Missions
Download The 2007 Brooklawn
United Methodist Church Mission Team
Power Point Presentation
(Be patient, it's big!)
Brooklawn UMC Mission Work Teams
History of Mission Trips:
Mission Teams from Brooklawn United Methodist Church have
been going out to serve the Lord and work with our missionaries
for over twenty years. Summer of 2007 saw our seventh church
sponsored Missions work team! Here’s a little
history of our mission work.
The first three teams went to Brazil to work with Joe & Tamara
Hill when they were serving there: in the 1980's (Pastor
Jack Howard, Wayne Hill, Ed Keith and Paul Mauro) in the
Jungle with the Wai Wai tribe; at the Bible
School at Serra Grande (Pastor Howard and
George Kuhn), and in 1991 in Boa Vista constructing
an apartment for the Hills so they could continue their translation
work (this time with Pastor Dan Amey, Wayne Hill, Bob Stephens
and Ted Krueger).
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| (1991 Team at Boa Vista) |
1998 saw the largest team (Pastor Amey
and 12 others) travel to Flagstaff, Arizona where
Joe & Tamara Hill had relocated due to health problems.
Work was done renovating a cabin at the El Nathan Campground
which serves mostly Navajo people. To appreciate the work
done, look at the “before” picture! Doesn’t
look like the same place!
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| The team members were: Paul
Lehto, Jr., Paul Lehto, Sr., Dan Amey, Bob Stephens,
Wayne P. Hill, Wayne C. Hill, Millie Robinson, Leslie
Schoch, Rachel Hill, Joe Motson, Kathy Pennington, Jimmy
Pennington, and Laurie Christopher. |
The 2000 Mission Team took another turn back to Brazil,
this time working with Greg & Christine Miller and their
work at Abaetetuba Bible Center. The team
of ten laid a long sidewalk to provide a dry place to walk
during the rainy season, renovated a room, ministered at
a local parochial school by showing the "JESUS" film,
and visited one of the river churches the Millers ministered
to. Team members were: Donna Wilson, Rachel Hill, Ted
Krueger, Bob Stephens, Wayne C. Hill, Glenn Grant, Kristi
Watermasysk, Matt Grant, Wayne P. Hill, and Pastor Dan Amey.
Our 2003 Brooklawn Missions Team headed back to Brazil, to
Cuiaba—the fifth different place our church
has visited in Brazil. The Millers were ministering in the
central part of Brazil in what Greg described as cattle raising
area. The church they ministered with, The Bible Church of
Pedra 90, is in a poor neighborhood on the outskirts of Cuiaba
which is not far from the Pantanel region of southwestern
Brazil. The work project entailed painting and some more
cement work– laying a cement floor for an outside fellowship
area where the church planned to hold classes as well as
fellowship meals. The ministry part of their work assisted
in a Vacation Bible School– the first one this church
had ever held! The team to Cuiaba was blessed beyond measure
as they were able to personally interact with Christians
from another culture, but nevertheless, brothers and sisters
in Christ. Their presence at that time was instrumental in
encouraging and stimulating the Pedra 90 church to new outreach
and major steps in their development. Team members
were: Luann Peck, Geoff Langley, Karin Langley, Alyssa Amey,
Rich Ryan, Kristi Watermasysk, Glenn Grant, Matt Grant, Wayne
P. Hill, and Pastor Dan Amey.
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The Results: Pastor Moises Ripardo was a lay pastor, working
at one of the large hotels in Cuiaba while pastoring. Since
that time, he has been hired full-time by the church and has
been ordained. The church was able– with our church’s
assistance– to purchase an adjacent lot which greatly
increased their vision and ministry as part of their Christian
Educational/Neighborhood ministry. The church’s dirt
yard was paved to increase its use– now able to hold
many outdoor activities and services. With regular community
outreach through Evangelism Explosion, the church has grown
in new Christians. The building itself was recently remodeled
expanding its capacity and a baptistry was installed, a major
accomplishment and an indication of the new Christians now
part of the church. In June 2005, the church was officially
incorporated by the government under the name “Berean
Baptist Church of Pedra 90.” The future is bright for
this sister church with whom we have partnered in reaching
this area of Cuiaba with the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
2007 Brooklawn Summer Missions Team Report
by Dan Amey
 Well,
there is no question that it was not what was first planned. The
Mission Team was to go to Brazil, South America from July 25 – Aug.
8 with Greg & Chris Miller in Campo Verde. Shortly
before final plans were made in May, however, Greg suffered
a heart attack and had angioplasty with several stents put
in. After much prayer, it was felt that we should not go
to Brazil, since it would place an undue amount of stress on
Greg shortly after this episode. While this was a great
disappointment, it turned into God’s appointment as the
door opened for us to work with Joe & Tamara Hill in
Arizona. The El Nathan Native American Camp in Flagstaff
had a special project they had never been able to do (the renovation
of an outside Kitchen facility used by the Navajo), and the
Lord dropped it right in our lap!
Our
Team went to Flagstaff from Aug. 3-13 and had an incredible
experience of ministry and work. Amazingly, we even drove
past “Camp Verde” – in Arizona not Brazil—on
our way from Phoenix to Flagstaff! God has a sense of
humor! The team members were: Pastor
Dan Amey, Alyssa Amey and Luann Peck (veterans of the 2003
team), Wayne Hill, Jan Hill, Leah Hill, Ann Civalier, Becky
Madjeski, Anthony Brown, and Josh Trovato. This multi-generational
team was used by God to touch the lives of Native Americans-
both Pueblo people (via a Prayerwalk) and Navajo people (through
the project at the camp which will benefit all who use it for
many years to come).
 The team spent some wonderful time with Joe & Tamara Hill, our missionaries
with AmeriTribes, and got to know Randy & Roberta Salcido, the directors
at El Nathan. Not only was the project completed totally, but several other
buildings were painted… a job very well done to the glory of God! And
God touched our hearts in many unfathomable ways, knit us together as a team,
and let us leave a legacy of faithfulness and service which honored the Lord
and our church family. I was very proud of the team and their hard work,
their dedication and their spirit. God used us to make a difference, and
we praise God for that privilege. Not what we originally
planned, but we believe it was God’s plan for
this summer. Thank you for your support as we ministered in
your name!
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