Sunday, January 22, 2017

Vance and Carol’s Ministry Description for 2017

Vance and Carol’s Ministry Description for 2017

Introduction:

Vance is still a full-time employee of the mission. Carol is transitioning to being a part-time employee. Our salary in the past was dependent on my status and even though Carol went through the whole application process, she was not “technically” an employee.

Vance:

  • I will be visiting the Philippines at least twice this year and next, where I will be assisting with further training of church planters who are currently planting 15-20 churches inside the area that was affected by the 2013 Typhoon Haiyan (local name Yolanda). The next trip is February 5-27, 2017 where I will be visiting Tacloban, Cebu, Leyte and Bantayan Island to train and encourage church planters.
  • I have been asked by our Asia Regional leadership to visit churches in Northern California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho and present personnel needs and ministry opportunities in Asia. I have already visited five churches here in Clark County and will be going to others through the month of March 2017. Primarily this is to meet with pastors, deacons/elders and mission committee members.

Carol

  • She will continue being the primary homemaker for the five us living at our residence.
  • She is currently discovering what the “site coordinator” for Global Fingerprints does. This is the Reachglobal program for child sponsorship. Carol would be working with partners in Manila who are planting churches among the urban poor.
    • This would be a half-time position.
    • It would require a trip every year to meet with the ministry partners in the Philippines.
    • She would be involved in connecting donors with recipients.
    • She would do promotion, raising awareness of this ministry opportunity.

Carol and Vance

  • The mission gives us six months to visit churches before our 66th birthday (Vance, September 2017). This means that March to September Carol and I (mostly me) will be traveling to supporting churches and individuals to thank them.
  • We will also be talking to them about considering supporting us (mainly Carol) after September 2017 so that she can serve the urban poor church planting ministry in Manila.

Conclusion:

Carol and I want to thank all of you for your faithful support, especially during this time of transition.

Sunday, January 01, 2017

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Saturday, December 31, 2016

Dear Friends, Supporters and Family,

Carol and I just enjoyed our first Christmas here in the United States with family in twelve years, and it was delightful. We celebrated with Vance’s siblings; our family; our church; and Carol’s family. Maybe we were making up for lost time. It was so precious that on each occassion, we were reminded that the incarnation of Jesus was the reason for our celebration.

We have had snow (very small amounts) on three separate days and that has been fun, in its own way.

We wanted to thank everyone who prayed for our recent trip to the Philippines. God answered your prayers. We were able to visit with many dear friends, even flying to another island to visit a family that we have grown close to. Yesterday we learned that they are expecting their third child.

We were able to sell our things and pack up and move out of our small apartment. We were even able to drive four hours north on the island where we have lived and visit the homes/families of two of the young ladies that have worked for us.

Vance will be going back in the first half of February to help with an ongoing leadership development with about fifteen pastors who are leading church plants. Please pray that God will provide the necessary finances (about $1,200) so that I (Vance) can do this.

Speaking of finances, we are still on full time salary with the mission through the month of September 2017. Pray for Carol as she considers a part-time position with the mission after that. She is being asked to be the “Global Fingerprints’ site coordinator” for the Philippines. Global Fingerprints is a program developed by Reachglobal (our mission agency) which sponsors children for nutrition, education and health. There are children in a Muslim neighborhood in Manila, Philippines who are being reached for the Gospel by an onsite ministry team that could benefit from such a program. Pray for wisdom regarding this opportunity.

Our family has greatly benefited from being together for the past seven months. We are still working through issues and seeking a long term way to meet the needs that continue to exist. Continue to pray for this.

Tomorrow is the start of 2017, at least in this time zone, and as we look forward to a new year we are reminded that like Israel, God has brought us this far and He is still in control.

In His service and yours,

Vance and Carol Johnson

email: vance.johnson@efca.org carol.johnson@efca.org

mobile phone: Vance (360) Carol (360)

mailing address: 6608-A NE 259th Street, Battle Ground, WA 98604-9553