The 2010 Glocal Mission Team:
Gary Penner, Barb Johnson, Pastor Kevin Wendt, Melanie Beck, Joe Milledge, Connor Sassmannshausen, Loretta Sassmannshausen and Carla Schaller
Read why they are going.
Continuing what He began in 2006, the Lord is leading us step by step in an ongoing, long-term, Christ-love relationship between the Christian church in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and the Christian church in Ethiopia. This is relationship with eternal purpose. This relationship is a global / local – glocal – partnership focused on people here and there who do not yet live in trusting relationship with Jesus Christ as their forgiver and leader. Partnered with Lutheran Hour Ministries, this relationship is Ethiopian Christians and American Christians spurring on each other within the mission of God design to save people from their sins.
A glocal partnership is built by forming friendships around ministry bridges – ministries that are common internationally and unique locally. So far, the Lord has linked Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, through these ministries:
- Congregational Mission
- Lutheran School Mission
- Friendship Ministry to Muslims
- Friendship Ministry to people affected by mental illness
- Friendship Ministry to people affected by HIV/AIDS
And friendships are forming as we send people to Ethiopia, receive people from Ethiopia, and share life via e-mail and snail mail.
Lord willing, a team of eight will spend October 22-31 in Ethiopia nurturing these friendships and developing these (and other) ministry bridges. And the plan is for recurring visits in Fort Wayne and Ethiopia every six months or so. Read about the trip.
This glocal partnership is helping Christians in Fort Wayne and in Addis Ababa believe that every Christian is sent to be God's missionary everywhere they go. We are encouraging each other, loving each other, cheering for each other, inspiring each other, awakening each other, "spurring one another on in love and good deeds." (Hebrews 10:24) And the Lord is using it to save people and bring them to a knowledge of His Truth in Jesus Christ.
NEWS: Glocal Mission Donations Update: Read a report from our Ethiopian partners about Concordia donations to local Addis Ababa ministries.
Videos:
- Glocal mission is a bridge of relationships and is built on ministries we share. View this video.
- Former Muslim Temesgen Abede shares his Saul-to-Paul conversion to Christianity with the mission team. View this video.
Glocal Mission Ethiopia - Historical Perspective
