by Rev. Casey Southerland
PMU Field Director, Cincinnati, OH
the Missions Banner, Aug/Sep 2025
This year PMU is Celebrating 40 years of labors in missions. The work of declaring God’s glory to the nations has included labors from Tennessee to Thailand on 5 continents with workers ranging from short-term students to long-term missionaries planting and building up churches. In some cases, the work of home or foreign missions began on the short-term effort and grew into a life-long calling. We thank the Lord for all of the churches and individuals who have supported and labored with us over these years. May God receive all the glory!
Service Recognition. We also want to express thanks for a few of our council members who have reached benchmarks in service. Revs. G.W. Fisher and Ben Robinson have each been serving PMU for 35 years, with Elder Philip Resnick serving 25 years. Each of these, along with their families and churches, have made longstanding commitments and sacrificed in order to support those who John calls those who “went forth for His name’s sake” (3 John). We praise God for these fellow workers for the truth.
New Council Members. This year we are thankful for two new council members who are already active in the mission labors out of their local churches. Elder Kim Conner from Reedy River Presbyterian Church in the Eastern Presbytery, and Elder Enos Moura Filho from Esperança BPC in the Florida Presbytery were received. We are looking forward to seeing how the Lord will use them to further the work of Christ’s Kingdom with PMU.
Fellowship for PMU Home Missionaries. Synod, hosted by Grace BPC in Cincinnati, Ohio was a blessing for many reasons- Biblical messages, the work of laboring together in Christ’s church, reports of ongoing ministries, the host church’s hospitality. It was also a blessing for the fellowship that gave opportunity to gather together to reconnect and encourage each other in our various labors. It’s no small treat for our U.S.-based Home Missionaries to have opportunity to share their work with the synod as well as connect with one another.
