Thankfulness, Generosity, and End of Year Reflections
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Thankfulness, Generosity, and End of Year Reflections “Count your blessings. Name them one by one. Count your many blessings, see what God has done.” You’ve probably sung the words to this famil- iar hymn many times. But our hearts sing with joy as we name the blessings “one by one” that IM has received this year because of generous gifts from supporters. “When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed. When you are discouraged think- ing all is lost…” It would be easy to count the COVID cases or the missed ministry opportunities during this year of crisis, but take a few minutes and count the blessings God has given us this year: • Missionaries have shared the Gospel in at least twelve countries, along with many other partners who also minister in other places around the globe. • Bible studies have been started, both online and in-person. • New converts have been discipled. • Children have received Christmas boxes with Gospel tracts inside. • Sermons have been preached in lan- guages we may not all understand, but more people than ever have been able to hear them through online formats. • Bibles have been given to people who could never have even held one in their hand without your gifts. • There have also been evangelistic con- certs, English classes, and food distribu- tions in our social outreach programs. • All of these things (and much more!) while sharing help, hope, and healing to people around the world. “Thank you” seems like such small words to describe how we feel as we count the blessings we’ve experienced this year because of your gifts. From every corner of the earth, we want to shout…¡Gracias! Jërëjëf! Merci! Спасибо! Obrigado! Xièxiè! Arigato! Благодаря ти! Ashe Oleng! Dha- nyavaad! Thank you! As we count our blessings, we are thankful for what the Lord has done through each of you! —Tim and Kristi Johnson, IM missionaries to Spain NOV/DEC 2020 PAGE 1
Transcript of Thankfulness, Generosity, and End of Year Reflections
Thankfulness, Generosity, and End of Year Reflections“Count your blessings. Name them one by one. Count your many blessings, see what God has done.”You’ve probably sung the words to this famil-iar hymn many times. But our hearts sing with joy as we name the blessings “one by one” that IM has received this year because of generous gifts from supporters.“When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed. When you are discouraged think-ing all is lost…” It would be easy to count the COVID cases or the missed ministry opportunities during this year of crisis, but take a few minutes and count the blessings God has given us this year: • Missionaries have shared the Gospel
in at least twelve countries, along with many other partners who also minister in other places around the globe.
• Bible studies have been started, both online and in-person.
• New converts have been discipled. • Children have received Christmas boxes
with Gospel tracts inside. • Sermons have been preached in lan-
guages we may not all understand, but more people than ever have been able to hear them through online formats.
• Bibles have been given to people who could never have even held one in their hand without your gifts.
• There have also been evangelistic con-certs, English classes, and food distribu-tions in our social outreach programs.
• All of these things (and much more!) while sharing help, hope, and healing to people around the world.
“Thank you” seems like such small words to describe how we feel as we count the blessings we’ve experienced this year because of your gifts. From every corner of the earth, we want to shout…¡Gracias! Jërëjëf! Merci! Спасибо! Obrigado! Xièxiè! Arigato! Благодаря ти! Ashe Oleng! Dha-nyavaad! Thank you!As we count our blessings, we are thankful for what the Lord has done through each of you!— Tim and Kristi Johnson,
IM missionaries to Spain
NOV/DEC 2020
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FAMILY HAPPENINGS
IM NewsBeat NOV/DEC 2020
The Baileys returned from Japan and are currently fundraising during their Stateside Assignment.
We praise God that five people were baptized at the annual Bulgarian National Retreat of the New Life Churches in Vidima!
We praise God the Ketteman’s son, Carter, accepted Jesus as his Savior!
We celebrate with IM mis-sionaries (Teagues and Prices) in Saint Nazaire, France who baptized two people in the Atlantic ocean in October!
The Postlewaite family returned safely to Bulgaria.
Keren Delgado was accepted at a University in Varna to study the Bulgarian language.
Ken and Jayne Cash and Jacob (THP) are attending
Center for Intercultural Training (CIT) in North Carolina.
The Bishops announced they are expecting their sixth child! Miriam is due with their baby boy in March of 2021.
The Culwell family returned safely to Japan.
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FAMILY HAPPENINGS
IM NewsBeat NOV/DEC 2020
We celebrate with Caroline McDonald, MK and Welch College student, who recently got engaged to Robert Mann.
We celebrate with Welch student and MK, Alejandro Johnson, who recently got engaged to Breanna!
Continue to pray for Neil Morgan as he recovers from the hernia surgery he had in early October. We expect him to be cleared by his doctor af-ter six weeks of recovery.
Nathan and Linda Snow were able to attend a small wed-ding ceremony and reception for their son, Andrew, and his wife,
Esther, in her home church in Sendai, Japan.
Eddy and Amanda Simmons received the wonderful news they are fully funded to return to Kenya. Please continue to pray for the healing of Eddy’s Complex Region-
al Pain Syndrome in his left hand and for Amanda as she recovers from surgery to repair a hernia.
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NEWSTHE GIFT OF MISSIONSPlease pray for IM missionaries and minis-tries as we invite churches and individuals to generously give at the end of the year 2020. End of year gifts would make it pos-sible for 2020 goals and budgets to be met and set them up for a great start as 2021 begins. Your generosity also eases the stress of declining account balances and missionaries having to return to the States early to raise support.Stay tuned! A new giving platform is coming soon to iminc.org—making giving faster and easier!
WAYS TO GOWe are still looking for leaders for ETEAM mission trips in 2021. Apply now at iminc.org/go. College students have been select-ed for IM College Missions Program short-term missions opportunities. Student commitment forms are due by December 1, 2020. If you’re interested in bringing help, hope, and healing to those around the world by serving with The Han-na Project, visit hannaproject.com to view the projects and trips needing workers and apply today.
STILL TIME TO GIVE TO WMOThank you for giving towards the $485,632.85 amount to the 2020 World Missions Offering (WMO)! You can still give today by visiting iminc.org/give then selecting “WMO” from the dropdown menu.
PRAYER FOCUS• Pray for the nations around the world
experiencing political unrest during elec-tions. Pray for those in leadership and the citizens of each country to rely on God’s direction during this time.
• Please pray for the teams and students who are raising support and preparing for trips with ETEAM, CMP, and THP in 2021. Pray the Lord will provide their funds and the ability to travel and serve in missions around the world.
• Continue to pray for IM missionaries who are traveling around the States raising funds and support to return to their mis-sion fields.
IM NewsBeat NOV/DEC 2020
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IM NewsBeat NOV/DEC 2020
STATESIDE MISSIONARIESSeveral IM missionaries are currently on Stateside Assignment raising funds and support. Opportunities to meet and speak with churches and organizations are great-ly appreciated. These services inform church members of each missionary’s min-istry so they will know how to specifically pray and partner with them.Please contact any of the following mis-sionaries by using the information below:Annabelle Ellis 615-674-5440 [email protected]
Anthony & Lea Edgmon 615-589-9420 [email protected]
Walt Schorsack 405-819-1898 [email protected]
Keren Delgado 479-747-4307 [email protected]
Adam & Carol Duncan 573-289-3560 [email protected]
Debbie Griffin 229-726-6001 [email protected]
Sam & Lauren Riggs 205-495-0997 [email protected]
Ken & Jayne Cash 252-947-0829 [email protected]
Josh & Bethany (THP) 629-215-9264 [email protected]
David & Myriam Reeves 270-929-7432 [email protected]
Ken & Judy Bailey 405-759-0396 [email protected]
Eddy & Amanda Simmons 984-377-0019 [email protected]
Doug & Miriam Bishop 615-454-1772 [email protected]
Jacob (THP) 615-806-9220 [email protected]
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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR MISSIONARIESKen & Judy Bailey, JapanKen and Judy Bailey were ap-pointed to Japan in August of 1982 and have been serving there ever since. Ken and Judy have been involved in many of the IM Japan church plants. They are strengthening and grow-ing the Kamifukuoka church plant as well as teaching one class at the Iriso Church. In addition to leading weekly home Bible studies and Sunday worship services, they provide marriage counseling, lead disci-pleship classes, Mommy and Me classes, and teach English and Bible to both young children and adults. The Bailey’s ministry allows them to build relationships, reach out to the non-believers in their community, and disciple believers in Japan. They are currently Stateside seeking to raise funds and support to return to Japan.
Heath & Joni Hubbard, JapanHeath and Joni Hubbard serve as church plant-ers in the Tokyo area of Japan. In 2019, they, along with their team members, launched the bi-lingual Hope Alive Church in the city
of Tokorozawa. Heath serves in the role of pastor for this church, as well as the team leader. Together with their team, the Hub-bards have launched numerous initiatives to reach the Japanese population around them, 99.7% of whom are lost. These in-clude various English-speaking opportuni-ties, meeting people at train stations, and one-on-one and small group Bible studies for the lost and new believers. The College Missions Program allows students to ex-perience missionary life and assist in out-reach, among other things. Their purpose in all of the outreach is to meet people and create opportunities to hear and respond to the life-changing story of the Gospel. The Hubbards will return in December for their Stateside Assignment to raise funds and support to return to Japan.
IM NewsBeat NOV/DEC 2020
Your partnership in the gospel yields dividends around the world in lives changed and churches planted. If you’d like to
discuss ways to see that impact continue long-term, call 1-877-767-7736 for information on Planned Gifts or
Estate Planning.
Visit www.iminc.org for up-to-date news.
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