ONWARD Page 2 September 2003

EUROPEAN REGIONAL CONFERENCE AND EUROPEAN MISSION COUNCIL

This year it was the British Province’s turn to host the above meetings and a special request had been made at the 2002 meetings that, if possible, the meetings should be held in Northern Ireland. So on Monday 19 May, representatives from each of the 3 European Provinces and the Czech District, together with representatives of the Mission organizations of the European Continental Province, assembled at the Castle Erin Christian Conference Centre, Portrush.

Tuesday 20 May was devoted to the meeting of the European Regional Conference – a time of sharing information about each Province and exchanging ideas and views. The following day was the turn of the Mission council – because the European Continental Province is spread over a number of different countries, each country has its own mission organization. This Council is the time when the representatives of the Danish, Dutch (Zzg), German (HMH), Swedish and Swiss mission boards come together to discuss matters of common concern and, where appropriate, to formulate policies in common. At this meeting, the Czech and British Provinces are welcomed as guests. Jackie Morton British PEC

Best Wishes to Sister Rosemary Kirkman

By Maggie Gray

We extend best wishes to Rosemary Kirkman as she moves to Myrtle Beach this summer! What a void she will leave in ministry in the Kernersville church and community at large.

Rosemary grew up by the ocean and is looking forward to living by the ocean once again. She grew up in Dysart, Scotland and finished her schooling in Dundee. Rosemary has been an active member of Kernersville Moravian Church since 1947. Her neighbor, Mrs. Wilson, brought her a pie one day and invited her to visit KMC. By the time Rosemary has attended worship services three times, she knew KMC was the church where she would be blessed by joining.

Rosemary has been associated with various non-profit organizations in our community throughout her residency. She spent much of her time volunteering at Crisis Control. She has also served our Lord Jesus faithfully as the Mission Representative for our church for many years. She first became our Mission Representative under the pastorate of the Rev. Ray Troutman and continued to serve in this position through the following five pastorates. As Mission Representative, Rosemary most enjoyed meeting Moravians and countless other people from foreign lands and hosting them in our community and church. She went on several mission trips which included travel to the Virgin Islands, Barbados, Canada Europe and the British Province of the Moravian Church.

Rosemary believes travel is a wonderful educational experience for our youth and is much supportive of our youth and adults participating in mission efforts annually. She is particularly pleased to see our young people participate in mission trips because it just seems they are different when they return. Serving the Lord on Mission trips encourages spiritual and personal growth. Rosemary encourages everyone to join the Mission Society of our larger Moravian Church and to continue to read the Onward

Rosemary, filled with much emotion, says she will miss all of her friends; sisters and brothers in Christ at KMC. Truly, we will miss her dearly as well. God bless you Rosemary as you now take your spiritual gifts to Myrtle Beach and use them to exemplify and proclaim Jesus is Lord!

MISKITO COAST, Inc Overview and Thoughts

By Ray H. Griggs

Tropical hardwood trees are the most abundant and most valued natural resource that the Mosquitia (east coast) of Honduras has. Lack of infrastructure and general lack of knowledge or contact with the global lumber market have left the Miskito people open to exploitation by others. Miskito Coast, Inc. was formed by Mark Olsen, Greg Machu, and myself in July 2001 to export/import wood and wooden projects from the Mosquitia of Honduras to the U.S. After two years of market and product research, business plan development, as well as, improvement of the quality of the wooden products, the dream (continued on P. 5)