They honored six people who retired from mission work with a combined 139 years of service.
“When they (congregations) learn about our work they are very supportive,” said Joanne Brown, one of the six people recognized for retiring after more than 20 years of service including 18 as theology professor with the United Church of Christ in Madagascar.
She said the Mission Challenge ’07 was a good effort to educate Presbyterians on the scope of mission work the denomination supports. She hopes similar and more systematic efforts will continue because of the lack of knowledge about world geography and mission service.
More than 100 people gathered and most took turns standing in recognition for service completed and service about to begin. The five-member Trimble family will leave soon for Pakistan. Doug and Margy Trimble with children aged 11, 8 and 6 will serve in Lahore, Pakistan, at Foreman Christian College.
Even while fellow Presbyterians respect their call to serve God, they ask them about going to Pakistan. Margy affirms that it is God’s call and that they feel they are serving in one of the safest areas for Christians in Pakistan.
Other retiring mission co-workers who could not be present are listed with their presbytery and last area of service:
• John Butt and Martha Butt (Presbytery of Pittsburgh), served in Thailand;
• Donna Laubach-Moros (Presbytery of Middle Tennessee) and the Rev. Edgar Moros-Ruano (Iglesia Presbiteriana de Venezuela), served as theological education workers in Venezuela, Colombia, and Spain;
• William Yoder (Presbytery of Muskingum Valley), served 42 years as an educator in Thailand.
