Thank You

for Your

Financial

Support

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What you have read in this newsletter shares some of what we have been doing in relation to missions. Yes, our primary focus is here at Penn View Bible Institute [Penns Creek, PA] working with the Missions Division (we will begin our 18th year in this coming August!). However, our involvement in missions does not end there. What you have read in this newsletter reflects some of the positive impact we are seeing the Lord do through our lives.

Your prayers and financial support make our involvement possible in this unique ministry to missions. Without your partnership with us, our involvement would be greatly curtailed. For your involvement, we say “Thank you.” Your prayers are important as we face various battles relating to missions. Since we work with limited overhead, we are able to maximize the impact of our ministry finances. We endeavor to practice good stewardship. We are involved in this unique ministry as the Lord provides.

To better streamline the raising of our mission support, we are officially a part of Barnabas Ministries (remember Barnabas the encourager?) based in Lenoir City, TN and is directed by Rev. Rick Hutchinson. Barnabas Ministries appealed to us because it is not a “sending agency.” Its mission is to come alongside of missionaries and national leaders to help in any manner needed. Among their various means of helping, national leadership training at one level or another is a big ministry of Barnabas.

We selected Barnabas Ministries because of the necessity for ministry and financial accountability (we do not promote “Lone Rangers” in missions!). We did not want to create any conflict-of-interest by linking up with a “sending agency”. We work with many sending mission agencies and we do not wish to isolate ourselves from them. We believe that Barnabas Ministries will assist to be most effective in what the Lord is calling us to do.

Yes, we still work with Mission Helps, Inc. (we have an excellent relationship with them!) especially as we direct SíMO. Barnabas Ministries will only enhance our working with Mission Helps, Inc. (based in Lititz, PA).

If the Lord lays us upon your heart and you wish to assist us in our ministry to missions, you may send your donations to:

Barnabas Ministries

21070 Meadow Road West

Lenoir City, TN 37772

Make checks payable to “Barnabas Ministries” and in the memo write “suggested for the Mowery's.”

Barnabas Ministries is incorporated in the state of Tennessee as a religious non-profit organization, and is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) charity. All gifts and contributions are tax deductible.

If you have any questions about this new partnership with Barnabas, please feel free to contact us at 570-837-3232 (home).

A Personal Focus

Joy Celebrates 50 Years of Living

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Having lived on the mission field for most of her first eight years of life followed by many years as a PK (preacher’s kid), Joy experienced many angles of ministry. Since our marriage almost 22 years ago, her involvement in ministry deepens. She has been a blessing to many.

However, even while working in ministry as well as being immersed in parenting, one must “kick-back” and celebrate. Congratulations, Joy, on this milestone in your life! Just three years to go ‘til I get there. With all my love and appreciation...Steve.

LEADERSHIP Training Requested
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When in Florida earlier this year for a Hope International Missions board meeting, Steve spent considerable time with our ministerial and laity brethren from the Bahamas. These precious national leaders receive periodic contact from us through phone calls and the sending of Christian literature.

In talking with them, some have requested leadership training seminars from us. They wish to further their understanding of ministry and the mission of the Church. They are not asking for missionaries to do their church work for them, they simply desire training so they can do an even better job than they presently are doing.

This group photo includes (l-r): Percy Sands, Oswald Bain, Henry Rolle, Steve, Richard Munroe, Frankie Scott (Bishop of Bahamas Holy Bible Mission), Sid Grant (Director of Hope International Missions), and Raymond Burrows.

Training Material for National Leaders

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Ministry training materials are essential for leadership development. Part of our ministry to missions includes the purchasing of books for national pastors. These resources assist these leaders to better understand their responsibilities and to improve upon their leadership skills. This aspect of ministry also enriches the personal relationships we have developed with national pastors and church leaders.

Books written by holiness leaders enables national Christians to better understand what is meant by our Wesleyan-Arminian theology. Encouraging these leaders to pursue the deeper walk with the Lord is critical to the development of spiritually solid local churches.

There is a great need among national pastors and lay leadership. We repeatedly hear the cry from them. They are asking for seminars related to church work and leadership development. They are not asking for resident missionaries to do the church work for them. They are asking for training so that they are enabled to shoulder the responsibilities and do the work themselves. This is an awesome ministry opportunity for national leadership development.

Steve is pondering the beginnings of such leadership training. As he develops the curriculum, he and Joy will need to go on site to present this training to the nationals. As you think of this training opportunity, please join in prayer regarding this angle of ministry.

[2005 file photo]

SíMO Training Is Upon Us!

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By the time you read this, our Summer Institute for Missionary Orientation (SíMO) [pronounced SEE' mo]training will be in full swing. Again this year, we are having a good group of missionaries joining us for this two week training experience.

This is our 7th year in operation! SíMO is completely a faith effort to address issues related to life and ministry on the mission field. We strive to see longevity and increased effectiveness among our holiness missions. Yes, we need more workers but we also need to keep the missionaries we already have! Our premise is that “missionaries are too valuable to lose!”
We are seeing a good measure of our mission being accomplished. Testimonials of former SíMO participants bring much encouragement to our training team. Our alumni speak well about their SíMO training, especially when they confront the realities of the field.

In addition to our missionary adults, this year we have a lot of MK’s (missionaries’ kids)...11 to be exact! Their ages range from 12 years on down to a one month old baby. Joy, Alyssa, and Caleb are preparing activities for them. Some of these activities include some age-appropriate experiences regarding mission work and crossing cultures.

This is also the second year for SíMO for Leaders. This new specialized training is designed to meet some of the needs of mission directors, mission board members, and their office staff. This program is catching on! This year we are seeing a nice increase (a 100% increase!) of leaders joining us for this training.

This year’s topics include: 1) the necessity for understanding worldviews and culture; 2) the dilemma of cross-cultural ethics; and 3) the whole issue of dependency upon US dollars and personnel to keep mission churches going.

Thank you for making our involvement in this event possible through your support for us. In our next Ministry to Missions newsletter, we will report regarding this year’s training event.

To subscribe to our Ministry to Missions newsletter, send me an e-mail with your mailing address to: missions@pvbi.edu.