Friday, October 3, 2008

News from Missions Development International

Dear Friends of MDI:
We are off again and this time with 11 of us! We leave Monday, September 29 and most of the team returns on October 7 while MDI staff finish their work part of the trip on October 11, 2008. MDI is leading a three-day conference for women leaders in ministry. The leaders will be primarily from New Life Church, in Kiev, along with other churches around the country. The theme of the conference is "Led by Love, Lead by Love," based on Hebrews 3:1-6. This conference is about understanding the foundations of love - love that inspires, love that sustains, love that draws others, love that equips us as leaders. Teresa Sugar is the keynote speaker. There will be five workshops and each woman attending the conference will get to attend each one. The workshops are: "Finding Balance in the Leader's Life" led by Teresa Sugar, "Bridging the Generation Gap" (mentoring) led by Jean Scott and Stephanie Todd, "Christ Centered Teaching" led by Kathy March, "Team Building and Recruiting" (includes vision, purpose and implementation) led by Judy Dorris, and "Leading out of Brokenness" (candor and vulnerability, Jesus' strength) led by Dede Franz and Tina Weir. In addition, Dede Franz is leading a workshop on "Developing a Women's Ministry." The team leaders are Marti Scudder, Beverly Warren, Steve Lorenz, and Randy Morgan. This team represents four different churches.

At our Communion service last Sunday night, Steve Lorenz challenged us to move as promptly and obediently as Philip did when the Holy Spirit told him to leave a fruitful ministry and take that road leading out tothe desert?!? And yet he did, and the Spirit used him to explain the Gospel to the Ethiopian official. May we listen and obey Jesus so quickly and without hesitation, not relying on our own logic. Please pray for our safety, health, plenty of stamina and protection over our families. Pray that we will be unified, full of patience and love each other well. Pray for our home churches to be blessed and encouraged through supporting us; pray that the desire to GO (near and far) with the Gospel will increase.
Pray that we will communicate clearly with our translators and they will accurately speak what God tells them through us. Pray that we will not grow weary of teaching the same information, but will stay attentive to the Holy Spirit's desire to edit or change "on the fly." Pray specifically for Teresa as she will speak to all of the women at the conference two times and teach 5 seminars too! "Each one should use whatever gift she has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, she should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, she should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 4: 10-11
Please pray that the church in Ukraine will be built up through the seeds planted in these women, wherever they are in leadership. Tanya Baranova, MDI's staff in Odessa, who is starting the Journey to Freedom ministry there, will join us for this conference.

After the team leaves, MDI will spend three more days meeting with the staff of Radooga, Loza, and New Life Church as we continue in our roles of consultants, equippers and mentors. We are also pleased to announce the birth of Sveta Boiko's baby girl, Marusia! Sveta is the MDI director in Kiev.

Thank you for partnering with us,
Marti along with Steve, Randy, Beverly and the entire team

"I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. As you make your requests, plead for God's mercy upon them, and give thanks. This is good and pleases God our Savior, for He wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus" I Tim. 2:1-5 NLT

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