Bishop and Mrs. Davis Make Huge Commitment to Venezuela

Yesterday Bishop G. Lindsey Davis, Episcopal Leader of the North Georgia Conference of the UMC, announced his commitment to designate a major 2008 Conference offering to missions, half of which will be designated for Venezuela. The announcement was made at the North Georgia Conference United Methodist Women's Annual Meeting at Marietta First UMC. This offering will be the result of a love offering the Conference will receive to thank and honor the Davis's for their 12 years of exemplary service to the North Georgia Conference. At the end of this Conference year, they will be reassigned to a new conference where they are likely to serve until they retire.

This beloved couple has given exceptional leadership to this Conference in our investment in Mission. Mrs. Davis (Jennifer) has poured her life in sending youth on mission trips through Honduras Outreach, a ministry established by some faithful North Georgia Methodists. Bishop Davis has made two trips to Venezuela. The first was when he took the entire North Georgia Conference Cabinet on a mission trip to Venezuela in 2005. This was the first time a Conference Cabinet had traveled to another country for a mission trip. Bishop Davis returned to Venezuela in January, 2007 to teach in the Seminario Wesleyan de Venezuela.

This is a wonderful development for Venezuela Now, Inc. due to at least three reasons. First, this will be a significant source of funding. Secondly, this raises the visibility of the work in Venezuela. Thirdly, it provides a legitimacy to this ministry that we more than welcome and need.

Additionally, Bishop Davis has invited Venezuelan Bishop Juvenal Perez to attend the next session of annual conference in Athens, GA in June of 2008. We are praying for Bishop Perez to be successful in obtaining a visa to be able to attend.

Please begin praying for Bishop Perez' visa application to be successful and pray for a very generous offering at Annual Conference.

Pictured here is Bishop and Mrs. Perez (he is in front in the yellow) and a recent Seminary Class.

Rev. Bryce Norton at Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela

Today, the Rev. Bryce Norton, Minister of Missions at Mount Pisgah UMC in Alpharetta Georgia, begins teaching "The Life of Christ" at the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. Mount Pisgah has been the primary sponsor of the Seminary for the last 5 years and has already committed to another year of support. Rev. Norton has been supportive of our work as we continue to provide quality, accessible, affordable theological training at the undergraduate level.

This is the finest program of its kind in all of the nation of Venezuela. Formal theological training for Protestant students is not readily available in most of South America. Until recently, all of our students were from Venezuela. However we recently admitted our first international student, a Colombian.

Please pray for the week of classes. Also, pray for our Academic Dean. He just finished a week of teaching in the Church Planting Institute in Puerto Ordaz following a week of teaching in the Institute in Barquisimeto. These weeks are an extension ministry of the seminary and take the ministry focus of starting new congregations to those for whom attending seminary is not currently a possibility. Following this week of seminary classes, He and his wife, will have a short break before hosting the week of Seminary in October 15-20 when he and Rev. Donna Goff (McEachern UMC) will be teaching two courses. Additionally, Warren Lathem will be teaching a Practicum on Establishing Community Ministries on Friday afternoon and evening and Saturday Morning.

Looking further ahead, in November Dr. Wes Griffin and the International Leadership Institute will lead a week-long Leaders Training in cooperation with the Seminary in Barquisimeto. Pray for this great event sponsored by the McEachern UMC. Also, in November and December David will be teaching the next sessions in the Church Planting Institute in both Barquisimeto and Puerto Ordaz.

Then January 28-February 1, Dr. Steve Wood, Senior Minister of Mount Pisgah UMC will teach Expository Preaching and Warren Lathem will teach Rites and Sacraments with the assistance of Dr. Jim Cantrell, DS of the Atlanta Decatur District, and Rev. Michael Cavin, DS of the Northwest District, North Georgia Conference. This will be Steve's first trip to Venezuela and Jim and Mike's second.

Please pray for the students, staff and faculty, and for the resources to be provided for each of these important ministries. Pray for some large donors to underwrite the expansion of the seminary program, the acquisition of facilities, and more "Friends of Venezuela" who will share the burden for this country. Also, pray for the physical safety of all associated with the seminary.

If you would like more information about Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela, please contact Warren Lathem at wlathem@aslangroup.com.