The Missions Council’s 34th annual meeting was held on July 31, 2019, in Tacoma BPC’s freshly renovated building. The Council meeting was part of a full and encouraging day, beginning with President Blizzard’s message from Psalm 96 reflecting on the goal of missions—worship to our God. The business portion of the meeting followed with the re-election of Rev. James S. Blizzard as the Council’s president. We gave thanks for the decades of service of several Council Members (see Standing Firm and Striving Together for the Faith of the Gospel on the last page) and welcomed three men onto the Council—Dr. Len Pine (Providence BPC, Idaho), and Elders Don Strickland (Living Hope Presbyterian Church, South Carolina) and Tim Hart (Columbia BPC, Oregon).
A major event at this year’s meeting was the official retirement of Dr. Len Pine after 18 years of service as PMU’s Field Director. A reception was given for Len and Karen, who will be helping in the PMU office until September 30, 2019. The Pines’ work for Christ’s Kingdom has been an immeasurable blessing to PMU, the BPC, and to saints in the remotest parts of the earth. We are grateful to have their continued support and service in other capacities with PMU. At the meeting, the council voted to leave Dr. Pine’s mission account open for six months to allow for additional contributions to his severance package. You are invited to contribute by noting Dr. Len Pine/retirement on your check or through the PMU website.
In Foreign Missions Rev. Doug Leaman was present, reporting on the progress of the mission to support pastors in Brazil. The new ministry will be called Projeto Soli Deo Gloria and will focus on providing care and counseling to pastors. Arrangements have been made for the majority of the funding for this project to come from Brazil, and you are now able to partner with our Brazilian brothers and sisters by contributing to this project through PMU.
In addition to our three current church planters, the Council approved two new Home Missionaries. Rev. Doug Douma is serving in our Great Lakes Presbytery with a mission to reach hikers on the Appalachian Trail as they pass through Unionville, NY. Rev. Mark Baldwin, once a foreign missionary to Cambodia, will be a serving in the bounds of our Great Western Presbytery in Weed, CA. Watch the next few Missions Banners for more information on these missions.
Finally, there are two opportunities arising from the Council Meeting for you to join the work right here in the US. First, you can join us on our next domestic Team Timothy mission to serve Cornerstone Reformed Church in St. Paul, MN, in late July 2020. We’ll have more information on that for you soon. And secondly, you can help us reach this year’s goal for the Church Planting Fund. We are thankful that last year’s goal was met by God’s grace. We want to be in a position to say ‘YES’ to supporting the next church planting efforts of the BPC. Will you help us in reaching our goal of raising $33,600 for planting faithful churches?
Please join PMU’s Council, missionaries, and staff in prayer, support, and service as we build on the strong foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ!