God’s desire is for us to build communities of hope and joy
Please join us virtually for Mission Encounter as we reflect on a broader vision of the community Jesus is calling us to be. This year as we study Luke 13, we are in the midst of a devastating pandemic, a divisive political climate, unaddressed systemic racism, ecological crises, and economic turmoil. We can turn to the stories of Jesus
that have anchored Christian communities for two millennia.
Our newly designed Mission Encounter 2022 is for everyone and will focus on Luke 13.
It is possible for us to minister to the needs of our communities in various ways as Jesus did.
Click here to order the study book ($10)
United Women in Faith Courses
Who can we be together? (English)
• Rev. Jason Stanley
• Rev. Kendra Grimes
• Rev. Leigh Anne Taylor
• Martha Stokes
• Rev. Ileana Rosario
• Julianne Rosas
Who can we be together? (Spanish)
El deseo de Dios es que construyamos comunidades de esperanza y alegría.
Por favor, únase a nosotros virtualmente para el “Mission Encounter 2022” mientras reflexionamos sobre una visión más amplia de la comunidad que Jesús nos está llamando a ser.
Este año, mientras estudiamos Lucas 13, estamos en medio de una pandemia devastadora, un clima político divisivo, racismo sistémico ignorado, crisis ecológicas y agitación económica.
A pesar de esto, podemos recurrir a las historias de Jesús que han anclado a las comunidades cristianas durante dos milenios. Nuestro recién diseñado “Mission Encounter 2022” es para todos y se centrará en Lucas 13.
Aprenderemos que es posible atender las necesidades de nuestras comunidades como lo hizo Jesús.
• Rev. David Jimenez-Cardenas
우리를 향한 하나님의 열망은 우리를 소망과 기쁨의 공동체로 부르십니다.
온라인 Mission Encounter 2022을 통해 예수님께서 우리를 부르신 공동체의 보다 넓은 비전을 함께 참여하십시오. 이 시대에 우리가 겪고 있는 절망적인 전염병, 분열된 정치, 공론화되지 않은 시스템화된 인종차별, 생태계의 위기 그리고 경제적 불안을 누가복음 13장을 토대로 공부하면서 하나님께서 주시는 지혜와 방향성을 다시금 찾고자 합니다. 또한, 지난 2천년 역사의 기독교 공동체의 토대를 세운 예수님의 생애와 사역을 돌아보면서, 사랑의 손길이 필요한 우리의 지역사회를 위해 실제적으로 움직이며 일할 것입니다.
새롭게 구성된 Mission Encounter 2022는 예수님의 사랑을 소망하는 모든 이들을 향해 열려 있습니다.
Study Leader:
The Rev. Yun Kang, Pastor of First UMC, Harrisonburg District (Email)
Virginia Conference Courses
Instructor: Mr. Ben Blevins, Highland Support Project
Doing Theology: The Praxis of Transformational Ministry
We live in a world of structures. While we can see and touch architectural structures and sense their impact on the environment, it can be a challenge to identify social, cultural, or political structures. A social structure is somewhat like a recipe. If we take potatoes as an example, we can bake, hash, or mash them. We can sprinkle some cheese on it and call it au gratin. We may identify these social recipes with terms like the ghetto, Appalachia, suburbia, the civilized world.
We called on to be transformational agents for the greater good. This workshop analyzes the historical structures created by our shared colonial past and the development of a methodology grounded in the social work theory of Mark Zimmerman. How do we develop authentic partnerships across national, race, ethnic, and class borders?
Ben Blevins is an organizer with the Highland Support Project (HSP), a reconciliation ministry accompanying Indigenous communities of the Americas working to build the good life for everyone. HSP has innovated models of intercultural engagement focused on developing the resilience and agency of marginalized communities. Ben has a Bachelor of International Studies and a Master of Community Organizing and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Sustainability Education.
Has the Pandemic changed everything in our lives? The answer is Yes and No. Even though the
Pandemic has changed our normal lives, it cannot change God’s passion for the body of Christ—
God’s love and compassion WAS, IS, and Will with the body of Christ.
The class for caring community is to equip the church to be “the Church in a Post-Pandemic
World.” For this purpose, the class will address the wounds and brokenness of the church. Also,
the class will discern how God wants the church to grow spiritually, relationally, and missionally
for the transformation of the world.
Week 1: Becoming an open and relational church
Week 2: Becoming a visional and spiritually grounded church
Week 3: Becoming a faithful and innovative church
Week 4: Becoming a resilient and courageous church
Required book: Being the Church in a Post Pandemic World by Kay Kotan. (Required book should be purchased prior to the start of the course)
Instructor: Rev. Seung Hae Yoo-Hess is serving Lebanon UMC in Diwiddie, VA. Before she committed
herself to serving local church in VA, she earned her doctoral degree in the field of Pastoral
Care and Counseling at Candler Theological Seminary in Emory. Also, she earned her Master of
Divinity degree at Chongshin Theological Seminary in South Korea and Mater of Art in
Theological Study at Claremont School of Theology in the field of Pastoral Care and Counseling.