A Productive Church Summit and A Great Celebration

Rev. Martha Epstein writes: Our Summit is going great. Thanks for all the prayers; they are definitely carrying us through. We spent all day yesterday with the Bishops and representatives from the Methodist Church Ghana hearing presentations, being in conversation and most importantly getting to know one another and developing relationships. We feel very positive that the goal of a long term partnership is going to be attainable and we are excited as to how God is working in our midst. Today we get down to the "nitty gritty" as we will begin to create a plan for moving forward. At the end of the day we were treated to a most amazing dinner by the cousin of Rev. Joseph Washington. We felt truly honored by the beautiful decor, wonderful hospitality and delicious meal. Despite getting lost and taking us an extra hour and a half to get there, it was worth it. One thing we learned--when you make a wrong turn its not so easy to just turn around and go back like it is in America. With limited paved roads and turn offs there is no "take the next exit and back track."
The major topics we see working in partnership with the Methodist Church Ghana are Education and Youth, Finance and Health and Santitation. Please keep that in mind as you form your prayers.

The NYAC team has come together well and everyone has taken the role that was assigned to them (chaplain, health and safety, defriefer, etc) very seriously. We are enjoying the diversity that we have among us and have especially enjoyed teasing our youngest member, Rev. Jeffrey Hooker. As he is about to celebrate his 30th birthday here according to the Ghana church he is still a youth--they consider youth to be from age 12 to 35!

Rev. Jeffrey Hooker writes about Sept.7th: "As we made the journey to the church it was a quick ride; then we disembarked to eat and fellowship. The spread was awe-inspiring and delicious. It was amazing to see the reverence held for the Episcopal leaders and their treatment. After the food we headed into the vestry then the sanctuary. Before I forget, we took pictures to be featured in the Methodist Times (a news publication in Ghana). The offering experience was separated by day of the week, communion was served with wine, they had a color guard, there was a general birthday celebration done. it was a blessed 3 hour experience. Lunch was smoked fish, rice 2 ways, beef, more fish...it was wicked tasty! I'm super excited for how we can partner together. Dinner was good, but the best was conversations with the Bishops. It was fun to hear from them, see their personalities."