Reflecting on Blessings
by Gary Snowden, Churchnet Missional Collaboration Team Leader
I always enjoy and eagerly anticipate the annual gatherings of Churchnet. This year was special in many respects--not the least of which being that the church where I'm privileged to serve as associate pastor hosted the event. There were lots of details to attend to in the days preceding the gathering, and the preparation heightened the sense of anticipation of the meetings.
As leader of the Missional Collaboration Team, one of my major responsibilities was for the missions banquet that kicks off our gathering each year. As we celebrated this year the 10th anniversary of our partnership with Guatemala Baptists, it was a great joy to feature Carol Bercian, the founder and director of the Tabitha Ministry, as our banquet speaker. Carol not only shared about the Tabitha Ministry, but also highlighted the benefits and blessings that Baptists
in western Guatemala have received over the past decade as a result of the leadership training events offered annually in January and July in Quetzaltenango. Carol also mentioned the multiple missions teams from churches affiliated with Churchnet that have traveled to Guatemala to serve in
a variety of ministries. Carol has been a key component of both the training events and the missions trips as she has handled the logistical arrangements of transportation, lodging, and meals for the various groups and teams. I'm grateful as well for the generous offering that was given at the banquet that will help fund future training events in Guatemala.
We were also blessed to have Otto
Echeverria, the president of the Guatemala
Baptist Convention, as our preacher for the
Saturday morning worship time. I've known
Otto for ten years now and he's a gifted
pastor and preacher and a good friend.
Guatemalan Baptists have benefitted from
his capable leadership these past four
years. Otto also expressed heartfelt thanks
to Churchnet for the support we've
provided to the Guatemala Baptist
Convention in the form of leadership
training and the sending of mission teams.
I know that all of us who've had the
opportunity to travel and serve among our
brothers and sisters there would say that
we've been the ones to receive the bigger
blessing as a result of those experiences.
Gary Snowden leading a breakout session.
(photo credit: Nathan Evans)