into Tigrinya, the heart language of Eritrea, and to construct a classroom in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia near the border of Somalia. Additionally, a total of $45,188 came in designated for the $38,000 missions offering budget.
Horn of Africa Initiative 2.0
$345k
Discovery: Tigrinya
Dire Dawa Classroom
2020 Summit Offering
$45k
Missions Offering
World missions Giving
$4.96m
Received in 2020
Total Giving
$9.36m
Received in 2020
How did this happen?
One congregation stands as an example that God still multiplies "flour and oil" for Kingdom purposes as he did for the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:16). In the middle of a global pandemic God entrusted a congregation on the southern Oregon coast with a legacy from a member’s estate. Pastor Brandon Vernoy and the board at Port Orford Christian Center, instead of holding on to this resource, took a bold step of faith committing $175,000 to the Horn of Africa Initiative 2.0 and $25,000 to the Summit missions offering.
September 2020
Devastating Fires
During the month of September Oregon suffered numerous devastating forest fires. Several pastors were forced to evacuate their homes. Two pastors experienced a total loss of their homes to the fires. The Living Waters Family Fellowship church building in Blue River burned to the ground. It was like a one-two punch. First the pandemic and then the fires. Once again, our Network responded by contributing a total $276,643 in fire relief funds. In the middle of a crisis God’s people stepped up to the challenge!
Oregon Fire Relief
$276k
Received in 2020
Living Waters Family Fellowship fully engulfed in fire. The building may have been lost, but the story unfolding in Blue River is a miracle in the making.
Answering the Call
We're also grateful that men and women continued to respond in obedience to God's call to serve his mission. A new young family received appointment to serve with a Live Dead Origins team in a country in Eurasia. On the home front, Joey and Davielle Kelly accepted the invitation to serve as Chi Alpha directors at the University of Oregon. Other changes in our missionary family included the retirement of John and Carolyn Stewart (South Africa) and Jerry and Gwen Gibson who continue to serve with Chi Alpha but have relocated to the Penn-Florida District.
Joey and Davielle Kelly accepted the invitation to serve as Chi Alpha directors at the University of Oregon.
John and Carolyn Stewart (South Africa) retired in 2020.
Anticipating Opportunities
These examples confirm that the ethos of "Bending the Sending Edge" has taken root in the soil of our Network. As we look to the future, we do so with anticipation of the OPPORTUNITIES for advancing God's redemptive mission across our wonderful state and around the world!
Once again, Sally and I want to express our love and deep appreciation for the honor of serving the Oregon Ministry Network family!
Once again, Sally and I want to express our love and deep appreciation for the honor of serving the Oregon Ministry Network family!
