Missions Table

[Hamalas]

I have an opportunity to go overseas on a one year missions trip (I'll be sharing more details on the PB in the next few weeks) and am going to be putting together a display table for our church's missions month on February 23rd. I was just wondering what advice you veteran missionaries could give me about what to do (and what not to do) when putting a table together. Any advice would be helpful!

 

[Pergamum]

Avoid tribal nudity. And if you call any target group "heathen" make sure you don't say it with an Ozark drawl "heatheRRRrrrn."

 

[Pergamum]

More generally: If you are going away for a year and need to raise support and also to prepare, why is your OP question so specific about a missions table and not more general about other preparations or more general fund-raising? A missions table is only one small slice of that wider process (and most people won't give or pray due to the quality or professionalism of your missions display, they usually give and pray for people they know and trust). What else are you doing in preparation?

 

[Hamalas]

Hi Pergy, thanks for your thoughts I was hoping you would reply.

Just to clarify. I'll be headed (Lord willing) to Sheffield, England for a one year term as a student worker and pastoral intern with a Presbyterian Church plant. I'll be working with my church's missions committee, coordinating with Presbytery contacts, and sending out support letters to others I know who might be interested in supporting this work. There's more in the works but for now I just wanted to know if there was any general advice about the table since that is the most immediate opportunity I have to share what I'm doing with my local congregation.

I guess I was just wondering if there were any "tricks of the trade" so to speak when putting this kind of thing together (i.e. what kinds of things are important to share on paper and which are better shared in person, etc...)

I'm not worried about it, but just thought I would see if anyone had any thoughts before I start putting stuff together.

 

[Edward]

Sheffield, England

Knives. Swords. Robin Hood. Knives.

On a more serious note - depending on what your church has supported in the way of missions in the past, the key question might be 'Why a modern, civilized city instead of where Pergy is, or darkest Africa, or the jungles of South America?'

What do the other tables usually have? If it's like many I've seen, there will be pictures of housing, children, and skinny cows, and probably some native crafts and a Bible in the local tongue if one is available. You could stay on theme (perhaps no cows) but with pictures emphasizing the contrast with what folks usually expect to see. (High rise apartment buildings, supermarkets, university students) to draw folks in, and then some large graphs to illustrate the need. (Percentage of active church goers, shrinkage of church attendance, growth of islam in England (and more localized if you could come up with the statistics).

 

[Pergamum]

A simple statement of what you are doing with a few pics of you, the place of ministry, and an explanation of your goals for the year. The best method of keeping in touch is by personally knowing the people (few people really stop to read every word on a display..only what seems short, easy to read, and catches the eye). Figure that you have about 2 seconds to catch their eye as they pass, and 80% will then (if their eye is caught) read for another 15 seconds before moving on. If there is a fuller pamphlet for them to take home and read more thoroughly in their spare time, some will take it and read it all at their own leisure.

 

[jambo]

It is difficult putting a display together if you have not already been there as any display is general rather than specific to what you are doing. Sheffield is was famous for its steelworks but unfortunately they are now closed. In sport it is famous for rugby league as well as having one the oldest surviving football clubs in the world. Like any big city unemployment, specially youth unemployment, is a big issue, the drugs problem, housing needs and homelessness are all ensues. Not sure of the church situation in the city.

General pictures which highlight these needs could be displayed as good any pictures of the church you will be working in and the area it's located in would be helpful. Also general pictures of landmarks or for what he town is famous for, or at least give a flavour of the town are also helpful as well as a breakdown of the population, ie % of Moslems, "Christians", etc.

Once you arrive and start sending out updates I would be very guarded about what you say in updates. Just supposing you met someone called Joe who has a drug problem and his ex-wife refuses to let him see the children. Be very careful what you write about Joe for your supporters. Just ask yourself, how would Joe feel about me writing this to a group back home?

 

[Somerset]

I think there is a version of the Bible in Yorkshire, or at least parts of it. There are no malnourished cows, but there are lots of malnourished horses owned by travelers.

Sheffield was, as Stuart says, famous for cutlery, but that has gone. Today it's main claim to fame is the world snooker championships held at the Crucible Theatre (no spell checker this is correct). Today it is just like any other big city.

So pictures of urban blight, muslims, pawnshops.