News from the Mission Field

July 2024

Holy City

Contact Lynn Rogers for more information 843-442-1604

July is vacation time for most of us, a time to travel, a time to slow down and recharge. Two of our local mission partners, Charleston Classical School and Hope Scholars Academy, are gearing up for a new school year beginning in August. We will have a school supplies drive for both schools beginning in July and going through August.

While you are out shopping for your children's supplies and/or taking advantage of the tax-free weekend August 2-4, 2024, please consider buying supplies to support the students at Charleston Classical School and Hope Scholars Academy

Hurting Coast

Contact Sherrie Driver for more information 770-354-6471

RISE Church, Portland, Maine

Your Hurting Coast Mission Team to RISE Anglican Church (The Rev. Dan Wolf in Portland, Maine) spent a glorious week, July 6-12, participating in a wide variety of activities dedicated to spreading the word of Christ, sharing God's love, and love sent from all of you here in Charleston. (Please see the image of the team above.). Dan, along with Kayley, his assistant for mission and family ministry, were leading and working with us the whole week. Al and Elizabeth Zadig, Brett Mearkle, Christian Hayes and Mark Di'Cristiforio also joined the team at different times of the week.

We flew directly from Charleston to Portland, Maine on Breeze Airline and were lodged at Oceanwood Camp and Conference Center at Orchard Beach, 20 minutes from Rise Church. With no air conditioning, we slept in bunk beds with as many electric fans blowing on us as we could muster. Of course, the weather was unusually every bit as hot as it was in Charleston last week...very different from the cooler weather I had promised the team. My flannel PJ's were a bad choice to pack! Lots of laughter, fun and joyful moments were had by this team ranging in age from 12 - 80. We worked hard, prayed hard, had long days, experienced numerous God-filled moments, walked on the nearby beach to relax, and luckily were able to eat some lobster...I had three lobster rolls total.

Everyone had a very important role to perform in each activity. Here is a text I sent to family to give you an idea of what took place:

" Lots of activities going on at the same time each day. The guys doing the reconstruction work (tearing down walls and rebuilding) making a new sacristy and storage space plus room in the narthex for nursing moms/crying babies and still see the service on the screen. Repainted the narthex and two bathrooms off the parish hall. Filled bags for FCA camp to be held this week with t-shirts, etc. Youth cooked a big Southern meal for 40+ people. Held the first healing prayer service for RISE and our six prayer ministers were involved. Four prayer walks around town meeting and praying with people of all backgrounds. Parents night out/mini-VBS one night. Picked up trash in the neighborhood around the church after 10 am service."

So, please take a look at some of our pictures here and think how you could help spread God's love by participating in a future mission trip!! Also, please remember that several

team members will speak at the 9 am and 11 am services this Mission Sunday.

Click Here to view more Photos from the Rise Church Mission Team

Hungering World

Contact Park Dougherty for more information 843-860-3950

South Sudan

Bishop Abraham met with members of the Mission Task Force and other St. Michaelites in the home of Pam and Jim Smith on July 18th. (Please see photo above of some in attendance.) For those who may not know this, Bishop Abraham came to America as one of the 4000 "Lost Boys." 60 Minutes did a documentary on their lives and journey. After a lovely dinner the group heard a presentation regarding a school in South Sudan that he continues to work on in hopes of opening it up to 300 female students. Many of the girls would be full time residents. This school and facility would be for grades 9-12. It would be open to local girls but also students from around the country. The idea is that their Muslim parents would pay for them to receive an education and Christianity would be one of the courses required. They are almost finished with the brick wall surrounding the property to keep the girls safe.

INDIA

Left to right: Rita Gordon, Bishop Probal Dutta, Deacon Martha Toney and Rita Dutta

Upon returning to their home in Kolkata, West Bengal, Bishop Dutta phoned to say thank you to everyone who welcomed Rita and him at the special Fourth of July Picnic. Bishop Dutta and Rita were also greeted by Bishop Chip and Beth Edgar who attended the picnic. The Bishop expressed his gratitude for Bill Hyer's Sunday School class on July 7th. During the 11:00 service, Bishop Dutta brought a special greeting to St. Michael's Church, which prompted applause from the congregation.

Please pray for:

The 25 blessed girls ages 6-15 living in the St. Michael's Safe House. Thanks to their sponsors.

Twenty lay people are being trained by Bishop Malakar in a one year lay theology course to assist the clergy in the villages.

Chandra is a graduate from a St. Michael's Safe House. Please pray that she passed her government entrance exam for nursing school. Thanks for her sponsor.

Global Impact Conference

Contact David and Christen Reese for more information 843-853-0436



This summer has been a hot one for the Lowcountry, and the heat has provided some great weather for travel and beach time at home. We continue to have some great interest in the GIC fundraiser at home with the bank jars. Bank jar funds that are being raised for GIC will be used to purchase Bibles for our mission partners. If you want a bank jar for your home, please take a jar from the lobby area of the Belser Building or ask the church office. There are plenty of jars available, and we are excited to see you all get involved this early on.

We are also please to announce that Cooper and Mary Mac Wilson have accepted the role of chairs for the future GIC 2026. We are excited to work alongside Cooper and Mary Mac this year for the 2025 GIC and look forward to having their leadership going forward into 2026. If you have any questions about being a volunteer for GIC or know you want to be part of this team, email David and Christen Reese at redflagreese@icould.com or call

(843)853-0436. Thank you and in case you have any hesitation, know that we need you.

Respectfully,

David and Christen Reese

Please Remember....

Your mission pledge allows the parishioners of St. Michael's Church to continue to be blessed to be a blessing unto others.

Thank you for your support.



St. Michael's Church

71 Broad Street

Charleston, SC 29401

843-723-0603

stmichaelschurch.net