• Archive of "midwest" Category

    Midwest Missionary:Update

    November 7, 2007 // No Comments »

    Just a short post to follow up with everyone who reads this blog and especially those who took interest in previous post about serving as a missionary here in the Midwest.

    I  need to thank many of you for your emails, phone calls, financial support, conversations, and prayer as I try to figure out what it looks like to live and help others to live missionally here in the Midwest.  As you may have noticed from my blog, I haven’t been able to raise the necessary support to really invest in the ministry of Repeat the way I had hoped.  On top of this, through further communication, it doesn’t seem like what I feel I can add to the overall thrust of the community is what is most needed.  Consequently, while I will still be proactively exploring other options for missional connections, I will not be heavily investing my time in the way I originally thought.

    For the time being, I have begun working at Starbucks on a part-time basis and am also working with the Salvation Army for the holiday season.  I will be assisting with their Angel Tree and Adopt-A-Family programs.  I look forward to writing more about these programs in the near future.

    I really want to keep this conversation about missional living and engagement in the midwest, so please offer comments and ask any and all questions that you think of.

    Peace.

    Posted in midwest, missional, money

    Midwest Missionary

    October 23, 2007 // 1 Comment »

    Dear Friends,

    As most of you probably know, I returned to Ohio toward the beginning of September to offer some family support and to explore what a missional engagement of the suburban Midwest might look like.

    It has been extremely rewarding to be around for my family and I have been having tons of great conversations with friends new and old as I try to patiently relearn what makes the Midwest the Midwest and what a missional (and therefore incarnational) life and community might entail.

    God has provided an opportunity to partner with a long-time friend and partner in ministry who, along with others, is breaking some ground in the area I feel called to invest in – the formation of more organic (and hopefully missional) communities, through a ministry called Repeat. The central aim of Repeat is the formation of communities who endeavor to allow Christ to “repeat” his life through ours (more here). We have been praying about my being able to serve in a part-time, volunteer capacity for a period of about three months. Neither of us is quite sure where God might lead from there, but it does seem like God has provided this as a beginning place and we are both pleased to explore it.

    As a part-time missionary, I will help with the creation and cultivation of communities, the planning of monthly events, and the resourcing and equipping of leaders. I will also continue do cultural and contextual analysis, especially as we do our best to engage college-age students on secular campuses. Because Repeat is a relationally structured ministry, there is tremendous freedom and opportunity to engage people in a variety of exciting ways.

    So, to cut to the chase, I am trying to raise $3,500 to support myself for the next three months (Nov. – Jan.). If this happens, then I will have the freedom to devote my time and attention to serving alongside others in this ministry. If not, I will simply need to take whatever job I can find, but won’t have the freedom to explore this opportunity as intentionally and passionately as I would like.

    If you would like to support me, please visit my blog (lifeasmission.com) where you can make a donation in any amount through paypal. I will take this down as soon as the goal has been reached. This is the first and only time that I have asked for support like this outside of some short-term missions opportunities and it is quite humbling. Thanks in advance for any and all prayer and financial support. I am happy to answer any questions you might have. I will of course be sharing stories of what God over these months on my blog!!

    To God be the glory,
    JR Rozko

    PS – In the event that I reach my goal, but unforeseen circumstances prevent my serving out the whole three months, all donations will go to supporting the ministry of Repeat.

    Posted in blogging, midwest, missional, suburban

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