Hearts for Missions
A Legacy of Love
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
Within a few years after Dr. Diehm's arrival, the movements that transpired were as far away as Ken-ya, Costa Rica, and Latvia. When mission involvement increased, the repeated message from mission participants of all ages was that "We have fallen in love with our neighbors in this community and around the world!" In 2011, the world came crashing down on our congregation when their dynamic and beloved pastor died unexpectedly. Words from the book Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young, and God's abiding love brought comfort to their mourning and provided them the strength to move forward. These untold stories ARE DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF OUR BELOVED DR. KEN DIEHM. The church's new pastor, Rev. John Mollet, found a still grieving but a resilient congregation that was, and is, im-bued with a "kindness gene." Today, the church continues to build new relationships in countless plac-es. It is with much hope and prayer that the sharing of these missionary journeys will plant seeds for other churches to find their own roads to use their "hearts for missions." PURPOSE We have a story to share that that has not yet been told publicly. The overall theme of Hearts for Missions is to share dis-tinctive ways to grow missions through building relationships while sharing God's love. In these ac-counts, readers will learn about how one church's mission teams devised opportunities to build rela-tionships and fall in love with neighbors locally and worldwide. From the basic beginnings evolved the Village concept, which serves as a foundation from which these ministries materialize. Our mission through our Villages is to become Christ's representatives in the world. We seek to become His hands and feet as members turn their faith into action. Many church members retell ways they have found their own joy and have seen that joy and love in others in most unexpected places!
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
“Love your neighbor as yourself” is one of Jesus’ most profound commands and is one of many scriptures that led First Grapevine, a United Methodist Church in Texas, to remarkable fields of love and caring both in their backyard and as far away as Kenya, Costa Rica, and Latvia. Hearts for Missions encourages all denominations to follow this command while sharing inspirational stories that inspire and guide others in this ministry.
This collection of stories shares distinctive ways to grow missions through building relationships while sharing God’s love. In these accounts, parishioners tell how one church’s mission teams built relationships while falling in love with neighbors locally and worldwide. From the early stages, the village concept evolved, and it serves as a foundation from which these ministries materialize the mission to become Christ’s representatives in the world.
In memory of Rev. Dr. Ken Diehm whose life and commitment to missions inspired this book. Throughout these pages, church members celebrate the myriad ways Ken taught them to discover new relationships, love, and joy in unexpected places and to share that joy and love with neighbors in their own backyards and in faraway lands.
About the Author
Rev. John Mollet, served as a Methodist pastor for forty-one years in North Texas churches. After retirement from First United Methodist Church Grapevine in 2017, he became a senior representative for the Central Texas Conference and the Texas Methodist Foundation. In this position, he guides churches to resources relevant to their mission and goals.
Pat Laster, an educator for over five decades and a certified spiritual director, has worked as a teacher, principal, and director of curriculum in Texas schools. Laster has written for Voyager Expanded Learning in addition to other educational entities. With a heart for missions, she felt compelled to share these inspiring accounts.