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Southern Province Synod Responds to Mission Challenge

At the Pre-Synod Gathering on March 25^th, Southern Province Synod delegates had been issued a challenge.  PEC President Bob Sawyer had encouraged them to make this Synod be about “mission outreach” in the way that it is defined in the Church Order of the Unitas Fratrum:  ministry to the spiritual, social, physical and economic needs of humanity.  The challenge was accepted!  This “missional attitude” could be seen and felt in almost all aspects of the Synod. 

Resolution #43 - Mission Challenge 550

was passed unanimously.  It calls for the Southern Province's celebration of the 550th anniversary of the Unitas Fratrum (1457 – 2007) to focus on building up mission outreach while continuing to support existing mission programs.  It also calls for the appointment of a Mission Challenge 550 Leadership Team, (including at least one youth) with the following responsibilities:

·         seek ways for each congregation to identify local needs and have access to resources for mission outreach

·         meet with and seek the assistance of provincial and interprovincial boards and agencies in building up and expanding mission outreach.

·         promote cooperation, exchange of information, and sharing of resources among congregations, boards, and agencies.

·         encourage financial and volunteer support by each congregation for the good work of Moravian mission agencies (local and worldwide) 

·         encourage youth to participate in mission outreach opportunities and programs both within the church worldwide and in the community.

·         disseminate information on possibilities for cooperation in mission outreach with other denominations and with Christian ministry

      facilitate during the year 2007 two or more events that give expression to this focus on building up mission outreach; one of these events shall be a Province-wide Youth mission event.

But the challenge was to “think missionally” in all of the committees and in all of the resolutions.  Here are some examples of how that challenge was taken seriously:

Resolution #5 - Congregational Strategies to Confront HIV and AIDS

Asks each congregation to:

- schedule an AIDS Awareness Day

- find a way to support a specific program of AIDS Ministry (education, prevention, ministry to caregivers & orphans)

- recognize December 1st as World AIDS Day

Resolution #30 - Partnership for Rebuilding in the Gulf Coast

- calls for Moravian Disaster Response to develop a partnership with Habitat for Humanity or an appropriate alternate to build up to seven homes in the Gulf Coast area by 2010

- encourages congregations, agencies, groups and individuals to support this mission financially (at an estimated cost of $75,000 per home), and to provide volunteer teams

Resolution #39 - Spiritual Formation for the Family

- charges the Board of Christian Education with developing and promoting a resource that will guide families in their spiritual formation and equip them to live out their faith in daily life as disciples of Jesus Christ.  (The BWM will help to develop the “mission” portion of this resource, reinforcing mission as a component of our “normal” spiritual life, not a special program or non-essential elective)

Resolution #40 - Millennium Development Goals

- voices support for the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and for our nation fulfilling its promises toward those goals;  

- encourages our congregations to learn more about the importance of the Millennium Development Goals through resources such as Eradicating Poverty: a Christian Study Guide on the Millennium Development Goals, published by the National Council of Churches USA.

·         The U.N. Millennium Development Goals (to be achieved by 2015) include the following:

o        Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

o        Achieve universal primary education

o        Promote gender equality and empower women

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