Missions Support

Pilgrim supports global missions around the world, including one in the remote highlands of Papua New Guinea. The Highland Lutheran International School in Papua New Guinea is a strong mission that is reaching the native people of Papua New Guinea with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Pilgrim's Sunday morning Bible study classes also support Ms. Sharon Owens in Macau. Sharon teaches English to people in Macau, using the Bible as the textbook. She is part of the Concordia School, reaching out to the unchurched in Macau.Individuals in the congregation also support the Yakimow family, who are missionaries to Kenya.

Scott and Miriam Yakimow - "Our new work on the coast of Kenya continues to make progress. This vastly (almost entirely) Muslim area is showing a great deal of responsiveness to the message of Jesus. Even now, there are people highly placed within the Muslim religious establishment that are attending Bible study classes and showing interest in learning more about Jesus and Christianity. The land for the training center has been purchased, and the fencing will be going up shortly. But even before all this happens, the work goes on and shows great fruit. Approximately 10 Muslims have confessed Christ already, and it looks like God is set to grab more and more each day.

"The Muslims of this area frequently see Christianity as a 'white man's' religion, but when it is explained to them that Christianity has roots in Africa?even from the time of Abraham in Egypt, through Philip of Cyrene and the great churches and churchmen of Northern Africa such as Augustine, Athanasius and others?they realize that becoming a Christian is, in a real sense, returning to their roots. This removes a major roadblock to the Gospel and starts to pave the way toward a true hearing of the message of Jesus."

Gary Thies is the Mission Development Counselor for the Nebraska and Iowa West Districts. Gary travels to congregations, organizations, and individuals across the Nebraska District sharing with them what God is doing in His mission work here in Nebraska and throughout the World. You can find his web site at http://www.missioncentral.us/

Gary Thies of Mapleton, Iowa, took a leap of faith in 1994 and quit his job as Mapleton Bank president and became the Synods first Mission Development Counselor. In that role , he visits LCMS congregations to inform and excite them about missions and to encourage them to adopt, financially and through prayer, a specific mission project to help undergird the Synod's global Gospel outreach. He also presents opportunities for people to become personally involved in missions through prayer support, volunteering their skills and abilities, full-time service, gifts, and offerings.