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Frequently asked questions about World Mission Challenge
What is World Mission Challenge?
During 25 days in the fall of 2009, Presbyterian World Mission will send about 40 mission workers to speak in churches all over the country. The World Mission Challenge is similar to the successful Mission Challenge ’07, which took place in the fall of 2007.
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When is World Mission Challenge?
About 40 mission speakers will be in Louisville for an intensive orientation on Tuesday, September 22, through Thursday, September 24, 2009.
Each mission worker is expected to visit four different presbyteries. We hope that at least 140 presbyteries will host a mission worker.
Mission speakers will speak for three weeks and one partial week:
- First week begins Friday, September 25
- Second week begins Friday, October 2
- Third week begins Friday, October 9
- Fourth week (long weekend) begins Friday, October 16
- Return to Louisville on Monday, October 19
- Debrief with staff on October 20
- Rest for a day before taking part in the Mission Celebration October 22 to 24. (See last question for more information about Mission Celebration.)
Why have World Mission Challenge?
We want to lift up the profile of mission workers within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). We want to emphasize that our mission workers minister together with partner churches and organizations around the world. The PC(USA) has been sending mission workers for 175 years. During this time, we have built lasting and strong relationships with the Body of Christ around the world.
What are the goals of World Mission Challenge?
- To link more PC(USA) mission workers with more PC(USA) churches
- to thank the church for its support.
- to let the church know that its support is still needed.
- to give mission workers the chance to share their witness.
- to give churches the chance to hear the stories of what God is doing in and through our mission workers and global partners.
What’s the timeline of the World Mission Challenge?
- By the end of September 2008, the 40 mission speakers will be selected
- Phone calls to each presbytery start in September 2008
- In October 2008, a World Mission Challenge Web site will be online
- Participating presbyteries to be largely defined by April 2009
- Participating presbyteries will know which mission speaker they’ll be hosting by May 2009
- Schedules for mission speakers within each participating presbytery will be ready by August 2009.
Where can we find support materials?
For more information contact Ellen Dozier at the Mission Connections Office: (888) 728-7228 x5916; or send an email.
Can a presbytery choose to host a specific mission speaker?
The emphasis during World Mission Challenge is on good stewardship — of money and of the mission speaker’s time. All the speakers will carry the same message, which is about our collective endeavor to participate in God’s mission. Though each mission worker will illustrate that message from his or her own experience, we will all be carrying the same message. In order to save money and time and simplify our task, we ask that presbyteries not request a specific speaker. We will send you a speaker who is fully capable of sharing stories of how the PC(USA) is involved in Christ’s mission around the world, and we’ll send him or her to you on the week that you request.
What will the World Mission Challenge cost our presbytery?
The host presbytery is responsible for providing room and board for the mission speaker for one week, for developing a full schedule, and for transporting the mission speaker from place to place within the presbytery. The Mission Connections office will be responsible for the cost of transportation from presbytery to presbytery.
What is Mission Celebration?
The first Mission Celebration, held in October 2007, was very a successful conference for churches, presbyteries and mission networks. It gathered 700 Presbyterians in Louisville immediately prior to Mission Challenge ’07. The 2009 Mission Celebration will be held October 22–24, in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and the adjoining Duke Energy Center. Call Lis Valle at (888)728-7228 x5279 for more details. Most of the 40 mission speakers during WMC will be participants in Mission Celebration. It’s planned as a gathering of mission volunteers, mission network participants, congregational, presbytery and synod mission leaders, mission trip leaders and other mission supporters. We hope that participants will be inspired by the speakers, talk with mission personnel, meet international church partners, get new resources for mission participation, and worship God amid the sights and sounds of the global church.
In Mission Challenge ’07, 48 mission speakers visited 144 presbyteries in all 16 synods. They spoke in 900 different PC(USA) churches and about 100 other institutions such as presbyteries, synods, churches of other denominations, schools, seminaries, and civic organizations. They made a total of 1,400 presentations and spoke to approximately 56,000 people. The direct response mail campaign associated with Mission Challenge ’07 raised over a million dollars to support PC(USA) mission personnel.
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