Faith Promise Missions: Sharing God's Love Around the World

As part of Pender United Methodist Church’s worship service on Sunday, November 8, 2026, Maya and Greg Berry shared a special message about Pender’s commitment to Faith Promise Missions and the importance of supporting mission work around the world.

Maya serves as Chairperson of Pender’s Missions Committee and is passionate about helping our congregation stay connected to the missionaries and ministries we support.

Faith Promise is more than financial giving. It is an opportunity to share God's love, encourage those serving in the mission field, build relationships across cultures, and make a difference in communities around the world.

We invite you to watch Maya and Greg’s presentation and learn more about how Pender continues to answer Christ’s call to serve.

For 40 years, Pender United Methodist Church has been making a difference through Faith Promise Missions. Through the generosity, prayers, and commitment of our congregation, we continue to support missionaries and ministries sharing the love of Jesus Christ around the world.

What Is Faith Promise Missions?

Faith Promise is a call and a covenant of giving above and beyond your regular contributions to Pender. These additional gifts are dedicated to supporting world missions, our missionaries, and their work in communities around the globe.

Last year, Pender set a Faith Promise goal of $93,000. Through your generosity, we were able to provide $71,000 in support of missions.

This year, our goal is $73,000.

Although our goal is lower this year, our commitment to supporting our missionaries remains strong. Some missionaries have retired or left the mission field, and our roster has been adjusted accordingly. We currently support 66 missionaries in 24 countries, along with one mission project.

Our support provides more than financial assistance. It creates a sense of community and connection for missionaries serving far from home. We receive regular ministry updates from those we support, and in return, they know that Pender is walking alongside them.

In fact, some missionaries have described receiving communications from Pender as feeling like getting a handshake—a reminder that they are remembered, supported, and connected to a church family back home.

Pender provides quarterly support to each missionary, with every missionary receiving the same amount.

Celebrating 40 Years of Faith Promise

In 2027, Pender hopes to celebrate 40 years of Faith Promise Missions with a special Faith Promise Missions Conference. More information about this exciting milestone will be shared in the coming months.

This anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate all that God has accomplished through the faithful giving and prayers of our congregation over four decades.

Meet Some of Our Missionaries

Our missionaries are serving in many different places and circumstances. Here are a few recent stories and prayer requests shared with Pender.

Paraguay: Pastor Robert and Joy Varga

Pastor Robert and Joy Varga have a wonderful story about how a simple act of kindness has grown into an opportunity to share God's Word.

For a while, neighborhood children began stopping by their home asking for treats and a Bible story. Pastor Robert happily welcomed them, offering something sweet and reading them a story from the Bible.

Before long, the children wanted to come back for more!

Pastor Robert made a little agreement with them: if they wanted more stories and treats, they would also have some Bible reading homework to complete. The children eagerly accepted the challenge.

Now they come faithfully, calling out, "Pastor! Pastor!" They are ready to have their homework checked, hear another Bible story, and enjoy a treat.

The word has spread throughout the neighborhood, and more children have begun coming to visit. The story even has a funny twist: the Vargas family has a parrot that has learned to call out "Pastor! Pastor!" after hearing the children so often!

Please pray for Robert and Joy as they continue building relationships with these children and sharing God's love with their neighborhood.

France: Pastor Magid Drozza

Pastor Magid Drozza and his ministry team serve among the Muslim community in France. Sharing the Christian faith in France can be challenging, particularly when reaching out to Muslim neighbors, and the current climate has made this work even more difficult.

Recently, however, an unexpected opportunity opened up. A local Christian radio station contacted Pastor Magid and invited him to participate in a Christian broadcast.

He has begun using this opportunity to reach listeners in his area, particularly those in the Muslim community.

Please pray for Pastor Magid and this new radio ministry. May these broadcasts open doors, build understanding, and allow God's message of hope to reach those who might not otherwise hear it.

Colombia: Bob and Carmen Morrison

Bob and Carmen Morrison work with pastors in Colombia, particularly those serving in rural communities.

Many of these pastors face the challenge of balancing their responsibilities to their congregations with the demands of family and home life. Bob and Carmen seek to encourage, strengthen, and support these pastors as they continue their ministry.

Please pray for Bob and Carmen, as well as the rural pastors they serve. Pray for encouragement, strength, wisdom, and the support they need in both ministry and family life.

Spain: Donald and Carol Page

Donald and Carol Page have an exciting opportunity to celebrate!

For the first time, Christian educators from across Europe are coming together for a European Christian Educators Conference. This gathering will bring leaders and educators together to share ideas, build relationships, and work toward a more united approach to Christian education throughout Europe.

Please pray for Donald and Carol and everyone involved in this important conference. May it strengthen Christian education, encourage those serving in ministry, and inspire new opportunities to share faith with future generations.

How You Can Help

Faith Promise Missions depends on the prayers and generosity of our Pender family. Every gift helps maintain connections with missionaries and supports the work they are doing around the world.

As we look toward this year's goal of $73,000, we invite you to prayerfully consider making a Faith Promise commitment above and beyond your regular giving.

Please also remember these missionaries in your prayers:

Become Part of the Mission

Pender's Faith Promise Missions Committee currently has nine members and welcomes new people who would like to become involved.

If you are interested in learning more, joining the committee, or helping further the mission of Jesus Christ, we would love to hear from you.

For 40 years, Pender has been answering the call to share God's love around the world. Together, through prayer, generosity, and connection, we can continue that mission for generations to come.

Thank you, Pender, for making world missions a part of who we are!

Pender United Methodist Church

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