North Alabama Conference in Mission
from Bishop WIll Willimon
Patsy and I have just returned from a great Volunteers in Mission (VIM) trip to work with our missionary in Panama, Rhett Thompson. For more than 20 years Rhett has connected the United Methodists of North Alabama with the people of Panama. I’m proud of Rhett and I am proud of the scores of Alabamians who support Rhett’s work
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posted by UMVIM at 4:53 AM
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Our VIM team worked in Cieneguita with the Ngöbe Indians. In 1998, a team from our Conference began a multiuse ministry center there. The center is nearly complete. It is a wonderful witness to our Christian solidarity with the poorest of the poor in Panama.
Our group was comprised primarily of new clergy and spouses. It is my hope that VIM will become a permanent part of their ministry. We have scores of churches that could be transformed through participation in VIM. There is something about Jesus that requires not only that we believe in him but that we also work with him, going where he goes and doing what he does.
Our trip was organized by Paulette West, the Volunteers in Mission Coordinator for our Conference. This past year Paulette has helped train enough teams and team leaders that 46 churches sent a total of 1039 volunteers, comprising 50 international teams and 30 domestic teams, to places of need. [These numbers do not include the 130 Disaster Response Teams that included more than 1000 United Methodists. (Last year Paulette, Richard Stryker, Patrick Friday and our district disaster coordinators trained at least 2,268 people for Early Response Teams.)] Her leadership in mission is amazing. If your church has not sent a VIM team recently you need to contact Paulette.
Missions has long been an emphasis in North Alabama. Our current missionaries from North Alabama are Rhett Thompson in Panama; John Elmore who is serving in Chile; and Kay Twilley who is serving in Bolivia.
We had an inspiring, faith-energizing trip. Paulette can help every North Alabama Methodist to be in mission, to go where Jesus goes and to do what Jesus does.
Will Willimon
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