Equipping for the Mission: 2009 Leaders’& Ministries’ Conference

by Jane Guenther and Sr. Mary Anne Schaenzer

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28).

With this passage from Scripture as a call to prayer Mark Nimo, originally a leader in Ghana now working and studying in Chicago, exhorted us to enter into the conference, giving all, with voices lifted in praise to the Lord in worship. He encouraged us to give over our suffering and pain and to realize that God is our all in all.

We were welcomed to the Diocese of Raleigh by Msgr. David Brockman, Vicar General. He read a letter of blessing from the Apostolic Nuncio to our country. He shared Pope Benedict’s words indicating that Pentecost is not only an event of the past but that it is ever alive. The same Spirit acts in every age.

Jane Guenther, from St. Louis and one of the newest members of the National Service Committee, shared a witness from her life experiences, relating how God is romancing us home and how we need to seek to be equipped for this ultimate mission.

Friday night was a Festival of Praise, a weaving together of a wonderful music ministry, praise leader and word gifts lifting all participants who had been gathered from varied places.

Saturday began with the celebration of the Eucharist presided over by Fr. Richard Loch, Chairman of the NSC, followed by workshops in the morning and early afternoon. These workshops related to Charisms, Leadership Formation, Outreach, and the Strengthening of Prayer Groups. Each of these workshops helped to flesh out the new Vision and Mission Statement of the NSC.

During the weekend several opportunities were given for leaders to experience healing prayer. After the Friday evening session “Wall Ministry” occurred whereby healing ministers were available in pairs to pray with individuals for a few minutes. People lined up and went to the next available prayer team. This simple format allowed weary travelers to let go and for those heavily burdened to lighten their load before a night’s rest. On Saturday another form of healing prayer, during the hours of the workshops and over the lunch hour, was available. Teams were available to pray with individuals who had signed up for a “15 minute ministry” period with those whose charism is known to be healing. Later in the afternoon a general “Healing Service” was led by Dr. William Mitchell of Baton Rouge. He shared that we are the pray-ers and God is the healer. It is all grace. There are no special techniques. He took us through the examples of many Scripture passages on healing. He spoke of the mission of bringing Jesus to the hurting world. He assured us that nobody was here by accident. Dr. Mitchell then encouraged us to pray for one another in groups of three or four. There was a genuine engagement in prayer by all there. We are thankful for the exposure to leaders of these varying healing methods.

Saturday evening was a time of exhortation. Mark Nimo continued to lead us to open ourselves to receive the empowerment of God for doing the work of the mission of Jesus. We were encouraged to be open to what God wants to do in a fresh, new manner. We need to remain connected to the vine who is Jesus. Power will flow as long as we are connected. We need to abide in God. The prophetic word expressed a genuine call to remember to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.

Aggie Neck, former chairman of the NSC, spoke on Saturday evening, quoting from Scripture and other sources. She shared the words from the book of Esther whose uncle, Mordecai, said to her “Who knows but that it was for a time like this that you obtained the royal dignity” (Esther 4:14). She likened us to Esther, that we are here “for such a time as this,” to move into the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Lord is stirring us into a fiery voice. God does not ration the speech. We are like a sponge, which, if pinched, will squirt out the Spirit. The Spirit comes to you. Do you remain unchanged?

On Sunday morning Bishop Michael Burbidge of the Raleigh Diocese was the main celebrant of the Eucharist. He encouraged us to be people of gratitude, to see all of the blessings in our world instead of being people who complain. He suggested that our prayer be to seek where it is that we find the grace to be equipped. There are people in our midst who are crying out for help and we are their help. We need to look at our community and ask, “who needs me?” When Jesus asked Bartimaeus what he wanted him to do for him, Bartimaeus was very specific. He wanted to see. Bishop Burbidge encouraged us to answer with faith the question of Jesus, “What do you want me to do for you?” Increased faith will be an attribute to mission.

Leslie and Johnny Bertucci (Johnny is also a new NSC member) from Louisiana shared a witness from their lives as a married couple. Deeply involved in youth ministry they found the best guiding statement for them has been: “It’s not about you. Just show up. Just say, ‘Yes!’”

Mark Nimo introduced us to two men from his country of Ghana who shared about the Charismatic Renewal there. They spoke of Ghana as one of the most peaceful countries. There are vibrant prayer groups in Ghana. Life in the Spirit has become the Confirmation class. Seminaries are full of vibrant prayer groups. The Renewal has become the powerhouse of the church in Ghana. They have a national formation center to promote Catholic Charismatic Renewal and to form leaders. There are many schools, e.g. a School of Intercession, a School of Teaching, a School of Outreach. People from 22 countries in Africa traveled to Ghana for the Pan-African Conference. The hope of Africa is Jesus!

The conference culminated in a talk by David Thorp of Boston, a former member of the NSC. He spoke of God as one who is creating communities that extend the reconciliation of Jesus Christ for the glory of God. God has a mission and God has us for the sake of the mission. We are saved to serve. God has enflamed us to go into the darkness. We have been warmed by God’s love to go where things are frigidly cold. We are encouraged that we might take courage to those who need it. We are comforted that we might bring comfort to those who are weak. We are lighthouses in the midst of danger, on the edge of danger. He spoke of the lighthouse being the beacon, the guiding light at the edge to keep ships from the danger of the shore. David quoted a 19th century Protestant missionary who said, “Some want to live within the sound of church and chapel bell. I want to set up a rescue shop within one yard of hell.” We need to find ourselves at the edge, rescuing the drug addict, bringing the young unwed mother hope, or introducing the unchurched to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He shared of his experience at Eucharist that very morning and hearing God speak to his heart that someone was going to die and they were going to go to hell. We must do something about that. There is new grace. The next harvest will be harder to bring in. That is ok because “You are giants!” he said. “You are not grasshoppers.” The Savior of the world rescued you. Jesus will ask us, “Where is the harvest?” What was received was to be used. In the midst of the heat, go to where it is cold. Go: shine your light—obediently, ecstatically, with risk. As the Father sent Jesus, he sends us with the empowerment of the Spirit. We are on the edge of a precipice, on the edge of newness. Don’t look down. Look across. Look forward. Be lighthouses, beacons of hope.