GRR Means Mission
Our vision is healthy churches engaged in effective Christian ministry locally and globally. We urge churches to connect with global mission efforts in ways consistent with their passion.
The easiest way to support all American Baptist mission work is to contribute to United Mission. 65% of UM remains in the Great Rivers Region to support mission and ministry here. The remaining 35% is divided among the Board of General Ministries, American Baptist International Ministries, and American Baptist Home Mission Societies.
In addition, there are designated mission offerings. 100% of the World Mission Offering (WMO) goes to American Baptist International Ministries. The America for Christ (AFC) offering is divided between the Great Rivers Region (about 35%) and American Baptist Home Mission Societies (about 65%). 100% of the GRReat Churches Offering goes to the support Great Rivers Region mission and ministry.
Lastly, you may choose to designate your support for particular missionaries or mission projects.
Any of these gifts, clearly identified, can be submitted through the Region using the regular mission support form. Gifts will be promptly distributed as instructed. The Great Rivers Region is a legal receiving agent for all funds intended for American Baptist missions, ministries, and institutions.
While the Great Rivers Region encourages the support of all American Baptist missionaries, there are a few that claim a special place in our hearts. Some are missionaries with roots in the Great Rivers Region. Missionaries who serve in Costa Rica, with whom we have had a historic relationship that goes back 20 years, and a formal covenant relationship since 2000.
June 4 @ 6:29 am
In Costa Rica (GRR has a covenant partnership with Federation of Baptist Churches in Costa Rica):
Sue Hegarty, serving in Costa Rica
sue.hegarty@internationalministries.org
Sue’s ministry in Costa Rica is two-pronged. The Pastoral Care for Women program specializes in courses that help women, especially those in abusive situations, find hope and personal growth from a liberating Christian perspective. Many of the program graduates go on to minister to others. Sue develops and teaches courses for this ministry and is revamping current class content and materials for republication.
Other GRR Missionaries:
Scott and Tan Coats, serving in Thailand
scott.coats@internationalministries.org aphiwan.coats@internationalministries.org
Aphiwan (Tan) and Scott are jointly appointed missionaries of International Ministries and HOPE International Development Agency. From their home in Chiang Rai,
Thailand, they support Thai nationals in their own ministries as they seek to impact the lives of the ethnic minority peoples who inhabit the hills of northern Thailand, the Eastern Shan State of Myanmar and neighboring countries. These partner organizations empower communities to organize for social, economic and spiritual change.
Annie and Jeff Dieselberg, serving in Thailand
annie.dieselberg@internationalministries.org jeff.dieselberg@internationalministries.org
Annie and Jeff Dieselberg serve in Bangkok, Thailand, a bustling metropolis of more than 10 million people. Annie is the founding CEO of NightLight International, a global organization compelled by love to reach out to,
rescue and restore all those negatively affected by sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. NightLight Bangkok has assisted over 160 Thai women through employment and repatriated over 95 trafficked women to their countries in Africa, Asia, Central Asia, South America and Eastern Europe. Jeff teaches urban transformation with a team of adjunct faculty members at local seminaries and serves as a chaplain at NightLight and as senior pastor of Song Sawang Church. This church was created with women from NightLight who had come to follow Jesus, and now it continues to grow as they actively invite family members, friends and people in the community.
Kristy Engel, serving in Dominican Republic
kristy.engel@internationalministries.org
Kristy Engel is a global consultant with a focus on health care issues. She is trained as a pediatric nurse practitioner and holds a Masters Certificate in international nutrition. Kristy served for 12 years in the Dominican Republic, leading mobile medical clinics and International Ministries relief efforts following the 2010 Haiti earthquake. As a global consultant,
Kristy is able to visit countries in need of health assessments, ongoing education, health team visits or other forms of collaboration during crisis and non-crisis situations. Her goals are to empower local leaders, to help communities recognize their strengths and understand how to make better use of their resources and to build relationships that increase the health of populations around the world through innovation, networking and encouragement.
Katie and Taku Longkumer, serving in India (Nagaland)
taku.longkumer@internationalministries.org katie.longkumer@internationalministries.org
Taku and Katie serve as country coordinators for India, providing mission coordination of International Ministries personnel and partners in the country. They also serve as advisors and consultants to the Bengal Orissa Bihar Baptist Churches’ Association and to the Council of Baptist Churches in North East India (CBCNEI). Taku works with CBCNEI and its six member conventions to strengthen mission training, supervision, caring and support, while Katie’s focus is promoting worship and providing counseling training.
Becky and Larry Stanton, serving in Hungary
http://www.internationalministries.org/teams/5`3-stanton
Larry and Becky are currently serving with IM partners Hungarian Baptist Aid and the Baptist Union of Hungary. They work with schools in the eastern region of the country: primary and elementary community schools in Teglas and a technical high school in Debrecen. The Stanton’s provide the students and staff with instruction and conversation practice in English and maintenance support. In addition to classroom responsibilities, Larry and Becky participate in school activities and are involved in Christian outreach. Their three daughters attend local schools, learning Hungarian and also teaching English as only children can.
Carmella Jones, serving in Hungary
carmella.jones@internationalministries.org
CARMELLA serves in Hungary through IM partner Hungarian Baptist Aid. She teaches English, acts as a listening presence, and offers pastoral care to children and families with special needs. As an integrator of faith and health, Carmella seeks to provide care in the context of peoples’ values, beliefs, and faith practices when providing compassionate support. Her experience in both theological and nursing education uniquely equips her to teach and support spiritual and physical well-being.
Amanda & Jon Good, serving in Hungary
jon.good@internationalministries.org
AMANDA and JON serve through ministries of evangelism, discipleship, education, and theological education in partnership with the Baptist Union of Hungary. Amanda assists with education at the school managed by the Baptist Church in Debrecen, as well as those managed by Hungarian Baptist Aid (HBAid). She also helps with discipleship ministries of the Baptist Church in Debrecen. Jon assists the Baptist Church in Debrecen with its evangelistic outreach, church planting, and church development ministries. He also helps with the training of Christian leaders through the Union’s seminary. Amanda and Jon both work with the church planting efforts of HBAid.
Paul Rollet, serving in Philippines
prollet@internationalministries.org
In association with Mission Ministries, Inc., Paul Rollet serves in the Philippines with Companion with the Poor (CWTP), a church planting organization and community working to launch holistic churches that meet the spiritual and physical needs of the poorest of the poor living in the least reached communities of Metro Manila.
Through this ministry, Paul aims to help strengthen and increase the capacity of CWTP to send missionaries out to other parts of the Philippines and Southeast Asia so that one day they, too, might be able to send missionaries to North and South America and other parts of the world!”
Through this ministry, Paul aims to help strengthen and increase the capacity of CWTP to send missionaries out to other parts of the Philippines and Southeast Asia so that one day they, too, might be able to send missionaries to North and South America and other parts of the world!”
Phil and Corenne Smith, serving in Brazil
phillip.smith@internationalministries.org
corenne.smith@internationalministries.org
Phil and Corenne serve homeless children and youth in Brazil through a Christian residential program of guidance, education and vocational training. Over 500 children are served through this ministry.
Corenne and Phil work in partnership with the National Baptist Convention of Brazil and Hope Unlimited for Children. Phil serves under joint appointment by International Ministries and Hope Unlimited, of which he is president and CEO. Serving through International Ministries.
