Missions & Community Support
Taking the Great Commission very seriously, we love having a part in missions all over the world. About a third of our budget is for missions. We support the following:
INDIVIDUALS & FAMILIES
INDIVIDUALS & FAMILIES
Sam and Olivia Avery – Dakar Academy, Senegal
Sam is the student chaplain for Dakar Academy and Olivia is admissions coordinator. The school has 280 students K-12 representing over 45 countries, primarily missionary children but others as well. They also have a vibrant ministry to those in the community.
Louise Barnard – ABWE/Asia Biblical Theological Seminary – Michigan
Travels to Thailand as needed to teach courses at ABTS or help with administrative training; works from U.S. by remote access with ABTS, ordering textbooks and counseling/processing students near graduation.
Jonathan & Heidi Brockman – 3rd Person/Ten Thirty-Three – Middle East
Involved in a variety of economic, sports, and personal growth endeavors as they live the Gospel and disciple people, both in their neighborhood and among refugees.
Wright & Dori Doyle – China Institute/Global China Center – Texas (home)
Direct ministry to Chinese people both in the U.S. and abroad, in the form of personal & mentoring relationships and small group Bible studies; writing/translating theological & academic articles and biographies of Chinese Christians for publication or for the organizations’ websites.
Konstantin & Angela Goncharov – North American Mission Board – South Florida
Personal evangelism & personal evangelism training, Bible study, discipleship, and church-planting, primarily among Russian-speaking people.
Randy & QB Kennedy – Ripe for Harvest – central/south Florida
Coming alongside newer/smaller Hispanic ministries and investing in the lives of bi-vocational Hispanic church pastors and leaders—discipling, coaching, counseling, encouraging.
Hassan Kodi & family – Virginia
By God’s grace & through the efforts of individuals in the U.S., Pastor Hassan was released from prison in Sudan and brought, along with his family, to live in this area. Several churches have joined together to give them assistance.
Andreas (Andy) & Bethany Maier – Crossworld – Germany
Discipling students at Black Forest Academy and people in the local community; using humanitarian aid & community development to open doors for the Gospel in a Central Asian country, plus discipleship and pastor training for believers there; ministry to Middle Eastern refugees in their area of Germany.
Ilse Maier – Crossworld – Germany
Originally involved with her late husband in church-planting, she now teaches children, teenagers, and women in her church; has a women’s ministry outside of her cluster of churches, speaks at retreats, and does personal counseling. She and her German co-worker Judith print and distribute Bible Study guides written by her husband. They also translated a Sunday school curriculum from the U.S., which they print & distribute in Germany and German speaking countries. (Ilse is Andy’s mother.)
Kyra Marken – TeachBeyond – Romania
Teaches high school humanities and an elementary English course, and is the secondary coordinator at Bucharest Christian Academy. BCA serves a mix of Missionary Kids, local Romanian ESL students, and Third-Culture Kids. While some of the students come from Christian homes, others enroll simply because of the appeal of a western education. She has many opportunities to model Christ’s love as she interacts with students. (Kyra is Jon & Sherri’s daughter.)
George & Hanna Miley – Quellen /Antioch Network – U.S. & Germany
Quellen, the German word for “sources” or “springs,” expresses the purpose of this ministry – “Sources for Restoration.” The Lord has given to the Mileys and their German co-workers a three-fold calling: reconciliation, discipleship, teaching & mentoring (“Healing the past…Transforming the present…Guiding the future”). George also writes and teaches about living as a disciple of Christ and maturing toward Christlikeness.
Kirk & Emily Ogden – South America Mission (SAM) – S. Carolina (international office)
Kirk is Executive Director of the Mission, whose ministries in South America include church planting in both urban & tribal settings; providing theological education and leadership training in the churches & in a Bible training center; flying pastors & missionaries to remote places; holding conferences; and many other efforts.
Dave & Sue Rodman – Ethnos360 – South America
Having served for many years in a village, putting a tribal language into written form and then translating the Bible into that language to bring the Gospel to the people, their ministry is now located in a town where they welcome groups of people from the tribe into their home for extended periods of Bible study and discipleship.
Dr. S. and R. – Christian Veterinary Missions – East Asia (for security reasons they use their initials when online)
As they prepare for the field, Dr. S. will work in a small animal clinic, advising and training veterinarians and discipling them in the faith. She also will participate in outreach ministries. Her husband, R., will oversee the building of the new large animal teaching facility and clinic nearby.
Mike & Kris York – InterVarsity/IFES–OSCER – Romania
Their main focus is discipleship and evangelism among Romanian university students; training them to walk with Jesus, engage their friends with the Gospel, be involved with the local church, and graduate with a desire to serve the church and their colleagues. They also seek to challenge students to engage their communities and to respond with integrity at work and with Christlikeness to social injustices like trafficking & poverty.
Eric Young – Chi Alpha – Longwood University
This campus ministry works to foster a joyful Christian community with a strong emphasis on discipleship and evangelism. Though raised as a Christian, Eric himself didn’t experience the reality of Christ until this ministry drew him in during his college years. “…I’m crazy about seeing lives changed by Jesus. I have experienced first hand the freedom and joy that is available to all of us only through Jesus Christ,” he writes.
ORGANIZATIONS
ORGANIZATIONS
Ariel Ministries – U.S., Canada, + other locations around the world
Their purpose is to evangelize Jewish people—to reach them for Messiah—and to disciple both Jewish and Gentile believers through intensive Bible teaching from a Jewish perspective.
L’Abri – Switzerland, U.S., + other locations around the world
Residential study centers provide a place where people can be part of an extended family, seek and receive honest answers to honest questions about God and the significance of human life, and cultivate or pursue the truth of Christianity
The Bridge Ministry – Buckingham, VA
The Bridge Ministry works in Central Virginia to transform the lives of troubled men and their families through a faith-based program grounded on the tenets of historic Christianity, and to provide the mentoring, vocational skills, education, and relationships they need to “bridge” the gap from bondage to productive community and family life.
Cogito – Hampden-Sydney College
By means of reading groups, individual meetings, and talks – usually by academics or professionals speaking on topics in their area of expertise—students both Christian and non-Christian are challenged to think hard about issues of faith and reason, in a safe and civil setting.
Gideons International – Nashville, TN (headquarters)
The Gideons place or distribute Bibles & New Testaments, and share the Gospel, in high schools, jails & prisons, hotels, and on college & university campuses all over the world. Many also reach out to local pastors to encourage and pray for them.
InterVarsity – Longwood University
Students are welcomed into a caring, diverse community where they can build friendships and explore Christian faith through small group Bible studies, large group meetings, personal relationships, special events, and conferences, that they might be drawn to Jesus as Savior and Lord and that believers may grow in responding to God’s Word.
Pregnancy Support Center of Southside Virginia – serving Amelia, Appomattox, Buckingham, Charlotte, Cumberland, Lunenburg, Nottoway, & Prince Edward Counties
An outreach for women, and their families, who are faced with an unexpected pregnancy. “By meeting a woman’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, and affirming the value of human life, we enable her to carry her child to term and to plan constructively for her future…through the application of sound life principles, providing accurate information, expressing compassion and practical care, always mindful that there is no greater need than the need for the saving grace of the Lord Jesus.”
Serve India Ministries – India
Works with independent pastors, in 17 states of India, who would otherwise labor alone—equipping them to reach India with the Gospel. SIM gives a pastor training in biblical principles of evangelism, disciple-making, church planting, & preaching; a godly mentor who provides accountability; fellowship with other pastors; a small amount of money for ministry; ministry tools such as a bicycle & Bibles; and an enlarged vision—to evangelize & plant a church in 5 unreached villages.
The Shepherd’s Tavern – Madisonville, Virginia
Dave and Debbie Sanders established The Shepherd’s Tavern in Madisonville, Virginia, as a getaway for “spiritual first responders,” a place where missionaries, pastors, and other ministry workers can find rest and restoration. They have several acres with walking trails and have begun building cabins and other amenities for brief stays. They also offer events for the general community, such as their self-guided Way of the Cross during Holy Week each year.
The Voice of the Martyrs – offices around the world
A nonprofit, interdenominational Christian missions organization dedicated to serving our persecuted family worldwide through practical and spiritual assistance and leading other members of the body of Christ into fellowship with them.
Young Life – Southside Virginia
The purpose of Southside Young Life is to help introduce students to Jesus in a fun, genuine, and attractive way and to help them grow in their faith. Local presence is at Prince Edward, Fuqua, Randolph Henry, Central Middle, Longwood U., and Hampden-Sydney College.
ERICA GEARY FUND
ERICA GEARY FUND
Erica was taken home at age 26, but we want to remember her passion for our Lord and for missions. We want to keep alive her vision to reach the Mongolian people with the gospel.
So we have established the Erica Geary Fund to support Mongolian missions, especially veterinary missions, the joy of her life. The Fund is a permanent endowment with the income supporting one missionary to begin with and more as the Fund allows. The Fund is maintained separately from the church’s finances but donations may be sent to the church’s address, PO Box 917, Farmville, VA 23901.
ERICA’S PASSION
Also we pray the Fund will inspire others to live with the same passion for Christ that drove Erica. On her Facebook page she had written:
I am totally in love with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is the light of my eyes and the joy of my heart.
I love being in the middle of mountains, seeing the power of thunderstorms, and gazing up at skies full of stars: pretty much anything that reminds me of how small I am and how big God is.
I am excited to be a Christian who loves science. The wonders of the natural world are an amazing display of the creativity and incredible genius of our great God! Some of my favorite places to visit are natural wonders (like the Alps or Grand Canyon) or even the zoo or the aquarium. Because I look at the giraffe, the tank of tropical fish, the huge mountains, and I think to myself, “I cannot wait until heaven, when I will stand before the God who made this and enjoy Him forever!”
On the dashboard of her car were these lyrics from Matt Maher:
Unwavering is Your voice; Unwavering is Your hand.
Unwavering is Your will; Unwavering is Your plan.
The fount of salvation on which we will stand.
Also adorning her dash were three scriptures: Jeremiah 29:11, Philippians 1:6, and Hebrews 6:13–20.
Many of Erica’s friends speak of her intense passion to see her Lord. May we live with the same passion!
CHRISTIAN VETERINARY MISSIONS
Veterinarians are uniquely equipped to reach those who have never heard the gospel. Many unreached people live in rural communities where livestock play a central role in their livelihood. When these animals are in poor health, it drastically impacts their lives. A healthy animal can literally make the difference between life and death for an entire family.
Animals are a bridge to relationship in any culture. In communities where a missionary would not be welcome, those with veterinary skills are able to share their expertise. As relationships of trust are built, opportunities are created to share the gospel. Read more at cvmusa.org.
The Fund is currently supporting Dr. S. and R. (for security reasons they use their initials when online), a veterinarian and her husband most recently from eastern Virginia. Their work directly carries on Erica’s vision.
ERICA DAWN GEARY
June 14, 1988–April 3, 2015
Erica grew up and was homeschooled in Damascus, Maryland, then graduated from Grove City College with a degree in Molecular Biology. She went on to receive her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg, Virginia. She loved her work as a doctor at the Ridge Animal Hospital in Farmville, Virginia.
Erica participated in many mission trips to places such as Haiti, Nicaragua, and Mongolia. She was learning the Mongolian language and laying plans for long-term veterinary missions there through the Christian Veterinary Mission.
Besides her work, Erica loved to create beautiful paintings and items that reflected her love of God, and she spent much time in the mountains and with her many friends. She could often be found singing and playing guitar, writing encouraging notes to others, sharing her joy.
Everywhere she went Erica encouraged friends to grow in the faith. While at Faith Bible Fellowship she started a young adult Bible study and was working through the book of Acts, inspired by the zeal of the early church to reach the world.
Erica died on Good Friday at 3 p.m. Her parents, Paul and Janet Geary, and her brother, Matthew, are working to carry on her legacy.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
In addition to the missionaries above, we also support various community organizations, including Habitat for Humanity, Feed Farmville, Heart of Virginia Free Clinic, STEPS, FACES, Operation Blue Christmas, Madeline’s House, Moton Museum, and others.
