Pacific Northwest Itinerary

A number of you have been asking me about the exact details of my itinerary this October as I visit churches and individuals in the Pacific Northwest raising support, and I haven't given them to you dominantly because I'm still in the process of setting up even a fluid itinerary. But, since this isn't really that fair for those who are partnering in this mission to Argentina, let me sketch out some of the broad swaths of details:

September 22th - September 29th (ish): Vacation in Indiana
I will be taking a vacation (at least, that's going to be my attempt), visiting my family in Indiana and Ohio, in and in particular my sister and newborn nephew. In the process, I am praying to meet a few people who might be willing to partner with this mission, but to be honest the main goal of this time will be to rest and focus on the month to come.

September 29th - October 6th (ish): Vancouver and Victoria (British Columbia)
During this week, I will be concluding my vacation with a stop in the Vancouver, BC area and visiting those among the many Anglican churches who are interested in my coming and sharing the vision that the Lord has given me and those on the team for ministry in Argentina.

October 6th - October 9th (ish): Western Washington
From that point I hope to head southward to the Tacoma/Seattle (with a few stops beforehand at churches further north) and visit with the dominantly high-church crowd (REC and APA) of that region.

October 9th - October 13th (ish): Eastern Washington
After visiting the churches on the Western side of the state, my hope is to head Eastward and visit the Anglican congregations in that area, many of which are in my own Diocese of Western Anglicans.

October 13th - 17th (ish): Western Oregon
Having canvased the state of Washington, the plan is to move south and visit some of the smaller but vibrant congregations in the state of Oregon (mostly found around the Portland area), and to visit with former missionaries Bob and Meg Jepsen.

October 17th - 20th (ish): The Bay Area
There are clusters of smaller and larger congregations around San Francisco and the bay area, and my hope is to swing by and visit with them as well as veteran missionaries like C.A. McCoy to learn from their experience.

October 20th - 23rd (ish): Lake Almanor
I am looking forward to swinging by St. Andrew's Academy and the congregations in the boondocks of Northern California, not simply to raise support but to see old friends and share the details of the mission in person with many who have been good friends of me and of my home church for a while.

October 23rd - 27th (ish): The Return
After departing Lake Almanor, I will be headed home to San Diego, making stops at churches along the way that are interested in having me speak or share about the mission. Which churches are interested in having me speak will in many ways determine which route home I end up taking.

These dates and areas are still pretty tentative: they depend on churches responding to my request to come and speak: the fewer the churches the more quickly I will be moving and the less time I will be spending away from Southern California. I will keep you all up to date on this itinerary as things continue to develop. In particular, please pray for the following:

1. That many churches and individuals will be willing for me to come and speak to them about the mission.


2. That the Lord would open the hearts of many people to want to partner with me in this ministry.


3. That the Lord would provide for my bed and board while I am on the road as he has promised to do.

Thank you all, and blessings!

David+ 

Visit to Holy Trinity, Ocean Beach

Hello everyone!

It has been a while since I posted a blog entry giving updates here on the website, but that doesn't mean that there hasn't been a lot going on in terms of the mission to Argentina. And this weekend is no exception!

Tomorrow, Sunday September 19th I will be preaching and leading the service at Holy Trinity Parish in Ocean Beach (near downtown San Diego). In addition, I will be leading the Sunday school area on a discussion of missions that will more or less follow the material in the RT Article from June. I am very excited to share this time with the people of Holy Trinity and to be able to share the Lord's work in Argentina with them as well.

If you're interested and in the area, come check it out: service times are at 8:00 and 10:30 AM with Sunday school in between.

Psalm 117,
David+ 

A little update (finally!)

Hey folks!

I know it's been a while, but I wanted to give you a brief little update about how things have been going in the support-raising world, and about what the Lord is doing here with the mission to Argentina!

First, I am very excited to let everyone know that I will be preaching and administering the Lord's Supper at Christ Church in Fallbrook, CA at 1:00 PM, Sunday June 20th.  They were very gracious in allowing me to come and fill in on a Sunday when most of their ministerial staff will be absent, and it gives me a wonderful opportunity to present not only the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but also about the mission and ministry he's called me to in Argentina.  I would love it if you could come and support me by attending: it's at an odd hour so many of you may be able to make it!

Second, with the June edition of the Resurrection Times, I've put up a couple of articles that I've written. The first is on the "Why?" of Missions, a follow-up to last month's article on the "What?" of Missions.  The second is a short piece on the Role of Doctrine for us in the Christian life.  I hope you all enjoy them!

Third, I ask your prayers as I try to get out my support letters.  I have my names and addresses in order, but I have a bit of writer's block when it comes to writing the actual letter.  I am really praying that my perfectionism doesn't get in the way of actually getting a tangible letter out to potential supporters, something which is much more important than having the "perfect" letter.

Thank you all for your prayers and interest in the website and the mission!  I'm excited to see what the Lord will be doing next!

A New Website Format Up

Over the last week and a half, this website has seen a lot of changes! Here's a brief overview of some of the changes it's undergone:

1. Structure. The information on the site has been reorganized so that it's easier to navigate. Rather than having long pages with tons of narrative or information, there is now usually a front summary page that can direct readers to more information if they have interest in it.


2. Content. Not only is there more content on the need for missionary work in Buenos Aires, but the mission, vision, strategic plan, and core goals for this ministry are up on the website. Not only has this filled out the website (a lot!), but it has helped sharpen my own articulation of what this mission is all about for myself and for others.


3. Forms. Users can now submit a request for updates or to register to host a visit from yours truly by filling out online forms which record their registrations, and they receive an confirmation email that their form has been received. This should make partnering with this mission even easier!


4. Home Page. There is finally a working home page with a (relatively) brief summary of the mission, its objectives, and how to partner in the ministry!


5. Pictures. There are, bit by bit (pun unintentional), more and more pictures, graphics, and photos on the site. Keep checking in to see the latest!

My support team is about 60% formed ... I'm waiting to hear back from some, and I still need to speak with about three or four more people about serving on the support team. Please pray that the Lord would open the hearts of key individuals not only to be on the team but to catch the vision that he has for this ministry in Buenos Aires.

Please pray for me this Saturday as I head up to Long Beach for a Diocesan Missions Committee meeting, that the Lord would open doors for effective coordinated ministry between churches within our diocese and beyond.

Recent Happenings

Hmm, there's so much to tell about how the mission is going, so let me break it up into a few categories.

Recent Talks. Recently, I've been able to share about my mission to Argentina with two very cool groups of Christians.

First, last Friday night I was able to share about the mission to Argentina with a group of fellow mission enthusiasts, hosted by some friends of mine who used to serve in Egypt. After sharing and answering some questions, we were able to pray for the people of Argentina and for the mission to Buenos Aires upon which God is sending me.  It was a wonderful time, and it was great to get to know some new friends headed to the mission field.

Second, last Saturday I was given the opportunity at the local San Diego Anglicans meeting to share about this mission to Argentina, and it received an enthusiastic response! Besides that, we all had a great time listening to a plenary lecture by Dr. Glen Scorgie on the current state and future of Christianity in Asia.

Recent Website Updates. Fortunately, after the weekend I've been able to pursue getting a little more content up on the website.  The "About" section is coming along great and has improved a lot both for myself, for SAMS, and for Resurrection.  Additionally, my recent Resurrection Times article "What is 'Missions' Anyway?" is up in the "Articles" section.

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with your Spirit,
David 

Financial Support Is Online at SCS!

Well, after a long week of setting up the structure of the website and editing the beliefs and bio section of the website, I've finally put what is of great interest to many people: the donation section of the website! Now on the Financial Support page , I've included a list of ways to donate, both via the web and old-school, along with links to finalize the donation.  In addition, I've included a widget on the sidebar that includes links to the three main ways to donate.

So far so good ... on to the next tasks here!

Launched!

Hello everyone!

Less than two weeks after the New Wineskins for Global Missions conference, I am pleased to announce the launch of my missions website!  It still has a long way to go, and not only am I still uploading pictures and formatting the layout, but I am also still editing the content of many (maybe even of most) of the sections on here.  But within a few days I hope to have things looking relatively catchy and informative around here.

Thank you so much for visiting me here and for your interest in the mission that God has for me in South America.  May the Lord bless you all richly through his Son Jesus Christ!

Here to kneel where prayer has been valid.

And now for something completely different.

Or, such was my impression coming into the country of Argentina. Even from the air I could tell that something was different upon coming into Buenos Aires. It appeared as if I were flying into London, Indianapolis, or a city like that, but not into a Latin American city. This sensation of bewilderment would come to be quite familiar as I became more acquainted with my surroundings.

I was met at the airport by the Rev. Daniel Genovesi, the rector of the parish at which I would be working and my neighbor by the church, and we began making plans for the work in the weeks to come almost immediately as we headed from the airport to the little hamlet which would be my home for the next two months. Arriving at the church, I met Daniel’s lovely wife and children, whom I would get to know quickly through our constant overlap in activities and contexts. We have become fast friends, and I enjoy being with them here very much. My own living accommodations include a little a little cottage by the side of the church with a bedroom, living room, kitchen, and bathroom, and it is quite comfortable!

The past week has been a whirlwind of activities: in addition to meetings with persons like the Dean of the cathedral, or time spent with the Archbishop and his family and friends, I have been getting acquainted with the weekly routine of the parish of San Marcos (St. Mark’s), things like the Bible studies, prayer groups, outreach projects, worship schedule, and getting to know the faithful of the parish (which has meant my consuming my first Argentine asado, a truly divine experience!).

The community itself presents an interesting challenge in and of itself. The church is situated in the area of Hurlingham, a section of Buenos Aires where the wealthy British immigrants who brought technology, railroads, and the like to Argentina had taken up residence. Walking through the streets, the brick cottages, trimmed hedges, autumn leaves, and stone walkways bring back memories of Oxford and Cheltenham, and this British sensation is not brought about not only by the architecture but also by the denizens. Hurlingham, more than any other place in Buenos Aires, is inhabited by a large number of the descendents of the British immigrants who still speak English as their mother tongue. Coming here, they built houses, schools, clubs, and churches. While those who have retained the English culture (significantly preserved and unchanged from about 80 years ago!) are at this point elderly and not a significance force within the community, they have still retained many of their customs, language, and way of thinking (as well as tea … it has been a long time since I’ve drunk so much British tea, not that I’m complaining). The parish of San Marcos has a remnant of these believers, and part of its mission is to reach out to them.

However, more significantly, San Marcos realizes that its future lies in Spanish (or rather, Porteño) speaking residents of Hurlingham. This transition has been difficult, and appeared for a while to have been hampered by a church split occasioned by some Neo-Pentecostal elements within the congregation, but for the last few years, many new Spanish-speaking young families have been coming to San Marcos and forming the base for new ministry, while a goodly number of mature believers from prior epochs have stuck around as well, and there exists an atmosphere of peace and growth within the congregation.

So, how is my visit to Buenos Aires fitting in with what our living God is doing here in Hurlingham? Well, my visit here is certainly very different from my trips to other areas of Latin America. The chief difference is not merely in economics or culture (which are certainly different here in Hurlingham), but the sense that I have come to a place where the situation is need, not crisis. I am able to contribute where this gesture will be valuable, but without the desperation that I have observed in other Latin American churches (usually due to lack of laborers in the harvest), and this normalcy will be invaluable for me as I myself learn and prepare myself for future ministry.

My tasks for the coming weeks include regular preaching and leading of worship, leading Bible studies, accompanying Daniel on pastoral visits, helping with a youth retreat, and leading several advanced studies and workshops (on diverse topics such as the question of suffering, the importance of the Reformation, etc.). While there will be much to do, in everything I have the aid of Daniel who has committed to being a mentor for me while I am here.

Our sovereign God is so good and so faithful here, and I am very happy to be here. There is much to do, and much to learn, and (frankly) little time for checking up on internet, so I ask forgiveness for my delinquency in updating this blog, but I hope this has sated in part the desire of some to know what has been happening to the gringo in Buenos Aires. I hope to get some pictures up soon … I just haven’t taken them yet! In addition, I include a few things that I wish that I had realized before getting here:

1. Not only do Argentines eat late, but they eat heavy late. It is not uncommon to have a two course meal with desert and coffee afterwards but begin the whole process around 10:00 at night. I know. I am feeling the effects a bit …

2. Albergue, the word for “orphanage” in Perú (for instance, "Albergue Infantil Hogar de Esperanza" the orphanage at which I volunteered after graduating from college), is the word for a pay-per-hour hotel. If you know what I mean. I found this out about a week and a half too late, after telling practically everyone that I volunteered my services at, well, you know. One of those places. Ay, caramba.

3. To say “hello” and “goodbye”, the grown men of Buenos Aires are accustomed to kiss each other on the cheek. I had to adapt quickly to this, but it is a bit on the weird side. Still.

Well, this is about all for now. I should wrap this up. Please pray for the church of San Marcos, here in Hurlingham, and that this time would be productive for me and beneficial for the congregation. Please pray for good health, both for me and for Daniel (who is recovering from a radiation treatment for hyperthyroidism). And please pray also for our bishop, Gregory Venables, who right now is at an important church council in Jerusalem and later goes to the global Anglican conference at Lambeth which meets every ten years: please pray for wisdom and faithfulness to the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ. Thank you for your prayers.

Fare forward, voyagers.

Let’s take a brief side journey to the Anglican mission Santa María Magdalena in Juliaca, high on the Altiplano. On Sunday, June 8th, Fr. Juan Carlos, his youngest son, and I took off from Arequipa in order to celebrate Holy Communion with the brothers and sisters of this mission to which my home church, Anglican Church of the Resurrection, is sending support.

This mission in Juliaca is not new, but has grown extremely slowly, since there has almost never been a long-term, full-time pastor (ordained or unordained) assigned to live in Juliaca. Juliaca itself is a difficult city to begin a mission: the idolatry, witchcraft, and commercial materialism of Juliaca and its larger neighbour Puno is legendary and even prompted the choice of name for the mission: St. Mary Magdalene, from whom our Lord cast seven demons.

The trip up took about 5 hours, and was quite eventful, as we not only passed 14,000 feet of elevation, had a lunch consisting of cow tongue and native herbal tea, and were able to see flocks of alpaca and vicuña (an endangered relative of the llama and alpaca), but we also were graced with the continual presence of unheard music from the 1980s throughout our ascent. A bit tired, we were able to get some rest once we arrived before the service began.

Despite lower than average attendance, the service began well at 5:45. Fr. Juan Carlos allowed me to preach the sermon, taken from Romans 4, and God was clearly at work despite the cold, the altitude, and the language. There is a growing group of young people in their early 20s who have been working on the music, and were able to provide instrumentation for our singing, which was an added blessing.

Afterward, over hot chocolate and bread, I was able to get to know the congregation better. Together we sang Psalms and praise songs, shared stories and experiences, and I listened as they told me the trials and difficulties of raising up a mission in Juliaca, especially in the absence of a permanent pastor.

We began the return journey to Arequipa late, about 9:30, and our gracious Father gave us a swift and safe journey, tired but content with our trip and full with hope for the mission.

Please pray with us that God would grow this mission, not only in numbers but also in maturity, knowledge, and love; that he would provide shepherds to watch this flock, not only once a week, but full-time throughout the week; and that he would be glorified by this tiny point of light in the midst of such darkness in the difficult city of Juliaca.

Unweave, unwind, unravel, and piece together.

Well, it’s been a while, but here we go.

Let’s begin with my trip to Arequipa. My visit to the White City went way too quickly. There was much to do, many people to see, and little time in which to accomplish it all. Here is some of what stuck out!

I had a wonderful time with Fr. Juan Carlos, his wife María, and his sons who put me up for the week that I was with them. Through them I was able to visit the schools, children’s homes, and activities like the small groups, and they were very gracious to accommodate me in the various tasks that I had hoped to accomplish. May the Lord bless them for their giving hearts.

The diocesan schools, Colegio San Lucas, are much as I left them, with the exception of a budding construction project. With the new classrooms built, they will be able to move the primary school students to permanent classrooms and move the secondary school students to the same facilities as the primary school. Despite frustrations with delays, everyone is confident that the new structure will serve the needs of the school and community even better!

The children’s homes, San José (for younger children) and Sagrada Familia (for adolescents), continue as well as ever. The children are a year older, and it feels odd not to have been there to experience it with them, but it was a joy to pass time with them again.

It was wonderful to spend time with Ron and Vicki Robertson, missionaries from the United States who are working with the Anglican seminary in Arequipa and with the children’s homes, discussing the opportunities and difficulties extant in ministry in Perú right now, and with the many seminarians who are preparing for future ministry in the church, either as lay leaders or as ordained clergy.

There were difficulties during my visit to Arequipa. It was painful to see that many of the people that I had gotten to know last year while I was down here, some of them very dear friends, have drifted away from the church and from the Lord. In addition, I noted among all of the leaders of the church with whom I spoke a deep strain, each for different reasons, that was dominantly absent a year ago. Still, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is faithful to his church, and his Son continues as King of his People and Shepherd of his Flock, and my prayer is that through these difficulties that he would be at work strengthening, purifying, and increasing his Church in Arequipa for his praise and glory.

Well, there was much to tell, and I fear I have not done the week justice, but there was much to tell and little space. Brothers, sisters, and friends, please be in prayer for the church of Perú, and particularly for the those in Arequipa, that our God would be faithful to his promise and that he would raise up laborers for the harvest, for the fields are white with grain! Thank you.