God has called many people to be missionaries, and sends them all over the world. We feel that supporting missionaries is something God has called us to, and therefore is very important to us. This page is designed to show you the missionaries we actively support. Below you will find both a picture and a short description of each of the missionaries. If you wish to see the full list of missionaries that our church supports, visit Eden Worship Center.
Harold and Janice Gingerich are missionaries to Indonesia and the Phillippines. They visit Indonesia yearly, and have been doing so for more than 20 years. While down there, Harold speaks at many different places all over the country, multiple times a day. In the summer of 2016, Harold took his grandson Aiden with him to Indonesia, actively taking part in raising the next generation of missionaries. Janice is a worker here, and we are proud to send them off every summer.
Rich and Ginger Jorgensen are missionaries in Niger Republic, West Africa. They work in muslim villages (Niger is 98% muslim) by planting and visiting churches, and by providing relief for people, as it is often needed due to how poor the country is. They oversee an elementary school in Maradi. Maradi is also the home of a Bible School where they can teach new believers. For more information on what they are doing visit their page at Bay Ridge Christian Church.
Being a missionary doesn’t necessarily mean one must be in a different country. America needs missionaries too. That’s where Youth With A Mission (YWAM) and other such organizations come in. David and Wilma Yoder work with YWAM down in Florida. They perform many much needed jobs down there, such as David performing maintenance duties. To learn more about what YWAM is doing, visit YWAM Orlando.
Destin and Jennifer Detwiler are members of our church, and as of Auguest 2017 will be training to become long term missionaries with To Every Tribe. Their end goal is to become missionaries to unreached people groups, which constitute over 40% of the world’s population. Their training will take 2 years, and will include spending time in Northern Mexico planting churches in small villages.
Missionaries are a very important aspect of life, but they are not the only cause worth supporting. There are local charities we donate our time and resources to as well. Here is a short collection of the charities deemed most important to us, with short explanations of the work they do for our community.
The Compassion Pregnancy Center is a group in Angola and LaGrange dedicated to the protection of life, abstinence, and helping those affected by abortion (including women, men, and children both born and unborn). They also believe that faith in God and salvation is an essential part of their work. We are proud supporters of their work. For more information, visit Compassion Pregnancy Center.
Relay For Life, a program run by the American Cancer Society, is an event in which cancer survivors and their families can have an overnight fundraising walk. Food, games, and various activities generate an environment that builds friendships and allows survivors and families to see that they are not the only ones affected by cancer. Some activities include: the Survivors Lap, the Luminaria Ceremony, and the Fight Back Ceremony. This is a family friendly event which is an important way to fight against both cancer and the sorrow it brings. For more information, visit Relay For Life.
4-H is a youth development program designed to teach youth, using the “learn by doing” style. It teaches youth how to lead and innovate. It engages youth hands-on in areas involving science, citizenship, and healthy living. For more information, visit LaGrange County 4-H Fair.