LAKE TAPPS COMMUNITY CHURCH

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LTCC Missions Weekend

Pete Corak

Good Morning, LTCC Family

After talking about what’s on our horizon at this week’s staff meeting, I had a flashback to my early days at the church I attended in Kamloops, B.C. for 23 years.  Specifically, a flashback to Sunday lunch with the Schobergs.

They had a routine that Sue and I quickly picked up on.  A simple meal, great conversation, clear the table, read the missionary updates for the day from their missions magazine, pray for the missionaries, and then play a couple of rounds of Boggle.  While the Boggle games were memorable (they played with no time limit and Mr. Schoberg would always mop the floor with us), it was their daily devotion to missionaries that captured my interest.

I was still a relatively new believer, in a relatively new church, with little or no connection to the world of global missions.  But I couldn’t help but notice that these dear senior saints were SO connected.  After decades of fellowshipping in Plymouth Brethren circles, attending conferences, and being part of sending out missionaries, they knew many of those whose letters they’d read and then prayed for.  While never as connected so widely and deeply as the Schobergs, over time Sue and I acquired our own circle of missionaries we knew and supported.

So, when we relocated to the United States and started attending LTCC there was a reset.

It didn’t take long after we started attending here to know that missions was a big part of the LTCC makeup.  I remember attending our first Missions Emphasis Weekend in 2006 and being aware that there was a whole part of LTCC community life that we weren’t part of.  Over the years, however, we came to participate in this area of family life as well.  And that, largely by continuing to attend the annual Missions Emphasis Weekend.

LTCC’s Missions Emphasis Weekend has been a cornerstone of LTCC’s missionary DNA for decades.  It’s a weekend where, as a church family, we get to know a couple of our missionaries at a little deeper level while reminded of the many missionaries supported by LTCC.  An event which over the years, and with a bit of commitment and effort, eventually allowed Sue and I to come to regard LTCC’s missionaries as OUR missionaries.

Like I said, missions are a big part of family life at LTCC.  Through missions we are reminded continually of the great commission – that, just as our missionaries are sent into the world, so are we.  Through missions we have had the blessing of seeing those from our own church family be called into serving throughout the world.  And through missions we get to minister together as a family as almost 1 out of every 4 dollars given to LTCC goes toward missionary work.  In that sense, we are co-laborers together even as we’re co-laborers with those who we support.  We also minister together as we pray for our missionaries – that’s why one of our missionaries is spotlighted every week.  But truth is, it’s easier to pray for those you know.  And, if you’re new to a church, knowing the family’s missionaries will take time and intentional effort.

So with that, if you believe God has led you to be part of the family at LTCC, I invite you to enter fully into family life by planning to attend our Missions Emphasis Weekend, October 21-23. 

On Friday night, after a catered meal, the adults will hear from Micah and Andrea Heath with Greater Europe Mission while our kids spend time with James and Lori Hoad who are bringing the gospel to Merritt, British Columbia through North American Indigenous Ministries.

On Saturday, Micah and Andrea will be speaking again at our men’s breakfast and ladies’ brunch and the Hoads will share about their work Saturday evening during an ice-cream social.

But you don’t have to wait for our Missions Weekend to connect with one of our missionaries.  Consider taking advantage of an opportunity to hear from Chuck Kelley of Bridge Builders International after second service on Sunday, October 9th.  Over a pizza lunch, Chuck will give an update on the work in Latvia, how that intersects with the need in the Ukraine, and the latest on the Ukrainian pastor we’ve supported to minister to Ukrainian refugees in Latvia.

For more information about our missionaries, to read their most recent updates, and to register for the Chuck Kelley Ukraine Update Luncheon and the Missions Emphasis Weekend events, go to the Missions page on our website.

On behalf of the elders,

 

Pete
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