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PRAYER FOCUS
August  2003
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN LABRADOR

Br. Sam Propson, called to help develop native leadership in Labrador, reports on his work and asks for prayer to complete his work. He writes: “My work of leadership development continues, but I am severely limited because of all the pastoral ministry I end up doing, the very last thing I’m supposed to do here. We will soon have two lay ministers who will be responsible for all of the ministerial work while I’m gone this summer. Sabina Hunter, upon approval of the provincial board, will be appointed as the lay minister of Happy Valley Moravian Church. She is one of my most energetic students, devouring everything I gave her to read and study. She needs about five classes to finish her undergraduate degree and hopes to finish these over the coming year. She continues to study with me and to work with her mother Zipora and Amos Lyall, the other acolytes in the Happy Valley congregation, to provide leadership since their pastor resigned last year.

“Gordon Obed continues to serve the huge congregation in Nain. We are actively seeking ways to fund him so that he can go into full-time ministry. Gordon is hoping to start a men’s Bible study and a host of other ministries. Unfortunately my main student in Hopedale, Martha, has resigned and moved to Nain for a new job. This leaves a huge hole in Hopedale as I have poured three years of myself into Martha in hopes of her becoming the lay minister here.

Hopefully she will resume training after she is settled in Nain and will be a great asset to the church there. This leaves Judy Dicker to lead here, but she is struggling with several health issues.  We have high hopes of recruiting a few very capable leaders in Hopedale that are nearly to the point of stepping up to the plate. Makkovik has two acolytes now and there are others who are considering taking an even more active role there.

“In addition to this, we are looking into starting a Moravian congregation in Postville. The old leader, Uncle Leonard McNeill, who headed up the Postville fellowship for years, died two years ago and I have finally recruited a new leader. We hope to buy a local building for a dollar and offer regular Moravian services through my students and myself from November through April. There are now enough people in Postville with Moravian backgrounds to consider starting a congregation, or at least a more organized fellowship.

“God speaks to people all the time and guides them along life’s way.” Join in supporting in prayer these persons as they begin new ministry in many different ways and places. It is never easy to bring new life to an old form, but, in reality, this work is always new, with the rising generation. Br. Sam needs your support as he maintains the current work while developing new workers for the Lord’s vineyard in Labrador.                                            Edited from Propsom Newsletter