A letterfrom Burkhard Paetzold serving as Regional Liaison for Central and Eastern Europe, based in Germany
August 2014 - Interpretation Assignment Announcement
Dear friends,
As part of my service I'm blessed to spend time in the U.S. visiting churches to share about the ways we’ve been participating in God’s mission in our part of the world. Right now I'm preparing for a season of visits to churches, presbyteries, and other groups from September 26 to November 3. My proposed route so far is Detroit, Michigan, Idaho and Montana, North Dakota, and Charlotte, North Carolina. If you are in or close to one or another of these areas and are interested in inviting me to share with you, please feel free to contact me ASAP*, since my schedule is just starting to fill up. If you can help me connect with other churches or interested groups in your presbytery or synod, I’ll be extra grateful!
It’s been a joy to build on longstanding relationships and also get to know some of you long-distance through letters and online communications. I would love to come for a visit if you would consider inviting me.
I love to participate by giving a “minute” for mission or a children’s message. When possible, it’s best to have space other than (or in addition to) Sunday morning worship to share with greater depth and focus, and give a fuller picture of what God is doing in Europe.
My work as regional liaison is broad and multi-faceted, and your community’s interests and experience are unique, so I’d be delighted to work with you in planning what topics and format(s) would best suit your situation. Here’s something of a mix-and-match menu of ideas—but these are definitely not the only possibilities!
Settings:
- Sunday school (any age group)
- Special church event (potluck or otherwise)
- Confirmation class
- Youth group
- Young adult group
- Clergy Bible study
- Men’s or women’s groups
- Prayer breakfast
- Retirement home or nursing home
- Classroom (elementary, high school, college, seminary)
- Mission committee meeting
- Presbytery or synod meeting
- Church camp or vacation Bible school
Topics (I can focus on a couple of these, or give a broad overview of Presbyterian World Mission engagement in Europe):
- One of our “Critical Global Initiatives”:
- Addressing the root causes of poverty, especially as they impact women and children
- Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ, through discipleship and theological education
- Seeking reconciliation amidst cultures of violence, including our own
• Doing mission in partnership with the global church
• Situation of Roma (Gypsy) people and ministries of our partners with Roma
• Refugee ministries
• One of the countries in the region where I work:
• Germany, Hungary, Czech Republic, Romania, Lithuania, Ukraine and others
• Socio-economic and historical context (particularly appropriate for a class on geography, political science, history, etc.
• Opportunities for mission service, short- and long-term
A note on expenses
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) pays my salary while I’m on interpretation assignment, so I neither need nor expect any kind of honorarium. My food, lodging, and travel expenses are not covered, however, and I will need your support in meeting those needs.
We can discuss specifics as we plan, but please know that I will try to group visits by region and share the cost of airfare or car rental among several churches or organizations where possible. I’m also happy to work with you if you have frequent flyer miles to donate for airfare.
I know it's very unusual in the U.S., but I don't have a driver's license. I'm happy to use any kind of public transportation where available. If not available I would need your help with ground transportation.
Please consider working with other churches or groups in your area to combine activities in the same week and share costs. Scholarship grants are available, especially for small churches or for clusters of churches, to help offset the costs of hosting me. You can contact Rachel Anderson, at Rachel.Anderson@pcusa.org for more information.
Thank you for your faithfulness in supporting me with your prayers, notes, and financial gifts. They are truly essential in making my work possible, and I look forward to sharing the story with many of you in person in the fall!
In gratitude and hope,
Burkhard
* It’s easiest to reach me by email first. We can continue on Skype or phone if needed. If you prefer an initial phone call, you may also contact Rachel Anderson in the Mission Connections Office Rachel.Anderson@pcusa.org, who knows my schedule.
The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 312
Read more about Burkhard Paetzold's ministry
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