Pastors and mission-minded members will gather to attend missions-specific conferencing and to hear from IMB and NAMB missionaries. Leaders will be equipped for the upcoming church year to lead men, women, boys, and girls to be missional disciples. Children (Pre-K – 6^th grade) will experience a fun Kids on Mission Mini Camp. WMU members will celebrate missions together through their Annual Meeting.

“I left Missions Lifeline challenged by the testimonies, informed by the breakouts, and better equipped to help my church. I was super impressed and hope more people take time to join in this year!” Chris Conrades, Crosspoint Church, Richmond.

Please register by July 23. $5 for BBQ lunch; Kids are free! Information on specific workshops and registration is online: www.scbi.org/events/missionslifeline

Why begin missions education in the preschool years? Because the significance of a strong foundation based on biblical truths cannot be overestimated. It is important that preschoolers understand that God loves them and the world and that they can serve Him by caring and sharing. WMU provides great resources to teach preschoolers about missions through Mission Friends, an ongoing missions discipleship organization. To download a free Mission Friends starter pack and watch a helpful video, visit wmu.com/getstarted. There is a Leader Kit for persons interested in teaching preschoolers about missions and a take-home piece with songs, games, activities, and a note to parents. An additional enrichment piece, “First Step in Missions,” contains activities for interest areas, reproductions, bulletin board ideas, and more!

With summer just around the corner, now is a great time to schedule some fun activities for families in your church. Here are some ideas that might work for you:

1. Work with older elementary kids and teach them how to make girls’ dresses from pillowcases. Easy patterns are available on Pinterest.
2. Package health care kits for the homeless and go on a field trip to deliver them to a facility that ministers to the homeless.
3. Children can lead your church to donate canned food for a local food ministry. Collect the food for several weeks and then take it to the ministry center.
4. Make and distribute sandwiches for inner city homeless.
5. Provide a birthday-in-a-box for children living temporarily in a shelter for abused women and children. Since many leave home with nothing, provide a cake mix, canned frosting, candles, paper goods, and a banner to help a child in transition still celebrate his/her birthday.
6. Help children make bookmarks for a mission team from your church to use. Other items may be needed; see if children can collect these and set a time when they can be presented to the team (perhaps in a worship service?)
7. Hand out water bottles and collect change  for water purification units for missionaries (Go online: www.wmu.com/PureWaterPureLove for more information).
8. Involve children and families in promoting Christmas in August (collecting supplies missionaries need for their work). For a list of supplies and mailing addresses go online to www.wmu.com/chirtmasinaugust. Lists can also be found in missions magazines published by WMU.

Summer is a great time for relaxing and doing things you normally don’t have time to do. And…mission activities can make the warm days seem even brighter when your church participates in sharing the good news of Jesus with others in your community and around the world.

If you are interested in beginning or strengthening missions education in your church, call Linda Clark for a consultation. Or…text. Or… email. Linda is prepared to help you assess the missions education needs of your congregation and determine how you can introduce men, women, students, children, and preschoolers to the excitement of mission involvement. Call this week! 502.595.8473 or email at lclark1213@hotmail.com  

With summer just around the corner, now is a great time to schedule some fun activities for families in your church. Here are some ideas that might work for you:

1. Work with older elementary kids and teach them how to make girls’ dresses from pillowcases. Easy patterns are available on Pinterest.
2. Package health care kits for the homeless and go on a field trip to deliver them to a facility that ministers to the homeless.
3. Children can lead your church to donate canned food for a local food ministry. Collect the food for several weeks and then take it to the ministry center.
4. Make and distribute sandwiches for inner city homeless.
5. Provide a birthday-in-a-box for children living temporarily in a shelter for abused women and children. Since many leave home with nothing, provide a cake mix, canned frosting, candles, paper goods, and a banner to help a child in transition still celebrate his/her birthday.
6. Help children make bookmarks for a mission team from your church to use. Other items may be needed; see if children can collect these and set a time when they can be presented to the team (perhaps in a worship service?)
7. Hand out water bottles and collect change  for water purification units for missionaries (Go online: www.wmu.com/PureWaterPureLove for more information).
8. Involve children and families in promoting Christmas in August (collecting supplies missionaries need for their work). For a list of supplies and mailing addresses go online to www.wmu.com/chirtmasinaugust. Lists can also be found in missions magazines published by WMU.

Summer is a great time for relaxing and doing things you normally don’t have time to do. And…mission activities can make the warm days seem even brighter when your church participates in sharing the good news of Jesus with others in your community and around the world.

The 2^nd annual Missions Lifeline event will be held at Calvary Baptist Church in Greenfield on Saturday, August 5. The conference will include specialized workshops for pastors, missions leaders, and anyone interested in mission ministries in their communities.

In addition to a variety of workshops topics such as preparing for a mission trip, learning about giving to mission causes, beginning local ministries, and engaging others in missions-related activities, information to help churches begin new ministries and create awareness will be presented through displays and interactive times with missions leaders. International and North American missionaries will lead workshops about the country and area where they serve. 

An exciting element of the event will be the mini Kids on Mission camp for children ages Pre-K through 6^th grade. Children will have a full day of games, crafts, and learning about how Southern Baptists mission work in Russia. It’ll be complete with live missionaries who will answer their questions about Russia and being a missionary!

A celebration including the commissioning of Indiana Woman’s Missionary Union leaders will be held during the missions gathering led by guest musicians and speakers.

Various ministries will have displays showing how Indiana Baptists serve using shower units, block parties, and providing hot meals. Lunch will be provided by Disaster Relief volunteers.

Nathan Shaver, pastor of Christ Community Church in Speedway, comments, “Missions Lifeline helps the local church close the gap between thinking about the Mission of God and being equipped to engage the Mission. It’s a really helpful, practical, and encouraging conference.”

Don’t miss this event that’s been designed with you and your church in mind! Make plans now to bring children for the camp experience and to learn about answering Jesus’ command to “Go into all the nations…” Information on specific workshops and registration is online: www.scbi.org/events/missionslifeline

Children in Action is an exciting and fun-filled coed missions education organization for boys and girls in grades 1 – 6. Children will gain an understanding of God’s work in the world and how they can participate. They “travel” to various places around the world learning about what missionaries do, praying for others, and understanding what they can do where they live. The organization’s motto is: “Send me!” Children in Action Leader is the quarterly planning guide and kit for the weekly meetings. The kit contains posters, reproducible activity pages, Bible-learning activities, and missions project ideas. The annual subscription fee for the 4 quarters is $69.99. Included in the kit is the Children’s Missions DVD containing monthly videos of international and North American missions work. To spark enthusiasm WMU also has CA badges and free downloads for leaders to use as they inspire children to learn about missions.

As your thoughts turn to what your church will put on the church calendar next fall, have you considered introducing missions education? Creating awareness of missions and how everyone can become involved is a worthy task for all churches. Many great resources are available through Woman’s Missionary Union, experts in creating age-appropriate materials. Linda Clark, SEIBA’s Missions Education Consultant, is also available for consultations, discounted curriculum, and ideas for establishing exciting mission activities in your church. Email her to set up an appointment:  lclark1213@hotmail.com

During this time of focusing on Southern Baptists’ mission efforts in North America, it is good to know some basic facts about the ministries whose purpose is to reach over 169 million lost persons in our nation and Canada. Over 5,000 missionaries faithfully serve in a variety of ways to reach out to unchurched individuals. Through a strong church planting emphasis, efforts are being made to evangelize North America using youth projects, inner city outreach, and establishing one-on-one relationships. As our missionaries share Christ in apartment complexes, store-front facilities, resort areas, and metropolitan neighborhoods, they are fulfilling Christ’s command to “make disciples” as you go.  Support these ministries with your prayers and through your generous giving!

Woman’s Missionary Union’s ministry, WorldCrafts, is a member of the World Fair Trade Federation and is committed to continuing holistic,  fair trade practices that offer dignified income, support, and hope to those in need around the world. WorldCrafts will join other Fair trade groups to celebrate fruitful ministry on May 13. Help WMU WorldCrafts by purchasing items made by artisans around the world. Visit WorldCrafts.org for more information about fair trade and to order from the exciting variety of handcrafted products. Consider using the ideas for a WorldCrafts party!