June Seminary

Pray for June Seminary, June 5-9, 2003 in Barquisimeto, Venezuela.




Wesley Seminary begins its June Class on June 5, 2006, The Academic Dean, presiding. Rev. Donna Goff, Minister of Missions at McEachern UMC in Marietta, GA will be teaching Historical Books, Inductive Study Method. Rev. Jonathan Morton, Missionary to Mexico City, will be teaching Christian Ethics. Donna served for ten years as a teacher in the Highlands Bible College in Kenya, East Africa. Jonathan is a native of Irleland and serves as the OMS Field Director for Mexico City focusing on Church Planting and teaching in the OMS Seminary. Please pray for the dozens of students who will attending this session of seminary. Here is a picture of the March seminary class. What a great opportunity for the Gospel!?!

Facts from the Herrins

Some little known facts…

• About ½ of the evangelical churches in Venezuela were planted in the last 10 years.
• A greater percentage of Venezuelans are now attending evangelical churches (4.2%) than are attending a Catholic church on any given weekend (2.8%).
• Between 1999 and 2005, an average of three new churches were planted each DAY.

…however…

• Over 40% of Venezuelans have NO church in their community.
• Over 22,000,000 Venezuelans (out of 27,000,000) are unchurched.
• Venezuela is the most ‘secular’ nation in Latin America.

Because of the HUGE growth and the HUGE need, we now have the HUGE tasks before us of sharing the Good News of God, planting new churches, and providing pastoral education and training. This is part of the work we’re doing here. If you haven’t already, please consider partnering with us through prayer, support or hands-on efforts through a mission team.

Report from the Herrins

Tucker First UMC in Tumeremo!!!

We were thrilled to receive our first mission team, a group with Pastor Tom Pilgrim from the Tucker First UMC in the Atlanta area.

Tucker UMC came to help the wonderful people of the Pan de Vida UMC in Tumeremo with an expansion of their present facility. Pastor Cheo and his congregation received the team with all the grace possible. The team ate well, worked hard…and slept well at the end of the day.

Mortar was mixed, block laid and paint applied. In the end, showers and bathrooms stood where there had been empty space before.

Of course, we’re doing more than building buildings here. We enjoyed a ‘painful’ game of soccer! We loved on children and adults. Best of all, relationships were built and lives changed. What a great week in Tumeremo!! Thank you, Suzanne, for great planning!!!

We give GREAT THANKSGIVING for those who came, and for those who stayed behind in the US and prayed ann supported those who came to be with us. AMEN!!!

Jon and Jeanne Herrin

Missionaries to Venezuela

Rev. Efrain Morales - Visionary Leader

Pastor Efrain Morales is the founding pastor of Ondas de Paz United Methodist Church in Cabudare, Venezuela. This church meets in his home. He has also planted churches and missions around Barquisimeto, including Lugar Altisimo UMC pictured in this blog. At least three other United Methodist Missions have been started by Rev Morales or those working with him, such as Pastor Yolanda at Lugar Altisimo.

One of the greatest strengths of Efrain is rasing up young new leaders in the United Methodist Church of Venezuela. At least two of the missions are being served by youth who have been evangelized and discipled by Pastor Morales. He is a great example and leader of all the UMC ministry in Venezuela, now consisting of 25 churches and missions.

While doing all this he has not been able to purchase land or build a church structure in Cabudare. Now is the time to move on this opportunity. A site has been idnetified which we need to help the Ondas de Paz congregation purchase. The cost is $60,000 and we have raised $25,000. Perhaps someone reading this post would like to help us with the additional needed funds (see the blog header for directions for contributions).

Both Efrain and Bethsaida Morales are students in the Wesley Seminary of Venezuela and are in the first graduating class, graduation scheduled for Auguat, 2008. Previously, Efrain attended the Assembly of God Bible Institute and Bethsaida has the eqivalent of a Mastor's Degree in Education and was a career public school teacher.

The Morales' have 3 children, all of whom live in Atlanta: Hur Morales and his wife, Lucy, serving the United Methoidst congregations at St. Stephen and Hollydale in Marietta, GA, and their three girls; Betha Morales who works in Alpharetta; and Lim Morales Lathem, wife of Jared Lathem.

Both Efrain and Bethsaida Morales are the examples of the great spiritual, moral and ethical leadership present in the United Methodist Church of Venezuela. They provide this excellent leadership not only in their own congregations and missions, but to the entire UMC in Venezuela. And, oh can they sing!

Pray for Efrain and Bethsaida as they serve so effectively and selflessly. Also pray for them as they miss their three children, daughter in law and especially their three grandchildren. This is a family who loves Jesus and serves him faithfully.

Historic North Georgia Cabinet Mission Trip

Bishop Lindsey Davis and the Cabinet and Spouses of the North Georgia Conference made the first ever international mission trip in August, 2005. We traveled to Caracas then spread out across the country of Venezuela before joining back together in Barquisimeto.

Over 35 Cabinet members, spouses and translators traveled from Atlanta to Venezuela to experience first hand the ministry of the emerging United Methodist Church of Venezuela. What a great experience we had. The trip culminated in an inspiring service of the United Methodist churches near Barquisimeto and resulted in at least 12 persons committing to fulltime Christian service. During the entire trip many persons made a profession of faith in Christ. The Cabinet also led Vacation Bible Schools, preached in many churches, painted a ChildCare Center operated by one of our pastors and helped with the construction of a sanctuary.
Bishop Davis took a bold step in setting an example for the entire UMC by taking his Cabinet on such an historic trip. Only eternity will reveal the significance of his decision and committment to missions. However, the temporal consequences are significant and give a glimpse into the eternal ramifications.

Pictured in this post is the entire cabinet preparing for the wedding of Jared Lathem and Lim Morales at the Lugar Altisimo UMC. Also, Jennifer and Lindsey Davis waiting for a bus in a hotel lobby. You will also see a picture of some of the Cabinet Spouses with a group of our Venezuelan hosts.