By Rick Sample
Our newest Encourager Church is First Baptist Church of Columbia, Missouri. We had the joy of going in person to visit this
wonderful church for a weekend in November. The church held several events in conjunction with our visit, culminating in our signing the Encourager Church covenant. The church’s delightful pastor, Rev. Kristin McAtee, hosted us for the weekend in Columbia. The church is adjacent to the University of Missouri, and the town was “hopping” that weekend as it coincided with their big football game against one of their chief rivals. (Mizzou won, by the way!)
On Saturday, the church’s Serving Leadership Team hosted us for a soup and salad luncheon at a church member’s home during which we shared informally about our mission work and answered questions. Saturday evening, we met with youth and parents to discuss the youth mission trip to our area during their spring break in March. We were spotlighted during the sermon time of Sunday’s worship, which was a youth-led service. The youth moderator involved us in an interview format through which we could speak about what we do among Internationals in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Then we signed the Encourager Church Covenant with the church’s mission committee chairperson. An all-church Sunday lunch was comprised of a soup and salad buffet (our second soup and salad meal in two days!) While we need the church’s financial support for our mission programming, and while we appreciate their prayers and partnership in ministry, we treasure their friendship and fellowship. It was a delightful weekend experience encompassing everything that the Encourager Church relationship with field personnel is designed to be. We loved every minute and look forward to our sharing together in ministry with First Baptist Church, Columbia, Missouri!