Trip Reports

The Travels of the
Mission and Ministry Network Mobilizer (MMnM)
February 1, 2009 – May 3, 2009

The following is a synopsis of the weekly travels of the Mission and Ministry Network Mobilizer, Rev. Andy Curtis.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania:  During the Second week of February Rev. Curtis attended a meeting of New Wineskins and EPC leadership representing North East Ohio and Western Pennsylvania.  One of the purposes of this meeting was to discuss the possibilities for ministry networks in this region.  The potential for EPC and New Wineskins congregations to join together in ministry networks became a real possibility as a result of this gathering.  Pastors representing both the New Wineskins and EPC will join the MMnM (Mission Ministry Network Mobilizer) in formulating a possible geographical division of churches representing ministry networks.  These geographical networks will eventually be presented to the local church leadership for their discussion and input concerning viability and interest.Look for good things to come from this joint endeavor.

February 18 thru 22 – Pittsburgh (PA) Ministry Network:  The Pittsburgh Ministry Network is probably the longest running network in the NWEPC Transitional Presbytery.  Pastors and elders for these eight plus congregations participate in monthly gatherings where they enjoy fellowship around the lunch table, worship and teaching.  These three elements of their time together define this particular network and it is clear that the relational aspect of this network is extremely important to them.  As they look to the future they see the possibility of two networks forming from this one.They also look for a great relationship to develop between them and other EPC congregations.  Our time together was as much about relationship building than anything else.

Rev. Curtis took time to meet with the leadership of Peter’s Creek Presbyterian Church encouraging them and leading a discussion around the vision of “missional ministry” and how missional ministry might be carried out in the context of a New Wineskins church and ministry network.  On Sunday morning Rev. Curtis brought the message speaking about the vision for the NWEPC and encouraging the congregation in their participation in missional ministry.

February 25 thru March 1 – Northeast Ohio Ministry Network:  NEON, the Northeastern Ohio Ministry Network, has been functioning since before our gathering in Bay Village, Ohio.  Comprised of two NWEPC congregations, one PCUSA congregation, one independent congregation and one EPC congregation, this ministry network has demonstrated that ministry networks can cross denomination lines.  NEON is one of two ministry networks that has formulated a joint Ministry Network Covenant.One of the interesting aspects of this network is that it functions more like a Support Network, periodically coming together for prayer, worship, theological reflection, networking and resource sharing.

Rev. Curtis took time to be with the pastors of Bay Presbyterian church, Stow Presbyterian Church, and Hudson Presbyterian Church.  He was given the opportunity to share the vision of missional ministry with the elders of Bay Presbyterian Church and Hudson Presbyterian Church, and provided the Sunday message for Hudson Presbyterian Church.

One of the exciting things about this visit was learning about the local trans-denominational ministry networks surrounding Bay Presbyterian Church, where they are involved with more than 30 local congregations in their immediate geographical area, participating in a wide variety of mission and ministry.  Elders from Bay Presbyterian Church express great excitement about their involvement in these wide-ranging ministries.  Bay Presbyterian Church demonstrates how local ministry networks that cross denominational lines can work when focused on Kingdom ministry.

March 3 thru March 8 – Kansas Ministry Network and Joplin, Missouri:  Rev. Curtis’s trip to be with the Kansas Ministry Network provided an exciting look at how four congregations areseeking to fulfill as many of the constitutional ideals of a ministry network as possible.  The leadership meets monthly for fellowship, planning and prayer.They also take this time to catch up on the issues each of these congregations is still dealing with in relation to denominational struggles.  They say that their mutual support and accountability have been a wonderful and positive experience for all of them.

Unique to this network is their intentional move to facilitate a joint elder/leadership training event.For two days the pastors of the Ottawa Mission Church, Lighthouse Presbyterian Church, Hillsdale Presbyterian Church, and Gashland Presbyterian Church led in an event that covered important aspects of the New Wineskins Constitution, the EPC Book of Order, and The Westminster Confession.  As a result of this event the elders of these congregations have asked for more gatherings between the four congregations.

Rev. Curtis had the opportunity to meet with the pastors that make up the Kansas Network and then with leadership of the Ottawa Mission Church and Gashland Presbyterian Church.

The weekend was spent with the leadership of New Creation Mission Group (recently given Mission Church status).  A church plant begun a little over a year ago, this congregation worships approximately 60 people a week, most of those attending coming into the faith because of the ministry in New Creation.  Pastor Cliff Mansley and New Creation Church serve a community where many of the families are single parent families, where the people in this community either have no form of employment or work for minimum wage.

Rev. Curtis met with the leadership of New Creation, talking about missional ministry and the connections New Creation has with New Wineskins and the EPC.  He also preached in the Sunday Service.

In a subsequent visit to New Creation (April 21 – 22) Rev. Curtis and Stated Clerk Mac McCarty spent three hours with Pastor Mansley gaining a fuller perspective on the mission and ministry New Creation brings to this under-employed region of Joplin, MO.  Missional ministry is alive and well in New Creation Church.  Another important aspect of this second visit was celebrating the commitment Pastor Mansley has made to join the Kansas Ministry Network.

For insights and perspectives on the Long Range Planning Retreat and the Mission and Ministry Network Mobilizer's role from Dennis Gorman, Ruling Elder, Faith Presbyterian Church, click here.

March 11 thru March16 – Orlando and Fort Myers, Florida:  On this trip Rev. Curtis met with Bill Meyer, Co-Chair of the EPC/NW Joint Commission, Rev. Ken Chivers, an NWEPC/TP pastor working outside the bound of the presbytery with Samaritans Purse, and the leadership of Hope Presbyterian Church in Ft. Myers.

Time with Bill Meyer was about fellowship, catching up, and mining his brain concerning missional ministry, among other things.  The fellowship was great and so was the food.

Rev. Curtis met with Ken Chivers more for pastoral care than anything else.  While Andy has been called to articulate the vision for missional ministry and the role of the ministry network, being a pastor to pastors has become an important part of his ministry.  So time with Ken was more about checking in and finding out how he is doing in his ministry with Samaritans Purse.

In the days that followed, Rev. Curtis met with the leadership of Hope Presbyterian Church in Fort Myers, FL.  Like time spent with other churches and their leadership, this was about sharing in the vision of missional ministry.  Hope Presbyterian church stands alone in the Fort Myers area and seeks to join other local congregations in a variety of ministries, much in the same fashion as Bay Presbyterian in Northeastern, Ohio.

March 26 – Southeastern Pennsylvania Ministry Network:  Leadership from five congregations in the southeastern Pennsylvania area met at the Upper Octorara Presbyterian Church.  That evening was about taking this ministry network to the next level in the ministry they do together.  After taking to time talk about missional ministry and role the ministry network plays in fulfilling this vision, Rev. Curtis challenged this group to take the step of specifically identifying areas where they can join in ministry.  The leadership of the congregations represented at this meeting divided up into four ministry groups covering worship, leadership training, fellowship and mission.  Each of these groups was challenged to begin by discovering one possible joint venture that could point to fulfilling the missional ministry vision.  Three of the four groups scheduled a future meeting where they were going to identify some specific goals.  Rev. Curtis will be meeting with the pastors of these congregations in the weeks ahead to follow up on their progress.

April 21 thru 26 – Joplin, Missouri and Quincy, Illinois:  Rev. Curtis reports that this trip involved one of the primary aspects of his ministry as the MMnM.  He was asked by the Long Range Planning Team of Faith Presbyterian Church in Quincy, IL to lead in an overnight leadership training event that would focus on developing the foundation for a five year strategic plan for ministry.  The foundation for the retreat was to come to an understanding of missional ministry from a biblical and practical perspective.  Then, taking these perspectives, the Quincy leadership began talking about the needs of their church and how those needs can be connected to missional ministry.  By the end of the retreat the leadership developed a few foundational goals from which they could build their five year strategic plan.  Rev. Curtis said, “To see the excitement on the faces of this group of leaders was worth every minute put into planning the content for the retreat.  ”One of the added benefits of this trip and retreat was the participation of Mac McCarty, Stated Clerk of the NWEPC/TP.  From all reports, Mac and Andy worked well as a team.

April 30 thru May 3 – New England:  The NW EPC Transitional Presbytery has two congregations in New England – Orchard Christian Fellowship Church, Londonderry, NH (formerly Londonderry Presbyterian Church) and Covenant Presbyterian Church, “The Barn,” in Simsbury, Connecticut.  In certain respects, these two congregations are far enough apart geographically that they really find themselves seeking to form local trans-denominational ministry networks.  Rev. Curtis met with the leadership of both these congregations, as well as their pastors.  While they may not be joined together in regular ministry network like endeavors, Rev. Curtis has discovered they both have unique views of their role in the local community.

Orchard Christian Fellowship Church, under the leadership of Pastor Ken Glasier, has spent much of their time reorganizing in a local elementary school.  The partnership Orchard Christian Fellowship has forged with the school is remarkable in that they enjoy the kind of relationship any church would want to have with a local community organization.  This relationship puts Orchard Christian Fellowship Church in a position to be a witness to the school.  According to staff at the church, all the teachers in the school receive Christmas gifts, teacher appreciation day gifts, and a variety of other “touches” from Orchard Christian Fellowship Church.  Orchard is presently partnering with local congregations to provide Vacation Bible School as well as other community opportunities.

“The Barn,” as Covenant Presbyterian is also called, has a remarkable missional ministry within their community.  They have forged an interesting relationship with the local county’s Child Services Office.  Helping this agency has become an important part of the missional approach The Barn brings to their community.  According to the pastor at The Barn, they are seeking to develop a ministry network in the community that has the community as their focus.

Future Trips On The Boards:  In the weeks ahead Rev. Curtis will be visiting with the South Louisiana Ministry Network, visiting another pastor working outside the bounds of the presbytery in a church in North Carolina, and spending some time with Rev. Carmen Fowler, President, Presbyterian Lay Committee.  He will be making a second trip to the Kansas Ministry Network to preach in the Ottawa Mission Church and enjoy the fellowship of elders, pastors and their families in a joint ministry network picnic and worship service.  He is planning to attend the NWEPC/TP Presbytery meeting in June as well as the first few days of the EPC General Assembly.  The future also includes a trip to the West Coast – primarily California and Oregon.

Rev. Curtis is also hoping to schedule more leadership training retreats as well as to work with a variety of EPC congregations in forming ministry networks in their regions of the country.