Partner Churches Mentor One Another
By Sandra Brands
Even before New Hope UMC in DePere, Wisconsin, was chartered, it entered into an In Mission Together partnership with Russe UMC in northeastern Bulgaria. The mission partnership brought more to each congregation then physical and financial resources. It brought a revitalized sense of faith and perseverance in the face of surrounding secular societies.
Mission outreach was so important to the congregation of New Hope UMC that it entered into an In Mission Together partnership five months before the church was officially chartered. A scant month after it was chartered in May 2008, the first New Hope mission team visited their partner church, Russe UMC, in Bulgaria.
“Even when we were organizing, the original six people—including me—felt it was important for a church to be in mission from the beginning,” said Rev. Greg Jewison, pastor.
Because one of the founding members had recently met a UM pastor while on vacation in Bulgaria, Jewison said, the congregation explored ways to form a connection with a church in the Eastern European country. An In Mission Together partnership offered an extraordinary opportunity for the members of this newly formed church to work in partnership with a small, but vitally growing church overseas.
“We liked the idea of being in a partner relationship,” Jewison said. “Mission works both ways, and both congregations could be strengthened by this relationship. We could all grow by being in connection with one another.
“Right away, we had people who were stepping forward, saying they wanted to travel to Bulgaria and get to know the people over there and form this relationship,” he said.
A mission church itself, New Hope UMC had a lot to learn from the congregation of Russe UMC. So, too, did the two pastors, Jewison and the Rev. Daniel Topalski, who now also serves as a district superintendent in Bulgaria.
Mission outreach was so important to the congregation of New Hope UMC that it entered into an In Mission Together partnership five months before the church was officially chartered. A scant month after it was chartered in May 2008, the first New Hope mission team visited their partner church, Russe UMC, in Bulgaria.
“Even when we were organizing, the original six people—including me—felt it was important for a church to be in mission from the beginning,” said Rev. Greg Jewison, pastor.
Because one of the founding members had recently met a UM pastor while on vacation in Bulgaria, Jewison said, the congregation explored ways to form a connection with a church in the Eastern European country. An In Mission Together partnership offered an extraordinary opportunity for the members of this newly formed church to work in partnership with a small, but vitally growing church overseas.
“We liked the idea of being in a partner relationship,” Jewison said. “Mission works both ways, and both congregations could be strengthened by this relationship. We could all grow by being in connection with one another.
“Right away, we had people who were stepping forward, saying they wanted to travel to Bulgaria and get to know the people over there and form this relationship,” he said.
A mission church itself, New Hope UMC had a lot to learn from the congregation of Russe UMC. So, too, did the two pastors, Jewison and the Rev. Daniel Topalski, who now also serves as a district superintendent in Bulgaria.
Learn more about how you can be in partnership with other churches through In Mission Together.
Photos: Daniel and Greg at UM food pantry in Green Bay (top)
Greg and Daniel during bilingual communion in Bulgaria. Pastor Greg preached on three occasions, with translation by Rev. Daniel Topalski. (right)
Credit: Courtesy of New Hope UMC