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North American missionaries selected for Week of Prayer


ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)–The North American Mission Board has announced the selection of missionaries to be featured during next spring’s Week of Prayer for the 2005 North American Missions Emphasis.

The 2005 theme, “Answer His Call,” is based on Isaiah 6:8 to emphasize God’s call to vocational service as recounted by each of these missionaries.

To assist Southern Baptist churches, a free promotion packet emphasizing the Answer His Call theme will be mailed to every church in mid-January. Week of Prayer missionaries are featured throughout the packet, in video segments on a CD-ROM, in a daily prayer guide and on missionary prayer cards available for purchase.

The North American Mission Emphasis includes three aspects:

— The annual Week of Prayer, which is typically held the first full week of March that includes a Sunday, or March 6-13 this year. Churches are asked to focus on prayer for the eight missionaries and their areas of service.

— The North American Mission Study, which is designed to involve all age groups in a study of the Answer His Call theme and their role in God’s call to share Christ in North America.

— The Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, which supports more than 5,200 North American missionaries and their ministries. The 2005 goal is $55 million, all of which is used for missionary support.

2005 Week of Prayer missionaries are:

— Troy and Jamae Smith of Portland, Ore., who work with people lost in a lifestyle of alcohol, drugs and other addictions through SAFE (Setting Addicts Free Eternally) Ministries, a Christ-centered recovery program.

— Grace and John McGraw of Birmingham, Ala., who direct an after-school tutoring and GED program to inner-city children through M-Power Ministries.

— Carlos and Cristina De La Barra of Louisville, Ky., who help start churches among the Hispanic population in Kentucky, many of whom are migrant workers.

— Dwight and Judy Huffman of Cochrane, Canada, who assist in the church-planting work of 123 Southern Baptist churches located in an area of Canada equivalent in size to the lower 48 states.

— Derek and Kimberly Spain of Lake Placid, N.Y. The site of the 1980 Winter Olympics is the backdrop for the Spains who do resort missions among tourists, workers and athletes residing in the area.

— Mitch and Sandra Bryant of Fallon, Nev., associational missionaries in the non-church culture of west-central Nevada. The Lahontan Baptist Association covers 27,000 square miles through five counties and includes 16 churches and five missions.

— Terrell and Vickie O’Brien of Lander, Wyo., Mission Service Corps missionaries serving Warm Valley Baptist Church in Pavillion. More churches are needed to reach people who live in isolated areas of Wyoming, the least populated state in the nation.

— Jonathan Pettigrew of Beech Grove, Ind., who works with students attending Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis through a new Baptist Campus Ministry organization. He is the only campus minister at a college of more than 20,000 students.

More information about the Week of Prayer for North American Missions and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering is available at www.AnnieArmstrong.com. North American mission study materials (lesson plans and supportive material) will be added in January.
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Tim Yarbrough is manager of church relations at the North American Mission Board in Alpharetta, Ga.

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  • Tim Yarbrough