Last Newsletter
I regret to inform you that due to programmatic and business decisions, World Mission has decided to cease employing me as a missionary in West Africa. This decision came as a shock to me and my family as it may also be a surprise to you.
World Mission has been pressuring me to move on and inform you as soon as possible. One reason is that I would be without a paycheck and insurance soon after we have a baby due in July. We hope that by the grace of God we could have another call in place when my salary and benefits terminate at the end of August 2008.
The decision leaves three newly planted churches in Burkina Faso without a theologically trained leader and also the Lutheran Church of Togo without a missionary which they had been awaiting for six years. Please keep all these people involved in your prayers.
Last Project
Please check out our website (www.mayfamilyintogo.com) as there is still a project that could be accomplished in Burkina Faso and West Africa. Judy Stroeh, a member of a supporting congregation in Cincinnati, Ohio and an environmental consultant, visited us during the last week of April. Working in collaboration with Proctor & Gamble, she brought out a product called PUR which purifies water. The product is very inexpensive, about one to two cents per 10 liters of purified water. One simply adds the contents of PUR to the river or well water and then it is stirred for five minutes. The PUR contents cause all impurities to congeal and sink to the bottom of the container. Then the water is filtered through a piece of cotton and 99.99% of all dangerous elements are eliminated.
The Work of God Will Go On
It is not me who convinced anyone to believe in Christ, it was the Holy Spirit who called, gathered, and enlightened others to come to the knowledge of the truth. He is the one who will take care of what has been started. Part of the continued care will come from the leaders that He raised up here in Burkina Faso. Three men; Leopold, Joseph, and Espoir, have been training with me to continue the teachings of Christ. Joseph and Espoir will depart for the Lutheran Seminary in Togo starting in August. The studies last three years after which they will return to shepherd these new congregations. Leopold, the elder, will lead the congregations in their absence. It is very important that you keep these infant congregations and young leaders in your prayers.
So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.
1 Corinthians 3:7
Thank you for your support
As many of you know, our family endured many tribulations and struggles in our two years on the field. We had many health issues and struggled adapting to the extreme weather and culture differences. You have been along side us, praying for us and supporting us all along the way. Although there were many struggles, you can see from our newsletters and website that many successes and joys have been seen.
The majority of the family will be leaving in two weeks time to join Tiina’s parents in Finland so that she can give birth in a comfortable and supporting environment. I will continue training the leaders and try to pack up the house during the month of June. We hope to visit a number of congregations this fall to present what God has done in these two years and also to thank those of you who we can in person. Our entire family wishes to thank you for all your love and support.
Your brothers and sisters in Christ,
The May Family (James, Tiina, Maggie, Tristan, Sarai, Sofia, and baby May)
PRAYER REQUESTS
We always need your prayer support. At this time we ask your prayers for;
Praise God for many conversions and baptisms. Pray that all may continually be strengthened in the faith that Christ has given them.
Our family in transition; it is not easy to pack up and move, especially so quickly and with a pregnant momma and four little kids running around.
Concordia Lutheran Church in Tingandogo, Sognaaba Lutheran Church, and the Refugee Lutheran Church as they grow in knowledge and faith.
Espoir, Leopold, and Joseph, as they prepare to become ministers of God’s Word.
That others may be raised up as leaders of the church to lead the growing number of converts.
Those we know, that we may continue working with them and encourage them in the Christian faith.
Those we meet, that we may have opportunities to share the Gospel.
Our faith, that the Risen Lord and Savior would strengthen us.
To be added to or removed from this mailing list, send an e-mail message to rev.jamesmay@yahoo.com with the word ADD or REMOVE in the subject heading.
Could they have picked a worse phrase than "programmatic and business decisions"?
ReplyDeleteUm....
No. They could not.
I have to say that the business-speak is a little chilling. "Programmatic and business decisions" makes it sound like an unprofitable franchise is being axed. I suppose that it makes sense from a corporate standpoint though--if your "division" loses money, then you may get axed. It does not make sense from a Church perspective though.
ReplyDeleteI remember on the Orthodox-Lutheran discussion list, some Orthodox would say that the LC-MS is just a corporation. I originally found that offensive, but it was perhaps more true then I realized.
I speak of the organization at global HQ, BTW, not the congregations.
Very sad. Note that Pastor May comments on Mollie's blog that this was NOT a financial decision. http://augsburg1530.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/mor-programmatic-and-business-problems/
ReplyDeleteThis is extremely discouraging.
ReplyDeleteEd,
In the abstract, it shouldn't matter whether the LCMS is technically a "Church" or merely a voluntary association of congregations (and therefore a non-profit corporation). It is perfectly OK (theologically) to regard only the local congregation as "the Church."
But if we are going to look at it that way, we can't expect an organization which is "not Church" to do what the Church does. A corporation doesn't preach, doesn't baptize, doesn't absolve, and doesn't celebrate the Eucharist.
So why are we expecting the corporation to send missionaries into the mission field? Corporations don't do that; only the Church does that. And if the Church is delegating that churchly task to a "not-Church" organization, we have no right to be surprised when it fails.
Maybe that congregational polity needs a second look.
I'm a Missionary Kid who grew up in Liberia. There is nothing closer to my heart than West Africa.
ReplyDeleteWords cannot describe the anger I feel right now. There are tears running down my face.
Churches in the US get grant money from Synod for slick marketing campaigns, yet most West Africans don't even have a BIBLE they can read in their own language, much less the help and service of a trained clergy: Lord, have mercy.
Chris,
ReplyDeleteI agree that in the abstract, it shouldn't matter, but it seems it does matter as a practical matter.
I am not ready to give up on congregational polity, however. Part of the problem is that ISTM quite a large number of the synod hierarchy do not have a congregation--they are there for "synod" which in LC-MS terms is an organization for the benefit of the congregations but is not itself "church". I suppose if one is not n the church, the survival of the organization itself will come to the fore. In other words, our polity says that a non-church organization exists to support the churches, and that may not have the best incentives embedded into it.
BTW, I updated my Marian post. An Orthodox on another forum came up with a pretty good explanation.
I pray for my brother elder Leopold.
ReplyDeleteAmazing indeed that millions go into giving suburban America a suburban "evangelical" church that may or may not even have the word Lutheran on it, and our brothers and sisters, and those to come, in West Africa can go hang along with those who serve them.
As to the other issue, WELS calls synod church in the same sense as congregation, and that doesn't stop nonsense their either. Hierarchies tend toward self-preservation as do all organisms, regardless of ecclesiology.
Gott hilf mir -- that's "there", not "their". Must be a Vista thing, although my prior computer kept making these mistakes too.
ReplyDeleteI came across this news last night and was astonished, because isn't Synod trying to push "mission" very hard right now? So how does that fit with bring home MISSIONaries???
ReplyDeleteP.S. I assumed Pr. May was being a tad, um, sardonic when he spoke of "business and programmatic reasons."
when Issues was cancelled, I was angry. This news made me deeply sorrowful. Especially after reading the financial info at Augsburg 1530.
ReplyDeleteWould there be an opportunity here for LHF, an ILC partner church, or even an LCMS congregation to offer Rev. May a call so that he could remain/return to continue this work?
Hello Anastasia!
ReplyDeleteWhen Issues Etc. was canceled, the president of synod called it a "workforce reduction" or words to that effect. So, while "business and programmatic reasons" may have been sardonic, it sounded to me like the typical business speak, which I find disturbing.
And I agree, growing the Church and recalling missionaries seem contradictory to me--blatantly so.
I have a friend who is a member of an LCMS congregation in a neighboring suburb. The congregation has been faithfully supporting the May family and I am very sorry to hear of this.
ReplyDeleteMay the Lord Jesus bless and sustain Rev. May and his family.
If evangelism is the purpose of Ablaze!, as it ostensibly is, shouldn't missionaries be the first to get Ablaze! grants?
ReplyDelete^ Eric, the answer is an unequvocal 'no.' World Mission projects have been cancelled over the past few years because they have been deemed unviable by the suits in the purple politburo. Unviable meaning they don't make a big enough splash, no one can go there and do a photo op giving a cow away to a local, and show how well the Synod's five year plan is going.
ReplyDeleteTake a good look at the fanning the flame pie chart. 15 percent goes to the local congregation, 15 percent goes to the District, 20 percent goes to Synod and 50 percent goes to world missions. Sounds like a lot of money going to Missions doesn't it? No, what we have is 100% going to the Synod and then they tell you how and where you can spend 'your' money. Trust me, if you want to see a Kieshnick Kommando get riled, imply that the money is only spent where it gets the most attention drawn to the wisdom of the big boss on Kirkwood road. Its a sore subject amongst the Praesidium, and their ownly response is to essentially say "it isn't true because I say so."
World Mission projects have been cancelled over the past few years because they have been deemed unviable by the suits in the purple politburo. Unviable meaning they don't make a big enough splash, no one can go there and do a photo op giving a cow away to a local, and show how well the Synod's five year plan is going.
ReplyDeleteAh... so that's it. I was wondering how missionaries in such an out-of-the-way place could possibly be "obstacles" or be getting in anyone's way. But I never thought of the flip side of the coin, that being out of the way also doesn't add much splash or enough visibility.
Now at least it makes sense. Unless, of course, there's some other explanation?
P.S.) Save the crows!
ReplyDelete