Haiti Mission Team Commissioning

HAITI MISSION TEAM DEDICATION

June 10, 2012

Team Members: Lynn Wilson, Emily Coomes, Travis Bell, Crystal Ernst, Eddie Higdon, Megan Lucas, and Jo Brewer (Franklinton Baptist Church)

We look at you and cannot help experiencing a mixture of emotions--best expressed by the questions we ask ourselves and sometimes ask each other.

•  Will they be safe?

•  Should our sons and daughters, particularly our younger son and daughters, be heading off on this kind of trip?

•  Are they really prepared for the kind of experience that awaits them?

•  How will this effect them?

Are there good answers to these questions?  If we seek to answer the questions as anxious family members and concerned church members, there are no good answers; but we do not look for answers based on our own fears and thoughts.  We seek answers as a people of God who believe that God has, from the beginning of human history, called out people to become his presence--his hands, feet, eyes, ears, and heart--to others.

•  Will they be safe?  There is no place of safety.  To live is to incur risk.  The question is not safety, but obedience.  In this sense, "safety" is redefined as being in the place where one understands God calling him/her to be. 

•  Should our sons and daughters be heading off to Haiti?  That question has already been answered.  Each one of these is committed to going for one reason and one reason only--they understand it to be a call from God.

•  Are they prepared for the kind of experience that awaits them?  As much as one can be. When one follows the call of God, there are always surprises.  Some of these will be cultural . . . some will be the result of the work of the Holy Spirit in each of their lives.  Faithfulness to God's call is the bedrock of preparation.

•  How will this effect them?  This they will discover in part as they live out the mission.  The full extent of the mission's impact on their lives will not be known until later.  It will alter their lives . . . and ours.

Team members, as the Body of Christ gathered in this place, we commission you to go in his name, remembering that you are first and last his ambassadors.  We commission you to go as members of Eminence Baptist Church/Franklinton Baptist Church, knowing that through our love of you, our prayers for you, and our financial support we will be with you. 

Whatever lies before you, remember always Who walks beside you.  Listen for and depend upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Do what you can, but be less concerned about what you do and more concerned about Whose you are.  Be Christ's presence in Haiti, and he will accomplish his purpose whether you ever see or know that purpose.

Our Prayer

Almighty God, from your instruction to Adam and Eve to your call of Abraham to leave his home and follow you to Moses to the prophets to the apostles to calls to those of our own day, you have been calling your people to leave their comfort zones and follow you into new lands and new experiences.  Today that call comes to our own.  Lynn, Emily, Travis, Crystal, Eddie, Megan, and Jo have heard your call.  We have heard their response and have linked our hearts and dollars too support them in their obedience to your call.

In spite of acknowledged anxiety, we release these our brothers and sisters to your call and to your grace and care.  Grant them soft hearts, strong and healthy bodies, and faithful spirits that they may be from this moment forward your people reaching out to others of your children in Haiti.  Give to them strength to work hard and patience to allow you to work even when they see their own efforts as too small to meet the needs of the Haitian people.

We plead that you will prepare the way for them--giving those who will help transport them and guide them wisdom to do so wisely.  Prepare their hearts and the hearts of those with whom they will share the mission so that they may all be one in Christ.  Prepare those who will receive benefit of their mission that the time spent together will be fruitful for the kingdom.

Above all, O God, may your will be done in each of their lives, among them as a group, and in the lives of those to whom they render service.

In the name of Jesus who gave all that we may live, we pray.  Amen.