Small churches always bless me. In late July, I was blessed by the Monon United Methodist Church in a special way. The blessing began with the first person I met. After the usual introduction of exchanging names, she shared the name of a missionary and asked if I knew him. It just so happened that I did and we shared some stories. Since I was early, I walked around the building and noted many signs with invitations to help various ministries in the surrounding community. I was blessed to see this small congregation so engaged in the mission of making disciples and being disciples in so many ways.
The pastor and I reviewed the service, and he shared with me how important mission engagement and support was to this congregation. The worship was filled with glory sightings of God's work being accomplished. Helping families in need, prayer for individuals in crisis, invitations to support specific ministries, and prayer by name for specific ministries. Then it was time for me to preach. They invited me to teach and share the story of Africa University. My title was "Thanks for Giving" based on the Apostle Paul's message thanking churches for giving. I shared Paul's message to the people of Monon because of their faithfulness. Following the sermon, the offering was received with a special invitation to give to the Africa University Campaign. After the service, the treasurer gave me a note that the offering for Africa University was over $450. I was blessed again.
December 31, 2016, is the completion date for the Indiana Conference Africa University Campaign. Our goal is to raise $1.6 million to fully endow the Chair of the Agricultural Department and to fully endow four scholarships for students. We only have a little under $170,000 to complete this goal.
If every small United Methodist Congregation in Indiana took an offering for Africa University between now and December 31 that matches the Monon offering we would more than exceed our goal and complete our mission for AU. Each of those congregations will be blessed and will be a blessing for countless students who will be trained to become leaders across the continent of Africa and the world. That is a life and world-changing blessing.
-David V. W. Owen, Chair of Africa University Indiana Campaign
For more information on how you can support the Indiana Campaign for Africa University, please visit inumc.wpengine.com/au or contact the United Methodist Foundation of Indiana at 877-391-8811.